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Parker Mesa Overlook

4.5 (91 reviews)

Parker Mesa Overlook Hiking Photos

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Aileen R.

An easy overall trail but with breathtaking views of the Santa Monica Mountains and nearby beaches. We totaled roundtrip over seven miles but it was absolutely fun. We started the trail at Eagle Junction. The trail is nicely marked so you cannot get lost or go the wrong way. There is some incline at the beginning and towards the end of the trail. Right before we got to the overlook there is a portable bathroom, which is awesomely clean. I loved the endless views and finally reaching the overlook and spending some nice quality time with my love, Diego R.

Made it to the top!
Kent V.

This is a great LA hike. Came here with my dad on fathers day early Sunday morning to beat the heat. You can start this hike from 2 different spots. Starting at Los Liones Drive the hike is 7.8 miles. Starting from Paseo Miramar the hike is 5 miles. To get to the Los Liones trailhead: Los Liones Drive is the second left off Sunset Blvd from PCH, just 1/3 of a mile from the beach. Park on the right side of Los Liones Drive, and enter the trail at the end of the cul-de-sac. Trailhead address: 580 Los Liones Drive, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Trailhead coordinates: 34.047263, -118.560098 (34° 02′ 50.14″N 118° 33′ 36.35″W) To get to the Paseo Miramar trailhead: One street past Los Liones Drive (and just before Palisades Drive) is Paseo Miramar. Turn north up the street, which winds up the ridge for 1.2 miles to the trailhead at road's end. Street parking is available on the west side of Paseo Miramar. Trailhead address: 899 Paseo Miramar, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Trailhead coordinates: 34.0508, -118.5571 (34° 03′ 02.88″N 118° 33′ 25.56″W) Majority of this trail is pretty steep with little to no shade...so be prepared with a hat and sunscreen during warmer weather. For me, I consider this hike "easy" but for elders without hiking poles or little kids this might not be the best hike for them. Bring water and snacks. The view is worth it at the top to see the ocean and Santa Monica pier in the distance. With the incline being pretty steep the whole way up, this hike feels so much better going back (all downhill!). There are a few look out spots before reaching the top for great photo moments. This is a great hike....I will be back and explore more trails in the area!

Further north at plateau facing downtown, Santa Monica, and the beaches circa March 2008
Orsolya D.

**** Trumpet roll! This is my 200th review and a very special one for personal reasons. There is a reason I waited to make this my 200th**** Before I moved to LA as a music marketing professional from Ohio; I met my boyfriend (who was born and raised in LA) while he was on the show "Chelsea Lately" on E!. A long distance relationship ensued which eventually resulted in us moving in together when we finally decided I had to move to LA for good. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The first time I visited him specifically in LA, (I had been to LA before for that) I landed on a Friday night. On Saturday, he took me out to a sushi lunch, to show me where he grew up in Calabasas and then to what we call "The Plateau". The Plateau is on the same stretch as the Parker Mesa Overlook but further north . When we went there after our lunch and I got out of the car, I was driven to tears. I've seen many views in LA, from canyons to mountains, to waterfalls, to scenery on hikes. But this was the most moving sight ever. I was crying and that was the moment I fell in love with LA.. and with him. (Please see photos which do no justice). Since that day, I've come to this spot on our anniversaries, for meteor showers, and for pure self- cleansing. Something about this plateau is MY spot. As ridiculous as it sounds, I feel one with the earth, LA, and spirits here like Native Americans and Mexican founders still roam. Most of all, I feel at one with myself. The Plateau is the most beautiful and spiritual sight in LA for me. I fell in love with LA and my boyfriend of many years here. And now.. it's time to claim it as my own minus the now-ex. You may not have such a spiritual connection here, but we all have our spots where you can just sit for hours and the world doesn't matter. This is mine. If I die, I want some of my ashes scattered at the plateau (if I decide to be cremated). I love this place.

Kimberly H.

Love this hiking spot! My bf and I did this "hike" on Saturday 7/8/16 (summer) around 9am-12pm and we both REALLYYY enjoyed it! Both of us wore flip flops and got many strange looks from others (mainly ones that wore hiking shoes with hiking poles, unnecessary IMO). To us, it felt like a regular walk with an incline. Totally doable! The terrain wasn't rocky only till we got to the .5 mile mark. LOTS of lizards and red ant but we were not bothered by them. Wide trail which didn't make it seem crowded, most of the time we were walking with no one in front or back of us. Barely any shade so wear a hat and sunscreen. My bf hardly gets sunburn but he did that day and his forehead is still peeling... Main reason I enjoyed this spot was the ocean breeze. We didn't break a sweat thanks to the breeze! The views were amazing of course! I would love to come during sunset! We hiked a total of 5 miles. Enter address: 580 Los Liones Drive, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Parking is limited but ppl come and go throughout the day so parking wasn't difficult for us.

Dianna D.

