Verdugo Mountains are a small, rugged mountain range of the Transverse Ranges system, located just south of the western San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, Southern California. These mountains offer seven different elevation trails: (a) La Tuna; (b) Hostetter; (c) Vital Link; (d) Stough trail; (e) Skyline Motorway; (f) Beaudry and (g) Las Flores Motorway. I took the Vital Link trail, a 3-5 miles with 1,275 to 1,890 ft of elevation. The Verdugo Mts have a wide variety of wild plants, trees, rodents and lizards. What I like about this mountain is its 360 degree view of LACounty. Little to no shades going to the summit, so bring sunscreen and water. Overall, I enjoyed hiking this mountains. It keep me fit af! read more

Verdugo Mountains - "Hear ye, hear ye! I am the king of the seven kingdoms. #HikeAdventure #TheBossKing - Parks Near Me - Glendale, California

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"There's only one hill!' said the announcer before the Verdugo Mountains 10k this morning, waiting for knowing chuckles from returning runners. Only one hill......yep. The steepest hill ever and straight up 1,735 feet! Even though I've lived in the area for almost 20 years, I had never actually hiked the fire road out of Brand Park. The Verdugo Mountains 10k gave me the opportunity at last. I'd had this 10k on my radar for several years but, quite frankly, was quaking in my running shoes at the prospect of actually doing it. I'd heard it described as extremely grueling; to be honest, if anything, this aspect of the race has been under-hyped. I'd been "training" and thought I might be kind of ready. Well.......I finished it but not in any kind of decent time for me and found this the hardest race ever. It's a given that running straight uphill is difficult. But a bigger problem was coming downhill. I'd assumed it would be possible to make up some time; but the road was SO steep and rocky that this was not to be. If anything I ran more slowly downhill than up so as not to slip and fall and to avoid killing my knees. Thankfully it wasn't just me; my friend and goddaughter agreed that this was the toughest run EVER. The http://www.runtheverdugos.com/ organization did an excellent job with this race. Staff was placed strategically to ensure safety on the trail, with plentiful water stops. Everything went very smoothly, even the pancake breakfast at the end. (Five stars for the pancakes!) The Verdugo Mountains themselves offer lovely views and wonderful cool breezes floating down the canyons. This being spring, wildflowers bloomed everywhere. If you are into high intensity workouts and challenging runs, this is the road for you. Who needs to pay money to a gym? Just drive to Brand Park, take the road past the Doctor's House, breathe deeply, and start running. Enjoy! read more

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Verdugo Mountains is separated from the Angeles National Forest by suburbs all around. There are probably at least 7 trailheads, so you can do many different combinations of routes in and out. At the high ridges of the mountains, you'll be able to see Downtown LA and on clearer days, you might see as far as Malibu and Catalina Island. As of April 2017, the mountains are extremely green from the best reason of the century. The ground feels cold too. There are lots of snakes and lizards, so be careful not to step on them. You'll see hawks flying around. I doubt they have coyotes, mountain lions or bears, since the mountains are pretty isolated. The Tree of Wisdom is iconic if you are viewing it from the north side. It has a lot of shade and is a great resting spot. My group went to the side trails that cross the 4 high peaks if the mountains. NOT WORTH IT. It'll be extremely hard to go down without sliding down the very sandy 40% slopes. One of the side routes makes you cross 3 peaks before you can chicken out and go back to Verdugo Motorway. You'll still get amazing views from the normal safer routes. read more

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This hike is not for the weak at heart, well at least coming up the side where the old doctor's house is. I loved every bit of it. Including when i thought i was taking a short cut and ended up near several baby snakes and fell down the side of the mountain. The entire time i was thinking, I'm almost there, just push through while going down, but then i remembered the sign about recent mountain lion sightings, and hearing rambling in the bushes, had to get my ass out of there quick!! But I really did enjoy this. The views are amazing. SO much different from what I'm use to at Runyon canyon. It was nice smelling nature, without the funk of dog feces. Caution: the little lizards are like roaches, they are not afraid lol. They were literally watching me struggle up the mountain like i was crazy and would not run when i got close to them....bold little fellas! LADIES: I do not recommend coming here solo, this place looks like a serial killers haven, and I am a Criminologist, believe me =) POSTING PICS read more

