Rose Bowl Trail Running Loop

No I’m not talking about the conga line of cyclists and pedestrians around the inner paved circle of the Rose Bowl area. There is a lovely trail that encircles the Rose Bowl and even connects with the Arroyo Seco Trail.

In a Nutshell

• Trail Surface: Mostly soft dirt, with a few stretches of pavement
• Bathrooms/water: South end of the Rose Bowl complex near the soccer fields, you can find a scattering of drinking fountains and a sometimes unlocked public bathroom.
• Dogs: Must be leashed

Routes

The trail along West Drive

Park along the far western side of the Rose Bowl loop, on the dirt near the intersection of West Drive and Seco Street. You can also park in the lot near Brookside Park and head to this trail from there (see maps below). You’ll see the faint dirt trail on the outer edge, paralleling West Drive. Parts of the trail are edged with logs. You can take this trail all the way around the loop (and beyond!). 

Big Loop ~ 4.5 miles

For the Big Loop, when the trail gets to the northern end of the paved loop, continue straight, up a short steep hill and cross Parkview Avenue at the crosswalk. Directly accross the street, you'll see the trail continue along the west side of the golf course. Keep following it north until you pass underneath the I-210 bridge. Just past the bridge, look for the ropes course and cross the Arroyo (best done in dry seasons). After you cross the river, follow the trail to the right (south) and continue back under the 210 bridge and alongside the golf course again. (Note: look for a future post to cover an extension option going north!) Bear left as the trail approaches Rosemont Avenue and you'll go down a steep incline to the street. Cross at the crosswalk and you can pick up the trail above the east side of Rosemont Ave. Follow this nice single track high above the street. It will eventually dump you out at closed paved road. Cross and pick up the trail again that will take you across Washington Blvd and back to the trail alongside Rosemont Ave. Take this all the way to the intersection of Rose Bowl Drive. You can cross to the inner paved loop here as the trail peters out. Follow the loop around the southern end of the Rose Bowl complex and back to your starting point.

Little Loop ~ 3 miles

Trail high above Rosemont Ave.

The Little Loop has a bit more pavement running than the Big Loop but is more than a mile shorter. Instead of continuing onto Parkview Avenue when you get to the top of the paved loop, take a right and follow the paved loop until you get to Rosemont Avenue. Cross Rosemont just after the loop starts turning south again, and you can pick up the trail above the eastern side of the road. From here, it's pretty much the same directions as the Big Loop back to your starting point.




Connector Trail to Lower Arroyo Seco Trail 

Looking to extend your run? You can connect with the Lower Arroyo Seco Trail from the Rose Bowl Loop. From the southern end of the Rose Bowl loop, cross Seco Street at the crosswalk near the river channel. You'll see the dirt trail heading south and paralleling N Arrow Blvd. Follow the dirt trail south. After you pass under the Holly Street bridge you'll see a kiosk with a map marking the trailhead. (Note: this trailhead was the turn around point for the Arroyo Seco trail run I posted on 7/28/13).

If You Go

During football games and other big events, the Rose Bowl area is a zoo and often closed down to through traffic. So best to check the schedule before heading out on a run and avoid football days.

Mt Baldy, the Easy Way Up

The official name of the mountain is San Antonio, but no one calls it that. At 10,068 feet, Mount Baldy is LA County’s highest point. In all fairness, the county line just about splits the mountain in two, and the route you take to run up it is in San Bernardino County. Regardless, the mountain is a landmark for Angelinos and other Southlanders, and its often snowy winter cap can be seen from as far away as LAX and Orange County. Speaking of snow, this run is best done in early to mid fall, mid to late spring, or summer to avoid snow. Call the Mt Baldy Visitor Center ahead of time (909) 982-2829 to check the weather and trail conditions.

View from Baldy Notch.