This was my first hike when I started hiking a few years ago and my favorite of all. It's a moderate hike, a little less than six miles, that is almost entirely on a paved fire road and takes about two hours roundtrip. I start the hike in Topanga State Park off of 20829 Entrada Rd, Topanga Canyon. Parking is $10 in the lot, but if you just park right outside the entrance of the lot off the pavement along Entrada Rd., it's free. Sometimes the hike goes uphill, sometimes downhill, sometimes flat, but it's not too bad. Once you've made it to the top, the view is breathtaking. You'll see the pacific coastline, Malibu beach, the Santa Monica ferris wheel, downtown LA, and planes coming in and out of LAX. So pack a simple lunch and water, hike up this trail, and sit on the bench and enjoy the view.

magical post-showers greeness
Leanna W.

An excellent LA hike, pleasantly accessible from the Valley too, which is a plus. Roughly 7 miles round trip; an out-and-back. Sneak peak views everywhere, and of course once you get to the overlook you have the LA basin and Santa Monica right in front of you! The trails is varied; uphill a little here, downhill a there, so thankfully it's not trudging all the way uphill getting there and blowing out your knees downhill on the way back. We went a day after it rained, and thankfully to the intermittent rain over the last two months it was actually surprisingly green throughout. The lookout itself is a bit crowded as people tend to linger a long time once they are up there. Be prepared for lots of selfies. Trippet Ranch, where we started in the Valley, requires a $10 ($9 if you have a senior citizen in your car, wowie) fee; just park outside the parking lot on Entrada Road for free. The area around Trippet Ranch is beautiful and worth meandering around a bit before or after your hike. Plus, real toilets there with sinks, what what. Definitely one of my go-to hikes in the Valley! A great hike for trail running too.

Gorgeous :)
Yonnie C.

This was one of my favorite hikes -- completed on morning of New Years Eve 12/31/2012! My husband and I have been on 20+ hikes in 2011-2012, and this one was stellar in terms of the spectacular view. It took about 2.5-3 hours round trip (with multiple pit stops along the way and 20+ mins spent at the overlook) at a leisurely stroll pace. There was an incline right before you reach the overlook, but keep at it! You'll be rewarded with a grand view + seating area to bask in the sun & set up a lil' picnic. As I'm writing this review, I'm thinking about how I'd love to go hike there again soon! Oh -- side note: the sky was super clear that day, we got to see a plane write letters in the sky (a proposal)!

Niki A.

One of the best hike near malibu Go early during summer time Definitely use the restroom near the gate Love how everything is so lush and green Wow I mean wow very peaceful Very crowded on weekends but worth every step

Follow the signs!
Kevin W.

The Parker Mesa Overlook view is simply breathtaking. We took the Trippet Ranch Trailhead to get here. You can also take Los Leones to get here which is a longer hike. The total round trip is roughly 6.7 miles. Expect to spend a good chunk of your day hiking here. It was about 4 hours total for us. The hike to the overlook is pretty straightforward. You should not get lost because there are a ton of signs pointing you in the right direction. You are out the in open for a good amount of the hike so bring sunscreen. Getting to the overlook is mostly incline so going back is a lot easier. Once you reach the top, the view of the pacific is amazing. Great for photos. Make sure you take a bench picture! If you have the stamina for this long of a hike, it is totally worth the 3+ miles trek up!

Rj C.

I started on the Paseo Miramar trail. It's a pretty steep hike but worth the view. Just a couple yards into the hike there's a bunch of spots to just sit and admire the view if you don't want to hike to the end. It took me about 45 mins to get to the top. When you see the porta-potty you're close to the actual overlook.

bunny sighting
Amber B.

Tucked away between some gorgeous Malibu estates you'll find the trailhead at the very top where the road dead-ends. Roundtrip this hike is approximately 5 miles so budget accordingly. It took us about 2.5 hours total but we dilly dallied at the end for quite a while taking pictures etc. For the most part this is a fairly easy hike. Not too many steep inclines but for extra burn of course you can do some short sprints. The trail is wide and not very rocky but especially if you're going for a night hike you need to be mindful of the divots and large crevices along the way and maybe bring a head lamp. For the most part though it's a lovely stress-free hike with many flatter planes perfect for holding hands and speed-skipping along while singing "We're Off to See the Wizard". Also beware the random bunch of red-orange threads (that look like wiring but are really just frayed rope) firmly rooted underground smack in the middle of the trail (I think it's a bomb!) For wildlife we saw bunnies, birdies, deer, and a couple of children. A yellow sign at the trailhead shows a picture of an angry kitty with sharp teeth and its cute little claws out so I think that means "beware of mountain lions" but we never saw any THANK GOD. Once the sun went down though you can bet Miss Paranoid here kept turning around to see if anything was stalking along behind us. Once you get to the overlook there are 2 little wooden benches and a horse hitching post. If you time it right you'll see stunning sunset views simultaneously with gorgeous moon light and beautifully eerie layers of fog creeping up the canyons like we did.

Sara T.

