#8
LITTLE TUJUNGA CYN.

Date reviewed - 12/05
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Fun . . . . . . . . 5
Difficulty . . . . .High
Traffic . . . . . . None to Light
Driveways . . . .None
Condition . . . . Good
Length . . . . . .18 miles
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While I was not exactly disappointed with Big Tujunga Canyon Rd. the speeds required to really have fun there would have made any police officer a little unfriendly. Given that I wasn't overly optimistic about Little Tujunga Canyon; on the map it looks like too many commuters would use it as an alternate to the 210 & 14 freeways.

Luckily I was wrong; this is a very fun and very demanding stretch of road. I encountered very little traffic, which may be attributed to how "dangerous" it would be to the average driver. With 14-miles of good pavement, endless hairpin curves and switchbacks, and not inconsequential elevation changes this is a great place to spend some time.

Headed north out of Lake View Terrace, where the road is named Osborne St., there are signs warning of a single-lane bridge. I never did find a bridge but did come to a point with stop signs for both directions of traffic even though there is no cross street or bridge. There was signs of recent construction so I can only assume that I was seeing the final stages of some road improvement project.

After the non-existent bridge the road runs along a river canyon for several miles. There are ranches and the occasional house along this point so you may encounter traffic and the tight 20-25mph corners are well signed. Once past this development the road begins to climb up and over the first of two "passes" and the traffic and buildings disappear. NOTE: approximately 5-miles from the southern end a washout has reduced the road to a single lane with stop-sign control.

As shown in the aerial photo on the right there are small passes with a river canyon between the two. This allows for some canyon driving along with some "up and over" hairpins. While there really isn't anywhere along this road to get your speed up, if you are looking for a technical drive this isn't a bad place to start.

At the northern end the road changes names to Sand Canyon Rd. and passes through a fairly dense residential area that is currently undergoing heavy construction and expansion. Sand Canyon will take you to the 14 freeway to the north or as an alternate Placerita Canyon Rd. can be taken west to the 14.

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Blue: Little Tujunga Canyon Rd.
Orange: Sand Canyon Rd.
Cyan: Placerita Canyon Rd.
Purple: Big Tujunga Canyon Rd.
Red: Soledad Canyon Rd.

 
 
Not exactly a good place to test your top speed.
 
 
An amazing road considering how close it is to "civilization".
 
 
One "pass" in the foreground with the other in the distance.