For over 120 years the San Gabriel Mountains have been a protected area where Angelinos have enjoyed everything from camping to hunting, hiking to skiing, and motorcycling. The latter really accelerated in the 1930s when paved roads provided not only easy access to the mountains but the twists and turns of those roads become a playground for riders. One of those routes is San Gabriel Canyon Road (Highway 39) that stretches 25 miles and climbs 5,000 feet from Azusa at the 210 freeway to the Crystal Lake Café. There are virtually no residences and it’s not a through road—at least since 1978 when a landslide closed the connection to Angeles Crest Highway—so the only traffic is other recreational users, which you can mostly avoid during the middle hours of the day and early weekend mornings, giving you a mostly open road.
A convenient place to meet up with riding buddies is the Mobil gas station on North Azusa Road just north of the 210 freeway. The gas station sells the Adventure Pass, which you’ll need If you intend to park and leave your bike along the route other than at the Crystal Lake Café. Heading north from the gas station you’ll pass through old town Azusa (everything from A to Z in the USA as the backronym slogan says) and an impressive avenue of tall palm trees with the mountains towering in the background. After the road narrows there’s a 90-degree right hand turn as you enter the bottom of the canyon, but you’ll have to wait for the real fun to begin until you pass the entrance to a residential area on the left. After you cross the bridge over the San Gabriel River, however, yeehaw, let’s go!
The route starts with rhythmically consistent slow-to-medium paced turns as the road clings to the western slopes of the canyon. Views often open of the increasingly deeper canyon to your right and at the five-mile mark from the gas station you’ll get to Morris Reservoir followed by the larger San Gabriel Reservoir. There are lots of pullouts to stop and enjoy the scenery, most of which are gravel but there are a few paved ones that are the better choice. The road starts to head downhill at the second reservoir and as it levels out, you’ll pass the East Fork Road bridge that spans the canyon on your right. Keep on San Gabriel Canyon Road, however, as there’s lots more fun ahead, but not before needing to slow down significantly at the West Fork Day Use Area because of river access traffic. For about three miles there are often dozens of vehicles parked just off the roadway or pulling in or out and with families crossing the road with coolers and other sundry items, so it’s best to be cautious.
After a few turns, you’ll see Bichota Canyon ahead with the peak of South Mount Hawkins in the distance, at that point its game on again. A few kinks, a nice left-right combo, a double-apex left hander and a long, almost-straight will lead you to a fast S-turn, the first right of which takes you across a bridge over the North Fork of the San Gabriel River. The road then climbs steeply out of the canyon with a technical series of tight turns and switchbacks. In the Falling Springs area there are, yes springs, so the area is quite lush but also water can sometimes be present on the road for some time after it has rained, so take it easy. After the Falling Springs switchbacks, the road opens up with a couple of turns and toward the end of a 180-degree left-hander is North Crystal Lake Road on the right. Take the road. The route is narrow with trees close to the road’s edge causing bumps from roots and debris from fallen twigs and pine needles, also there’s no center divider to its best to go slow. If you want to visit the lake, there’s a one-way road on the left with a very small sign on the right pointing to “Lake Access.” You’ll park in a lot on the left of the road and walk a short distance down to the lake. Following the one-way road after the lake will lead you directly to the café. Alternatively, you can just keep on North Crystal Lake Road to get to the café.
The Crystal Lake Café was built in 1934 as a tent store and still serves as a camp store as well as an office for rental cabins and a café with a simple menu including breakfast burritos, burgers and hot dogs. The café is open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with only outside seating and nearby campground pit toilets. Nevertheless, it’s a wonderful place to get refreshments and the views of the mountains around you are beautiful. On the way back, do a quick detour by turning right on San Gabriel Canyon Road at the end of North Crystal Lake Road and riding for a few hundred yards to where the road is closed by a barrier. The spot offers amazing views of the canyon below. Then head down the mountain to experience the road again but with opposite turns and elevations.
See the route at and Enjoy!
