The Verdugos -- Fire Warden's Grove Loop

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:31 pm

OK, so practically every local hiking spot is closed right now ... except the Verdugo Mountains (correct me please if I'm wrong!).

There are a number of "trails" in the Verdugos, mostly on dirt fire roads. Here's a personal favorite that is actually mostly on trail and not on dirt road: The Fire Warden's Grove Loop.

Start at the turn out on La Tuna Canyon Road here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. There is a trail heading up the ridge that joins the remains of an old dirt road here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. This trail is a little hard to follow and had some downed trees on it last time I used it. It's also brushy. Once you get to it, follow the old dirt road through the Fire Wardens Grove -- a grove of trees planted by LA County Fire Wardens years ago. You eventually join the Backbone Road here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. Proceed west along the Backbone Road to this northward jutting point on the road: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. Look for a trail going north from this point following an old road bed. Follow the trail down the ridge. It will leave the ridge approximately here http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG, still on the old road bed, and join the canyon bottom approximately here, where you will find the remains of an old car: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. Follow the trail down the canyon bottom for a ways until the trail climbs west out of the canyon approximately here http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG and proceeds parallel to La Tuna Canyon Road along a flat faced ridge and drops down in to the next canyon to the west, meeting La Tuna Canyon Road, here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG near BM 1347.

The exit trail is weirdly laid out once you pass the wreck of the old car, but, hey, at least it's hiking.

These trails aren't marked on any USGS maps that I'm aware of, so I'm giving you approximate points from memory. The points are going to be pretty close, but there may be a little bit of nav. involved here; just giving fair warning. I'm choosing clockwise deliberately because the up trail is far less used than the down trail and locating the up trail's endpoint in Fire Wardens Grove can be tricky. The down trail that returns you back to La Tuna Canyon Road is popular with the Mtn. Bike crowd, and you shouldn't have too much trouble finding it or following it.

Alternatively, you can climb the dirt road from the 210/La Tuna Canyon Road interchange area, but then you've got a much longer walk on La Tuna Canyon Rd to your car, and you're on boring

dirt road for 90% of the time.

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:05 pm

Jim -- I like that loop. I didn't realize it had a name -- at least not that one.

I certainly recall the old car wreck. That loop was one of my possibilities for the weekend.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:12 pm

AlanK wrote:Jim -- I like that loop. I didn't realize it had a name -- at least not that one. I certainly recall the old car wreck. That loop was one of my possibilities for the weekend.

Um, well,

I'm not sure that's an "official" name. That's more of a Hikin' Jim "I need some way to refer to the durned thing" kind of a designation. Seems to make sense: the major feature en-route is Fire Wardens Grove.

I originally found out about the hike in the LA times years ago in their old Outdoors supplement. They referred to the westernmost trail as the Fire Wardens Grove trail although I've heard it referred to as the La Tuna Canyon Trail as well. I understand that the easternmost trail is the La Tuna Canyon Foot Trail (a most uninspired name).
HJ

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:27 pm

Hikin_Jim wrote:I'm not sure that's an "official" name. That's more of a Hikin' Jim "I need some way to refer to the durned thing" kind of a designation. Seems to make sense: the major feature en-route is Fire Wardens Grove.

FWIW, I've been calling it "The Fire Warden's Grove Loop" since October 25, 2007.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:31 pm

Well, there you have it. Sounds official to me.

Leslie L · Post by **Leslie L** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:14 pm

Here is a link to the Verdugo Hills Community Hike (next weekend) including some crude maps of the area.

http://www.verdugohillshike.org/

We hike this area from the Burbank side when we're short on time. It can be quite peaceful and lovely... we've seen deer, coyote, bobcat, fox and snakes. We begin by heading up Wildwood Canyon (which is pretty steep - a lot of local residents actually complained about this when the trail was completed) then we head west picking up the single tracks that parallel the Verdugo fireroad, up and down over several bumps. When we hit Stough Canyon we head up the firebreak on other side of the road, then down by the old Youth Camp, and more single track down to the fireroad just above the Nature Center. We complete the loop with about 1/2 mile or so on road around DeBell Golf course back to the Wildwood Cyn parking lot. I think it's about 6-7 miles total... enough to get get my heart pumping and my boots dirty.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:29 pm

H. Jim, the Fire Warden's Grove loop sounds great. Maybe I missed it, but about how many miles is this loop?

Another trail that is not in the forest but has commanding views of the San Gabriel Valley is the Garcia Trail in Glendora. The trail starts on Sierra Madre Ave. west of Barranca Ave. at the fire station. The trailhead: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG The trail tops out on Glendora Ridge Road below ANF boundaries: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG , http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/forestvisitorma ... les/13.php The trip is ~1.2 miles up with ~900' gain. Turning east on the fire road will take you through ANF for ~200-300 yds before returning to non-ANF property. Hiking to the top of that next hill (we call it 'The Wall') is a good climb and is not in the ANF. Round trip to the top of the wall is ~4.5 -5 miles. Garcia Trail is an excellent conditioning trail. I bet I have done it a hundred times.
**************************
I just realized that I probably should have posted this to the ANF Closure discussion... sorry 'bout that!

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 10:04 am

I honestly don't know what the mileage for the loop is. It's sort of a local hike that I do periodically when I don't have time to do a "big" hike.

I'm guessing that it's something on the order of 5 or 6 miles, just based on the topo and my experience of hiking on it.

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:31 pm

Mike P wrote:H. Jim, the Fire Warden's Grove loop sounds great. Maybe I missed it, but about how many miles is this loop?

