Biking Encinal Canyon Road

[tammy]

Hi,

For anyone interested in public resources, has anyone ever biked Encinal Canyon Road to Charmlee Park?

Tammy

[projektx]

Its great on the way down. Nice big sweeping turns, need to watch out for rocks and gravel in the corners like any canyon rd. I haven't been thru lately, but its generally one of the better maintained canyon roads in Malibu.

*!

[buttrumpus]

i've driven down this road a bunch and have always wanted to bike over to it. what's a good way to get there and back from L.A?

[projektx]

Any way you go will involve either PCH from the Malibu side, or Mulholland or Decker from the other side. I don't like the ride up PCH past Topanga (death alley?) so one could take bikes the 534 http://mta.net to Trancas or anywhere along the way past the sketchiest parts of PCH if you want to ride.. I think Charmlee is about 2/3 of the way to the "top" of the hill from PCH. The ride back down Mulholland past the Rock Store heading for Topanga is great too. I'd check gmaps for elevation info...

[buttrumpus]

Now this is a question google maps can't answer for me: if you would want to take mulholland/mulhulland hwy. from the city to all the way up that way, is it possible? Does anyone know how far west you can go on that road from Hollywood? I haven't been up yet and I'd like to take it as far as I can sometime.

[david_f]

I haven't done it, but Mulholland goes al the way to the PCH in Malibu. A mile or two west of the 405 fwy there is a gate blocking the way. Mulholland is an unpaved dirt road for a ways then becomes paved again somwhere near Topanga Cyn Blvd. Dirt Mulholland is a popular hiking/biking area. If your not familar with Mulholland, it's famous for illegal/dangerous car/motorcycle racing.

[projektx]

> Does anyone know how far west you can go on that road from Hollywood?

If you take Mulholland Dr from Hollywood, then dirt Mulholland Dr, then back on asphalt as it nears Topanga Cyn Blvd, then hang a left at Mulholland Hwy and take it all the way to the end, you will end up at Leo Carrillo State Beach. If you go that far you might want to  check out the fish sandwich at Neptune's Net, a couple of miles further north on PCH at County Line.

[buttrumpus]

If I'd have to be on dirt for a couple of miles it sounds like a job for a cross bike, which I don't have. Thanks for all the info, I'm gonna have to study some maps and figure out a way around the dirt section. Ive been by that fish shack on the pch before, never stopped, this could  be a good plan for next weekend if shit's not on fire anymore.