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Neon Way - Granada Hills Trailhead - Sunday, May 19, 2013

Neon Way - Granada Hills - Los Angeles County
Find Balboa heading north and make a left on Sesnon. From Sesnon, you will see Neon Way and turn right. Go to the end and park in the culdisac. Thomas Guide page 481
GPS: Latitude: Longitude: Elevation:

#68
BEAR! - Saw a bear and cub on the road between Mission Peak and East Canyon on Saturday around midnight. Very unusual for this area.

Also, the Gas Co. has opened most of the gates along the route, so the horrible switchbacks just below 3 Trees can now be bypassed.
Louis Wu a Cross-Country Rider
Posted on 08/14/12

#67
Neon Way to O'Melveny Park - I broke in my new MTB yesterday on these trails and oh man let me tell you, IT WAS GREAT! =D

The first mile of the loop has some steep hills with many scattered rocky trenches so I switched from biking to hiking. I saw 1 rider and 3 hikers on my way up. To conserve energy, it's best just to hike up from the start to the green fence(the 1 mile mark) that closes off the trail to the left. The fence was slightly open and a person and a bike could fit through but I didn't explore the area.

From the green fence I continued on the trail up a little hill and took the path to the right. This is where the fun begins because it turns into a single track for a short distance. Once the single track ends the real challenge begins.

It's all down hill with steep declines until you hit O'Melveny park at the bottom. The path is full of rocks, trenches, bumps, grooves, a couple of jumps, some loose sand and narrows at times. I caught myself skidding a couple of times even though I was controlling my speed. Pump your brakes, keep the wheels rolling and you'll be fine. Don't give into the fear of picking up some major speed for a SHORT distance.

The only close call I had was near the bottom at a narrow right turn with a tree on the right slightly protruding in on the edge of the path. There is heavy shade from other trees at this particular turn so this lowered my visibility of the ground. As I came into the turn there were a couple of huge rocks scattered in the line of path I had chosen. I was already hugging the right closely and at the last moment I managed to make the small correction and avoid hitting the rocks which most likely would have made my handlebars hit the tree.

The whole round trip is about 4 miles and it took me around 1 hour to complete the loop. The first mile is the actual work but after that, it's smooth sailing from there on out.

I really enjoyed this trail and I will definitely be back in the future.
I would give Neon Way a 9/10 only because of the short distance of the round trip.
surefoot a 30 year old Downhiller riding a 2012 Specialized Rockhopper E-mail:this user
Posted on 06/01/12

#66
I hiked the trail on December 22nd. The trail was in good condition. The gas company has installed a number of iron fences blocking off what used to be huge portions of this trail. It's still ridable, but less appealing. The sights on a clear day are wondrous. I saw the ocean to the south west, dump to the north east, and the Oat Mountain ridge line to the west. Some sunflowers along the way. Don't miss the pond-like structure .20 miles up the trail on the east side. There are goldfish in there! Amazing.
tdocan

a Weekend Warrior
Posted on 01/07/08

#65
Mission Peak - I took a ride up Mission Peak on Sunday morning. The first thing I noticed was that the road was widened by some type of machinery. The nice & narrow doubletrack climb to the top is now a full blown, smoothed-out, W-I-D-E- fireroad. All the way to the top!

Then, as I got closer to the top I noticed a 'structure' near the 'three trees.' The closer I got I noticed that it was an IRON gate. Yes, IRON! All rusty and about 15 feet high. I then noticed TWO iron gates. The first stands where the old closure used to be. You know, the part where you gotta get off your bike and push or take the illegal last bit of fireroad off to the west. Well, now if you take that illegal last bit of fireroad you will be greeted with ANOTHER iron gate about 20 yards west of the three trees.

By the way, someone has already torn down some of the fencing bordering the area so it is possible to get around the iron gates.

Looks like they (Gas Co?) are pretty serious about keeping us out of the western slope of that hill... hmmmm

Oh yeah, and the single-tracks are all still wide open!

sabbathu a 34 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a SJ120 Expert from Los Angeles, CA
Posted on 11/14/05

