Ken Burton Details

Riding area

Brown Mountain
Altadena, California
Difficulty rating

Blue rate
Trail type

Singletrack
Bike type

AM, XC
Trail Usage

Multi-use
Direction

Downhill Primary
Popular direction shown
Climb Difficulty

Blue
Physical rating

Moderate
eBike Allowed

No
TTFs on trail

Skinny
Ride in rain

Yes
Global Ranking

#29314
Year Opened

1991

The Ken Burton trail in the Angeles National Forest is a milestone in Southern California mountain bike history. It represents the success of the local group Mount Wilson Bicycling Association (MWBA) and their strong, positive relationship with the USFS land managers in the 1990s. MWBA worked together with the USFS to build the trail as a memorial to Ken Burton, a loved Forestry Firefighter who left his friends and family much too soon.

The trail descends into the Arroyo Seco canyon from the top of Brown Mountain and connects to the Gabrielino trail. Rugged and exposed in many sections, the Ken Burton trail has over 20 steep switchbacks that challenge riders and keep you on your toes. The Ken Burton Monument is on your right side before the switchbacks start. The first three switchbacks will give you a good taste of what is coming ahead. As you near the bottom, be aware of the poison oak as it tends to flourish as you near the bottom of the canyon. Once you get to the Gabrielino, turn left and continue over the dam on your way back to the JPL area.

In 2009, the Station Fire destroyed the trail and it was closed for many years. In 2015, MWBA and CORBA volunteers joined forces and worked solidly for over 6 months on rebuilding the trail. On May 1st, 2016, the Ken Burton trail was officially re-opened at the MWBA Pancake Breakfast.

source: https://mwba.org/news/ken-burton-trail/

Access Info

Ken Burton is accessed by climbing 6 miles up Brown Mtn / Fern Truck trail from the JPL Windsor trailhead area

Local Trail Association

Mount Wilson Bicycling Association (mwba.org)
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More Stats for Ken Burton mountain bike trail

Altitude change

-1,078 ft
Altitude min

1,832 ft
Altitude max

2,960 ft
Altitude start

2,910 ft
Altitude end

1,832 ft
Grade

-8.889%
Grade max

-68.684%
Grade min

35.805%
Distance climb

3,137 ft
Distance down

2 miles
Distance flat

696 ft
Avg time

00:25:39
Avg reverse time

01:15:07
view trail stats

	date	description
	Aug 19, 2018 @ 8:03am Aug 19, 2018	Some erosion on the trail, can ride over most of it but be careful on the edges of the trail especially when it clears up.
	Sep 24, 2017 @ 11:52am Sep 24, 2017	All good. The switchbacks can get a little loose, so watch your turns. There is considerable brush on either side of the trail, which didn't...
	May 19, 2016 @ 12:04pm May 19, 2016	The trail is riding great! There are a few soft edges along the singletrack and the switchbacks so be cautious and considerate of the trail.

Ken Burton

Trail Supporters, Builders & Maintainers of Ken Burton Trail

Ken Burton Details

Access Info

Local Trail Association

More Stats for Ken Burton mountain bike trail

Ken Burton Trail Reports

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Nearby Trails

Brown Mountain