Great place for a hike and definitely a hidden gem from when I lived down the hill growing up. To get there, you drive all the way up the hill and you'll find a park with plenty of parking. There are a few different trail options--on the right side, the path is more paved and easy to walk (no hiking sticks needed). The left trail is more of a hillside route and is a bit more challenging, where hiking sticks would be helpful. The hike starts off with a fairly steep incline for about the first 8 minutes or so, but then it levels out and the rest is pretty easy--great for getting your steps in. If you want an extra challenge, stay on the left trail for more elevation gain. The views of Los Angeles at the top are beautiful, and in the mornings you'll see plenty of dog walkers enjoying the area. Coyotes are present, so be aware, but they generally keep their distance and doesn't bother anyone. Restrooms are currently closed due to construction of new facilities, so plan accordingly. If you want an extra workout, park at the very bottom of the street and walk up to the trailhead. Overall, it's a great hike for friends--easy to chat, enjoy the scenery, and get a solid LA view and workout at the same time. read more

The Ernest E. Debs Regional Park is a nice place to go for a hike in Highland Park. If you can find a parking spot at Audubon Center, you're golden. However there are other parking spots along the road, so you usually can get a spot somewhere. Bird watching is big in this area, be sure to download the Audubon Center's bird watching app if that's your thing. Hiking can be confusing here with no clear paths marked, so you just kind of try different ways to learn your way around. A lot is NOT covered by shade so wear sunscreen and be prepared for a lot of sunshine. One thing here I have noticed in my few visits, there is so much poop on the trail! Way more than other locations. A lot of it looks like it belongs to dogs and also, tons of plastic bags filled with dog poop. I don't understand bagging the poop and still leaving it! Dog owners, please clean up after your pups because it makes this trail not that fun to walk on when there are mounds of poop everywhere. Other than that, I like this trail. There are a lot of holes on the trail and every now & then, you'll see a ground squirrel pop their cute little head out. There are also coyotes and rattlesnakes, so stay alert. There have also been a few famous murders here, years ago, so just always stay alert. Trails in this park range from 104 to 646 feet of elevation gain and are 2-3 miles in length per loop. read more

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Don't know this hike was so close There is a mini water lake with cute turtles There were so many difffernt ways to go on the hike So it wasn't necessary clear where to go cause we went one way and ended up same place which I think hikes tend to be that but too many splits Still beautiful nice simple hike read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Leave your cares in the car and hit the trails! When here at Ernest Deb's Regional Park, you can feel a world away from the city, even as you gaze down upon Elysian Park and the vast cityscape below you. Tree canopies cover some parts, while other sections (depending on trail you take) are scrubby and open. Be sure to sunscreen it up and bring your water bottle. Then just...listen. Bird song will surround you! Maybe you'll catch a glimpse of some wildlife. If your timing is right, the sunset is amazing. Not into hiking? There's plenty of space for family gatherings, playing on the grassy fields, and bbq-ing. I've been a couple of times and am already looking forward to coming back. All around, a great place for a day spent outdoors! read more

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This is a nice park very near DTLA with great views. Unfortunately the trails I came across were unmarked and we didn't have much way of knowing which direction we were heading, so I wasn't able to see any city views. There are no playgrounds or anything like that here, so I'd say this is a park mostly for hiking. It's a regional park but there are no entrance fees which was nice. Plenty of parking as well. read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This park was quite lovely for a hike. There are several different trails with beautiful views of LA. I absolutely love the swing there as I'm huge fan of swings. :) My only gripe about this place is the 11 speed bumps. Yes, I counted! There are 11 speed bumps so please go very slowly because there was one I didn't see very well because it was shaded, and it scared me because my car was like "What?!" I honestly was scared that my car was messed up because of that speed bump. Please go slowly over the speed bumps. We saw turtles which were cute. Oh yes, I think we saw fishies too. I would definitely come here again, but just got to go slowly over those dang speed bumps. There's also plenty of parking which was good. I saw many cute doggies there too. :) read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Nice park. It's a good hiking park with lots of hills so it's a good leg and glutes workout. There's a few benches along the way. Free parking available and a bathroom. Beautiful bird sightings, but also saw a pack of coyotes so be careful with your small dogs. Went on a Sunday, not crowded like most parks on the weekend. read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park - Turtle pond - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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One of my favorite parks to walk and just have time to myself. It's usually peaceful, not too crowded, and I always feel safe here. There's a cute little pond where people are sometimes fishing. Overall, the energy of the park is great. This is one of my go-to spots whenever I just need space, quiet, and some fresh air. read more

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Fairly short and straightforward hike, with a charming pond serving as your reward once you make it uphill.

