murphy ranch is a great park for beginners that are looking to hike. there's a main path that loops around and connects to smaller trails that are slightly more steep. there's "hardest" part of this trail is at the beginning going up the hill but it's truly not so bad, you'll figure that once you get past it. i was able to do the whole loop with a bad knee (i wore a brace of course) within 45 minutes with my girl friends. i did have to pace myself due to that but im sure it can be done sooner. there's a nice view of the city right around the middle of the trail! definitely worth checking out :) read more

Great place for a hike, but do not underestimate! It gets steep up a short distance. I did 2 miles and I felt it the next day. Make sure to bring iced water especially on a hot day. Carpool if you can. The parking lot is small. The community itself, seemed very quiet and peaceful. There's not much shade on the wide path, but I read from other reviews that the narrow paths have more shade, but more difficult. My own verdict on that, is yet to be determined. I'd have to come back soon! read more

Loved hiking here with my girls! It's a place to get away, enjoy nature, get a workout and a beautiful view. There's different trails that vary in "intensity". I was able to do it with my kids. Neighbor is beautiful as well. read more

always a great walk! if i could, i'd do it every day if life would let me :) multiple trails, hard to get lost. read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

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This trail is a hidden gem in the neighborhood that I believe has 3 different starting points. It's a dirt trail that begins flat if you decide to go straight from where the sign post is or if you begin from the your left side. Another option is you could start incline right away if you make a right from where the sign post is & go straight up. I was here last weekend for the first time with a friend & we walked the main trail leading to the residential area & came back down which equaled to 3.5 miles. There was a bit of incline midway but thought it was fairly easy. Today, I came with hubby & we began our walk from the left side which started off flat but had incline & more down hill which got pretty steep. There were parts where we had to walk through narrow paths which weren't clear bc it was scattered with bunch of leaves, tree branches, rocks, etc. It was challenging when I tried to climb up to get back up to the main trail bc it was slippery & I slid down for a moment. Luckily, hubby got up first & grabbed my hand to help me get back up. If I had known, I would've worn hiking shoes bc it has better grip on the bottom. Once we got to the main trail, there were 2 more inclines which weren't bad at all & then a downhill towards the end. Overall, this hike can be rated easy to moderate depending on your fitness level. It's easy enough to bring kids & pets if you on an easier route. I love that it has shaded areas for when the weather gets hot. I definitely enjoyed it & will continue to come back read more

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Super steep hike. Definitely need a shoe with lots of grip coming down the routes. Short but effective at getting your blood pumping. Not much shade on the route, so bring a hat and sunblock! read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Route! - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

This hiking, walking, running location is not bad. It would be difficult to know about or find without using a phone maps app. The parking lot is small with limited spaces. There is some nearby parking on the surrounding residential streets. There is not overwhelming, but significant dog poop and poop from other creatures apparently inhabiting the area on the paths as other Yelpers have commented. There are map near the lot/trailhead which shows that there is one main path that does NOT loop around and several smaller branching paths. The main path is somewhat steep. If your health is not that great or you have small kids, then you are probably better off going to a flatter place for a walk/hike. Depending on your fitness level it may be a fairly challenging run, but we saw several clearly out of shape people doing it. The scenery on the main path is just the typical California tundra and many of the plants are very aromatic depending on the time of year you go. Consequently, the main path offers a pleasant, but somewhat challenging walk without extremely beautiful views. If you want a brisk walk uphill, a moderate hike, or a somewhat challenging run and don't mind people walking dogs around, then this is a great place to go. Of any of those things are not what you are looking for, then try elsewhere. read more

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STEPH JUDGEMENT: A small but lovely park for short, hilly hiking. The hubby and I were looking for a little hike to do and I happened to see this place on Google Maps. We were grateful for the overcast day, as you start out with some pretty good cover at the bottom but get more exposed as you climb. There were some pretty challenging hills, but they were short. We had a nice expansive view of the area from the top before meandering our way down. I guess you can keep going by crossing the street somewhere, but we didn't do that. There were some picnic areas and signs at the bottom, next to the parking lot. Not sure if we'd purposely drive here again from Long Beach, but if we find ourselves in the area and in want of some exercise, this would be a pretty good place. read more

