Brush Canyon / Chapel Hill Trail

The Brush Canyon/ Chapel Hill Trail is a 5 mile loop including the Mulholland Trail and the Hollyridge horse trail. The elevation gain of 1000′ is spread along the route with the exception of the 100′ of climbing required to summit Chapel Hill which pushes the difficulty to 9/10. 360 views are nice but if you appreciate the kitsch value of seeing the world’s largest IKEA – this is the spot for you.

The Parking – Try that dirt lot at the end of Canyon Drive. If it’s an insanely beautiful day on a weekend you still might get lucky, however, if only takes one jerk in an old Hummer to wreck the organization and there can be 10 fewer spots due to spoiled, lazy parkers. If you see a nice parallel spot along the road that’s an option as well. Now lock your car. I’ve seen people checking everyone’s car door to see if they are locked, and I don’t think they were providing a public service. The penalty can be an empty glove compartment when you return to your car.

The Best Thing – The view of IKEA from Mt. Chapel is cool and all but the view of the Hollywood Sign from above the horse stables is cooler. Or more cool.

The Route – From your car run up Canyon Drive and when it stops, you don’t! Run around that gate and continue forward and you are now on Brush Canyon. Busy and moderate you will head uphill until you reach Mulholland Trail where you will turn left. Watch out for the horses and their shit.

You will see a spur trail to your left where the horses are all coming from so take that for a couple minutes. Sure it dead ends, but where it does is a pretty respectable Hollywood Sign photo-op. Okay, turn around and back to Mulholland Trail and turn left to continue where you were headed. This hits the asphalt Mt. Lee Road.

Turn right and head uphill. On a different day you could take this all the way up to above the Hollywood Sign but before we get there, just as you are able to see Burbank on the other side of the mountain, there is a single track trail to the right and that heads over to Mt. Chapel. Run along that trail for a few hundred yards and there will be a trail that splits off to the right. That avoids Mt. Chapel and runs beneath it. Stay to the left. Right away there is another trail that splits to the left and avoids Mt. Chapel by way of the Water Tank on the other side. Stay to the right and you are about to start climbing.

The summit of Mt. Chapel is a climb not a run but it is worth it. Expansive view of the San Fernando Valley. If it is super smoggy, you will just have to take my word for it. Okay, down the other side and this little trail will join the lower trail that split off to the right and the Water Tank trail that split off to the left and then all together you trails will hit asphalt Mt. Hollywood Drive. Turn right.

Run just a short while and the Mulholland/Brush Canyon Trail will appear on your right. Turn right and begin downhill where you will quickly see to your left the intersection where you came up Brush Canyon. This closes the loop and you now continue downhill to your left where you will arrive back at your car. 5 miles. Boom.