I did the loop as part of a longer hike yesterday. The Fire Warden's Grove Loop is 6.9 miles.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:21 pm

Thanks, Alan. We're thinking about doing the Fire Warden's Grove Loop in a couple of weeks. You're pictures were helpful, too.

Maxwell's Demon · Post by **Maxwell's Demon** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 10:43 pm

I really like the wildwood canyon trail. It would be nice to have a message board or section dedicated to LA trails.

Travis · Post by **Travis** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:33 am

I will make a Section to try out...

thanks for the suggestion,

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:21 am

I'm adding few add'l notes on the Fire Wardens Grove Loop based on my most recent hike, this past Saturday. The additions are in italic text.

Fire Warden's Grove Loop.
6.9 miles RT

Start at the turn out on La Tuna Canyon Road here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. The trail starts from the west side of the parking area although there is a short cut use trail that starts on the east side There is a trail heading up the ridge that joins the remains of an old dirt road here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. There are a lot of "low bridge" type overhanging branches, stone steps up to ~30" high, and several trees that have been left in place that are a tripping hazard. Definitely not recommended for MTB's It's also a little brushy. The brush isn't bad as of 10/27/07, but I did encounter a couple of ticks. Long pants = good idea. Once you get to it, follow the old dirt road through the Fire Wardens Grove -- a grove of trees planted by LA County Fire Wardens years ago. A number of the trees have been blackened by fire. There is one really nice, fully intact tree with park benches under it. Pretty freakin' civilized. You eventually join the Backbone Road here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. There's a sign at the junction with the Backbone Road that says "Plantation Lateral." Proceed west along the Backbone Road to this northward jutting point on the road: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. This trail is really obvious and well worn. The Boy Scouts have placed a bench of the type that I would expect at a beach resort at the point where the trail takes off. Look for a trail going north from this point following an old road bed. Follow the trail down the ridge. It will leave the ridge approximately here http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG, still on the old road bed, and join the canyon bottom approximately here, where you will find the remains of an old car: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG. The point at which the trail leaves the ridge has one of those brown fiberglass type "posts" (similar to the ones that the USFS uses) with a little brown and white "hiking man" symbol on it. Follow the trail down the canyon bottom for a ways until the trail climbs west out of the canyon approximately here http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG and proceeds parallel to La Tuna Canyon Road along a flat faced ridge and drops down in to the next canyon to the west, meeting La Tuna Canyon Road, here: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34. ... &layer=DRG near BM 1347.

The exit trail is weirdly laid out once you pass the wreck of the old car, but, hey, at least it's hiking.

It takes about 10 minutes, probably a little less, to walk from the exit trailhead back to entry trailhead.

These trails aren't marked on any USGS maps that I'm aware of, so I'm giving you approximate points from memory. The points are going to be pretty close, but there may be a little bit of nav. involved here; just giving fair warning. I'm choosing clockwise deliberately because the up trail is far less used than the down trail and locating the up trail's endpoint in Fire Wardens Grove can be tricky. The down trail that returns you back to La Tuna Canyon Road is popular with the Mtn. Bike crowd, and you shouldn't have too much trouble finding it or following it.

Alternatively, you can climb the dirt road from the 210/La Tuna Canyon Road interchange area, but then you've got a much longer walk on La Tuna Canyon Rd to your car, and you're on boring

dirt road for 90% of the time.

Final Note: The first section of the above described route, from La Tuna Canyon Rd to Fire Wardens Grove is the best work out. The rest of the route is hiking, but it's not really that good of a work out. If one were pressed for time, one could ascend just the first section to the grove and descend via the same route, which could probably be done in under 2 hours. I did the entire 6.9 mi. loop in about 3.5 hours which is consistent with a 2mph pace.

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:52 am

Jim was not kidding when he said:

The Boy Scouts have placed a bench of the type that I would expect at a beach resort at the point where the trail takes off.

The margaritas were excellent, but kind of pricey.

(I added the second picture after seeing Jim's post below.)

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:03 am

lol
Great picture. That's exactly it, the bench marks the spot where you turn off the fire road and go down the ridge trail.

There were two more of these deluxe reclining benches at one of the saddles between Fire Wardens Grove and the above referenced trail junction. These were placed, according to the inscription, by Boy Scout Troop 119, Van Nuys, CA, in June 2007.

Thank you, BSA!

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:06 am

Maxwell's Demon wrote:I really like the wildwood canyon trail. It would be nice to have a message board or section dedicated to LA trails.

Wildwood Canyon Trail? I've heard of that one and seen some info on the web. Can you post anything here for us? First hand info is always the best.

Maxwell's Demon · Post by **Maxwell's Demon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:32 pm

Well the top comes out at one of those resort chairs near a radio tower. If you drive up Magnolia to the end, go left, then right up I think Harvard. It starts in that park near the golf course. It's at the sharp bend. If you reach the restaurant you've gone too far. It's really steep with switchbacks and follows a narrow ridge with nice views and "verdugo" feeling.

bdc · Post by **bdc** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 7:57 pm

Hi Jim.
My name is Carla. I read your post about Fire Warden's Grove Loop and am wondering if you can give me an idea of where on La Tuna the trailhead is? Is there a mile marker or something? My partner and I went up Wildwood today and figured out the top of the trail but I would like to know where to start. I wasn't able to sort it out from the topo.
Thanks a lot.

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:27 pm

There are two trailheads on La Tuna Canyon Rd. If you start at the parking area where the 210 Freeway crosses La Tuna, the eastern trailhead (pictured here and here) is 0.8 miles west and the western trailhead (pictured here and here) is about 0.35 miles further west.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:41 am

Um, uh, yeah ... what he said.