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Super fun place! It can get a bit crowded during the summer, but the view is beautiful and definitely worth it. I've been trying to be more active, so I took my family along -- we all had a great time! read more

Great hike. Nice view, very spacious! Pet friendly! Picnic area! If you want to have an "easy" walk stay on the main trail. If you don't mind going up/down steep hills then follow the small paths! Free parking inside the lot, however; if it gets pack you can always do street parking! Would recommend trying this hike! read more

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First time visiting this park with my dog - worth the trip! Located in the friendly hills of Whittier - based off waze traveling through many residential areas and quite the beautiful homes to see. The parking lot could be missed as there is only entrance in and out. (Especially venturing on a foggy morning) - which was still part of the adventure. It appears to be make your own parking spots but some spots had faint outlines. No fees for entrance and parking - fyi. Park open quite early but arrived at 630 which seem like a popular start of the time as about 5 others cars arrived while I was getting my dog ready. There is a photo upon main entrance of potential routes to take, but lot of it appears self guided and figure it out Moments, which is what we did. Super dog friendly but please come prepared with your own bags, trash cans are located through various areas. It starts off flat first and then there are some inclines. There are dirt paths, gravel, wood chips, cement / asphalt pending area in. It does intertwine with the residential area so please be mindful however at 630 morning and later birds chirping rooster making noise crows flying. Plenty of fog added to the mystique and greenery all over plus spring time yellow and pure flowers seen. Didn't see really any other wildlife. Hills continue and some zig zag patterns - most of the pathway is visible but we just kept walking not sure what we come into next. Runner, jogger, and Walker friendly - wouldn't recommend strollers because of the different pavement. Park / hike super dog friendly however some of the inclines might tucker your dog out. My dog for 11 did pretty well but I did carry him on 2 instances just to give his little Legs a breather otherwise he enjoy and tolerated all the smells :) some pathways and trails were wide and some were narrow. Clean and I am sure plenty to have seen if fog was not around Certainly a place to return to and come early before 7am To beat out on the crowd, any parking concerns, and enjoy the peace and calm of the mountain. read more

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Be early for parking...it's an amazing trail lots of red tail hawks, wood peckers, squirrels,rabbits,and even a very cool looking bird I'll make sure to capture a picture next time read more

Great starter trail for someone who hasn't done much hiking in the past (aka me). I took a few breaks throughout as there is lots of climbing uphill so don't forget your water! The walk back down was breezy. The trail in itself is not very long (I believe 1.7m up and down). There is so many beautiful greenery and is dog friendly as I saw so many cute doggos on my hike. I would definitely come back! read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

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A short hike with a great view and dog friendly as well :)! We started the hike at 9 and ended by 10:40?? We even took a few breaks going up just to enjoy the view. I would say this was pretty easy, even for someone who hasn't really hiked in awhile. It does go up hill but it's not too steep. Since California was raining for awhile, the scenery was so green and beautiful. Parking wasn't too bad around 8:45 am but if there's not parking then there's street parking. Also a friendly reminder to pick up your dogs droppings!!!! read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

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Moderate hike, good views such as good workout! Dog friendly, if youre looking for a quick hike this one is it read more

Very little parking, lots of dog poop. But fairly short easy trail. Fun little trail. read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Bunch of weeds on the side of the trail. Nice and green so no fore danger. - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

Great hike. Secluded and not too busy with people. There are several options so you can make your hike easy moderate or hard. Will always come back. read more

This park is nestled inside a quiet Whittier neighborhood, and is truly a little gem in an unexpected location. The parking lot of tiny, but you could also just park in the street. You can definitely bring your dog, though they must be leashed at all times. Please be respectful and pick up after your pets. I didn't seen any extra plastic bags, so you'll need to bring your own. Upon arrival, you'll notice that there are a few picnic tables for public use. The trail looks like one big loop - there's a map, but it's difficult to look at as it's faded and dirty, but the park is relatively small and my husband and I completed the hike in about an hour. If you choose to start your hike on the unmarked trail on the right, be aware that is pretty steep. I have short legs and I'm not particularly athletic, but it's was a bit strenuous for me. Good news though - it doesn't last too long and the trail is mostly shady. :) Actually, most of the trail is at least partially shaded, which keeps the temperature relatively cool (still hot though in the summer). It's best if you wear pants because it's extremely dusty!! And bring your hiking or tennis shoes - no flip flops unless you want reallllly dirty feet. :) read more

