Review Date
January 18, 2007

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: Labikrglen ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
awesome trail up. pretty difficult as others have put it. At some points, (after recent rains, i was there yesterday) some parts are pretty damn washed, rocks exposed, you have to push hard at those points to avoid coming to a stop. Again, i usually do it in 50-55 minutes. I was impressed by one of the reviewers saying 40 minutes up, THAT IS AWESOME. Downhill at parts resembles singletrack so its not a boring downhill fireroad as other trails are.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Up Walnut, Stough Canyon.

Review Date
October 15, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: ameltzer ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
I've been riding the Brand Park Fire Road weekly the last few months, and find it challenging. From the Dr.'s House at Brand Park to the benches at the top where the Brand Park Fire Road intersects the Verdugo Motorway is about 3.7 miles and roughly an 1800 ft. climb. The first mile is steep pavement, then the rest is very rough fireroad that deteriorates at places into single track. The climb is continuous. There's rockslides, deep ruts, and sand at various points on the trail, which keep it interesting. I usually just ride up and back and for me it's a great workout.

Review Date
November 22, 2004

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 5 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: Downhill Dawg ,  Downhiller

Summary:
Riding this trail is an awesome workout. I can clear it in about 2 hours. Starting from Brand Park, I pump up the road past the Doctor House, hop the gate and motor along until I hit the one way climb. Usually practice some bunny hops on the way to impress the peds. The climb is killer. I named it Dawg's killa climb.
When you go past the refuse area and the trail turns dirt, you'll come to a junction. Go left, not straight. Straight is just way too gnarly. Switchback fireroad all the way to the top. I usually stop about halfway for a bologna sandwich and a couple mountain dews. Nothin' like doing the dew in the mountains. You junior huckers know what I'm talking about.
The toughest part is the first 1.5 miles, but not by much. So pace yourself. Once you get to the bench, it ain't over. Gotta continue left and climb some more. But once you hit the ridgeline summit (antenna heaven), it's a downhiller's dream. I've been known to go 25 mph down some of these steeps. It's wild.
My rig just hugs the corners with the knobbies.
When it's all over, end up at Stough park. Some clowns like to ride streets back to Brand, but I have the dawgette pick me up cuz my steed ain't touchin' no asphalt when it can be helped. All you junior dawgs know what I'm all about.

Recommended Route:
Brand Park route up Dawg's killa climb, then left when in Dawg's canyon. At Dawg's bench, left. Dawg's killa kamikazi downhill all the way to Stough.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Los Angeles River bike trail.
Go south and you got yourself a killer tail wind. Tell your dawgette to meet you at the Los Feliz burger joint next to the 3 par course for post ride burger and beers.

Review Date
September 14, 2004

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 5 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: HellMuttCracker ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Coming from Houston, it was a challenging climb. I made it up in about an hour. When you get to the top and make it to the single track it doesn't take long to get to the bottom. Compared to the singletrack here in Texas it isn't really too challenging because gravity does all the work when you are coming down on the singletrack. I did have fun while riding this trail

Recommended Route:
up then down

Review Date
July 29, 2003

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 1 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week