Verdugo Mountains - Parks Near Me - Glendale, California

When entering the trail inside Brand Park...holy, mama! you're in for a great work out! James K. and i went up to the radio tower thing and did we feel great! if you can make it up the steep, rocky path, the last hundred yards or so up to the very top seems almost easy...and u do get that "high" from really working the lower body. the way down, via the same route, can be rough on the joints, so be careful and wear shoes with good traction!! I recommend for those who want a change of pace from Griffith!! xo- andrea read more

Verdugo Mountains - Atop the trail from Brand Park.... - Parks Near Me - Glendale, California

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Verdugo (Spanish): executioner, hangman, torturer, excruciating Yeah that sums up this hike pretty much! First of all this is a review of the trail that starts from Brand Park at the top of Mountain and Grandview, not what is called the "Beaudry Loop Hike" http://www.yelp.com/biz/beaudry-loop-hike-glendale which follows the fire and service road to the top. The trail starts right behind the "Save Our Trees" statue http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ADjISHShwqOhluBtog1KRA?select=b7XMlwfjDcYwfgI3i5lbFQ with a little unassuming sign that says "Nature Trail". Its a small dirt trail that leads up to a paved service road. Cross the road and continue up the narrow dirt trail. (The service road will be closed to pedestrians) The trail quickly turns into a very steep uphill climb. This is ok if youre expecting it, but be prepared to use "all 4 paws" at times. This trail continues straight up the ridge for a while with no shade. Other than the incline, its not really dangerous unless you try to go back down, which I do NOT recommend. There is also another trail you can take that starts to the right of the statue past a gate with a sign and finger pointing the "trail". This is a much less steep trail that follows a parallel ridge. You can take this up and back down, or go up from the first trail head and down this way. There is some initial shade but zero after a minute or two up. Both trails meet a bit more than halfway to the radio tower (not at first seen from the bottom, but youll see it eventually). There is a nice flat area with one park bench that looks straight south over Glendale and towards Downtown LA. Its an impressive view except for all the smog. Again, no shade except for some tall skinny trees. But I got a chance to enjoy my lunch here sitting in the dirt and in the shade near the bench. At this point the radio tower is looming over but still at a distance. And still over 500ft up in altitude. I decided to go for it. There are a few telephone poles that are evenly spaced along the way up that I used as motivational markers. I felt like I was in one of those Mt. Everest documentaries where they say its so physically draining, each step takes a minute. But I plowed through and eventually made it to the top! The view of LA and the Valley doesnt get any better. You basically reach the fire road and the Beaudry South Motorway. But you can look over the ridge to the northeast and see La Crescenta valley and San Gabriel Mountains. Unfortunately, once you made it to the top, the way back down going the same way can be tricky. Its very easy to lose your footing on the loose dirt and sand down the rocks. So be careful. And once you get past the flat park bench area, I really do recommend going down the other ridge so you dont have to climb down any further. Parking in the park is ok on a weekday. But I figure it gets crowded during the weekend as the athletic fields are probably being used. At least its free and you can park in the neighborhood, it looks pretty rich. The park itself is really nice and well taken care of. I'm not really sure what those buildings are either, but I couldnt care less anyway. read more

Verdugo Mountains - Trail head in Brand Park. - Parks Near Me - Glendale, California

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Do you have a thing for extreme athletic challenges, as though you're competing for a million bucks on fear factor, even though you're not really on the show, and will have nothing to reward you for your athletic prowess? ME TOO! Case in point: Verdugo Mountains. A friend and I had hiked here several times before, except the last time we did, we actually took the radio tower route by mistake. See what happens when you get carried away in conversation, only to be distracted and face to face with a near death defying situation? As we climbed closer and closer to the disturbingly vertical ascent up the mountainside, I wondered if we should have packed some rock climbing gear. To add insult to injury, we were passed up by this spry old man, fit as a fiddle, jogging up the mountain with handweights. You could tell he's an old pro athlete, wearing his neon orange windbreaker so that he's easily found if he gets lost up there. Once we got to the top, we felt like the king of the castle..that is, until we realized there was only one route to home base. "How the F*%# are we supposed to get back down?" You'd practically have to scale down the darn wretched 90 degree angle o' terror. Damn you, white rocky cliff with little to no traction or safety net bush to break my fall to death if I slip down! We used the horizontal foot technique, leaning towards the mountainside, looking like we didn't drink our V8 as we carefully descended, step by step. At some points, we had to work with gravity and run, hoping and praying not to trip and roll all the way down. Since I'm safe on the couch, writing this review, I think it's obvious that we made it down in one piece, safe and sound. I may have been scared shitless during the climb, but I'll brave it again. Hey, I might even hold hand weights and take on the old man. read more

