Hillcrest Park in Fullerton--specifically the stairs--is no joke, but that's exactly why we love it. We went early in the morning around 7:00 AM, and it was already packed. Parking was very limited at that time, so plan ahead if you're going early. Clearly, a lot of people know this is the spot for a serious workout. The stairs themselves are brutal in the best way possible. After about three rounds, my legs were completely done--but it's such an effective workout. This place really gets your cardio in fast, and you feel accomplished every time you finish a round. The views along the way make it even more worth it. We also came back later in the day around 5:30 PM. It starts to get a bit dark around that time, so that's something to keep in mind, but it's still a great experience and totally worth it. Overall, if you're looking for a challenging, fun, and effective outdoor workout, Hillcrest Park stairs deliver every time. Just be ready for sore legs and limited parking during peak hours. read more

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I recently discovered the "Hillcrest Stairs" just in time to start the New Year 2026! The stairs are not easy for people who, like me, are not used to climbing them. There are 400+ steps to climb up and down. The steps are made of timber but could be wet and slippery from early morning dew, so I feel that a late morning trek is better when the stairs are dry. On my second visit, I went around 6 PM. Although the stairs are well lit, I just did not feel safe. I found myself alone at one point and looking behind me, checking if someone is coming out of the dark bushes. Maybe it's just me... But overall, if you would like to hit your 10K steps and/or your target heart rate, this is a fun way to go! read more

Hillcrest Park - Hillcrest Stairs! Do you dare? - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

a big park overall. the trails are relatively easy. I went at around 4:30-5:00pm to catch the sunset while walking around. It's a great place to get some steps in or if you want to get yourself used to hiking (there's a lot of uphill and downhill paths for you to try out). I see people doing picnics too so maybe you can also try that. read more

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Beautiful! This park really stands out from other parks. It's so pretty! Lots of great. Plenty of space to walk around. The parking lot does get full though. Especially on the weekends. I do wish there was more parking available. There's a play area for kids. The typical stuff like slides and such. It's a nice area for kids to play. The stairs are another area for a killer workout. There's plenty of open areas too, lots of green! Beautiful park. Dog friendly too! Yay! That is always the best. I love taking my fur-baby's to the park! :) read more

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I love this park. Its great to have a picnic or do a fitness walk/ hike. There are also many beautiful places to take photos. I enjoy the Veteran's ceremony here with my grandpa. This is a clean and well maintained park. I always feel safe here. The location is ideal. read more

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I wanted to get some exercise while taking in views of the cloudy sunset, so I went over to Hillcrest Park. Climbing straight all the way from the base, then making a right, I counted 219 stairs just on an incline. Most people walk up and down the stairs, but some others jog. I think completing one mile just with the stairs does take a long time as I took a few breaks. However, it's still nice to enjoy the cool weather. The views of the sunset and clouds looked majestic, and I'd highly recommend giving this one park a visit. read more

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Found this hidden gem for my graduation photos. Surprisingly only 8 minutes away from CSUF campus. If you are taking photos here definitely scout the park out. The water fountain is FAR like two miles away from the recreation center building. Great for runs and hikes. Even lovelier for photos. read more

Great stair and softball field workout. Prepare to get your steps in and burn calories. Good workout! Free parking within the park or just outside the park. read more

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Nice park in the area and there's a lot of space for anyone and everyone who wants to grab some fresh air, get a good workout, or just connect with nature. I do want to mention first (maybe this is for the ladies) that my first impression of this place, though vast and scenic, is best to visit when there are more people around or when there's more daylight out. There's signs aroud the park that says it closes at dusk, but there can be transient or just kind of, "off looking people" that may be around. I saw like two individuals about early afternoon...though they weren't doing anything really, one was staring and one was just standing around at the base of some stairs. But the park as all public places are generally safe. I did meet some friendly passerbys while walking through the park. There's different set of stairs you can do around the park besides the wooden/popular stairs. Most of the park is grassy, but the main routes are paved and mostly flat, with some incline in some areas. There are also picnic benches around the park and there's areas which you can make reservations so you can use the BBQ areas. This is a great park to just take a small stroll and can be a place to workout or just relax. There's several parking spaces/lots in this park. They're easily accessible, but you gotta find your way, depending where you want to start your visit. Worth a visit if you're in the area though! read more

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great place to chill and get your steps in! parking has never been a problem. be careful how far you venture tho, been approached by a pretty aggressive homeless dude asking for a light. stay in public site. read more