#64
Good Father's Day Ride!!! - My dad and I took decided to take a ride 6/19. climbed Weldon Canyon to Mission Pt. to Neon Wy. (Mario De Campos Trail) and it was a great ride. Clear skys and clean air. no smog or clouds. The climb up Weldon Canyon is a pretty good workout, the trail was pretty recently graded and cleared of brush so the trail is in pretty good condition. There are some sandy spots throughout that make your tires slip, but nothing serious. After the climb, we crossed the ridge at the top of Weldon, we saw 2 deer and a bobcat which was right on the trail. scared little guy just ran off though. We continued up to the socal gas fences and took the new cut trails around them to Mission Pt. There are 3 of these little trails which are really overgrown right now, but I guess they work. Stopped at Mission Pt. for a snack and continued all the way down to Neon Wy. Mario De Campos trail is in great condition with a lot of sunflowers on the sides of the trail. very quick and no overgrowth. the socal gas fences below mission pt. and at mission pt. have been torn down by vandals who felt it was disrespectful to the De Campos viewpoint and hikers who wanted to use the old trail. most of the fence material is just lying around and tagged on a pole was a saying that it took 2 men 3 hours to tear the fences down. so there are 2 paths leading down from mission pt. we'll see if the fences are reinstalled or not, but some hikers or bikers clearly got upset over the socal gas issue. overall, great ride. enjoyed the cool weather, the nice shady oaks just above mission pt. and nice clear sky. bring water and have fun. About 6.5 miles. about 90-120min ride.
Steve K a 17 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Mongoose XR-1000 from Canyon Country (Santa Clarita), CA
Posted on 06/19/05

#63
This morning I rode up Weldon Canyon, across the ridge to Mission Peak and down the Neon Way trail. There were a couple of short sandy spots on Weldon, but not bad. Both trails are in very good shape, except for the new bypasses around the infamous Gas Co fence. On the north side of Mission Peak there are three short stretches, only about 100 yards each, where the fence cuts off the old trail. There are bypasses around each of them. Apparently each of these are spots is where there is an overlook into the gas well field. I guess the homeland security thinking must be: "If they take the trouble to come all the way up here and don't actually see the gas field they won't bomb it." Of course there is also the ridulously steep new bypass on the south side of the peak also, just below the four trees.

No mountain lions. (They may have spotted me, but I didn't spot them.) I did see several hawks.

From the Weldon trailhead, just off The Old Road, to Neon Way took an hour and forty minutes. An additional half hour took me west on the dirt extension of Sesnon and across Aliso Canyon to Porter Ranch. There is a lot of dirt moving going on along Sesnon and in the canyon, with a sign that says there is a new housing devolopment going in there. Part of the trail at the bottom of Aliso Canyon has been obliterated.
Ride rating: Novice
Dirt Road=100%
JimNo a 64 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Marin Hawk Hill from Northridge
Posted on 11/26/04

#62
Up Neon and Down to O'Melveny - Last Tuesday I rode my bike (well, I admit it hiked it on all the steep parts) up the Neon Way trail to see for myself the new fence and bypass trail at the top of Mission Peak. That trail is an abomination! The fence cuts off the old trail just at the start of the long gentle switchback leading to the four trees. It goes almost straight up the fall line, with two bends. Most of it is at close to a 100% grade (a 45 degree angle), and at the bends its even steeper. I had a hard time pushing the bike up. Just those couple of rain showers we had in October have gullied the entire trail 6 to 12 inches deep down the middle. That will get worse with each rain storm, so I expect the trail will eventually become one deep gully. Its a shame, because there is room to put in a properly switchbacked trail, even keeping outside the new fence. I believe the new trail is on gas company property, because it is all beyond the old gas company fence, which has an opening that was always open, and still is, where the old trail went through.

At the top the DeCampos monument is outside the fence, but part of the flat area there is fenced off. The four trees are also just outside the fence.

I went a short distance beyond the peak on the north side. The fence cuts off part of the old fire road there, too, and there is another steep bypass, only a few yards long, around it. Didn't have time to continue on to East Canyon.

On the way down I took the trail to O'Melveny Park, which starts just below the new bypass, at the opening of the old fence. About 80% of it is sweet singletrack, intersperced with sections that were too steep, rocky or loose for me. I suspect a good rider would have no trouble with any of it. I believe the MRCA map is in error regarding this trail---it shows the trail coming off the top of the new bypass, at the four trees, not at the bottom. It comes out along the creek leading to the picnic area at O'Melveny. From there its a quick quarter mile or so back to Neon.
Ride rating: Intermediate
Ride distance: 5 miles Elevation change:
Singletrack=40% Dirt Road=50% Paved Path=10%
JimNo a 64 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Marin Hawk Hill from Northridge
Posted on 11/21/04

#61
Mystery Trail - I was on Mission Point today looking for that mystery trail at Three Trees. I don't think it exists. Two possibilities I can think of: (1) the map is based on a surveying map that included a road that was supposed to be built many moons ago but for some reason never got built, or (2) the map is wrong. If you look closely at that map, the mystery trail seems to go down into Bee Canyon from Three Trees. Today, I could see where such a road could be built, but there is no evidence that one ever existed. If you look on the map at the lower trail that goes from Mario De Campo Trail to Bee Canyon, the cut-off (on the map) is not where it exists in real life. I saw a slightly warn/used trail at that location. That makes me wonder if there is a route across to Bee Canyon that none of us seem to know about.
Posted on 11/21/04

#60
A few weeks ago at the bottom of Mario De Campo Trail, a resident was watching a mountain lion about 100 yards up from the bottom. Apparently I had just ridden more or less past it.

