Franklin Canyon just north of Beverly Hills has several trails that are accessible to MTB's. Hastain Drive/Hastain Trail combine to provide mostly hard pack with some loose rocks and sandy sections. There are lots of hikers and dog walkers so check your speed on the downhill. Great views of the city, some wooded areas, and even a pond and nature center can be found.
When accessing by bike from the basin, get to Lake Drive and ride north for a 125 yards and go right up Hastain Drive until you reach the top. It's about 2.3 miles round trip, moderate to strenuous.
Rising steadily on a fire road through a chaparral covered slope, you'll arrive at an overlook offering views of the lower canyon, west Los Angeles and, on a clear day, the Pacific Ocean. From there, the trail drops down to a short but fun singletrack trail to the lawn at the Ranch Area next to the old Doheny house. There are a few steep sections and switchbacks and since this section is shared by hikers going up, please use caution.
If you keep riding up the canyon on
Franklin Canyon Drive, you can link Upper
Franklin Canyon Drive Trail on the left with the Oak Trail spur that connects to the Betty Dearing Trail.
If driving, from the 101
Freeway, take Coldwater Canyon Boulevard south to the intersection of Coldwater Canyon and Mulholland Drive. Make a 90-degree right turn onto
Franklin Canyon Drive. There is no street sign "Franklin Canyon." Road signs read "Road Closed 800 Feet" and "Sunset to Sunrise"; this is the park entrance. Do not make a U-turn for this will bring you onto Mulholland Drive instead of Franklin Canyon. Stay on paved surface to reach the Sooky Goldman Nature Center and continue south of the lake for 1.5 miles to reach the Franklin Canyon Ranch Site area.
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