Hillcrest Park - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

I have been to the part itself many times in the past decades. The park is a nice place to relax, being tucked away from the main street and providing nice views of the city. I had never been to the Fullerton Stairs until recently. The stairs are not easy, if you have not done stairs in a long time. The views are rewarding, as you can see so many trees and the view of the city and the sky. I parked at the top parking lot next to the top of the steps, the parking gets full fast, there are other lots in the park. These steps are accessible through the lot and the streets. At the bottom, there is a sports diamond on one side and a business parking lot on the other side. Nearby, the Brea Dam and Fullerton Bike loop, as well as hospitals. Fullerton College and DTF is not far as well. read more

Hillcrest Park has been my favorite since COVID hit and gyms were closed. The stairs make for an awesome outdoor workout, and the scenic views make every climb or mini hike worth it. Fresh air, great vibes, and a workout that doesn't feel like a grind! You can't beat it, it is my personal happy place. read more

Great view and nice park. Great way to get some cardio in while enjoying the scenery. read more

Hillcrest Park - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

Great place for hikes and for photos. I did 2 maternity photo shoots here and will be coming back to take a family photo soon! read more

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We came here at night to walk off our dinner and it's a nice and clean park (though you may see some rats running around, but essentially anywhere you can find that). We also saw a giant spider and its web too, which was neat. I guess when it's not as hot, the body of water is more filled and you'll get water fowl there too. Lots of vertical space up stairs and places to walk around. It's not a dangerous area either especially with the businesses across the street and the area it's in, so there were people exercising and jogging at night too. I think what really surprised all of us was how clean the water was for the fountain and the fact that they had it going and changing colors, even at night. That's how you know the city's got money LOL. Otherwise a nice park if you're in the area or need to walk it off a bit. read more

Background On Visit: A month ago, my brother told me about this the stair climb. Last week, I decided to go with him to get some cardio and to check out the park. Restrooms: They're available. Parking: Plenty of parking for all and most importantly, It's freeee! Hillcrest Park Section Of Choice: 1) Stair Climb/Loop Trail: Very nice. The stairs (467) are well maintained and are not steep compared to the Culver City Steps. Please be ginger and cautious while going up and down the stairs when conditions (raining) aren't ideal.The loop trail is also nice if you decide not to go on the steps. 2) Baseball/Softball/Football Field: The stair climb also leads to a very nice synthetic turf field, called Lion's Field. 3) Water Fountain/War Memorial (Fullerton residents that passed away): Water fountain/war memorial is very serene and peaceful. Hillcrest Park For Thought: Definitely coming back to explore of the park. read more

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Great place to spend a few hours exercise or just relax a little be. Biking. Hiking. Celebrate a birthday at the park side. Really neat place for locals. read more

Hillcrest Park - Fountain and hill cabin - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

Well, my girlfriend live a few blocks from this park She jog and workout with her girlfriends maybe 2wice a week here. I come here when I visit her and workout sometimes with the gang. It's a nice local family community park. People can bring food, their pets, children, and enjoy all the nature, water lakes and all. This is a good place I recommend. read more

Great place to run the stairs and stay fit. And a great field to enjoy. Definitely recommend it.

My little family and I had a great day at this park. It was a Sunday afternoon and the park is large enough that everyone is able to spread out and enjoy their own piece of the park. There are a lot of levels to this park so be prepared to do some walking if you want to explore. We parked in the center most lot where you have immediate access to a green hillside with picnic tables. There were many people walking the loop trail around the park which looked like great exercise as well, since a lot is uphill. We took our son towards the edge of the park near residential side and found a small playground and a great green grassy hill where we could kick the ball around. Overall had a really great time here and will return for all the walking and exercise. read more

