Best Hikes in Los Angeles: Coastal, Suburban, and Epic Summits

Escape suburbia by exploring LA's numerous hiking trails!

Greg Heil

Images

Point Dume sunset

by Giggs Huang

Creative Commons: No Derivatives

Giant sea dahlia flowers on Point Dume

by Matt Kieffer

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Looking over Point Dume State Beach from the trail on Point Dume

by Person-with-No Name

Creative Commons: Attribution

Point Dume tide pools

by Pacheco

Creative Commons: No Derivatives

The Bridge to Nowhere

by Jason Hickey

Creative Commons: Attribution

Typical scenery along most of the hike

by Mitch Barrie

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Waterfall and swimming holes on the San Gabriel River

by Mitch Barrie

Creative Commons: Share Alike

by Greg Mote

Creative Commons: Attribution

Scenery in Malibu Creek State Park

by Tracie Hall

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Century Lake, along the way to the MASH set

by Tracie Hall

Creative Commons: Share Alike

One of the old trucks at the filming site

by National Park Service

Licence Free

Sign at the MASH site

by National Park Service

Licence Free

Flat trail near the south entrance of Runyon Canyon Park

by Julien Barrier

Creative Commons: Share Alike

View over Los Angeles from East Ridge Trail

by Jeff Gunn

Creative Commons: Attribution

Trails in Runyon Canyon Park

by Beatrice Murch

Creative Commons: Attribution

Runyon Canyon sunset

by Esther Schultz

Creative Commons: No Derivatives

View of Billy Goat Trail and Red Rock Canyon from a nearby trail

by Anissa Wood

Creative Commons: Attribution

Swirling sandstone formations of Red Rock Canyon

by Dennis Rex

Creative Commons: No Derivatives

One of many pocketed sandstone outcrops

by Dennis Rex

Creative Commons: No Derivatives

Overlooking Dana Point Harbor from the trail

by Sergei Gussev

Creative Commons: Attribution

Intact coastal scrub environment on Dana Point Headland

by Sergei Gussev

Creative Commons: Attribution

A great view from Dana Point in spring.

by Sergei Gussev

Creative Commons: Attribution

Flowers blooming on the trail to Eaton Canyon

by pinguino k

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Pass under this bridge to enter the canyon

by pinguino k

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Pass under this bridge to enter the canyon

by pinguino k

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Eaton Canyon Falls

by Person-with-No Name

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Sturtevant Falls

by Person-with-No Name

Creative Commons: Attribution

Swimming hole along the creek

by USMARINE0311

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Getting higher in Santa Anita Canyon

by John Verive

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Fog in the hills near Sturtevant Camp

by Mitch Barrie

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Returning to Chantry Flat on Upper Winter Trail

by PowerRabbit

Creative Commons: No Derivatives

Switchbacks of Sam Merrill Trail

by Mitch Barrie, cropped from original

Creative Commons: Share Alike

View over Los Angeles from Echo Mountain

by Daniel

Creative Commons: Attribution

Relic of the incline railway

by Daniel

Creative Commons: Attribution

Some of the White City Ruins

by Daniel

Creative Commons: Attribution

Evening light on the mountain

by Gnaphron

Creative Commons: Share Alike

View of Mill Creek Canyon along the hike to Morton Peak

by Michael Dorausch

Creative Commons: Share Alike

View over Santa Monica from Temescal Ridge Trail

by Chris Palmer

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Palisades Highlands and the Pacific Ocean from Temescal Ridge

by Marty B

Creative Commons: Share Alike

View over the ocean from Tuna Canyon trails

by Shawn Hinsey, cropped from original

Creative Commons: Attribution

San Antonio Falls

by Mitch Barrie

Creative Commons: Share Alike

View from Mount Baldy

by Mitch Barrie

Creative Commons: Share Alike

Hiking into the Bowl

by Mitch Barrie

Creative Commons: Share Alike

On the Devils Backbone

by Mitch Barrie

Creative Commons: Share Alike

San Gorgonio and San Jacinto seen above the haze from Mount Baldy’s summit

by Mitch Barrie

Creative Commons: Share Alike

by Matthew Dillon via Flickr Creative Commons

Creative Commons: Attribution

by Matthew Dillon via Flickr Creative Commons

Creative Commons: Attribution

by Nauly22 via Flickr Creative Commons

Creative Commons: Attribution

Iconic Views

by Alina Cahill

Looking at the route to the sign from Mount Hollywood.

by Charlie Boscoe

The view over LA from the Hollywood sign.

by Charlie Boscoe

by Shutterstock

Creative Commons: Attribution

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

Sturtevant Falls

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

by Shutterstock

Griffith Park and the path to the Mount Hollywood Summit

by Harold

Creative Commons: Attribution

Description

Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolis filled with cars, buildings, and strip malls for miles. With a population of 18.7 million people in the Los Angeles-Long Beach combined statistical area, most outsiders wouldn’t even dream of coming to Los Angeles to hike. But the millions of adventurous people that live here know that despite being such a massive megalopolis, LA has easy access to incredible hiking right on its doorstep!

Los Angeles is confined into a relatively limited geographical area by the Pacific Ocean on one side, and the San Gabriel Mountains on the other. The San Gabriels soar to heights over 10,000 feet, rising dramatically from the ocean. Most of this mountain range is protected by the Angeles National Forest, the most visited national forest in the United States. The hiking opportunities in the Angeles National Forest are abundant!

Even closer to home for the locals, the greater LA area—especially Orange County—has a surprising number of fantastic parks chock full of trails for shorter outings. In this guidebook, we’ve attempted to combine both big hiking efforts and quick hits, both providing a quick dose of nature and an escape from suburbia.

Adventures

Towering above the Los Angeles metro area, Mount Wilson is a formidable—but rewarding—objective.

Point Dume Trail

Spiraling path to a panorama over the Pacific, with tide pools and whale watching opportunities.

Bridge to Nowhere

Hike to a photogenic arch bridge curiously placed in a mountain wilderness area, with river crossings and swimming holes along the way.

M*A*S*H TV Set Hike

Scenic hike through Malibu Creek State Park to the filming location of a famous TV show.

Runyon Canyon Highpoint Loop

Linkup of all the major viewpoints in one of the best parks near Hollywood.

Red Rock Canyon via Billy Goat Trail

Explore fantastic rock formations via hiker-only trails in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park.

Dana Point Preserve Trail

Nature walk with great views over the ocean and a chance of spotting whales.

Eaton Canyon Falls

Very popular hike to one of LA-area's favorite waterfalls.

Santa Anita Canyon - Mt. Zion Loop

Full-value loop combining Sturtevant Falls, Mt. Zion summit, and swimming holes in Big Santa Anita Canyon.

Echo Mountain Loop

Historic path to a ruined resort and one of the best views over Pasadena, plus the waterfalls of Rubio Canyon.

Gentle uphill hike to an impressive viewpoint and historic lookout tower in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Temescal Canyon Loop

Combination valley and ridge hike, with a waterfall as well as hilltop views.

Tuna Canyon Budwood Motorway

Ridgeline walk with ocean views above the Pacific Coast Highway

Mount Baldy Summit Loop

Challenging and scenic hike in the alpine terrain of Los Angeles County's tallest mountain.

Griffith Observatory to Hollywood Sign

Enjoyable hike overlooking LA

Ferndell Trail to the Mount Hollywood Summit

A beautiful but non-technical hike to the summit of Mount Hollywood.