I think it is unlikely that a rider was stalked. A couple of years ago, I spoke with a Dept. of Fish and Game officer. He told me some rather intuitive truths about mountain lions. If you see one, it's not stalking you. That's the good news. The bad news is: if it is stalking you, you aren't going to see it until it's on top of you.
Posted on 11/19/04

#59
Mountain Lions - Yeah, I saw one in O'Melveny park about 3 months ago. My friend and I were night riding, and came down through the park. There was a lion just a couple hundred yards up from the parking lot. We were riding by quickly, and I saw his eyes in my light. My friend and I stopped to look, and sure enough it was a lion. The lion was a reasonable distance away, and there were two of us, so we werent afraid. Of course, neither was the lion who just stood there looking at us. My friend even chucked a couple rocks at it, but it still just stood there. Anyway, yeah, they are definitely there. I would be a bit doubtful about claims of being stalked by one, though. Especially during the day...

Pilot a 31 year old Racer riding a Spider SPV from Chatsworth
Posted on 11/19/04

#58
Mission Peak - I have been riding this area for almost 13 years.
The only time I actually saw a mountain lion was
ten years ago in Aliso Canyon. People have told
me that there are lions in the area as recently as
four months ago.
Gringo a 52 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a Ellsworth Isis from Chatsworth
Posted on 11/19/04

#57
NEON WAY - i went up there a couple days ago and ran into a mountain biker who told me to be cautious. he said there was a mountain lion stalking him while he was riding. has anyone else ever seen any mountain lions in the area? i know there are signs that state they may be present.
Posted on 11/18/04

#56
Mystery Trail - It shows on the map that is listed in a previous
post but I have never seen it. I am going up there
this week and looking on the north side of Mission
Peak to try to find it.
Gringo a 52 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a Ellsworth Isis from Chatsworth
Posted on 11/15/04

#55
Where does that trail to Bee cyn start? I have rode the trail down to O'Melveny from Neon several times as that is a regular loop for me starting at East cyn on the Santa Clarita side. I have gone up and down that hill every different way possible and don't believe I've done that one.
Dirtshark a 42 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a Landshark from Santa Clarita
Posted on 11/15/04

#54
Three Trees to O'Melveny Park - I thought I knew the area fairly well but that trail
from The Three Trees to Bee Canyon was a new
one to me. There is another trail that forks off the
main trail from Neon Way to the top and goes
down to O'Melveny Park. It is about 3/10 mile down
from the Gas Co. gate, just before a right turn in the
trail. Nice single track, but a little steep in some
spots.
Gringo a 52 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a Ellsworth Isis from Chatsworth
Posted on 11/15/04

#53
I just looked at the map that was given by one of the posters below. There appears to be a trail/road that drops into Bee Canyon from around Three Trees. Does anybody know where that one is...if it still exists? I see the other one on the map. That's the one you can pick up at the where the new Gas Company gate is. But I can't find the one by Three Trees. Can anybody else?
Posted on 11/14/04

#52
Looking at that map you that you gave us a link to, it looks like I'm wrong about the Gas Company owning the road. I got my info from the Gas Company reps who sat at the top of the mountain after they built the fence. I guess they lied. I apologize for the wrong info.

I agree with you that the fence will be ineffective at preventing terrorism. But unless you are willing to back you up your talk with some action and actually organize some opposition to the fence, quit bitching because none of us really want to hear your ranting. Why don't you contact CORBA and the City of Los Angeles and organize a trail building party. Make yourself useful. I'll bring the beer.
Posted on 11/14/04

#51
Who says the Neon Way fireroad/Mario DeCampos trail is entirely on Gas Co. property? Look, I am no expert on the property lines, but I don't think the other poster is either. According to the map at http://www.lamountains.com/maps/eastRiceMDAOSNewhall.pdf -- most of the trail is within O'Melveny park. That map comes from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy website, http://www.lamountains.com It may not be correct, but it probably is. Or maybe the other poster went to the county hall of records for his info? Anyway, if you look at that map, it sure looks like the Gas co. put up the fence along their property line! Hey, if you are happy with what the Gas co. has done up there, or are just plain willing to give up this trail because there are others in the area, you are entitled to your opinion. But I don't think it is shared by most of the area riders. Yeah, the Gas co. did make a half hearted attempt at mitigating the negative effects of the fence. They cut an unrideable trail to the top, and a connector over to east canyon. Big deal, I used to be able to ride over there anyway! In fact, I used to be able to ride from Rocky Peak, all the way to Mission Pt. and all points in between. Those days are over now, because of our need to suck the natural gas and oil out of that hill. I think it sucks! Anyway, if the Gas co. took so much input from the trail users, why didn't they cut the new trail right?! Also, who thinks that fence is going to stop a terrorist, anyway? I am not willing to let any of the trails around here go, just because there are others. We don't have enough as it is. I would rather organize an opposition to the destruction of our existing trails, then try and get together a clean up crew for the Gas co.
Pilot a 32 year old Racer riding a Spider SPV from Chatsworth
Posted on 11/12/04

