This mountain is bordered by Big Tujunga Canyon on the west and the Arroyo Seco Canyon on the east and the foothill cities on the south. There are a variety of dirt roads, trails and routes through this area.
CLEAR CREEK TRAIL
A beautiful trail on what is an overgrown old dirt road. The trail
is overgrown to the point of having a tunnel appearance. The upper
end starts from Grizzly Flat Road and the trail curves around
the mountain to cross Clear Creak at the lower end.
CONTEMPLATION TRAIL
A steep trail that runs up a ridge below Mount Lukens from Big
Tujunga. The trail is unmarked, but starts on Big Tujunga Canyon
Road, crosses Sunset Trail and then starts climbing a drainage
towards the ridge. The trail is steep but well used and in good
shape. When it reaches the ridge line, the popular route is a
short spur north to a cross.
Trailhead: There are two unmarked trailheads along Big
Tujunga Canyon Road before the road enters the canyon proper.
Alternative, take Alpine Way off of Mount Gleason Ave to the end.
There is an entrance to Sunset trail here. Take Sunset Trail north
and look for a good trail up a drainage.
DARK CANYON TRAIL - Elevation Change: 1390 ft.
This foot trail works its way up from Big Tujunga Creek to the
forest covered Grizzly Flat. This section is more shady than not.
Above Grizzly Flat it continues as a Forest Service road up to
the Mount Lukens Ridge Road. It continues down the east side of
the ridge initially as a road to an experimental forest and then
a trail down to the Angeles Crest Highway.
Trailhead: Big Tujunga Canyon. Angeles Crest Highway.
DUNSMORE CANYON TRAIL
A short trail up Dunsmore Conyon in the City of Glendale Deukmejian
Wilderness Park. There is a loop trail off of this trail. And
the Rim of the Valley Trail connects into the loop trail.
Trailhead: The northern end of Dunsmore Ave leads into
Deukmejian Wilderness Park.
GOULD CANYON TRAIL - Elevation Change: 700 ft.
This is a horse trail through La Canada Flintridge. The upper
portion of the trail follows the Gould Canyon drainage. The lower
portion of the trail winds its way through quiet neighborhoods.
This trail connects with the Arroyo Seco Trail on the southern
end and the La Canada Trail on the northern end.
Trailhead: The southern trailhead is on Foothill Boulevard
at Oak Grove Park. The northern trailhead is on North Harter Lane,
north of the Angeles Crest Highway. There are also access points
on Green Lane, Canon de Paraiso Lane, Crown Ave, and Stardust
Road.
GRIZZLY FLAT ROAD
A forest service road that connects Mount Lukens Road to the Angeles
Crest Highway. Dark Canyon trail and Clear Creek Trail also connect
to Grizzly Flat Road.
Trailhead: The trailhead is on the Angeles Crest Highway
near the CCC Ridge. It is the first dirt road on the left above
the Forest Service Fire station.
HAINES CANYON TRAIL - Elevation Change: 1400 ft.
This is a nice quiet trail approaching the Mount Lukens ridgeline
via Haines Canyon. You will get enveloped in the canyon and loose
sense of any city being nearby. There is a junction near the top
of the canyon taking the separate trails to separate saddles on
the ridgeline. A ridgeline trail connects them allowing a small
loop to be made. If you are heading to Stone Canyon or Mount Lukens
the right hand trail is the more direct route. And a short jaunt
up the steep ridgeline quickly connects you with the Stone Canyon
Trail. A right turn on Stone Canyon Trail will take you to Mount
Lukens. Going down the Mount Lukens Road will make a large loop.
Trailhead: This trail starts as a dirt road off of the
Mount Lukens Road. This is the second road to the left along Mount
Lukens Road from the Haines Canyon Trailhead. Mount Lukens Road
climbs to the ridgeline at this point and the road leading to
Haines Canyon Trail stays in the canyon. The road passes an area
used for beekeeping and quickly reduces to a foot path. The junction
with Stone Canyon Trail is unsigned.
LA CANADA TRAIL - Elevation Change: 1000 ft.
This is a forest service road based trail that skirts along the
edge of the Angeles Crest Mountains.
Trailhead: The eastern trailhead is on the Angeles Crest
Highway at the entrance to the National Forest. The southwestern
trailhead is on Foothill Boulevard by Indiana Ave. Another trailhead
is on North Hartner Lane.
MOUNT LUKENS ROAD - Elevation Change: 3000 ft.
A forest service road that climbs up to the top of Mount Lukens
and crosses over to the other side. From the west, the road climbs
steadily for 3,000 feet elevation gain. Several trails connect
to this road making many variations of trips possible.
Trailhead: The western trailhead is located at the northern
end of Haines Canyon Road in Tujunga. Follow the main road up.
Two other lesser used roads leave on the left side, the first
is Sunset Trail and the second is Haines Canyon Trail
RIM OF THE VALLEY TRAIL
A steep trail going from Dunsmore Canyon in the City of Glendale
Deukmejian Wilderness Park up a ridge to the Mount Lukens Road.
The trail has steps in one section and a short 30-foot long landslide
which is still passable.
Trailhead: The northern end of Dunsmore Ave leads into
Deukmejian Wilderness Park.
STONE CANYON TRAIL - Elevation Change: 3060 ft.
This trail climbs up the north side of Mount Lukens starting in
Stone Canyon. It presents good views of Big Tujunga Canyon. The
trail joins Forest Service Roads just shy of the top of the mountain.
SUNSET TRAIL
This is a relatively flat forest service road along the bottom
of Mount Lukens. It runs from Big Tujunga to a juvenile prison
camp on Big Tujunga Canyon Road. A half mile before the juvenile
camp is a foot path connecting to Big Tujunga Canyon Road allowing
a through trip without passing through the juvenile camp. The
road has a good view west over Tujunga, Sunland, and parts of
San Fernando Valley.
Trailhead: The trailhead starts at the end of Haines Canyon
Road. This is the beginning of the Mount Lukens Road. A short
distance in the road, another road cuts off sharply to the left,
this is the Sunset Trail Road. The other trailhead is unmarked
but is a quarter mile south of the camp on Big Tujunga Canyon
Road.