Distance (round-trip)
5.8 mi
Time
2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain
1368 ft
Season
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Weather
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A just-under-six mile loop on fire roads in the mountains between Glendale and Burbank. A moderate hike that can be easily overlooked, this loop is a great last-minute hiking getaway that has outstanding views of the city when the air is clear, and decent wildflower shows during the spring months. This trail should be avoided on hot summer days, as there’s very little shade … but if you hike later in the afternoon, the mountain will cast its own shadow on large portions of the route.
The Verdugos are a small off-shoot range that run roughly between the San Gabriels and the east end of the Hollywood Hills, between Glendale and Burbank. They’re not wild or secluded by any stretch of the means, but their prominence in the valley make up for their lack of elevation, and they’ve got amazing views on clear days.
The trailhead for this loop begins at the end of Beaudry Blvd. in Glendale, near a flood control dam and spillway.
The fire road meanders along ridges as it makes its way west and then northwest, gradually opening some nice views of the San Gabriels to the northeast. This perspective really puts the urban civilization in contrast with its rugged surroundings, as well as gives you a whole new appreciation for the earthquake geology that shaped it all.
On this north-facing side of the mountains, I came upon a small but vibrant patch of gazanias, blooming wildly. No, they’re not native and yes, they probably tracked themselves up here on someone’s shoe, but that doesn’t mean they’re not nice to look at.
At about 2.6 miles, the fire road intersects with the South branch of the Beaudry Motorway. Hang a sharp left here onto the South Road, where you’ll get your first glimpses of Burbank and – if you’re lucky – the cityscape all the way to Palos Verdes and Catalina Island.
From there, it’s another 0.4 miles back down to the trailhead.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Modern Hiker, Author of "Day Hiking Los Angeles" and "Discovering Griffith Park." Walking Meditator, Native Plant Enthusiast.
Dog-Friendly
Multi-Use Trail
Views / Vista
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Trail Conditions
Excellent. Well-maintained fire road, with clear signs and landmarks.
How to get there
From the South, take the CA-2 or Glendale Blvd. north into Glendale. If you're taking the 2, exit at Mountain Street and turn left. In 0.5 miles, turn right onto Verdugo Road, which becomes Canada Blvd. In 1.8 miles, take a left at the light onto Country Club Drive, and follow this road for 0.4 miles before taking a left onto Beaudry Blvd. Drive another 0.4 miles to where the road makes a sharp right hand turn on a steep incline. This is the trailhead. Transit accessible with a bit of a walk.
Trail Map
30 Comments
Just did this hike. Awesome!
You forgot the Tongva Peak! It’s accessed by a little ledge next to the radio towers...
Definitely the best view of the hike.
Also, my companion said he would have preferred south first (clockwise), since going downhill on a steep incline can be painful if you’re not used to it.
Take at least a liter of water!
Leave a Reply to Mehmet Bozatli Cancel reply
Just did this for the first time today. Rained for some of the time. Hills were really green, so good to see in So Cal. A few rock slides crossed the path here and there, but easy to get over. A cool loop, but I definitely would follow the advice posted below and do it north trail to south trail, counterclockwise. The other way is some really intense uphill. If you really need to prove something, go south trail to north, but for all us mere mortals, counterclockwise is challenge enough.
Leave a Reply to Rob Cancel reply
Been hiking this trail every weekend for the past month. There's not much shade if you hike in the morning, but it's a nice trail - wide fire road, not crowded and I've seen deer (even bucks!) on the trail every time. Strongly recommend!
Leave a Reply to Bernadette Cancel reply
I absolutely love the details and write ups on this website!! Being new to this part of L.A. (Glendale), it such a huge help finding this website! So thank you greatly for creating this site and for all the awesome details and recommendations! I am definitely interested in finding out if their are any local hiking clubs? I love to go hiking and exploring, but enjoy them so much more with other people. Any guidance on this would be much appreciated!
Leave a Reply to Joshua Moreland Cancel reply
Typed this post near 1250 Beaudry Blvd. radio towers. Thanks for the directions. I can see the CA2, I210 and CA134 on this hazy nearly autumnal equinox.
Leave a Reply to Frank Cancel reply
Like your posts, I love it when I am researching a hike and you have done it!
Today I did a variation of this hike - I went up the north side, and near the top veered right onto the Verdugo motorway (love that they are called motorways) and virtually crossed the entire range East to West (maybe 8 miles) and came down in Sunland on the Mt LaTuna trail. Was a total of 14 miles so I had someone pick me up and take me back to my car but it was really great!
Leave a Reply to susie walsh Cancel reply
Have hiked this loop 3 times in the lasdt week. Today (2/26) lupines are actually out in sunny patches along the road, with small cress of some sort and a Blue Dick. A moderate Santa Ana kept the sky crystal clear with great views of downtown, the Reservoir, the passes out of the San Fernando Valley (can you name them all?) plus the San Gabriel massif looming to the East. I'd be interested in maps/tips on other hikes in the Verdugos.
Leave a Reply to JOHN SPANO Cancel reply
I've done this hike many times with my husband and 8 year-old son. It takes us about two and a half hours, going slowly, without stopping. I STRONGLY recommend taking the north (counter-clockwise) route, as this has the better-graded climb. But even on the north route, this is not an amble, by any stretch of the imagination -- the uphill climb is challenging ("a beast," my son says). For all that, though, we love it. The views are amazing, but even on cloudy days the mountain itself is lovely. A fantastic escape from the city.