From the Foothill 210 Freeway in the city of La Crescenta exit Pennsylvania Avenue heading north up the hill approximately 4/10th's of a mile. Turn left on Foothill Boulevard and go 3/10th's of a mile turning right onto and up New York Avenue. Head north for one mile until it ends and turns left onto Markridge Avenue. Immediately start looking for a right turn into Deukmejian Wilderness Park. The Park address is 3429 Markridge Road. Follow the entrance road to the parking area at the top.

The trailhead begins at the upper east end of the parking lot just above the stone Le Mesnager Barn. As many trails begin or converge here simply take the obvious dirt road heading straight up the canyon. After a few hundred yards you will notice a small trail that leaves the road to the right. It is marked by a small sign indicating the Crescenta View Trail. Stay to the right of the sign and follow the trail accross the stream. The trail is easy to pick-up and follow after the stream.

The image to the left is the City of Glendale Trail Map posted just north of the Le Mesnager Barn. Both the Crescenta View Trail and the Rim-of-the Valley Trail lead to the summit.

Note: The Map only shows park boundaries. The Crescenta View trail does in fact continue beyond the park boundaries and on up to the summit.

Route Description

This route is great for conditioning with approximately 2800 feet of elevation gain in just over three miles to the summit. A significant portion of the lower trail is switchbacks starting on the east side of the canyon. This results in early morning sun protection with a wide variety of brush and tree coverage. Eventually the switchbacks will migrate to the south facing slopes (see left image) where you will be afforded wonderful views of the Crescenta Valley, the Verdugo Mountains, Los Angeles and beyond if the skies are clear. Eventually you will top out on Pickens Spur. The trail becomes less obvious here but still easy to follow heading north where it becomes a fire break and then a poorly maintained fire road. Continue following it north until it intersects with the Mount Lukens fire road which originates east from Angeles Crest Highway. Turn left and follow the well maintained road approximately 1/2 mile to the summit.

On your return make sure that you follow the fire road with the 2N76B marker.

Essential Gear

A good pair of hiking boots or tennis shoes will suffice on this trail. As a reminder the valley floor temperatures can be very hot in comparison to the summit so be mindful of the season. Any midday attempts during the summer will have sigificant sun exposure. There are no water sources on this trail or at the summit so bring plenty and stay well hydrated. Don't forget the sunscreen.

Red Tape

Deukmejian Wilderness Park does not allow overnight parking. Park hours are from 7:00 a.m. until sunset.

The good news is that this is one of the few entry points into the Angeles National Forest that will not require an Adventure Pass.

External Links

City of Glendale Deukmejian Wilderness Park: