Best Hikes In and Around Los Angeles

Seeing the Hollywood Sign up close is a rite of passage for any first-time visitor to LA, and hiking through Griffith Park affords you the best views. Depending on your starting point, you can finish the hike in as little as 90 minutes, and the trail is well-marked enough to navigate on your own. To take the guesswork out of the route—and hear some Hollywood history along the way—join a guided Hollywood Sign hike that showcases the famed 1920s landmark from multiple angles. You’ll get panoramas of the city from the Hollywood Hills to the downtown skyline, plus some pretty perfect photos to commemorate your trip.

If you’d like your morning hike with an ocean view, head to Topanga State Park on LA’s West Side. The park’s 36 miles (58 kilometers) of trails run along parts of Mulholland Drive and through the Santa Monica Mountains: choose between remote routes and well-trodden paths. Start on the popular, moderately challenging Los Leones Trail, which has easy parking and offers sweeping views of the Pacific and the Santa Monica Beach and Pier from benches at the top.

Insider tip: The Los Leones trailhead is just north of the Getty Villa—pair your hike with a trip to see ancient Greek and Roman art at this free museum.

While you won’t have the trail to yourself while hiking in Runyon Canyon Park—it’s one of the most popular outdoor adventures in Los Angeles—you will get photo-worthy views of Hollywood and the Santa Monica Mountains, and maybe even a celebrity sighting. You’ll work up a sweat on the short but steep trail, which is spacious, dog-friendly, and has plenty of spots to rest and take in the city below. Runyon Canyon is especially scenic at sunset; join a group hike from Hollywood that passes by local landmarks such as the TCL Chinese Theatre.

A short drive from [Long Beach](/Long-Beach/d5409-ttd(, the affluent Palos Verdes peninsula has more than a dozen trail-filled nature reserves, many of which feature ocean views and beach access. Start in the Ocean Trails Reserve, where winding coastal trails lined with sagebrush provide near-constant views of waves crashing into the cliffs. A variety of paths means you can avoid crowds and choose your own adventure; stay up high for breezes and bird-watching, or head down to the rocky beach to observe wildlife in tide pools and dip your toes in the water.

Head out first thing to hike up Mt. Baldy (aka Mt. San Antonio), as you’ll need a few hours to tackle the trails up to the 10,000-foot (3,050-meter) summit—the highest peak in LA County. Best for experienced climbers, this challenging hike has a far more remote vibe than you can get in LA proper, as the trailhead is about an hour northeast of downtown in Angeles National Forest. Go in the summer months to avoid rough winter conditions, and you’ll be rewarded with spectacular mountain views.

Insider tip: Chop a few miles off your hike by riding the scenic Mt. Baldy Ski Lift, which ends about 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) before the summit.

The clifftop trail above Point Dume State Beach is one of the best hikes near Los Angeles for beginners, as it’s short, relatively flat, and more about enjoying unforgettable views of the Malibu coastline than about climbing. Built over a sand dune, the boardwalk trail has several lookouts over beaches and rocky coves, where you may spot lounging sea lions. You don’t need a car to get there—visit on a Malibu sightseeing tour that takes you to the beach city’s famous pier and shopping spots.

Insider tip: Visit between December and mid-April for the best chance of spotting migrating California gray whales in Santa Monica Bay.

A Griffith Park classic, the Wisdom Tree hike is named after a tree that survived a 2007 wildfire and stands alone on Burbank Peak, drawing visitors to write words of wisdom in notebooks left by its trunk. Though short, the trail is steep and rocky, so you’ll get in a good workout in addition to views of the Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Reservoir on your way to the top. The out-and-back route takes less than two hours, leaving you plenty of time for post-hike sightseeing—perhaps at the Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood, just 10 minutes away by car.

About a 15-minute drive east of Old Pasadena, Sturtevant Falls is among the best waterfall hikes in LA. The beginner-friendly route is about a 3.5-mile (5.5-kilometer) round trip, and the tree-lined trail through the Santa Anita Canyon has plenty of shade to keep you cool on hot days. You’ll know you’ve made it to the end when you approach the 50-foot (15-meter) waterfall, which requires some light rock-scrambling to reach the chilly pool at its base.

Insider tip: Arrive very early in the morning to find parking at the popular trailhead—and make sure you display the required National Forest Adventure Pass on your car.

It may not be a coastal hike, but the Mandeville Canyon Trail offers inspiring ocean views that get better the higher you climb. Wide and exposed to the LA sun as it winds steadily up the lush canyon, the trail is popular among mountain bikers and locals walking their dogs. Don’t miss the rest area and informative panels at the top of San Vicente Mountain, where you can learn about the peak’s history as a Cold War missile defence site. If you’re more interested in art and modern architecture, round out your hike with a visit to the nearby Getty Center on your way back to central LA.