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Beautiful trail. Start off with incline immediately to your right, upon entrance. Straight down and slowly incline. Beautiful views. Watch out for rattle snakes. Coyotes are visible early morning or sun down. Lots of dog poop, unfortunately. Some rude bike riders too. read more

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Great hiking trails for beginners. I went about three weeks ago and had a pleasant experience. If you are a beginner or want to keep your hike to less than 2 hours, this is the place to go. read more

It's been years since I've visited this park and hiking trail. I bring my pug here for hikes and it's conveniently located to my home in Friendly Hills. The trail winds thru mature eucalyptus trees, palms and plush greenery. You may run into various critters on or around the trail BC I frequently see coyotes, raccoons, squirrels and possums in my back yard. I've even seen some of my stray cats being carried off by the coyotes! Enjoy and have fun. read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

A nice little woodsy, mostly shaded trail neatly tucked away in the elite area of Whittier, known as Friendly Hills....not too far from La Serna High School where most of us considered sending our kids to (at least I did) since it's a very good area.... Small parking area that's accommodating & residential street parking across the way. There's also a nice little picnic area between parking & before the trail. There's more entrances to it, so far I've stumbled onto two, one being on a residential street named Seranata Dr. & Las Cumbres where the entrance is. It's about close to 2 miles round trip, since its about a total of 3 mini trails, one of which is about 1.50 miles (saw it on a Whittier link) However, for it being short term, you do get some mini ass kicking inclines. Great to do when you don't have much time for a longer hike. Note for those interested only on the stroll aspect of it: Just follow the trail that goes right down the middle and avoid the inclines. There are some low inclines you can or might be able to handle, but honestly if it looks high or difficult to you, don't attempt, you can turn back and just walk in circles or to your liking. People are always friendly and courteous. One time we stumbled onto some hipsters filming.....maybe from one of the nearby colleges, who knows, be aware that they are filming & are a tad bit oblivious to the hikers who frequent there. I like this little mini trail in plush area of Whittier. I can imagine couples (especially from La Serna) making it "Inspiration Point".....If you must ask what that is, than I'm just really too old. read more

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Me and my pupper in crime love a relaxing hike here. We love that it's filled with nature and greens, the stream, the trees, not to mention the sounds of birds and owls that my sighthound lives for! The main path is a zigzagged shape but there are many ways you can take the course as it branches off every now and then and has many shortcuts. I especially love to take the steep uphill :) you can get to it by taking the path on the immediate right once you enter the park. Continue to the right when you meet a fork and prepare your glutes! Once you're back on the main path downhill, about 10 minutes down there will be a narrow passage that appears to your left. This is the magical portal back to that same steep uphill! Do this a handful of times and you'll feel it the next day :) One complaint is the many reminders of dogs needing to be on leash! In most cases, I would understand the rule because of a cliff or dangerously narrow pathway. But Murphy ranch is a pretty relaxed hike with no cliffs and doesn't get too busy either. I wish Whittier would be more lax about this rule. read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

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This is a great spot for locals. Our 4 year old daughter did so great (the incline was good, but not too I tense!) Lots of shade! You'll definitely be done in less than an hour and it's about 1.5 miles. read more

Was a beautiful and challenging trail for a beginner like me, while I'm physically fit I'm not accustomed to outdoor hikes and I found this one pleasant and enough of a challenge. There are various paths to take and it was green and lovely just the sort of sight I needed in this drab world. read more

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Prepare a lot of walks if you come here, not many spots for the good photography shot. read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

Great walk several hikes to choose from. Don't forget your water and doggie bags. Also recommend binoculars. Be careful rattlesnakes and mountain lion warning. read more

Nice hike for families, dogs, or the avid hiker. We only did a small part of it because we had our son who was more interested in the squirrels and remote control cars that were there when we arrived. We will go back to hopefully see more of the trail. read more