In a Nutshell

• Trail Surface: pavement for the first ½ mile or so, dirt, gravel, scree for the rest
• Bathrooms/water: The San Antonio Falls trailhead usually has a porta potty, but bring your own TP. Water and bathrooms at the Baldy Lodge up top.
• Dogs: Must be leashed

Routes

There are at least three main routes to climb to the summit of Mount Baldy, and it’s a fantastic trip to the top. For trail running, however, there are two main routes that I recommend, and I don’t recommend running to the summit, but rather to Baldy Notch. You can of course go for the summit from Baldy Notch, but the trail above there has some perilous sections. There is an organized race to the top that takes place every year on Labor Day, and if you’re determined to bag this peak as a trail runner, I highly recommend doing it with the support and camaraderie of the race. You can find the race website here Run-to-the-Top. Today’s post will cover the running route that starts from the south side. A future post will cover the north ascent.

By far, the most enjoyable running route is to take the trail and fire road access starting just above Manker Flats, and running to Baldy Notch. The grade is less steep than other routes and you top out at about 7,700 feet, with a round trip mileage of around 7 miles.

Park above Manker Flats, but below the Ski Area parking lot. You’re technically within the Angeles National Forest here, so you’ll need an Adventure Pass to put on the dash of your parked car. They’re $5/day or $30 for an Annual Pass. You can buy an adventure pass at the Mt Baldy Visitor Center, located at 6778 Mt Baldy Rd, Mt Baldy, CA, in a cute little cabin-looking building in the heart of the village.

A trail runner en route to Baldy Notch.

Near Manker Flats, you'll want to park and then cross over to the west side of the divided road and look for the paved road with a gate across it. This is the trailhead. Go around the gate and on up the hill. After about ½ mile, you’ll come to a switchback with a view of San Antonio Falls. As you take the switch back, the pavement runs out and the trail becomes a dirt and gravel, about the width for one vehicle to pass by. Indeed, a few trucks use this route to supply the lodge and whatnot, so you’ll want to keep your eye out. Mountain bikes also use the route.

The road continues up, winding around the contours of the mountain. Stay on the main road, and eventually you’ll spot the chairlift off to your right. An added bonus of this run is that you may have an audience! About a quarter mile from the Notch, you’ll pass directly beneath the chairlift. Give the people a wave and keep going up. A bit further, the road splits. Take the left fork to the lodge where you can get a drink and enjoy the view! Return the same way you came up.

If You Go

San Antonio Falls

For most lowlanders, you’ll feel the elevation right away. Take it easy and drink lots of water to avoid altitude sickness. You might want to build up to this run by doing some lower elevation training runs and gradually increasing your elevation.

If it's a hot day, I recommend a refreshing dip in San Antonio Falls post run. You can scramble down to the waterfall on your way back.

Santa Monica Mountains - The Backbone Trail is badass for trail running

The Santa Monica Mountains, located northwest of the LA Basin, extend east-west from the Hollywood Hills to Point Magu. The mountains are mostly within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA), and are managed by a partnership of National Park, State Park, and local conservancies. The SMMNRA contains lots of trails, but the crown jewel for trail runners is the Backbone Trail. Started in 1978, the trail nearly complete, with only 5 miles left to be built. The trail offers 60 miles of dirt routes and singletrack and is a fantastic way to explore the mountains.

Corral Canyon Trailhead

In a Nutshell

• Trail Surface: soft dirt, hard dirt, loose rock, pavement at road crossings.
• Bathrooms/water: Go before you go, and bring your own water. Both are scarce at Backbone Trail trailheads.
• Dogs: Must be leashed.

Route:

Unless you’re training for an ultra marathon, you probably don’t want to do the whole trail at one time. Fortunately, the trail crosses several of the main paved roads and there are numerous trail heads to choose from. Click here for an overview map of the SMMNRA Backbone Trail.

If you’re looking for a 6.5 mile run, the segment from Kanan Dume Road to Malibu Creek State Park (off of Corral Canyon Road) is ideal. This stretch can be done from either direction as a point to point run, or done as an out and back if you’re looking for something longer. There’s a nice parking area at the Kanan Dume trailhead and a spectacular view at the Malibu Creek State Park parking area at the end. 