This hike is great for training and for the views of the city. It is about 5.5 miles there and back with an elevation gain of 1500 ft. Parking and Costs: Free! There is plentiful of parking around the area and around the Brand Library. See Nando M's for the easiest way to get there! The Hike: I would suggest doing this hike early in the morning or on a cloudy, cool day because there is basically no shade and it is an incline the whole way. I know that there are a lot of 10ks that go on so when I went, there was a lot of people training for the race. This hike is a GREAT conditioning hike if you want to climb other mountains. When you reach the top, you can see the a view of the San Gabriel mountains to one side and the view of LA to the other. There is also a bench at the top where you can sit and instagram photos to your hearts desire. Tip: It's actually easier to jog down than it is to walk because of the steepness of the trail. read more

I did the hike up Brand Park again a few months ago via several routes http://socalhikes.com/2009/09/brand-park-x-3/ As someone mentioned it is very steep near the top and I just wanted to add: on the way down, there is a small use trail way to the right (north) side. Follow this and not the open, bare rock and you will have less chance of slipping. read more

a hidden gem in los angeles. it really is. you can get to the ridge which is about 8 miles long or so but depending on which way you come up the first 1/2 mile or so will be pretty steep. once you are on the ridge its very comfortable with wide fire roads. there is a small patch of trees at the top that looks out of place too. bring water and sunscreen. it has an elevation of about 3000' If you ride the entire ridge you will climb about 3400' great for runners and cyclist with a CX or mountain bike. Wear a helmet please. read more

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As this is the first place the wife and I ever went hiking, and have gone all subsequent times, it's hard to rate or judge. We just thought we were weak because it takes a lot out of us. However, looking at the other reviews, it is apparently a good workout for everyone. There are two main hiking paths. One is the one that is presented at the base near the statue. This is the most common one taken. You can either start on the left path, or the right path. I encourage people to go up the left path and down the right path. It will be easier on your joints. The second hike uses the same two trails but continues at the first trails summit. It is easily recognizable because the path gets very wide, and you can see the radio tower at the top. I have not made it to the radio tower, I'm working my way to it. I've made it very close though. As others have mentioned, it is a killer climb. Where my wife made it to, about 6 telephone poles from the top, she recorded 95 flights of stairs on her fitbit. It's no joke. It's also around 10k or so steps. We always go in the hottest part of the day for conditioning. Also, for the spectacular views. Bring water, lots and lots of water. I also wear ankle braces for the trip back down, which helps a lot. I plan on making it to the top next time, and who knows from there. If you are confused about where this is, the library should be easy to find, it's at the top of grandview. After parking there is a road that leads back behind the library on its left side. You can go up the hill on either the left or right of this road as I mentioned. The paths become easily recognizable pretty quickly. There are LOTS of other, smaller, side paths if you are feeling adventurous. If you are a new hiker, don't be worried. The wife and I couldn't make it to the main trails summit when we first started. We would get too winded and have to go back down. Now here we are about a month and a half later aiming for the second summit, the radio tower. read more

I ran the Verdugo Mountain 10k here this past weekend and I am still sore from it! This is a great hiking path with great views. The path is steep but open and paved. It winds up the mountain and is about a 1,800 ft climb. Be ready for an amazing workout if you run it! There is tons of parking and a great picnic area to hang out. If you want great Mexican food afterwards that is close, I suggest Mi Corazon in Kenneth Village. read more

If you take the fire roads they are well kept and wide, have done them plenty of times with my kids. If you start at the nature center and take the first trail off to the left there is a short 1 mile hike up to a breath taking view of the city. It is a really easy hike and child friendly. read more

