Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Hillcrest Park

    4.4 (163 reviews)

    Hillcrest Park Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Hillcrest Park

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Stairs
    Britney M.

    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! :)

    Veterans Day ceremony with my grandpa.
    Vanessa G.

    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.

    Lions Field
    Jeremy S.

    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.

    06.20.2021 Little playground where the parking is at Valley View and Lemon
    Sharon H.

    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.

    Top of the wooden stairs
    Melinda L.

    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!

    Patricia R.

    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.

    Art H.

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

    Second maternity photo shoot
    Sandy H.

    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!

    John T.

    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.

    Fountain and hill cabin
    Ramiro V.

    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.

    Moni C.

    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.

    John S.

    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!

    Playground
    Nicole I.

    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

    See all

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 16
    Thanks 6
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sharon H.
    231
    356
    2589

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 4
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 23
    Thanks 6
    Love this 21
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Art H.
    68
    4
    6

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sandy H.
    218
    36
    23

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 5
    Love this 10
    Oh no 3

    2 years ago

    Helpful 19
    Thanks 5
    Love this 21
    Oh no 2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kevin B.
    65
    4672
    454

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

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

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of John S.
    891
    2946
    4161

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Van N.
    0
    20
    41

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sanjay S.
    609
    59
    34

    1 year ago

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

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

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

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mike M.
    87
    90
    363

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    5 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Javier R.
    1
    265
    2811

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Eldridge C.
    22
    170
    160

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Mike B.
    15
    289
    9

    3 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of James S.
    12
    66
    85

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 0
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 5

    Hillcrest Park Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Hillcrest Park

    Where is the best place to park if you want to go do the intense stairs workout? How long does it take to do the stairs workout (to go up and down)?

    Can dogs go?

    I did see dogs there. Some off leashes!

    Is it free?

    Yes! 100%... also various places to park

    Is it open on weekends?

    Yes it is

    Do everyone know this park open?

    Yes, 6am-8pm. It's best to go there early because once 7am hit on Saturday, there were a lot more people at the park!

    Are the stairs open?

    Yes, the stairs are open. I've been going for the past few weeks. I'd say about 30% of people wear masks while climbing the stairs -I'm not sure if this matters to you, but I thought I'd let you know ahead of time.

    Is this still open to workout?

    Yes, it's open

    Is it Pup friendly?

    Yes

    Is the football field open for recreational use? Thanks in advance!

    Yes

    Do you have to pay for parking or entrance?

    No, it's free

    What time does the park open?

    Sunrise

    Are their strange people there? Is it safe?

    There are occasional homeless people near the middle of the park, but never near the main playground on the Southeastern most corner. I have taken my son to the playground, had family pictures taken in various areas of the park grounds, and gone on… Read more

    What time do the stairs workout area close?

    They close at sun down. They lock the parking lot so if you dont exit in time your car can get locked up there.

    How early am I able to show up and do the stairs? Do they "open" at a certain time or can I show up as early as I feel?

    Their "hours" are from sunrise to sunset. So depending on the season it varies

    View All 22 Questions

    Review Highlights - Hillcrest Park

    Yes, this place is good for mainly 2 things: The stair workout and a relaxing area where lots of people picnic outdoors.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Parks 34,493 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Rolling Hills Park - Grassy area

    Rolling Hills Park

    4.7(14 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    Such a beautiful park, shaded and nice. We there to celebrate our best friend's son's birthday. It…read morewas so hot lol but we had a blast. Not a lot of parking here but they do have picnic tables and a cute park area and you can also bring ride on things, skateboards, scooters and bikes. It's a spacious park big inviting and pretty. They have some shade because they have a lot of trees, but it's nice to bring an easy up for birthdays because it does get quite hot out there. But I do love this park. It's pretty nice big and lots of plant area for the kids. I would recommend checking this out. It's nice for picnics too. Have a beautiful day, be kind to everyone :) Aloha

    This was a nice little park we decided to visit on the whim. It seemed to be well-maintained and…read morehad several slides! We went around 5:30 on a weekday and it wasn't too crowded, probably about 4 other kids there. Like I said, I really liked how many slides there were-- in the small kid area there were 4 (one being a double slide, so 5) and the bigger kid side had 2 taller slides. My kid had fun playing on both sides. They also have swings and a cool little gyro-spinning thing for the kids. We did visit the bathroom while there and it was pretty no frills, but several rolls of toilet paper and some hand soap outside, so that was a plus. This park also has a little grassy patch that people were playing frisbees in and possibly disc golf. All in all, this park was very nice!

    Photos
    Rolling Hills Park
    Rolling Hills Park - Stairway to slides

    Stairway to slides

    Rolling Hills Park - Slide

    See all

    Slide

    Ralph B Clark Regional Park

    Ralph B Clark Regional Park

    4.5(199 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    One of my favorite new parks that my friend introduced me to. We always park on the street to save…read moreon parking inside the park. There really is something for everyone and I love the surrounding "hiking" trails. Around the lake by the tennis courts there is also a free little library that have good quality books and sometimes I saw a stack of CDs as well. We have been here multiple times and will be back again to take a stroll after lunch.

    Ralph B. Clark Park in Buena Park gave me the kind of experience that stays with you long after you…read moreleave. I went there with someone, and the moment we stepped into the park, I felt this bright, open energy that reminded me of the same playful excitement I felt when I visited Funko Hollywood. The whole place felt alive in a way I didn't expect from a park. What really stood out to me right away was how many teenagers were there. They were walking around the trails, relaxing under the trees, taking pictures near the lake, and just enjoying the space in a natural, comfortable way. Seeing so many teenagers made the park feel even more vibrant, almost like it was designed for them to have a place where they could be themselves. As I walked around, I appreciated how easy it was to enjoy everything without feeling rushed. The park is big enough to explore but not so big that it feels overwhelming. The lake area especially has this peaceful atmosphere that still feels exciting because of all the activity happening around it. I saw teenagers taking photos with the water behind them, and the scenery looked so good that it almost felt like a real outdoor version of those fun, creative photo spots at Funko Hollywood. Everything was free, which makes it even better for teenagers who want a place to hang out, take pictures, and have fun without spending money. I only visited Ralph B. Clark Park one time before making this review, but it left a strong impression on me. I didn't realize how much there was to enjoy until I walked deeper into the park and saw the trails, the open fields, the museum building, and all the little areas where people were relaxing. The experience turned out exactly the way I hoped it would. It reminded me how much I enjoy places that feel youthful, open, and creative. In the summertime of 2024, I learned that I am still physically and mentally 18 years old even though I have lived for 24 years, and that sense of youthfulness connected perfectly with the atmosphere of this park. My prefrontal cortex may be more developed than the average 25 year old's, but that does not stop me from appreciating places that make me feel playful, sharp, and relaxed at the same time. Ralph B. Clark Park is honestly one of the most enjoyable outdoor places I have been to in a long time. It has that perfect mix of calm and excitement that teenagers love, and it gives them a space to talk, laugh, take pictures, walk around, and feel creative without any pressure. I would highly recommend that teenagers go there because it is the kind of place where they can have fun, feel comfortable, and make memories in a setting that feels safe, open, and full of life.

    Photos
    Ralph B Clark Regional Park - Pug mommy

    Pug mommy

    Ralph B Clark Regional Park
    Ralph B Clark Regional Park - Spotted a beautiful bird looking down on me.

    See all

    Spotted a beautiful bird looking down on me.

    Hillcrest Park - parks - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...