Huge park. Lots to explore. Very pretty. Lots of places to eat. Parking was horrible. Not enough parking if you have a large group. read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Nice park in the city with different entrances on the El Sereno side and by the 110. Hiking is good and hiking up to Peanut lake is super cool. I've been birding up there as well and given a birding tour by a docent. A lot of the hikes are on fire roads so it's safe and relatively easy even for the young ones. I'd recommend if you don't want to drive far and need to get in touch with nature. read more

Yay to free parking! I love the views up by the hill and the pond. It's funny that people are talking about the speed bumps. There were a lot, but I guess it's good not to go too fast over there on those roads. I have never been here and it's a nice place to go hiking. There were plenty of cute turtles laying out on logs by the pond! read more

Excessive amount of speed bumps that are aggressively high. there's no playground. I didn't do the hiking, but if you have a small kid there's no point in going. read more

Great urban hike! Dog friendly, just keep your lil Bud on a leash. Don't miss the pond, it's filled with lil fish and turtles. It's a much needed oasis on a hot day. read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park - Hiking on the city range loop - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

More people are visiting this little gem of a park. Start early bring plenty of water. Lots of shade tree's try that stretch in the back. The audubon use to have full moon walk in the spring I don't think they have that anymore read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park Los Angeles This park located near Montecito Heights has various trails you can explore with a lake, a gazebo to sit under, and various vista points. It can be a steep climb which makes a great workout. We saw many people walking their dogs and middle school aged kids hiking on the trails. Check the AllTrails app for more detailed trail info. Pro Tip: If you do come with children, park at the Audubon Center (check website for hours) so they can enjoy the nature center. There are also a couple parks nearby with awesome playgrounds. I don't recommend strollers unless you're confident you can push it up/downhill on uneven dirt trails. Alternatively, you can park at the other parking lot on the opposite of the park as there is a mostly paved trail that goes up to the lake. For more socal adventure ideas follow me: @grace.loves.adventures read more

Cute park with LA view, ponds, and turtles. This is a great hiking spot for anyone and everyone. There are many trails and paths for you to take, depending on where you'd like to go. I recommend hiking towards Debs lake. It's a beautiful area with benches and you can see turtles swimming or sun-bathing near the water :) It's also dog-friendly and everyone in the community is kind. Perfect spot to hike + enjoy the nature. read more

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I lived around the area so all of my life in Los Angeles and never heard of this little gem within the city! My friend brought me here to hike and I love coming here. The drive is not too far and you still get amazing views of the city. There are multiple trails and alot of families, solo hikers and dogs there. I recommend bringing sun protection and lots of water! read more

A pleasant experience - even for solo hikers like myself! Came here on a Tuesday and arrived at 11:37 am. Set directions to "Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, 4235 Monterey Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90032" via Google maps which took me directly to the (FREE) open-gated entrance of the park. This led me up to a large parking lot area that has PLENTY of parking spots. Warning: LOTS of speed bumps upon entry--be prepared! I live in West LA so by the time I arrived (a bit TMI but) I had to PEE! To be honest, I absolutely dread using public park bathrooms (unfortunately I am one of those people) but when your bladder is going to burst... you just gotta go. I am happy to report that the women's bathroom as of 8/24/21 - 2 stalls with toilet paper and 1 sink was pleasantly CLEAN! So if you're a bathroom shy person like me, don't worry about the restrooms here-- use it if you must! Hopefully it stays that way and we all do our part in keeping it clean (: LOTS of picnic table seating area in the parking area for families, meeting up with friends, resting and relaxing. I even saw some BBQ areas too! I would say at least 10+ people were here when I arrived! The Hike Having this be my first time here, I decided to start my hike at the large "Ernest E. Debs Regional Park" sign. Right by this sign is a cement paved path that literally goes uphill. I would say in 0.4 miles it leads you to a pond area to your left. The pond had turtles in them, a few benches to sit on, and some people were fishing! I wasn't sure where to go from the pond so I went back onto the cement trail that later branched into several paved dirt trails. I followed a couple in front of me in turning left which led me to the beautiful views of DTLA. From the parking lot to this DTLA view, it was ~0.6 miles according to my Apple Watch. Feeling as if this hike was far too short, I decided to continue exploring and chose a random dirt trail to continue walking. I ended up walking around in a loop and got ~2.5 miles in! The reason I subtracted a star and ranked 4/5 is because unfortunately this park does not have any signs to direct you. The views are nice but I wish there was just some guidance. If it wasn't for my Apple Watch, I would have had no idea how many steps I took nor how far I walked. Regarding the Visitor Center--I have no idea where that was and did not happen to see it at all. Overall, nice views! Love the spacious parking, the large picnic table seating area by the parking lot, and the availability of public restrooms. There was just not really any shade on the trail nor any signage or guidance on where to hike. I wouldn't mind returning, though! If you are in the area, I do recommend checking it out! I can only imagine the sunrise and sunset views being gorgeous!! read more

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Hidden gem of a park and wonderful hiking trail. Search Debs Parking Lot for the entrance to the trail and the park itself along with the free parking lot. There is a larger green park at the ground level for picnics and activities. Saw a group of guys do nerf gun battle. The trail is a straight incline for about 5-10 min and then you reach the lake. Full of trees, shade, turtles, and benches. It is a great spot to relax. Beyond it there's more trails to small hills and larger valleys. There's many spots of shades to rest. It is great date idea for people who aren't into big hikes but still want to exercise and enjoy the views. read more

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What a beautiful place to escape your reality. I came here with a few friends to explore the trails and see the beauty of nature. I am not an avid hiker, but the trails were easy to navigate. There are a couple of inclines but nothing to worry about. If anything you may have to worry the next day because your legs will be mad at you. Views are pretty spectacular. Lots of good look out spots to get a good picture. It seems like they have a few trails to venture off on if your feeling adventurous. Parking is okay. It is limited and you may need to wait for a spot. Lots of benches around to relax after your hike. They have a bathroom too. If your lucky the icecream truck will roll thru. Anyways once you enter the driveway you have to drive up the hill about 2 minutes to reach the starting points. read more

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I like this park but sometimes you find that some ppl are what bring things down. Like those who litter. Or dog ppl who for whatever reason think that bagging their dog feces but leave it behind (that's a double whammy if you ask me). Others, like the couple I saw today, with 3 dogs, all off- leash, 2 of which are Dobermans, with spiked collars, that approached me. These dogs walking ahead of their rotund human counterparts. I asked them to call their dogs which they did in the laziest way possible. Had those dogs done the unspeakable, unexpected, the rotunds were way behind to stop the dogs at a time when seconds matter. Look...I like dogs, I don't like irresponsible ppl. I could only hope that more people would respect others and mother nature. Take care your parks. Take care your pups. Oh btw... the coyotes are out in packs. Be careful. I've twice seen a 4pack and once a 7pack. read more

I did not expect to find such an expansive urban wilderness this close to downtown LA, but here it is. I lived in Los Angeles for more than 30 years, yet I've never been to this park until now. There is a maze of trails that are connected to fire roads winding around the hillside. You are rewarded with a panoramic view of downtown once you reach the top, and I was surprised to find a large algae-infested pound on top. Many of the bathroom facilities are closed, either from lack of maintenance or the pandemic. Some park benches are dilapidated, especially the ones near the top of the hill. It's a nice place to take your dog, which must be leashed. read more

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I parked at the Regional Park. Lots of parking. Across the street saw an opening to what looked like a trail and saw a couple in front hiking up. Minutes later saw another group coming so figured I must be on the right path. Very wide paths...good hiking option with social distancing in place. Steep uphills tho and not much shade. Eventually it plateaus a bit and you end up on pavement. Follow the paved road and it takes you to views of dtla and a pond. The pond was cute with lots of turtles. Along the way did see lots and lots of hiking trails so if you wanted to extend your excursion I'm sure you could easily do so. read more

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The address takes you straight to their parking lot, which is a nice long lot. When I arrived, it was almost full of cars, people and so many dogs. There's tons of park benches to choose from, all distanced from each other. There's even bbq areas with signs on the side that said "hot coals only" and trash cans next to them. They have walkways throughout the park and hiking trails. I didn't go on the hiking trails but was happy to see that there were people walking. There were a lot of people with dogs as I was at the park and as I was driving to the parking lot. It's a nice place to relax and get away from the city. The only downside I noticed was there was a lot of dead landscape. read more

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This is my little secret oasis that I almost don't want to share with the world for fear of having to share my peaceful quiet place with too many ppl! Lol I absolutely love that just outside of busy bustling downtown Los Angeles, I can climb a random mountain and find a little pond at the top. I love that the dragonflies and turtles and birds all venture about as you explore their terrain. My sole gripe is the graffiti found in certain areas. I really wish ppl had more respect for places like this and treated it with the sacred respect it deserves. Still. I have come back to this place many times and intend to continue to. read more

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Cute little park with a pond. We hiked up the hill and got sweaty! The pond had turtles in them that bobbed their heads in and out of the water. A couple places to sit (benches). When we came out it was pretty busy. People were fishing, hipsters were picnic-ing and a guy was flying a drone. We ate some grapes and looked over the Los Angeles skyline. Funny someone asked a question asking if the park was safe as they said it wasn't back in the 60s and 70s. This area always seemed like it had a lot of history go down in it, so I do wonder...what have these trees seen? read more

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If you're looking for an intermediate trail, this is it! First of all, I'm not very athletic, definitely a chunky girl, and this was a good trail for me!! The climb is pretty steep, but the turtles and beautiful lake at the top are so worth it! The views make LA feel so tiny Parking is not bad at all if you're there early! There's also a little table on the top which is a great spot to sit and take in the moment read more

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As avid hikers around the LA area, I'm surprised that it took me so long to find this place. You can get an awesome view of DTLA on a clear day at the top which I think is the highlight of this park. It is one of those "choose your own adventure" re: trails/mileage depending on how much time you have and how challenging of a workout you want since there are a lot of different paths with varying elevation that lead to probably the same place. Enough hills to get your heart pumping for sure! There isn't a lot of shade so wear a hat/sunblock and bring plenty of water on a hot day. You could wear regular athletic shoes but I like wearing my hiking boots. There's plenty of picnic tables and restrooms around but uncertain about cleanliness since I didn't use them. There's also an Audubon Center (other side of main parking lot) to check out but it was closed when we were there. Parking (free) seemed relatively easy at the main lot but we were there the day after Thanksgiving so not sure what a normal weekend would be like. There's a lot of speed bumps on the road to the parking lot. read more

GREAT PLACE TO GO FOR A HIKE ============================ DETAILS: ======== Went hiking around the park by myself on Saturday, October 19, 2019 at about 8:45 a.m.. I found out about a loop hike from Charles Fleming who writes articles for the L.A. Times and he has a couple books called "Secret Stairs" and "Secret Walks". He has also has a Facebook Page called "Secret Stairs" so you can find out about new places to walk or hike. Mr. Fleming asked for feedback on a loop hike around this park that included Peanut Lake. He wanted to find out if his directions were good, so I blew up a copy so I could see his e-mail without reading glasses and headed out the very next morning. I didn't even wait for someone to agree to go with me because I was in a hurry. Anyway, I started my hike at Rose Hill Park located at 3606 N. Boundary Avenue in Los Angeles. It is right by Highland Park. Directions: 1. Park in the lot by the bathroom. Go if you don't want to worry about finding another one later. You are basically in the southeast part of Ernest E. Debs Regional Park now. 2. Head north past two baseball fields and two white gates and then turn right on a steep dirt path that goes uphill and then it turns left. You will end up in a big park with picnic tables and another big parking lot off to the right. 3. Keep to the left of the parking lot and go to the end. You'll see a little staircase at the end and go up that. 4. Continue on the wide dirt trail that goes to the right until you get to the very top. 5. You'll see two openings in the trees and go through the opening on the left hand side. Voila! There is Peanut Lake at the very top. You can stroll around this tiny lake and then head back the way you came. 6. Mr. Fleming then directed via his notes to go hike on some little trails around the perimeter of the park which I did, but I don't really recommend this because there's a lot of brush and I ended up with stickers all over my clothes. Not to mention I was a little concerned about rattlesnakes. I did the full loop. 7. Just head back the way you came from that little stairway by the big parking lot. read more

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This is a pretty decent hiking spot, because there is ample parking even on the street and some good trails. There are main paved trails and smaller trails that area. more deserted. We purposely went on the smaller trails to avoid people, but we had to pass some of the bigger, flattened trails where there was a small to moderate amount of people. Unfortunately, a few people did not wear masks we saw which is a risk. Otherwise, we found a "wild mustard loop" trail which is around 2.3 miles round trip and leads you to a small lake near the end. The lake is peaceful. This place is nice for a quick hike that isn't too strenuous or long. Before getting to the hiking trail from the street there is also a lot of grass and many picnic tables. read more

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Beautiful park but I'm renaming this park "speed bump hell" because the 20-something speed bumps make my car bottom out at 5 mph.