You can extend this run further in either direction to add mileage, or do an out and back for great half marathon training route. From Kanan Dume Road to Corral Canyon, the trail is rolling, with about 600 feet of elevation gain. The trail has portions that follow ridgelines and are exposed, but other sections that dip under the canopy of tall coastal chaparral and woodlands, providing some nice shady sections.

If You Go:

Much of the trail is remote, with miles and miles of rugged terrain, rolling hills, and ocean views. Definitely tell someone where you’re going and treat this like a wilderness run (because it is!). The best part about running in the Santa Monicas? And after you complete your badass run, you can swing by one of the nearby beaches for some r & r.

Special Addition Wyoming - Run with the Horses Marathon & Half

I promise I will post another LA trail run soon, but after running this grueling and beautiful race last weekend, I felt compelled to share it here as well.

View from Wild Horse Canyon Road

In a Nutshell

• Trail surface: 4 miles of pavement, the rest was dirt road & gravel
•  Bathrooms/water: the race was well supported with porta potties, water, and snacks. If you do this run on your own, there are bathrooms at Expedition Island. Water you should bring.
•  Dogs: Must be leashed. Very exposed, and in August, very HOT

Routes:

For both the marathon and half, it was an out and back course. The race started at Expedition Island in Green River, Wyoming. The sun had just barely broken over the horizon when my friend and I arrived to pick up our packets and race numbers. The air was cool but had a promise of extreme heat, or maybe that was just the race director’s dire sounding warnings as we lined up at the start. We were warned of rattlesnakes, heat, no trees, no shade, and that traffic would not be stopped along the route. And with those words of encouragement echoing in our ears, we started the race!

Wild Horse Canyon

The first two miles wound through town with several police officers directing traffic to let us pass. At the edge of town we took a right on White Mountain Road. After less than a mile, the pavement petered out and the road became Wild Horse Canyon Road. From then til the turn around, it was up, up, up. The starting elevation was 6,500 feet and I could certainly feel the lack of oxygen as we climbed. The scenery, however, more than made up for the lead feeling in my legs.

The road wound through canyons and then opened onto a high plateaus with incredible views of the Painted Gorge that Green River is famous for. The bluffs indeed were streaked with color and illuminated beautifully in the early morning light. I snapped a few photos with my phone and kept moving.

Look closely - can you spot 2 horses?

The miles crept by, and the runners spread out along the road. Mile 3 went past, then 4, and finally 5. I was finally starting to feel ok, probably because the course had flattened out a bit. At the 5 mile rest stop, a race volunteer alerted us to the wild horse herd that had begun to come over a far ridge. The horses camouflaged so well with the grasslands, it took a moment to see them, but sure enough, two wild horses were eating their breakfast alongside the road.

Another mile and half and it was my turn around. My friend was going for the full marathon, but I was only in it for the half. I gave her a hug of encouragement and we parted ways. The second half of the race was pretty much all downhill, and I picked up my pace a bit. I was surprised at how steep the hills were that we’d run up!

This was his 400th Marathon!

Around mile 8 or 9, I saw a super badass guy running in a horsesuit with a sign that read ‘400^th Marathon’ – wow, talk about encouragement. Speaking of, everyone was incredibly friendly and because it was an out and back course, there were a lot of “good job!” and “keep it up!” from nearly everyone I passed on the way back.

I cruised all the way back into town, the miles ticking by. With a mile and half to go, my hair elastic snapped and I was forced to steal a pink course ribbon to secure my ponytail for the final mile back to Expedition Island. Even so, I ended up with 2:22 and an age group win. Not too bad.

If  You Go:

This race is fun, it’s beautiful, and it’s a community event. The chamber of commerce puts a ton of work into making the race a good experience for everyone. Despite the easy-going atmosphere, it is challenging course. Do train at elevation to prepare! If you're thinking about running this event next year, here's the race website: http://www.runwiththehorsesmarathon.com/

Special Wisconsin Edition - Hixon Forest Park Trail Run

Yikes, it's been a while since I got a trail run posted up here. Travel and work have kept me busy. This past weekend I visited Minnesota and Wisconsin for the wedding of two dear friends. The wedding was in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on the banks of the Mississippi. Being my first time to the area, I scoped out some local trails and squeezed in a 4.5 mile run before the festivities!

