Vineyard Views

Vineyard Hike in Deukmejian Wilderness

06.19.2015

Long before Napa and Sonoma took the cork, the Los Angeles region was the center of California wine production. In the early 1900s the Le Mesnager family built a romantic French-style stone barn and cultivated personal vineyards at the base of what is now Deukmejian Park. Meander through their former backyard on this easy 1-mile loop. Head past the barn on the main Dunsmore Canyon Trail and follow Vineyard Trail across a dry riverbed, under an oak tree, and back up the east side of the canyon. As you gradually gain elevation through the fragrant chaparral, keep your eyes peeled for flowering “Our Lord’s Candle” yucca, whose stunning white or pink blooms can reach up to 10 feet high. You'll pass the abandoned remains of a swing set—quite a picturesque play space for kids who grew up here! Embraced by the soft foliage of yerba santa on both sides of the trail, imagine what this land looked like with neat rows of grape vines; today, lush with shades of green, white, pink, and purple it's a prime example of the beauty of native landscaping. At the next trail junction, turn left to head back down into the riverbed and over one of the canyon's flood-control dams until meeting again with Dunsmore Trail, which returns you to the stone barn. Peek around the side where a thriving demonstration vineyard grows, a reminder of this land's recent history. Wasn't that a grape walk?

BONUS: Time your trip for a post-hike stop at nearby Rosso Wine Shop's wine bar, featuring varietals each Friday and Saturday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It’s just $10 to taste three wines!

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. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View