Summit Verdugo Peak

Verdugo Peak, at 3000 feet, is accessible from multiple directions and trails along the Verdugo Range. The most direct route to the top is Hostetter Fire Road, a 3.6 mile hard packed dirt trail that climbs 1600 feet to the 3,126 foot summit. The hike begins at the dirt parking lot off of La Tuna Canyon Rd next to the I-210 entrance ramp. Start by crossing the yellow gate and hiking up a paved road paralleling the 210 freeway. After 0.5 miles turn right and begin heading south toward the canyon carved into the side of the mountain. 1 mile into your hike you will see a steep dirt road cut into the ground, make sure to keep right as the grade of the path will become too much to climb. 

A few minutes later and roughly 1.3 miles into your hike the right side of the trail will give way to a canyon with a attraction that seems a little out of place. As the path begins to turn left, look to your right into the canyon below, here you will find an old car pinned under a boulder. Only the shell of the car is still intact lacking any markings. 

Once past the car be prepared for a healthy does of sunshine, the trail begins climbing out of the canyons and onto the ridge completely exposed for the remaining 2.3 miles to the summit. Hostetter Fire Road culminates at a T-junction 3.5 miles from the start and a quarter mile from the summit of Verdugo Peak. Here you will reach a saddle that intersects with Verdugo Motorway, the fire road that traverses the entire length of the mountain range.  

From the t-junction you are only a quarter mile from the radio tower covered summit which can be seen off to your left. Once you reach Verdugo Peak you will have reached the second highest point in Los Angeles County. As you approach you will notice that the summit is indeed capped by a large fenced in radio tower. Though the top makes your feat seem a bit undignified, there is a small memorial wood bench perched in front of the fence facing west. This is the perfect place to drop your pack, pull out your lunch or snack and enjoy the endless views of downtown LA, Griffith Park, Catalina Island and Pacific Ocean.   

Hostetter Fire Road is the most direct route to the summit, but it represents only a small amount of the endless trails that carve through the under utilized Verdugo Mountain Range. For those wishing to explore all the area has to offer try your hand at these other adventures. The Brand Library Loop is a rigorous 6.2 mile hike, on the southwest side of the range, that climbs over 1500 feet in its first mile. The Old Youth Camp Loop, located in Stough Canyon behind the Starlight Bowl, is a 2.6 mile trail that is a popular workout for trail runners. For those that live on the southern end of the range, the hike to Mt. Thom and Tongva Peak is a good option for those looking for a day hike. And for those hoping for a high mileage adventure, Verdugo's North Ridge offers a trail that is 13 miles to Verdugo Peak.