 In a Nutshell

• Trail Surface: Soft dirt sections, hard packed sections, and a few rocky stretches
•  Bathrooms/water: Pretty clean porta-potty at the trailhead had TP and hand sanitizer. Bring your own water.
•  Dogs: Must be leashed.
• Difficulty: Moderate

Route

Here's me running along the Hickory Trail.

Starting at the lower parking lot, I ran along the dirt access road to the upper parking lot and then past the golf course. At the first trail junction, I turned left onto the Gully Trail. It was uphill from here, through a dense green forest and along a very narrow singletrack. Shortly, the trail connected to the Hickory Trail and traversed over to the Bicentennial Trail. I continued uphill and the trail opened onto a meadow where the road was visible. The trail traversed again passing a sign with a map. I knew I wanted to get up to the Lookout, so followed the trail downhill and back into the woods. The trail wound its way up again and opened to a viewpoint. In the distance, forested bluffs and the City of La Crosse were visible. After enjoying the view for a few moments, I headed back into the green forest and downhill along the Sumac Trail and then back to the parking area. The forest was very dense and very green. Quite a different trail experience than LA! 

View from Lookout Point

If You Go

Hixon Park has a really nice online map with mileages and difficulty for its interconnecting trails. After taking a look at the trail map, I was a little nervous about remembering which trail turn offs to take. Fortunately, there are trail signs and maps posted along the way.

Arroyo Seco Trail - Linking South Pas to Pasadena and Beyond

This is a great 'go to' run. With so many different variations, coupled with an easy grade and multiple access points, this is the perfect trail for anything from a quick after work run to marathon training.

In a Nutshell

• Trail Surface: Hard packed dirt, some sand & loose rocks
• Difficulty: Easy - mostly flat
• Bathrooms/water: Both can be found at the Casting Pond off Arroyo Drive and Lower Arroyo Park
• Dogs: Must be leashed

Routes

The beauty of this trail is that it links urban communities with open space and provides a really cool running experience. If you want to, you can run from Debs park in South Pasadena to the Angeles National Forest/San Gabriel Mountains by following this trail system.

There are innumerable variations of trail routes within this system. Indeed the Arroyo Seco Trail is much like an arterial, with on ramps and exits. You can join up with the trail in a dozen or more so places throughout South Pasadena, Pasadena, and Altadena.

For this post, I’ve included access points in South Pasadena and Pasadena, with two different route lengths. Look for a future post that focuses on the Rose Bowl and Altadena areas.

4 Mile Route

Colorado Street Bridge from Arroyo Seco Trail

 

Starting and ending at the Casting Pond, this is a nice easy and flat route that goes up one side of the Arroyo Seco channel and back on the other and passes under the famous Colorado Street Bridge as well as the freeway.

6 Mile Route

Arroyo Seco Channel and Adjacent Trail

This route starts in South Pasadena in the parking lot at Marmion Way and Arroyo Verde Street. There’s a small park here and access to the Arroyo Seco Bike Path as well as the trail heading north. From the north side of the parking lot, pass between the horse trailers and chickens and go underneath the Marmion Way Bridge. The trail starts immediate to the right after the bridge. From here, it passes through the South Pasadena Nature Park and then along a trail next to the golf course. It passes underneath Highway 110, and by the Lower Arroyo Park, past the equestrian stables and then up the steep switchbacks to Arroyo Drive. The route then follows the road for a bit of sidewalk running, but after a block or so, the sidewalk turns into a dirt trail that parallels the road. The route continues on along Arroyo Drive to W California Blvd, and then heads down the dirt ramp back into the Arroyo. Continuing on the Arroyo Seco Trail to the Casting Pond area, it then crosses the channel to the west side and heads back south, continuing on the west side of the channel all the way to the San Paqual Street bridge. Here, the route joins the street to go across the bridge rejoins the Arroyo Seco Trail once again on the east side of the channel. From here, it retraces the route back to South Pasadena.

