Graveling to Demens Creek and Angalls Canyon

July 05, 2020

Graveling to Demens Creek and Angalls Canyon

I think I have a pretty good handle of all the open spaces, hillsides and canyons above Claremont and Upland to the west of Cucamonga Canyon. East of that slash in the landscape is largely another matter. A few Cycling Connection and Dirty Chain Gang gravel rides I have done over the years have given me a taste of what's there, and google earth has shown me a whole lot more of what is, potentially, available.

This morning, knowing that the day was going to turn hot, hot, hotter, I managed to get out the door earlier than normal, in order to roll along the Foothills Gravel Grovel route, before branching off and onto the Demens Creek Trail with the purpose of exploring a bit at the trails' upper end. I know this will not be new to a lot of you, but maybe it will encourage some others to check it out.

First off, the Angalls Canyon portion (shown in yellow on the map) was a bit of a fluke. Normally I would have crossed the bridge over the Demens Creek Channel at Heritage Park, in order to access the park and continue on to Amethyst Avenue, but instead I kept to the north side of the creek because the dirt path seemed more interesting than the paved path on the other side. Unfortunately I quickly came to a dead end and had to turn around. That is when I saw the trail junction leading a little higher up the embankment, right up against the backs of the houses. The trail, very distinct now that I had noticed it, skirted the perimeter of a big open plateau with the gash of Angalls / Demens Canyon on the right. In the middle of the plateau the remains of an old vineyard was clearly evident, the bright green of the grape leaves standing out against the darker native vegetation that had clearly taken over.

The trail continued up along side houses and the lip of the canyon, until I reached a point where I decided to head back to the route I had planned on taking to begin with. I could see a white trail fence descending the other side of the canyon further up so I knew there was more riding to be had and, clearly, a way across the canyon, as well as a way to access that snaking line of dirt road a little further up the hillside. And who isn't drawn to things like that.

Ah well, something to look forward to the next time.