The park has a nice variety of hiking trails perfect for all age groups - paved roads, single tracks with a good amount of incline, dog friendly and large enough to wander off without getting lost. There's a cute peaceful lake here offering a stunning view of DTLA's skyscraper. Aside from that, I don't think this park provides the best aesthetically pleasing trails. I don't recommend this place if you're looking for routes that are IG worthy. This is strictly a park to get a nice walk in with plenty of shade and offers hassle free parking. So, do I recommend this park? Sure, if you're a local. But if you're simply visiting LA from out of town, I would opt out of this one and head over to other trails if you're pressed on time. read more

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Family oriented, spacious, great for hike or outdoor gathering. Has a large parking space section. This place has a quote little lake with turtles in them, few routes to walk, pretty clean restrooms at the park and beautiful views. Recommend for a stress free hike or chilling time in the park! read more

Amazing hike! I would've definitely hiked all the way to Arroyo secco park if I had more time. Great city views and 101 fwy view too. Some people had trekking sticks due to the elevation on certain trails. But I managed fine. Great for a spring time hike. Definitely bring water should the weather warm up! read more

There was this great article in the LA Times about 17 sandwiches hikes. Well we got the Yuzu Kosho Turkey from Jeff's Table in Highland Park ( it was great!) and went to Debs Park on the recommendation of the Andrea Chang. It was a beautiful Sunday in the high 60s, there were families in the park (not a lot of masks being worn during the covid days) and lots of hikers who were more respectful and wore masks. The beginning of the trail went straight up and then was pretty easy. We had our sandwich on an old log and had a good time with some wonderful views. Luckily parking was okay when we went. Highly recommended. read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park - Turtles!! March 2021 - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My fiance and I were at a nearby carwash, saw this place on the map, and decided to see what it was like. We were glad we did! After parking in the one of the ample number of available parking spaces, we headed up one of the nearby trails. It took us to this shaded pond area with beautiful overlooks all around. There were a good number of people here, so we decided to go further down the trail. We came across a covered pavilion area with no one in it and sat here for about an hour, enjoying the silence of nature until another group came nearby. The hike back down gave us a great view of downtown LA, even with the hazy, smokey air. The trails are pretty steep here and there aren't many shaded areas, so definitely bring a good pair of shoes and some water. There is a good amount of the trail that is paved which provides easier walking. Some of the other trails that branch off the main one, though, aren't paved and area a bit dusty. Note that we didn't go to the park area itself due to the large number of big groups gathered there and not practicing social distancing nor wearing masks, so this review is only for the hiking trails themselves. read more

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Look at these turtles damn to just be sunbathing and swimming in a lake all day I wish I were them read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I have never been to this park but I feel I should give anyone thinking of visiting this park a heads up. Back in September a 29-year old photographer was randomly shot in the back and killed as he was taking pictures at this park by an unknown gunman who is still at large. There appears to have been no motive. The man was visiting from Virgina and wasn't known to anyone in Los Angeles who might want to do this to him. He had just gotten married and had purchased a home where he was looking forward to spending his first Christmas with his wife as a newly married couple at their new home. He had no enemies and wasn't in the act of offending anyone or trespassing. One witness saw the shooter who was described as a Hispanic male in his 20s or 30s who was seen holding a rifle next to a bush where it is thought he had been hiding behind at the time of the shooting. I'm only posting this here because the killer is still on the loose and I wouldn't want anyone visiting that park while he's still out and about. If he ambushed a random stranger once, he can easily do it again so I advise people to stay away from that park and any nearby parks until the killer is caught and brought to justice. Visit the link below for a composite sketch of the shooter provided by law enforcement with help of the lone witness and for more details about the victim. May he rest in peace. My heart goes out to his poor family and his widowed young wife. https://www.live5news.com/2021/12/19/family-pleads-help-unsolved-murder-hiker-los-angeles/ read more

I love this park. It's great for parties, hiking, dog walking, and checking out their mini pond. There's ample parking and an ice cream truck permanently planted on weekends. I've come on multiple occasions for birthdays, photo shoots, and mini hikes. You'll find several trails but I tend to stick to the main fire road heading up to the lake. The views are beautiful and the scenery overlooks downtown LA. It's great for afternoon hikes, running hills, planning parties, and with ample parking you can invite the whole family. read more

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park - The Lake * November 2018 - Parks Near Me - Los Angeles, California