#50
No, it is not park property. It belongs to the gas company. That's why the new trail got built so quickly -- no government bureaucracy -- and that's why it was a half-ass job -- the people who did it had no experience building trails. That means we would need to seek permission from the gas company or do it on the sly.
Posted on 11/12/04

#49
Neon Way - Great idea to replace that poorly designed too-steep fence bypass with a well-built trail. If anyone wants to get up a trail-building party I'll help. I currently do volunteer trail maintenance at Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon one morning a week, and I'd be glad to regularly put in another morning on reparing this trail. I assume this is on park property, so we will need county parks dept permission. I bet we could get CORBA people to help. They have some experts in constructing multipurpose trails, with emphasis on biking.
JimNo a 64 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Marin Hawk Hill from Northridge
Posted on 11/11/04

#48
I agree with all of you that the new trail is a total half-ass job. But, before they built it, they had to representatives from the company sitting up by Three Trees taking suggestions and providing information about the new fence. I appreciate the fact that they solicited some public opinion.

Also, while they took a little from us, they also gave a little: They opened up access across the top to East Canyon over on the Santa Clarita side. That means we can now ride (and hike a little) all the way from Neon Way to Towsley Canyon without trespassing at all. That's more than most corporations would do.

Also, they didn't fence off all of their property. Contrary to what somebody wrote below, that fence is not on their property line. It's my understanding that they put the fence where the FBI or the Dept. of Homeland Security told them to. Most of what we ride on from Neon Way still belongs to the gas company and they let us ride and hike it.

No, I don't work for the gas company. This isn't propaganda. I was just impressed that they at least made some effort to do the right thing.

I noticed this week that somebody cut through the fence. Don't be an asshole. There are so many trails to ride in the area, you can give up this one. They didn't block it off just to be assholes (although that was my first suspicion), they did it because the government told them to.

Why doesn't somebody organize a trail clearing party? Go up there and cut the trail the way it should have been done in the first place -- make it rideable. Then dump all the bushes that get cut down in the half-ass trail to let it regrow. I don't have the time or energy to organize such an event. Do you?
Posted on 11/06/04

#47
Neon Way/Mission Peak - I rode this one Saturday. Pilot is absolutely right.
What has been done to this trail is a shame. The
razorwire topped fences could have been located
on the west extreme of the fire road and would
have done an adequate job of securing the Gas
Company's assets. The new trail is too steep and
loose for bikes. The end effect is to make this ride
almost impossible. Maybe liability/expediency and
not homeland security was a factor here?
Ride rating: Advanced
Ride distance: 22 miles Elevation change: +1,600'
Gringo a 52 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a Ellsworth Isis from Chatsworth
Posted on 10/11/04

#46
Yeah, I agree, I think what they have done up there sucks, and is unnecessary. Bottom line, the fences that SoCal Gas Co. put up we're not put there with trail access in mind. They just slapped the fences up around their property line, and that is why they have screwed up the trail. If they were concerned about the community around them, they would have put the fences in such a place so as to secure their oil and gas wells, without affecting access to Mission Pt. Instead, they just surveyed their property line, and put the fences up along it. I am surprised that the fireroad is not some sort of easement, anyway. Seeing as how it has been used as a hiking and biking trail to the top of Mission Pt. for so many years...
Pilot a 31 year old Racer riding a Spider SPV from Chatsworth
Posted on 09/22/04

#45
Neon Way/Mission Peak - The new "trail" was carved by L.A. County after The
Gas Company was instructed by the Office of
Homeland Security to improve security around their
property. The response by the Gas Co. was to put
up those fences and many others. Be creative.
Gringo a 52 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a Ellsworth Isis from Chatsworth
Posted on 09/22/04

#44
hiked up yesterday (9/21)I went to school with the DeCampos kids I've been walking and riding up this hill since '85 . It's a great local hill that my kids,dog and friends enjoyed for years. I even take out of town visitors up to see downtown, catalina etc... Now the last 1/2 mile or so is pretty much unrideable and hiking uphill in sand isn't much fun either. I can't figure out why they put the fence straight up the mountain up near the top. the only access to Oat Mountain is around and west of mission peak. they could of least allowed access along the last switchback and fenced west of that part of the fire road.

is there anything we can do at this point? who built the trail and why didn't they ask for input from local trail users? and I think it's more than a small price to pay for access to the trails down the north side.
DGH a 38 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a epic from northridge
Posted on 09/22/04

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