La Tuna Special

As one of the few footpaths within the Verdugo Mountains, La Tuna Canyon Trail feels like a backcountry trek, even with its proximity to the 210 Freeway. This hike is wild nature, accessed from the less-populated north side of the mountains, with fewer crowds and less extreme heat. The 4.5-mile out-and-back journey climbs 975 feet to a fire road on the Verdugo ridgeline. The trail begins off La Tuna Canyon Road, zigzagging up the side of a narrow canyon to exposed slopes, where thick chaparral shrubs hug the path and sage perfumes the air. At a first overlook there’s a steep path going straight up towards the Verdugo crest along a lateral ridge. Don’t take it. Instead, follow the official trail as it takes a surprising detour, dipping over into the sylvan recesses of a parallel canyon, where it crosses a cool gully shaded under willows and sycamores.

Rising again from canyon depths, you might wonder how an old, rusted DeSoto truck ended up sunken in a nearby ditch (likely, it plummeted off a higher ridge when the mountain roads were open to the public in the 1940s). The trail finally ascends to Verdugo Motorway atop a ridge blanketed in colorful patches of wild buckwheat, sage, tan grasses, and sugar bush. At the summit, a chair invites you to sit and gaze upon the Verdugos’ northern reaches and the San Gabriel Mountains rising beyond, a marked contrast to south side views, dominated by the Valley’s sprawling urban grid.

TIPS: In Spanish, la tuna refers to the edible fruit of the prickly pear cactus, not tuna fish (which is called atún). From the motorway, you can access the entire trail network in the Verdugo Mountains, the closest junction being with Stough Canyon.

Go early (morning is best) for cooler temps and check the weather forecast to avoid hiking on an extremely hot day. From the 210 Freeway, exit onto La Tuna Canyon Rd. south of Sunland and head west. Trailhead parking appears after about a mile: a small dirt lot with a picnic table (not to be confused with the dirt turnout for La Tuna Foot Trail, roughly half a mile further east). The trail begins off La Tuna Canyon Rd., tracing chaparral-covered slopes and wooded canyons for 2.2 miles to the ridgetop. Although rarely seen, mountain lions do roam the Verdugo Mountains. Dog-friendly.