Hike 42--Hacienda Hills: Seventh Avenue to Turnbull Canyon Road

The white roofs of warehouses and factories in the long but narrow City of Industry, as seen from the Ahwingna trail in the Hacienda Hills

Hiked Sunday, April 4. 7.5 miles.

Same trailhead as Hike 39. Ahwingna trail to Skyline Trail to Turnbull Canyon Trail, visits to both trailheads. Puente Hills Landfill Native Habitat Authority maps gives mileages of 2 miles rountrip on Ahwingna trail from Seventh Avenue to Skyline trail, 2.6 miles RT from Skyline to south Turnbull Canyon Trailhead, 0.8 miles RT to east Turnbull Canyon trailhead, and 1.4 miles RT on Skyline trail from Turnbull Canyon trail junction to Skyline fire road junction. No mileage given from Ahwingna/Skyline junction to fireroad. Approximately .5 mile RT.

Last time I headed out of this trailhead, I went west, hoping to get to Rose Hills and near the 605 freeway. My goal this day was to just head the other way. I took the Ahwingna trail out of Seventh Avenue because it's the most direct route to the Skyline Trail (the main east-west trail through the Puente Hills). This trail starts out as a continuation of Seventh Avenue, heading mostly south, towards the hills. At .4 mile, there's a sign structure with a map of the trails in this area. The Coyote trail would require a left turn here, but today I continued on the Ahwingna trail. It slowly arches to the west. After a half mile, the trail reaches a crest, where there's a hitching post to tie up horses. At that point, the Native Oak trail splits off to the right. Again, I continued straight, on the Ahwingna trail.

In another half mile, the Ahwingna trail t-bones into the Skyline/Schabarum trail. There's a fence in front of you. On the other side of the fence is the Skyline fireroad, which, at this point, runs parallel to the Skyline trail.


Thistle

I made a left. In .06 miles, the Coyote Trail intersects with the Skyline Trail. Yet, again, I continued straight. Shortly, there are several breaks in the fence, which would allow you to connect with the fireroad. If you continue eastward, the Skyline Trail eventually crosses the fireroad. If you were to continue east on the fireroad, you would hit a gate. Beyond the gate, the road becomes paved, with residences on either side. That road would soon hit Turnbull Canyon Road, but you'd have to walk on pavement to get there.

Instead, I stayed on the trail, which crosses the fireroad at more or less a 90 degree angle. From there, the Skyline trail begins heading downhill, initially towards the southwest, then later mostly south. After .7 miles, the Skyline trail hits the Turnbull Canyon trail.


Oak tree, on Skyline trail, just north of junction with Turnbull Canyon trail

If you turn left, you're heading up Turnbull Canyon, and reach Turnbull Canyon Road in .4 miles. Across the roead, there's only a slightly wider shoulder at that point in the road, with room for about three cars. The Skyline trail continues on the otherside of Turnbull Canyon Road, climbing up the hill, then continuing on to Hacienda Avenue. My next trip in the Puente Hills will probably start at this trailhead.

Flowers near junction with Turnbull Canyon Road


Indian Pink


Wider view of Indian pink


Lupine

On this day, I turned around at the road, and retraced my steps back down Turnbull Canyon trail. After .6 miles, the trail crosses the wash bed, and runs into a broad fireroad of a trail. To stay on the Turnbull Canyon trail, make a sharp left turn here (a sharp right would have put me on the Sumac trail), and continues .7 miles to the Turnbull Canyon trailhead. There's a sign there, with some parking adjacent to the sign and more parking a bit further south on Turnbull Canyon Road.

I retraced my steps back to my car, on Seventh Avenue.

During my walk, probably right about when I was heading up the wide straightaway that is lower Turnbull Canyon trail, there was a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Baja California. I didn't feel a thing.