Crown Jewel

Hike Dunsmore and Cook Canyons - Deukmejian Wilderness

Glendale is known as the Jewel City, and why not? Its Deukmejian Wilderness Park—nestled in the San Gabriel foothills—is a gem. During the 2009 Station Fire, a back burn was started here to prevent flames from sweeping down the mountains to the community. While this damaged nearly all of the park's 709 acres, the recovery of vegetation and wildlife is abundantly clear on a 4.2-mile (round-trip) foothills hike in the park's Dunsmore and Cook's canyons. From the trailhead, you're greeted by a stately coast live oak saved from the fires, thanks to the efforts of local officials. Follow the Le Mesnager Loop and Rim of the Valley trail and pass newly planted fir saplings among the thriving chaparral while quickly climbing 420 feet to the sweeping scenery of the Crescenta Valley. Just after a small wooden fence, Rim of the Valley Trail splits to the left. Take this path down to Cook's Canyon, where a year-round creek gurgles through a narrow grove. Though many trees perished in the fire, enough survived to provide a cool cover. Across the stream, zig-zag up the other side of the canyon, where spiky yucca blossoms and glowing white sage illuminate the way (bear right at all trail junctions). Nearly 2 miles in, reach a 3,200-foot viewpoint looking out to the Verdugos, the Santa Monicas, the higher San Gabriels, and Pasadena. Extend this scenery by following a mostly level ridgeline to the next vantage at 3,400 feet. Crowning glory!

Deukmejian Wilderness Park is at 3429 Markridge Rd. in Glendale. Take the 210 Freeway to the Pennsylvania Ave. exit. Follow Pennsylvania north to Foothill; head west on Foothill, then right onto New York Ave. Take New York all the way to the top of the hill until you can't go straight anymore, then left onto Markridge. The park entrance is on your right. Dog- friendly! Note: Bring plenty of water for yourself and your pet, and be careful of rattlesnakes sometimes seen here.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View
  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

    View
  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

    View
  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

    View
  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

    View
  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View