Verdugo Mountains - Parks Near Me - Glendale, California

This time last year I think I was hiking up in the SG Mountains. Sadly, we've been reduced to the Samo mountains for our hikes, so finding this place was a welcome change. It's a nice urban hike that has a lot of mountain bikers on hit, so ask you can guess it's mostly fire roads that you'll be hiking on. The views are just like the others have said. You can see East towards the 210 and SGV mountains and West to Burbank and towards Hollywood. Not strenuous at all, perfect for a quick hike without having to drive too far. read more

Wow I havent reviewed this yet!? I went here with a friend of mine awhile ago and it was somewhat scenic quiet hike though it was nowhere as challenging as the hikes I usually do. The hikes I usually go on are more exciting but sometimes you have to switch it up and let your legs rest up or more importantly your heart, you dont always want to have your heart pound like its coming out of your chest or you will end up with a heart attack. There is a cemetery that is closed off to the public at the corner of the property, if you go to the Library you find out its the original owners. This hike is soothing at times when you find yourself enveloped in a light breeze covered in shade and serenaded by the birds overhead. read more

Definitely a great thigh workout! I wasn't too sure if this hike was going to be rigorous enough since I am an intensity fanatic, but this was suprisingly effective in its difficulty. The difficulty was in the steep uphills. You definitely want to bring water for this hike. Granted I took a cycling class the day before so my legs were already sore. About every quarter to half mile is a nice resting spot over looking Burbank, Glendale, and LA depending on your position. AMAZING views! Going downhill should be the easy part, but since the incline is pretty steep, going down takes some effort as well. read more

i am not a jock, but i often fantasize that i am...as i've discussed with friends, lovers and accquaintances alike, i prefer the sport's film to the sport itself...however i love a challenging activity. brand park's entrance to the verdugo mountains is steep indeed and a certain challenge, and makes you feel like a rock climber i rarely pass the one mile mark... i prefer the burbank side entering the fire road at stough nature center whose entrance is at the top of Walnut street in Burbank above the golf course.... for lunch on my long 14 hour work/school day yesterday i opted to get a good stretch (due to a couple of well earned kinks earned on the weekend which i did work out by the by) not to mention stress relief session. it was a beaute! though not as steep as brand park, stough nature center is a fairly steep uphill climb and i've never traveled for more than about an hour or so at a time, progressively less resting and more distance, but most of the climb i have yet to see...what i have seen is awesome and the views are really great on a clear day. Also there are guided tours regularly and fitness hikes after work twice weekly as well as evening and full moon hikes monthly. i can't wait to make my way around the range from burbank to brand it should be really amazing...perhaps i should start working on my new goal this weekend! read more

Verdugo Mountains - Stough Nature Center - Parks Near Me - Glendale, California

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Great local hiking! I live just minutes from the trailhead, so this is my most frequent hiking spot. We love it! Great views of Downtown LA and Silverlake... I definitely recommend. Spans from Burbank hills thru to Glendale/Montrose area read more

Verdugo Mountains - Parks Near Me - Glendale, California

easy hike but i can be a long one if you took the wrong trail... damn it! nice view and there's no dog poop on the trail! read more

Nice trails, very quiet and not as busy as other trails. Gf and I were only ones on the trail. Just be cautious with a trail with less foot traffic means more critters come out. We almost got bit by a rattlesnake he was on the trail camouflaged and we almost stepped on him.. Luckily his rattle scared/warned us off haha. read more

Dangggg the Verdugo Mountain 10K (6.2 miles) trail run was def one of the hardest and toughest I've ever completed. It was well worth the hour drive from Orange County where I'm used to running the ever-so-popular "Peters Canyon" in the city of Orange. There's a notorious hill nick named "Big Red Biatch" at Peters Canyon... Imagine running up that for 3 miles - that's what Verdugo Mountains felt like! Literally put Peters to shame! Lol :) Well I guess I've got to be grateful for all the training I did at Peter's because I placed in the top ten (8th place) in my age group amongst females. There were close to 1000 total participants. The event was sponsored by Sketchers Performance and Massage Envy Glendale who provided a pancake breakfast at the conclusion of the race. Top winners in age categories were awarded medals and a pair of sketchers. The event also raffled some great prizes such as CrossFit memberships, Garmin fitness trackers and more sketchers! I'll definitely sign up for future races. read more