If You Go

It’s worth noting that most of this trail is open to horses. You’ll likely notice the horse dung, but some sections are narrow so keep your eye out and remember to yield.

Trails Abound in the Verdugo Mountains

Yesterday, I headed over to Glendale to get in some serious hills at the Verdugo Mountains. 

Snow capped San Gabriel Mountains from Verdugo Mtwy.

In A Nutshell

The Verdugo Mountains are a rugged island of chaparral covered slopes, reaching over 3,000 feet. The mountains are bounded to the south by Burbank and Los Angeles, to the southeast by Glendale and to the north by La Crescenta. Not a single paved road crosses the mountain range; dirt fire roads rule.

•  Trail surface: packed dirt/loose gravel, short paved section up top
•  Bathrooms/water: At Brand Park, none at Beaudry Fire Road trailhead
•  Dogs: Must be leashed.

Typical width and surface of the fire roads in the Verdugos.

My Route

I did a loop that came in just under 7 miles, starting and ending at the Beaudry Fire Road off of Beaudry Boulevard in Glendale.

After going past the yellow gate and the signs warning of wildfire, I continued on Beaudry Fire Road aka Beaudry North Mtwy. After about a quarter mile, I took a right at the junction of Beaudry North and Beaudry South, staying on Beaudry North (you can do the loop either way). From there, it was just up, up, up. I was looking for a 7ish mile day, so I went past the next junction (with Verdugo Mtwy) and continued to the saddle and trail junction with Brand Park Mtwy (3 miles from the start). Here, I turned back, retracing my steps until I once again reached the junction with Verdugo Mtwy. Here, I stayed right, going uphill, turning left onto Beaudry South to descend past the radio towers, winding my way down, ending back up at Beaudry North and back to the trailhead.

If You Go

Several city and state parks lie within the mountain range and trail access can be found in numerous places. From Glendale, you can park at Brand Park to get to the trails via a paved access road, or you can head over to north side, and access the trail network at the cross streets of Beaudry Boulevard and Beaudry Terrance. The Beaudry Fire Road starts from right here.

Both access points detailed above take you to the same place – the spine of the mountain range with precipitous views in all directions. On a clear day you can see the Pacific Ocean.

Debs Park - An Urban Jewel for Trail Runners

This morning I headed over to Ernest E. Debs Regional Park for a 3.5 mile run with the pup. It was already hot at 7am, and I was reminded that this run doesn't offer much in the way of shade. Nonetheless, it's one of my favorite local trail runs.

A hiker along the trail at Debs Park.

In a Nutshell

A great park for trail running with numerous options to do different loops, adding to/shortening your run. Trails are a hilly mix of fire roads and singletrack. Views of the San Gabriel Mountains and Downtown LA.

• Trail surface: packed dirt, tiny bit of pavement along the top ridge
• Bathrooms/water: at the main parking lot off of Monterey Road, the Debs Park Audubon Center (open Tues-Sat 9am to 5pm, fantastic facility & programs), and Hermon Park off Via Marisol.
• Dogs: Must be leashed.

My Route

There are three main entrances to Debs Park, but my favorite is from Hermon Park. From here, you get to do the main uphill part of your run first. I parked at Hermon Park near the tennis courts and crossed Via Marisol right next to the entrance to Hermon Park. Directly across the street from the entrance is a dirt fire road. At first glance, it looks like it’s gated off. But if you look closely, you’ll see a singletrack trail heading off to the left that goes around the gate, dropping you onto the dirt road.

Downtown LA

From here, I headed up the hill and around three bends to a narrower unmarked turn off on the left. After about 50 yards, the trail makes another left turn, narrowing further to singletrack and switchbacking uphill. This part is steep, but levels off as it approaches the top. After a short level section, the trail rejoins the fire road and I turned left, crossing over the paved access road and heading downhill on the dirt road. The fire road rounds another bend, ascending again and I crested the hill with a great view of downtown LA opening up in front of me.

