Best Places To Go Hiking In Los Angeles

(credit: Joy Bitonio)

Whether you're a serious hiker, or just looking to get out for the day, Los Angeles offers some great escapes to see nature and get some exercise in at the same time. From Hollywood to Malibu, we've rounded up the best of the best if you're looking to go for a hike.

Runyon Canyon
2000 N Fuller Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 666-5046
www.laparks.org

Runyon Canyon is definitely one of the more popular hiking locations in LA since it sits just two blocks from Hollywood Boulevard and is just west of the 101 Hollywood Freeway. The 130 acre park offers two entrances (one on Fuller Avenue and one off of Mulholland), and is part of the LA Park system. Situated in the Santa Monica Mountains, Runyon is managed by the City of Los Angeles and offers a wide range of trails to choose from. This hiking option is by no means one where you'll be secluded though. Hundreds of Angelenos use it every day, so if you're looking to get away, you may want to try another option. There are more demanding trails here and easy ones though and whichever one you choose, you'll be promised amazing views of the city. It also offers priceless views of the Hollywood sign.

Griffith Park - Bronson Canyon
3200 Canyon Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90068
(323) 666-5046
www.laparks.org

Also part of the LA Park system, Bronson Canyon, which is situated within Griffith Park, is accessible by Franklin Ave. in Hollywood. Located in the southwest portion of Griffith Park, Bronson Canyon is a popular hiking spot like Runyon Canyon because of its proximity to the city itself and it's beauty. You may also realize that you've seen parts of it in famous films as you're hiking through the various trails.

Temescal Canyon
15601 W. Sunset Blvd.
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
(310) 454-1395
www.lamountains.com

One of the more popular dog-friendly hiking parks is Temescal Canyon, located in the Santa Monica Mountains. Complete with terrific views of the Pacific Ocean and a seasonal waterfall, the hike is about a four-mile round-trip hike that begins at the end of Temescal Canyon Road on Sunset Boulevard. Be sure to read the signs carefully as there are some areas of the park where dogs are not permitted and some where they are not.

Eaton Canyon
1750 N Altadena Dr
Pasadena, CA 91107
(626) 398-5420
www.ecnca.org

Open from sunrise to sunset, the Eaton canyon Natural Area offers 190 acres of beautiful nature. Situated at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains in Pasadena, hikers, and other visitors can enjoy a variety of trails, picnic areas, and even the famed Eaton Canyon waterfall. A wonderful and bountiful assortment of wildlife and botanical gardens are on display as well.

Will Rogers State Park
1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
(310) 454-8212
www.parks.ca.gov

Named after one of the 1930's most popular and highest paid actors in Hollywood, Will Rogers State Park is located in the Pacific Palisades just off of Sunset Blvd. The park itself offers a huge amount of attractions including equestrian and polo matches, ranch tours, a visitors center, and much more. But, if you're looking for hiking, hikers are offered a moderate 2 mile loop to Inspiration Point. Dogs are allowed on leash, and if you're the adventurous type of hiker, or mountain biker, you can try out Backbone Trail into the Santa Monica Mountains, which will take you all the way to Point Mugu.

Franklin Canyon
2600 Franklin Canyon Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 858-7272
www.lamountains.com

Taking the Discovery Trail in Franklin Canyon will undoubtedly bring you one with nature. Franklin Park, which rests on 605 acres of beautiful wilderness, offers grasslands and oak woodlands, as well as a three-acre lake, a duck pond, picnic grounds, and over 5 miles of hiking trails. The park itself is steeped in history, as in 1914, Wiliam Mulholland and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) began construction of a reservoir in upper Franklin Canyon to distribute water newly brought from the Owens Valley.

Malibu Creek State Park
1925 Las Virgenes Rd
Calabasas, CA 91302
(818) 880-0367
www.parks.ca.gov

Offering its fair share of fishing, bird watching, horseback riding opportunities and more, people also come to Malibu Creek State Park for its great hiking trails. There are 15 miles of stream side trails through oak and sycamore woodlands on chaparral covered slopes and you'll get some amazing views here too. Crags Road is a great trail to try and will even take you by the set of the famed TV series M*A*S*H. The park spans 7,000 acres and offers beautiful scenery wherever you wander to.