Hillcrest Park - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Hillcrest Park is insane. It's so crazy. It's wacky. Have you ever played the pinball machine Junkyard? If so, then you'll be familiar with The Great Jalopy Race. Well, Hillcrest Park feels like a combination of The Great Jalopy Race, Knott's Berry Farm's Wacky Soap Box Racers (RIP), Disneyland's Autopia, and a whole lot of 1930s Los Angeles. How do I know anything about 1930s Los Angeles, you ask? Well, my dad was born in Los Angeles in the 1930s; and his 101-year-old aunt, who is still with us and who has a ridiculously good memory, was also born in Los Angeles and became a teenager in the 1930s. I've spent time in dozens and dozens of Southern California parks, most of them constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, so I can usually tell from details like the overall design or how old the trees look or the cement work around what time a place was built. When I came to Hillcrest Park recently with my parents, I was really surprised how old it felt. Almost everything in Orange County was built no earlier than the 1950s, and much of it, especially northern Orange County, was still being developed from citrus groves into strip malls well into the 1990s, so it felt weird that Fullerton would have a park that felt and looked so old. And its design? It makes absolutely no sense. The park is built on a hill, so the easiest way to get around is to drive, but instead of having one road that goes to the very top and allows people to walk down from there, this park has curving, banked one-way roads all over it. They're so ridiculous and ridiculously overbuilt that it's actually impossible to climb from the park's southern edge to the very top without either crossing some dangerous roads or walking along them (if you can get to them). The views from near the top are really nice, but the park is so old and its design so odd that even these lovely vistas feel strangely out of touch with the modern world. Let me be clear here: I don't mean that these old-seeming features are in any way natural or inviting. Nope. They feel like the brutal Depression during which they were built; they're all right angles and trees planted in specific places and picnic tables all lined up rather than interspersed throughout the park's many separate green areas. In short, it was a time when humans felt the need to dominate nature, and that feeling of domination remains. But then the western edge of the park was redone and re-imagined many decades after the park was built. That's where the grand fountain and war memorial and other, more formal features are. But even this area feels humbled by time. I really like the war memorial, mainly because it's not ostentatious like so many are. There are simply names of Fullerton natives who died in wars from World War I to the present. (I understand how many more Americans died during World War II than Vietnam, but just based on how much more populated Fullerton was by the 1970s, I assumed the Vietnam casualties would be much higher than they are.) The park also passes a (usually) dry but lovely creek. There are stairs and some kind of bridge up to the reservoir area that I've never been to. Getting into the park itself with your car is absurdly complicated. Approach along East Valley View Drive from the west and turn a hard left into the park right before the recreation center. If you miss that easy-to-miss hard left, you're going to have a difficult time legally entering the park, because you're not supposed to turn left into the entrance on North Lemon Street when heading north, so you'll either have to go through the neighborhood until you're facing the correct direction to enter or violate a minor traffic law to save yourself time and gas. Once you're in the park, you can park in many different places, but you might not be able to get where you want to go from where you actually park--even if you can see it--so I would recommend driving all the park's roads to see what your options are. If you just want to stroll along a flat path and admire the fountain, park in the little parking lot off of North Brea Boulevard, just southwest of that strange office building and its huge parking lot. (Yes, there is a big office building wedged between the park and some playing fields.) From there, stroll southwest and then south; the park "entrance" will be on your left. Sunsets are probably really nice from here. I'm going to return. It's so weird! read more

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Great playground! A little hard to find. Navigate to the Hillcrest Recreation Center to find it! https://maps.app.goo.gl/w13u8m7Jj61PQyDk8?g_st=ic read more

Hillcrest Park - Playground - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Nice and hugeree park to explore! Plenty of spots for photos & definitely a nice place to relax! read more

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Great uphill hike for those looking for a challenge and lots of people out so it's a great way to people watch

beautiful hills park Near old downtown Fullerton & Fullerton College.. Easy walking trails with beautiful views & picnic areas!

Great for exercise, great photography location, and great venue for small intimate events. read more

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Great for photo shoots. Open trails. Staircase for exercise. New fountain and stairwell for view on harbor. Back park entry seating on grass for small quick lunch or picnic seating. Small playground for kids. Restrooms are nothing fancy sometimes locked. People are always around. They even have a venue to rent. And a picnic area with outdoor seating and cover slat canopy. With electricity. read more

I really enjoy Hillcrest Park. One of my favorite workouts is the stairs and I love the view when reaching the top of the stairs. I definitely recommend going early in the morning, less crowded in the morning. read more

Hillcrest Park - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

Great place to get a stair workout in. It can get busy on weekend mornings due to various youth sports games going on , but still not that impacted . The lights stay on late into the evening until about 8:30, but it still gets pretty dark in some patches , better to go during a clear day to get your sweat on and see the views :) I always leave feeling accomplished . Also parking lot is open during the normal day time hours : free parking . read more

Hillcrest Park - Great stair workouts , this is the small staircase - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