Post Talias coffee stop, hiking in this neighborhood was a surprise and happened upon a secret path up the hill. Murphy ranch has a small parking lot and allows for cars on the street. The abundance in rain has transformed this park. Choice of hiking up high/down low is offered and the estates view (Steve Garvey's Crib) were suprsing. View to the L.A. skyline and San Pedro from the top. read more

Super fun! Very pretty scenery.....including the coyote. Lol.... lots of puppies and quiet and birds singing. Highly recommended for a short morning workout. Parking is easy. Benches were clean.... just wish it had a restroom (and that people would clean up after their fur babies ) Will definitively be back... read more

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Went here with my boyfriend hiking and this had an amazing view !! I would definitely come back again. read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Beautiful View. - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

I found this park on Google maps after exhausting all the hiking places around my neighborhood. This park happens to be in a very affluent neighborhood in Whittier called the Friendly Hills; there were some MTV Cribs type luxury homes here that really made our jaws drop! The trails here are pretty easy for the most part. I planned to spend good couple hours here so I got to hike on pretty much every trail in this park. For a neighborhood park, this park has good variety of trails. But the real gem of this park is the trail on the left side of this park and not the wide middle trail. It takes you up into the hills covered with flowers and takes you down to the creeks and back up. The hike on the narrow trail along the creek and below a broken tree in the gully was my favorite part of this park. This was definitely more of a "nature" hike than the main trail and it was really beautiful. There is this one steep area in this park that one should be aware of. It's up on the right side of the park as you come down hugging the fence on a narrow trail. If you don't have hiking shoes, I would not try hiking down the steep trails here; go back and find another way down. It seems like this park is very couples-who-want-to-make-out friendly. It was very awkward running into them and having to hike right past them on the narrow trails. I do admit, there are some very secluded areas in this park if you're looking for some privacy, haha. I'm not sure if I'd come here again, but if I want to hike with a beginner and/or make out in nature, I suppose this would be the right place to visit. read more

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We love that this park is minutes away! The views are nice and the trees offer a shady walk. read more

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The location has enough parking for everyone. The environment was nice and inhabited with lots of animals. The trails were short and some of them were looped which was nice. Definitely worth going if biking or jogging or taking your pet because it's not too extreme. read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Rest tree. - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

Great easy (so far) hiking trails, we've done two trails with kids in tow! They enjoyed it. Bring water, the hikes we've done here have been shady most of the time, and we've done both late morning. read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

I've lived in Whittier almost all my life and haven't ever been to this park. It's really hidden but that's what makes it so nice and quiet. Parking is limited. Met our photographer here and took some family photos. Several other families taking photos here as well, so it must be a good spot for photos. There's a short hiking trail from what I was told, lots of people walking their dogs. There was also lots of dog doodoo all over, people really need to pick up after their dogs! 4 stars for not having any restrooms. Luckily our photo session was short. There was several benches out front near the parking lot but they were extremely dusty/dirty but would be nice for a picnic lunch, however no restrooms so you can't stay and hang out here for too long. read more

Nice walking trail that's dog friendly. However, not the most scenic. The area is dried out and the trees look half dead. But, Easy trail to navigate as it's basically a giant loop. Though you feel like you're going away from town, you're never too far away as you can see homes on the outer perimeter. No trash or water as you go deeper in(as far as i know or remember) but it's not too far of a walk anyways. Some hills but it's nothing an average walker can't handle! Not sure if I would recommend walking/jogging alone but bring a friend or fur friend for a stroll. read more

This is one of my favorite places to hike. Very peaceful. I also like the fact that you'll always find parking. read more

Murphy Ranch Park - Hiking Near Me - Whittier, California

What a hidden little gem. On a clear day you can see all the way to downtown from the top of the trail. It's about 2.5 miles to walk the small loop, but there are some steep parts so bring your hiking shoes. If you have little ones, don't forget water and snacks and there are a few picnic tables right at the parking. I couldn't believe I was just a few minutes from my house - the trees make you feel miles away. read more

Beautiful quite hiking trail. If you want a nice relaxing hike this would would be the one to choose. Full of nature and quietness.