Ken Burton Details
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Riding areaBrown Mountain
Altadena, California -
Difficulty ratingBlue
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Trail typeSingletrack
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Bike typeAM, XC
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Trail UsageMulti-use
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DirectionDownhill Primary
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Climb DifficultyBlue
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Physical ratingModerate
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eBike AllowedNo
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TTFs on trailSkinny
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Ride in rainYes
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Global Ranking
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Year Opened1991
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.
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
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Mount Wilson Bicycling Association
(mwba.org) Please consider joining or donating to the local riding association to support trail development & maintenance.donate to earn trail karma!
More Stats for Ken Burton mountain bike trail
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Altitude change-1,078 ft
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Altitude min1,832 ft
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Altitude max2,960 ft
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Altitude start2,910 ft
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Altitude end1,832 ft
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Grade-8.889%
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Grade max-68.684%
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Grade min35.805%
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Distance climb3,137 ft
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Distance down2 miles
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Distance flat696 ft
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Avg time00:25:57
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Avg reverse time01:15:07
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