Los Angeles is notorious for hiking. Some of the best hikes are near or in Los Angeles. For us, it’s a great way to get a cardio session and enjoy the outdoors on the weekend. If you try to research which hikes to go to in L.A., you’ll discover there are hundreds of trails. There are great sites like alltrails.com, that will let you know the length and difficulty of each trail. Of course, living here my whole life I have been on quite a bit of them, so I wanted to share a list of my favorite hikes. Here are the best hikes in Los Angeles:
Ocean Trail Reserve Hike:
Palos Verdes has some of the best hikes that face the ocean. There is nothing better than getting out of the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and visit a quiet beach city. This hike goes along a canyon, looking out over the ocean. The Ocean Trail Reserve hike is the perfect date with your partner. You can even bring a little picnic with you and stop at the mid-point to enjoy your lunch.
Eaton Canyon Nature Hike:
This hike is closer to Pasadena, CA. It is probably one of the easiest hikes, although you do have to skip over some streams now and then. The best part of the hike is that it ends in a waterfall. Now, don’t expect a tropical gushing waterfall, since this is Los Angeles and we don’t get much rain. The best time to go is in the springtime because during the summer months the water can dry up. This is also one of the greenest hikes.
Temescal Canyon Park Hike
This hike is near Santa Monica, and it is my favorite cardio hike. The hike is mostly up-hill, which means you get a great workout in. As you hike you get views of the ocean and Santa Monica Pier. Because of the location, it is great if you are visiting Los Angeles. It’s smack in the middle between Santa Monica and Malibu, so you can end your hike getting ice cream at the Malibu Pier.
Runyon Canyon Hike
This, of course, is the most popular hike in Los Angeles. The reason being that it is near Hollywood Blvd and also there is a good chance you might catch a glimpse of a celebrity. There are two pathways to the top, one easy and the other tough. Both are a great option depending on your fitness level.