Review Date
September 28, 2006

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: ninoxoxo ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Turnbull Canyon, It has a little something for everyone. Theres a lot of different trails so you could mix it up. That guy below is right, If you like to jump and your an extremist, they have what I would call a insane black diamond run with non stop jumps down the mtn which ends with a pretty steep decent. That trail is hidden behind the water tank. Also theres a trail called rattle snake which you can take the advanced route down the steep center instead of taking normal switch backs down. It too has jumps but smaller in size. The grand finale of that trail is a drop off a wooden plank over the normal trail everyone else takes. I met the guy who built that drop while he was doing maintenance on it. He was really cool and says they have some bigger drops in the works.

Recommended Route:
Start a Beverly and climb up the fire rd then at the top make a right and follow that fire rd around past the water tower to a metal gate on the left. Either throw your bike over or try to squeeze through the narrow gap. This drops you down the back side of the mtn which we call B side. Follow that trail down and back up some switch backs which will eventually lead you to the same gate that you entered from. Keep riding past the gate and look for the first break in the fence that you see on the right hand side. Thats were the decend down rattle snake begins. Take rattle snake all the way down to the first fire rd that you started at. From there we go back up that same fire rd but this time we take it all the way up to the top of water tower. The water tower is an extremely high speed single track run to the bottom which drops you into a fire rd that you could continue down towards a heliport. From there we turn around at the top of the heliport and continue down the same way we came up. Make a right this time on the first fire rd that you see. This will lead you to a trail that we call A side which has some fun single track along the edge of the mtn and back down towards Beverly.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
My other local favorites are Aliso Woods, Whitting Ranch to the Luge. Theres also the Fullerton Loop but its kinda of easy with only short climbs but its still a good workout.

Review Date
February 5, 2006

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: CoolHand Luke ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
I just moved to Whittier from West L.A. and was worried my Mtn Biking days would be few and far between. But I have been having fun in Turnbull Canyon. I was spoiled with the Santa Monica Mtns in my backyard but Turnbull helps me get through the times I can't make it back. The rides are short but fun. Not too technical but fun. It really feels like a community recreation area. I like to go at 6:30am on Saturdays and will see house wives hiking up or down the fireroad, the local high school cross country team trail running, couples of all ages hiking or running the trails, and of course other riders. I don't know how busy it gets at more normal hours but this place accomadates everyone. There is definately a positive vibe at Turnbull which is completely different than Westridge where I used to ride. People are very friendly here in Whittier. This place is not expansive, not technical, not tough climbing, but fun.

Recommended Route:
I like the trail on the backside that drops you down into Hacienda Heights? Is that right? I'm new here and not sure. That is fun and the climb is a good length of switch backs. There is a short zippy trail trail that is fun that will eventually lead you to the parking lot on Greenleaf.

Review Date
August 8, 2004

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: RAMPAGE BIKES ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
MOST RIDERS REFER TO THIS PLACE AS TURNBULL CANYON. THE BEST PLACE TO START IS DIRECTLY OFF BEVERLY BLVD. WHICH TURNS INTO TURNBULL CAYNON ROAD THE MAIN FIRE ROAD ACCESS IS AT THE BASE OF THE WINDING CAYNON RD. THROUGH THE YELLOW GATE. THIS PLACE HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER TO ALL RIDERS.TAKE THE MAIN TRAIL TILL IT TEE BONES THE TRAIL TO THE RIGHT HAS WAY MORE POSSIBILTIES, BUT THE LEFT HAS SOME REALLY STEEP SINGLE TRACK BACK TO THE BEGINING OF THE MAIN FIRE ROAD & THE A TRAIL. AFTER GOING RIGHT PROCEED TO THE WATER TOWER FROM THIS POINT IF YOU WISH TO CONTINUE TO CLIMB YOU CAN CROSS THE FENCE PAST THE TOWER & HIT 7TH. ST. TRAIL, ITS PRETTY FUN DROP & ABOUT 18 PLUS MINUTE CLIMB IT CAN BE TOUGH FOR SOME RIDERS. OTHER CLIMBING OPTIONS INCLUDE DROPPING DOWN RATTLE SNAKE TRAIL WHICH YOU CAN MAKE AS FUN AS YOU DESIRE, WATCH THE DEEP RUTS, R.S. HAS PLENTY OF DEEP SHORTCUT CHUTES, BERMS, & A COUPLE OF GOOD JUMPS.IF GO UP ESCALATORS AFTER DROPPING OUT OF RATTLE SNAKE OR THE HOUSE TRAIL THERE'S A 6' DROP OFF THE RETAINING WALL BY THE ELECTRICAL TOWER ON THE HOUSE TRAIL. THEN GO ACROSS THE HIGHWAY & GO UP OR DOWN THE CATTLE IT'S A FUN SINGLE TRACK THAT ENDS UP CLOSE TO THE BACKSIDE OF THE WHITTIER COLLEGE. ALOT OF RIDERS END THEIR RIDE CRUISING DOWN THE A TRAIL WHICH IS A GREAT SINGLE TRACK WITH A STEEP DROP TO THE RIGHT SO BE AWARE. YOU CAN SPEND A COUPLE HOURS RIDING IF YOU PLAN YOUR TRAILS PROPERLY.

IF YOU'RE INTO HITTING PRETTY BIG DOUBLES WITH 10 - 20 GAPS WE'LL WANT TO HIT THE RIDGE, PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF THIS AREA THE LOCALS HAS PUT ALOT OF WORK INTO IT, AND SHOULD ONLY BE VISTED IF YOU PLAN ON GETTING SOME SERIOUS AIR. I HEARD THERE ARE A COUPLE OF NEW 6' PLUS VERT. DROPS RECENTLY ADDED.

THERE ALSO A COUPLE OF GOOD JUMPS AT THE BASE OF THE TOWER ONE STEP UP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TOWER EXIT TRAIL & A VERT. HIP JUMP ACROSS FROM THE FARMING EQUIP. AREA.

IF YOU INTERESTED IN RIDING SOME NEW TRAILS IN THE SAN GABRIEL CANYON AREA, GIVE TURNBULL CANYON A TRY, I'M SURE YOU'LL HAVE FUN.

Recommended Route:
WATER TOWER THEN THE OPTIONS ARE OPEN FROM THERE.

Review Date
February 6, 2004

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week