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First time - great day to explore on turkey day and Santa Ana winds in town! Located in a residential area past Fullerton College past a sorority house / there are multiple parking lots accessible via Lemon St. and Harbor Blvd - FREE opening parking lots Started from the bottom of Lemon where I came across the Recreational Center and made my way via the stone paved stairs - there was not to many folks as I got there a bit closer to 615am Plenty of lights - very wide open paths - felt very safe. Park was spacious and clean and there are restrooms located in various spots. Supposedly there is one way directions for some of the stairs but I couldn't find any signs or based on what I read on reviews. Some folks were wearing masks and most were not. The stairs over looking the field is on the top area of the park and there are a few sets of staircases that lead closer to the field via dirt path or paved path. Watch out for some of the stairs as the metal is detaching. Stairs will squeak going up or down and watch footing. Can access the field to continue wanderings. Didn't locate "the fountain" but I think I discover it on the Harbor side as I saw a bridge closer to the street - don't think it was operating There are a few spots mark of significance in the park - kind of hidden in different spots so be on the lookout for some historical aspects! Dogs are allowed as I came across one leash and not leash. Views can be seen of the city pending visibility - watch out for which walking path is utilized as vehicles may also access the same walkway Definitely will be returning to check out the bridge and fountain whether on or off Great safe spot for individuals and groups to wander and mosey up and down the stairs read more

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Great for trail running and stairs if that's your thing. You can make up your own route or park by the baseball fields and go towards the fountain. Go up the paved street and around and when you get to the entrance on Valley, stay on the grass and a trail will take you down and around to the stairs. I travel from Rancho Cucamonga to come here. It's also a great park for picnics and gatherings as there are so many grassy areas. read more

Hillcrest Park - Great views at the top - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

This park is so huge! You don't have to worry about parking as there's plenty for everyone. And it's free! I came here to explore the park with my daughter. I came here to do a stair workout. There was a lot of people walking the loop trail when we arrived around 8am. The ambiance is fun, spacious & safe surroundings. Great place to break a sweat & to do a killer workout! read more

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I truly want to give this place a 5 stars but my experience wasn't the best. If anyone decides to go here, please make an effort to read the posted signs around the park on the direction to climb the stairs. My friend and I went here, and were not aware of the postings and were called "ignorant & stupid" by a "regular" of this park. Rather than the person explaining to us how we should make our way up and down the stairs in a kind way, he decided to be a jerk. I don't know why unhappy people feel the need to make others feel the way they do, but they truly need some help. I feel sorry for that man who obviously is unhappy and had nothing better to say. Anyways, the place has great views! Upon being more observant there were signs posted at the very bottom of the stairs. My friend and I had started from the top, hence the "ignorance" on our part. Other than that, it's a great place to get a workout in. Not many people wear masks here so a heads up on that, and not the easiest place to keep 6ft. So come at your own risk ‍. read more

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Right across from.the courts, this park offers great places for walks jogs and heavy training. Places for stairs pets and picnics, great location day or night. The hills are excellent for training, and the ambiance is fun, quiet, and safe. Parking around edges of the park and within. They do close at 8 pm... no strict about it... but the ranger does come by. Excellent night running, the trails are fun and a great place for hill workouts, especially by the large hill near the soccer fields read more

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Good Work Out Walking the Stairs and Walking around park . 38 Acres of Trees , Grass, Picnic Area, Baseball Field. Just a real quiet place to walk and meditate . read more

Great place to walk around the perimeter, stair stepping at Pine Forest stairs, nearby sports field and parking. A great place to walk your dog, too. read more

I took family photos here over the weekend. It was not that busy. Finding parking along the streets was tough. You do not need a permit to take photos at this park. I called the park and rec and they said we were OK. If you're thinking about taking any photos here, just know there's a lot of open spaces, which means not too much shade for photos but if you time it correctly, we found some shade on one side of the park and stood there. Here are some photos of my work at Hillcrest. read more

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Definitely five stars but full disclaimer: the family and I spent most (all?) of our time on the east side of the park. It features large wide open spaces, plenty of parking, safe/quiet surroundings, and seems to be less populated than other parks. Bonus: A Starbucks and grocery store are less than 0.25 miles away (easily within walking distance for those who want an extra workout) Win, win, win. I would definitely recommend it to other folks in the area. read more

Great park to work out with the Boyz. Core exercise for 45 minutes and stair climbing. read more

Hillcrest Park - On top of the hill, yoga mat and group fitness classes. - Parks Near Me - Fullerton, California

The Hillcrest Park has beautiful stone steps, centrally located in the ity, and this scenic park is filled with mature shade trees and large picnic areas that are perfect for any social outing. Several war memorials dedicated to the Fullerton residents are scattered throughout the park. There are plenty parking lot around the park, very convenient, though certain lawn fields were lack of maintenance, overgrown of grass and weeds. read more

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