Hidden Lake

At the next intersection, I left the fire road once again and took the VERY STEEP dirt trail off to the left. This part is really more hiking than running. The trail does level out and descends slightly, rejoining the paved access road. I turned right onto the pavement and continued until I reached the hidden lake. This is one of the hidden treasures of Debs Park. I paused here a moment to enjoy the shade and the cooler air before taking the unmarked singletrack trail just to the left of the lake. It’s pretty tricky to spot it, but it’s just beyond the sign saying no swimming or boating in the lake.

Views of San Gabriel Mountains

I blasted down this part of the trail to the park-like area with benches, taking a left toward the stairs and parking lot. I skirted the parking lot on the left, staying under the shade of the pines until I reached the paved access road once again. Turning left, I followed it for a few yards and then turned right onto a side trail. From here, I headed roughly north along the singletrack. This is a beautiful rolling section that eventually meets back up with the access road. Instead of going back the same way I came, I stuck to the fire road and descended back to Via Marisol.

If You Go

Debs Park offers an experience of what the basin looked like before it became the megalopolis it is today. According to the Audubon Center at Debs Park: “More than half of the park is covered in walnut-oak woodland, grassland, and coastal sage scrub, a remnant of the native habitats that once rimmed the Los Angeles Basin.” And nature lovers, keep your eyes peeled for birds. Audubon has recorded over 140 species of birds at the park!

Lovely Sunday Run in the Altadena Foothills

Altadena Crest Trail to Sunset Ridge Trail, Millard Campground and Brown Mountain Fire Road/Truck Trail (Angeles National Forest)

View from Sunset Ridge Trail

In a Nutshell

This is a great run because there are numerous options to make it longer or shorter, depending on what you’re looking for on a particular day. It’s tough, with some sections exceeding an 8% grade. It’s never crowded and has some nice views in the higher elevations.

• Trail surface: soft packed dirt, some sandy sections, tiny bit of pavement.
• Bathrooms/water: Bathrooms at Millard Campground. No water.
• Dogs: Must be leashed.

My Route

I did an out and back run, about 7 miles roundtrip, starting at the Loma Alta Trailhead and Staging Area.

 

From the trailhead, I took the Altadena Crest Trail from the north end of the parking area. After about a quarter mile, the trail splits and I took the trail to the right. There is a white and black sign that says Altadena Crest Trail at the trail split. The next time the trail splits, there are no signs, but I stayed to the right again. The trail splits once more before reaching the crossing with Cheney Trail Road. Here, I stayed left. When I got to the road, I could easily see the trail continuing directly across the road. There’s a large log/water bar and it’s pretty steep here. I then followed the trail as it snakes its way up the hill, until topping out at another paved road (Mt Lowe Road). I ran on the pavement for about 20 yards to the Sunset Ridge Trail, which goes downhill from the intersection with Mt Lowe Road. The trail is not marked here, but there is a small kiosk with a map. From here, the Sunset Ridge Trail is rolling, mostly downhill all the way to Millard Campground (Angeles National Forest). At Millard Campground, I turned right, went past the bathrooms, and followed the dirt/sort of paved road over a stream crossing and uphill onto Brown Mountain Truck Trail (also called Brown Mountain Fire Road). I stayed on this until the intersection with El Prieto Canyon Trail. There, I turned around and went back the same way. You could easily extend this run by heading down El Prieto Canyon or continuing on Brown Mountain Road. I’ll try to post maps for those options in the future.

Stream Crossing along Brown Mt Road

If You Go

A few notes of caution – this is a shared trail, so do yield to mountain bikers and horses. Also, there’s a bit of poison oak along the trail. It’s pretty easy to avoid, but keep your eyes peeled for it. Last thing – although I’ve never seen one here, I imagine there are rattlesnakes, so it’s good to just be aware. If you hear a rattling sound, give it a wide berth.