Brown Mountain Fire Road

Overview
Road Parameters
Road Description
   Detailed Road Log
Hikes Using This Road
Links To Further Information


Overview


Road Parameters

Maps: Pasadena USGS Quadrangle.

Season: All. Best weekdays to avoid weekend crowds.

Roadhead and directions to Roadhead: From Loma Alta Drive in Altadena, go north on Chaney Trail to the top of Sunset Ridge turning left and going down the hill on the other side to a large parking lot. An Adventure Pass is needed. Walk past the campground. The Road, FS 12W18, begins this side of the stream crossing. Be aware that entrance and exit along Chaney Trail (Road) is between the hours of 6 am and 10 pm only.

Length:

Elevation Changes: The elevation of the parking lot is ~1800'. The beginning of the road at Millard Campground is at ~1880'. See the table below for altitudes along the way.

Road Condition:

Road Maintenance:

History: See Millard Canyon Trail for the history of Millard Canyon.


Road Description

Take the road from the east end of the parking lot through the campground. At the end of the campground you'll see the water flowing over the road. This water has just enjoyed a 50' fall over the waterfall about 15 minutes earlier, assuming the water flows at 2 mph.

Detailed Road Log

MileageAltitude (')Location
0.001800Parking Lot for Millard Campground at end of Chaney Trail.
0.181880Millard Campground stream crossing
1.112040Jct. El Prieto Fire Road (leads to Canyon Crest Road, Altadena)
1.302210Cross El Prieto stream
2.312380Jct. 2N66; enter Fern Canyon. Sign: "Brown Mountain [Fire?] Road Junction, Elevation 2330'". The section heading downhill (straight ahead) to the Arroyo Seco Trail near JPL is also called Lower Brown Mountain Fire Road, but is designated 2N66. The section heading uphill (right) is now 2N66, the Brown Mountain Fire Road.
2.562530Cross east branch of Fern Canyon stream.
2.732560Ridge between two branches of Fern Canyon stream.
3.092500Cross west branch of Fern Canyon stream.
3.702540Enter Pine Canyon at Ridge between it and Fern Canyon.
4.502740Cross Pine Canyon stream.
5.032900End road at Saddle on Brown Mountain ridge. Jct Ken Burton Trail.


Hikes Using This Road

When available, the date of the information is given in parentheses for each link.

Trail Runs Near JPL: Brown Mountain (1991), Harry Langenbacher (list of way-points, distances and elevations from his mountain bicycle)

Brown Mountain Fire Road (14Aug96), Tom Chester

Brown Mountain (??), GORP, adapted from Robert Immler's Mountain Bicycling in the San Gabriels.

Afoot and Afield in Los Angeles County by Jerry Schad, page 167, Millard Canyon Falls.

Roads of the Angeles by John W. Robinson, Trip 20 Millard Canyon to Millard Canyon Falls.


Links To Further Information

See also Millard Canyon Trail: Links.

Links checked 5/21/00.


Go to:


Copyright © 2001 by Jane Strong and Tom Chester.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
http://tchester.org/sgm/trails/brown_mountain.html
Comments and feedback: Jane Strong | Tom Chester
Updated 19 January 2001.