Hike #1454
September 8, 2021
Three Canyon Park Hike - Franklin, Fryman and Wilacre
Hike Leader: Phil Rutherford
Meet at 8:00 am for start at 8:30 am
Please print your own hike descriptions and maps. This will save the hike leader the inconvenience and cost of providing descriptions/maps to you all.
Background: These are beautiful canyons filled with sycamore and oak trees located between ridges of the St. Monicas between Coldwater canyon and Laurel Canyons. Two separate hikes are prossible: a combination of Franklin-Wilacre-Fryman Canyons and Southern Franklin Canyon. Both involve a combination of residential streets, dirt trails and fire roads. Hikers can chose to do one hike or the other, rabbits might try doing both.
Directions to the Trailhead: Enter "Franklin Canyon Park Main Parking Lot" into your Google Maps app. This address is not usable on the Apple Maps app. Enter "2600 Franklin Canyon Drive" as an alternative to get to the Sooky Goldman Nature Center just to the south of the Main Parking Lot.
From the North: From US 101 exit Coldwater Canyon Ave. in Studio City. Go south on Coldwater Canyon for 2.5 miles. Be aware that Coldwater from Ventura Blvd gets very backed up with rush hour traffic in the early morning. Turn 90 degrees right onto Franklin Canyon Drive just before Coldwater Canyon Ave. merges with Mullholland Drive. This is a tricky intersection. The Tree People Park is on your left. The entrance to Franklin Canyon Dive has no sign saying "Franklin Canyon" but does have signs saying "Dead End" and "Road Ends 800 Feet." See photo. Ignore these signs and drive through the neighborhood along a winding road until you reach the Franklin Canyon Park Main Parking Lot in 0.7 miles. Turn left after the first stop sign and park in the adjacent large lot. Be aware that there are cameras at stop signs.
From the South: From Sunset head north on N Beverly Drive. After 0.4 miles turn left to stay on N Beverly Drive. After 0.3 miles turn left to stay on N Beverly Drive. After 0.9 miles turn right onto N Franklin Canyon Drive. Enter the park and continue on N Franklin Canyon Drive. Drive counter clockwise around the upper reservoir and past the Sooky Goldman Nature Center on your left. Turn right, then right into the main parking lot that is just to the north of the Nature Center.
Frankin-Wilacre-Fryman Canyon Hike:
GPS: 6.5 mi. RT, 1,122 ft. elevation change.
Franklin Canyon: Proceed 0.1 mile from the north end of the parking lot on the Chaparral Trail.
Option 1: Contnue straight on the open Chaparral Trail for another 0.15 miles that will take you to the southern end of the LAFD Station #108. Pass through onto Mulholland Dr.
Option 2 (Red track): After the initial 0.1 mile on the Chaparral Trail, bear left on the Berman Trail for an up and down trail which parallels Franklin Canyon Road, ultimately climbing to Mulholland Dr.
Wilacre Canyon: Follow Mulholland Dr. north to its intersection with Coldwater Canyon Blvd. Cross both streets with the light and, proceeding past the Tree People establishment, look for a set of stairs on the left covered in rock masonry. Turn right at the bottom and walk a short distance to another set of stairs on the left, descend these and turn right again. This path ends at a T intersection, a large open area with information signs and a water fountain. Turn left and head north on the Betty B Dearing Trail. After 0.25 miles, you have the option of continuing on the Betty B Dearing Trail or turning right onto the U-Vanu Trail (blue track). Both trails parallel each other, heading east, ultimately arriving at the "Wilacre Park Entrance" on Fryman Road.. Turn right and head south on Fryman Road for 0.66 miles until you reach Dona Maria Drive. Bear right through a yellow gate onto Briarcrest Fire Road. In 0.1 miles turn right onto the Betty B Dearing Trail with logs on either side.
Fryman Canyon: Follow this twisting Betty B Dearing trail in a generally westerly direction for 1.5 miles and passing the "rain forest" until the trail ends at Iredell Lane. Turn left and continue to the end of the cul-de-sac, then renter Wilacre Canyon Park.
Wilacre Canyon: Continue on the Betty B Dearing trail for another 0.5 miles until you reach the T intersaction mentioed above. retrace your steps through Tree People Facility to Mulholland Dr. Cross Mulholland and head south.
Franklin Canyon: Take the Berman Trail (50 yards before the LAFD Station entrance on the right) or the Chaparral Trail (through the LAFD Station) back to the parking lot.
Franklin Canyon Hike:
GPS: 5.8 mi. RT, 600 ft. elevation change. The only trails that are clearly marked are the Hastain Trail and the Discovery trails. In the upper canyon there will be several lookouts and trails around the lake. As we go down to the lower canyon we will descend about 200 ft before arriving at the clearly marked Hastain trail.
We start by walking up above the parking lot on the entrance road to the beginning of a weaving fire road (signified by two large boulders on each side) which takes us to Franklin Canyon Drive. This drive leads us to The Hastain Trail on our left. We climb the Hastain to the ridge, then a short up and back climb up to the peak overlook. We descend down to the Lake Drive, then soon after proceed on the Discovery Trail to Franklin Canyon Drive, then back up-canyon on various trails past the lake then back to the Sooky Center and the parking lot.
Google Photomap for Franklin, Wilacre, Fryman Loop
Franklin Map Wilacre Map Fryman Map
Updated: 2021-09-07