Verdugo Mountains - I finished in the top ten of my age group at the 2015 Verdugo Mountains 10K trail run! :D - Parks Near Me - Glendale, California

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Boom! If you want some semi-dessert adventure, and your looking for a place to dig out that toxins out from your body. I'm very sure that this is the place for that. This is beautiful place is perfect for friends and family bonding. Don't dare miss those semi-dessert hills! read more

Some of my favorite nearby hikes are in these mountains. You'll get a good workout, see some pretty scenery, and get some excellent views of Downtown LA, Glendale and Burbank. One of my favorite trails is the Beaudry/Verdugo Mt/Whiting Woods fire road trails on the east side of the mountains. Located in Glendale on Beaudry Boulevard, 0.4 miles west of Country Club Drive. Park on the residential street, walk up a paved segment of fire road past a vehicle gate and continue on to where the fire road splits into two trails, pick either one. The trail that heads south has some steeper hikes but leads to some great views of downtown. The one that heads north/west seems better maintained and provides some nicely shaded walks in the early afternoon. Both trails lead to separate mountain peaks. I hope the cities of Burbank and Glendale STOP allowing more houses to be built further and deeper into these pretty mountains. http://www.localhikes.com/HikeData.ASP?DispType=4&ActiveHike=0&GetHikesStateID=&ID=4036 http://outdoorla.org/trails/228/Verdugo+Mountain.html I love the smell of chaparral in the morning ... read more

I love this hike. They have different trails. I wouldn't say that it's an intense hike but more like a fun hike. A time to relax. There is a trail that once you get to the top you can see the view of the city! read more

Although it's not as scenic and doesn't have as much singletrack as the San Gabriels, it's hard to beat the Verdugos for convenience and solitude. I usually start at Brand Park and either run the motorway out and back or hoof it up the steep hill starting behind the statue (or some permutation of both). Brand Motorway in particular is often deserted. Interestingly, I've seen more wildlife in the Verdugos than in Angeles NF, including king snakes, nighthawks, deer, owls, and rabbits. I have run the full length of the range, but I prefer my usual routes which have significantly more elevation gain. Also, worth a trip is the trek up Brand Canyon where you can see remnant of the Brand estate and supporting infratructure (e.g. cemetery and water works). read more

I am coming down to Glendale for a business trip (from Washington State) and purposely took and extra half a day so I can hike the Brand Park trails. I grew up 1/2 mile away and as kids we would wake up before dawn and start out trek up to the ridge. What a wonderful hike and what wonderful memories! Now at 54 and not been back to Glendale in decades, I''m really looking forward to the smells of sage and reliving my childhood memories at the park. read more

hike, run or mtn bike. this place is heaven for people who wants solitude or outdoor sports. it covers Glendale, Burbank, La Crescenta and Sun Valley. you can easily cover 12 - 15 miles ( or more) end to end or you can do loops. lots of wildlife animals and plants are seen here. Always bring water. btw, enjoy the 360 view :-) read more

Not a good view to downtown LA. Blocked by trees and houses. Definitely not what we were looking for

Are you looking for a moderate hike with decent views around Burbank? Then look no more, this is a 7 mile roundtrip hike that is not crowded. Don't let the 7 mile distance scare you, as it is almost flat except for the first quarter mile. read more

I hiked Verdugo Mountains starting at Beaudry Street where I parked my car for free. My friend and I took a route that would circle back to Beaudry street, which ended up taking about 2 and a half hours, the total time for ascending, descending and respite with a distance of about 5.85 miles. I was given the option by my friend to either start the day by hiking a challenging trail or an easy one (Beaudry South/North were the options, one being more strenuous than the other in terms of ascending, however both trails do converge to form a loop). I chose the challenging trail, which ended up being a great workout because it made the reward of reaching Tongva Peak very enjoyable. Once at Tongva Peak the view was great with clear skies, slight breeze and a view of Glendale with its surrounding cities. Tongva Peak is easy to locate since it is right by the KROQ radio towers. I recommend to bring a sandwich or fruits to eat as a treat for making it to the top of the peak as well as a bottle of water to drink every so often because it is quite a bit of a hike but well worth it. I hope to do this trail again, if not more of it. read more