Commonwealth Loop Trail

The Commonwealth Loop Trail is a 4 mile loop starting near the Roosevelt Golf Course parking at the Vermont Public Tennis Courts. It starts uphill on Vista Del Valle and then downhill again at the Joe Klass water stop. From there it’s a significant downhill on the Coolidge trail and then at Cadman drive it’s a significant significant (that’s right, two!) uphill along the neighborhoods to Cedar Grove. Then crazy crazy steep (that’s right, two crazies!) downhill to Commonwealth again. It’s an adventure!

The Parking – You are driving up Vermont towards the Greek Theater but before that, you pass the golf course parking on your right and just after that is Commonwealth Drive. Turn right and quickly to your left you will see the parking lot in front of the tennis courts. Park there. The right side is for hikers and the left side is for tennis players.

The Best Thing – Cedar Cove is like a giant zen garden. It feels like you should sit down and meditate. Like you are surrounded by tall skinny Bonzai trees. And at the far end… a pretty great view of Glendale and the San Gabriel Mountains (smog permitting).

The Route – From the parking lot head left, uphill, along the golf course. (There is a tall chain-link fence along the whole thing. You will not be attacked by rogue golf balls). After one half mile take the left turn, uphill, past the yellow pipe gate, and you are now on Vista Del Valle Road.

This is still an old asphalt road but the only cars are the occasional Parks truck. Another half mile up is the trail to the right heading to Cedar Cove. Take that for a quick detour. It’s a hundred yards in, and a hundred yards of a cedar-y loop. Then back to Vista Del Valle and continue uphill.

In less than half a mile you will arrive at the Joe Klass water stop. It’s a kind of messy horse and human shared area with a drinking fountain that works – kinda – and benches that you can kinda sit on… it’s seen better days. Think of it as a “notable landmark to… turn right at.”

So we turn right and are onto dirt trails. Downhill for a hundred yards and we hit the “5 way” intersection. Straight ahead is Beacon Hill but we turn hard right and head downhill.

Officially the Coolidge Trail we are downhill for 1 mile. That includes the right turn onto the Cadman Trail. (There is a sign) and then another right turn off of the Cadman Trail into the brush (no sign). The video is super helpful here. That’s why I invented the trail video. Check it out.

At the bottom of the Coolidge Trail/ Cadman Trail creek bed, the trail heads uphill to your right aggressively! It’s skinny and scrambly and steep but it is worth the battle! You are basically scaling 500 feet of elevation in one quarter mile. Oh, it’s worth it.

At the top you find yourself at the bottom of the Cedar Grove but when you turn around… amazing amazing views. (That’s right, two amazings).

Now you hang to the left and head downhill. It’s sandy and terrible. Honestly, you maybe should have reversed routes and come up this way but.. c’est la vie. It’s only 300 yards and you are back on Commonwealth Drive.

Turn right and you will stroll along the golf course (which is now on your left because that’s how space and directions work) and now just a little over half a mile and… back to your car. 4ish miles. Boom.