CRUISING THE CANYONS; MULHOLLAND OFFERS AN ESCAPE ROUTE.

Byline: Mark Langton Special to the Daily News

Just a few minutes by car from the urban bustle of the San Fernando Valley lie picturesque canyons that can satisfy all kinds of bicyclists.

Just as regional off-road opportunities often are overlooked, so are many paved routes.

A prominent example is Mulholland Highway. It's as much a part of Southern California's history as Hollywood. For more than 75 years, people have rambled across this passageway into the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains searching for a respite from the stress of the city. Many have built homes. Others have fought to preserve the natural backcountry for future generations.

Despite encroaching development, Mulholland Highway - which winds between Mulholland Drive near Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Woodland Hills to Leo Carrillo State Beach on the Pacific Coast Highway - remains relatively immune to the suburbia bug.

Long a favorite of serious road cyclists, Mulholland has hosted road races and club rides for decades. Yet one of its most inviting stretches - from Cornell Road in Agoura Hills to Kanan Road along the backbone of the Santa Monica Mountains - offers superb terrain for the recreational or novice road cyclist.

Only a short drive from the San Fernando Valley, the unique and historic loop is reached via the Ventura Freeway (101) north to Agoura Hills. Exit at Kanan Road, turn left and take a second left at Cornell Road. Continue four miles to Paramount Ranch, a National Park Service site and currently home to the set of the television series ``Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.'' It's an ``open set'' and the public is welcome to watch the filming.

There's no entrance fee and plenty of free parking daily from 8 a.m. to sunset, and rest rooms and picnic areas. So, enjoy the show and the western town, load up on the carbohydrates, make any last-minute adjustments to your two-wheeler and ready yourself for a 12.5-mile adventure.

Experienced riders can add a few miles by starting closer to the Ventura Freeway, using the parking lot adjacent to Jack in the Box as a staging area. Those with less endurance can pull off the loop described here at any of several offshoots to reduce its length or avoid strenuous grades.

For its relatively short length, the route is diverse, taking riders past two other NPS parklands and affording many panoramic vistas. Orient yourself with a Los Angeles County Thomas Guide or a map of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area available at National Park Service Headquarters, 30401 Agoura Road, Suite 100, in Agoura Hills. (Information: [phone], ext. 201.) Allow at least two or three hours for the ride.

Begin by exiting Paramount Ranch and turning right on Cornell Road. Cross Mulholland Highway - you'll get plenty of the highway later on - for an engaging interlude where Cornell turns into Lakevista Drive and leads down a short hill to Malibou Lake, a serene pool surrounded by a tiny community.

Two miles into the ride, Lakevista meets back up with Mulholland. Turn left and travel the smooth and flat road toward Peter Strauss Ranch, which comes into view after 2.8 miles.

If you're only out for a short ride, the NPS park is an excellent place to stop and relax before turning back. Those continuing on the full loop should turn right at Troutdale Drive to Kanan Road, where you can check out the stocked ponds at Troutdale, ``catch your own'' dinner and view giant wood carvings.

From Troutdale, turn left on Kanan. Traffic picks up dramatically during the 1,000-foot climb covered in the following three miles, but the shoulder is fairly wide. Be careful riding through the two tunnels, the first at Mile 5.3 and the second at 5.5. The hill tops out at Mile 6.0, and it meets Mulholland Highway again at 6.3. Turn right on Mulholland and ride a short way to Rocky Oaks, another NPS site, if you want to take a shady break.

An alternative to riding up the long Kanan grade is to branch off onto Triunfo Canyon Road, found just a quarter-mile after turning onto Kanan from Troutdale. It's a rolling, scenic two-mile jaunt featuring many stellar homes and bucolic ranches.

To pedal onward, turn left at the intersection of Kanan and Mulholland. At this point you will climb a gradual hill for about three-quarters of a mile and then begin the steep, twisting and sometimes narrow descent back to Peter Strauss Ranch. Just as you begin the plunge, before the first of several hairpin turns, there is a scenic overlook with tremendous views of the canyon into which you'll soon drop. Use extreme caution on this precipitous pitch.

After about two miles, the road flattens somewhat, and in another half-mile you will spy the famous Rock Store, a motorcyclist's retreat and restaurant where you can examine a few Harleys and refuel for the last few miles back to Paramount Ranch.

You're now on the home stretch. Proceed over Mulholland's gradual descent, passing Sierra Creek Road on your left and Peter Strauss Ranch on your right. As you approach the familiar territory of Lakevista Drive, remain on Mulholland for a variety of terrain; the road heads uphill for about a half-mile, then opens to a fast descent back to Cornell Road. Turn left and return to Paramount Ranch to complete the day's loop.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Map

Photo: (color) Robert Stemen, left, and Nenah Spellman cycle on Mulholland Highway near Cornell Road in Agoura Hills. The road suits riders of all levels.

Phil McCarten / Daily News

Map: (color) MULHOLLAND HIGHWAY BICYCLING LOOP (see text)