If you have the stamina for inclines this is the hike for you. If you don't have the stamina for inclines still do it. I started at the Los Liones trail which is nice but wasn't very challenging decided to keep going. Barely halfway through I wanted to give up but I am glad I didn't. I hate doing trails with lots of incline especially when I am out of shape. But the view at the top is so worth it and rewarding. At the top there's even benches to sit on to enjoy the view. There's even a bathroom right before you reach the top. It's a really beautiful trail. I highly recommend it. On the way back down you have the view of the ocean to look at.

Beautiful sunset
Sarah A.

I normally do not review many of our hiking adventures simply because we usually only go only once and move onto the next one. But this is one of my favorites. This was my first trail that I was introduced to 3 years ago when I was sorta out of shape (read I stopped going to the gym and turned into a squishy cupcake) I hated this trail so much because everyone else could just zip up these simple inclines but not me I had to take so many breaks it was ridiculous. I remember at one point a super chubby girl and her friends walked past me and were able to all go up an incline like it was nothing! (RAWR) After our half way rest period on a bench over looking Santa Monica I pep talked myself into finishing strong, which I did! This hike is beautiful at every twist and turn. There are other trails you can take leading up to the overlook which is awesome. This past weekend we decided to take our hiking buddies Harmonie T. and Lenny K. with us on another hiking adventure. We arrived at 5:00pm despite all the weather warnings that were happening we went. And what we got were gorgeous views and cooler weather! We parked at los liones trail parking and hiked our way up. The inclines were not to bad just be careful of the narrowness of the trail and the rocks. On our adventure we saw a barefoot hiker (ouch rocks and red ants), various people hiking in jeans and a couple who must have been on their first date because the poor girl had on a dress and ankle boots. I was happy to be able to get through this hike not having to stop as much and was able to get up all the inclines without any issue. Totally proud of Harmonie, she stuck it out and finished strong!!!

Sign designating 0.5 miles to reach the destination

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Ask the Community - Parker Mesa Overlook

Review Highlights - Parker Mesa Overlook

This is one fantabulous hike + overlook of Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Santa Monica, and all the little beach cities around.

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Temescal canyon Trail

Temescal canyon Trail

4.3(10 reviews)
2.0 miPacific Palisades

This beautiful trail can be extra beautiful in early Spring when runoff from the rain creates a…read morewaterfall and streams. The path is fairly easy in the beginning near the parking lot, with lush vegetation and plenty of shade. After you pass the various ranger homes and conference buildings the grade begins to get steeper, then more rockier. The reward is a bridge with a waterfall and small pool. Many hikers stop here, have a rest or snack and go back. If you carry on , the trail becomes more challenging but you eventually come to an area with great views before the path winds downward. Completing the loop back to the parking lot is a good accomplishment for the novice hiker.

In A Nutshell: -The…read moreTemescal Canyon Trail is just okay, but could be better if whoever is in charge would cut back some of the overgrown brush & branches along the trails. -If you are tick adverse & don't want to chance getting them on you especially during the summer months, I wouldn't suggest this trail. -I did a tick check & did not get any ticks, but the chances of them landing on you are exponentially greater due to the overgrown brush you rub up against. -Most people hike the various trails, but I decided to do a nice 4 mile loop run. -The workout itself is very satisfying along w/ the nice, overcast weather. -I would imagine the views to be nice after the low lying clouds dissipate. -Parking is $12 per day, just pay using your credit card at the parking machine. Overall, this is a good workout if you don't mind the narrow trail systems w/ overgrown plants & trees.

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Temescal canyon Trail - The waterfall

The waterfall

Temescal canyon Trail
Temescal canyon Trail

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Los Leones Canyon - Beautiful flower

Los Leones Canyon

4.6(464 reviews)
0.2 miPacific Palisades

Love coming here with my lover and enjoying the epic views California has to offer it's a pretty…read moreintense hike your walking up a mountain that goes on for miles definitely worth it

This is my first time back on the trails in Palisades after the devastating fires. As you drive to…read morethis trails you will see the redevelopment of the city but construction is at it's beginning stages.. The city looks like a war zone. The sounds of redevelopment are echoed throughout the mountains as well as the views of the city reminds you of the fires. On the positive side there is new plants and flowers blooming along the trails, a sign of new beginnings. This hike is classified as difficult. The hike is all uphill as you climb the mountain over 1800feet to reach the benches with a beautiful view on a clear day. Note early mornings in the summer you'll most likely experience clouds and potentially fog. On hot summer day this may be a welcome relief as the trail is no longer shaded after the fires. The hike to the benches and back to the trailhead is approximately 7.5 miles. We started our hike as 7am and there were only a few people on the trail, but by time we returned st 9ish a lot of people were starting. At the trailhead there is street parking. There are two parking lots as well but bring occupied by workers' trailers. Enjoy your hike! Happy trails!

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Los Leones Canyon - Remains from fire

Remains from fire

Los Leones Canyon
Los Leones Canyon - In a clear morning, you would see the ocean

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In a clear morning, you would see the ocean

Hikely - Don't just hike... Hikely

Hikely

5.0(4 reviews)
2.1 miPacific Palisades

The hike = incredible Marly = amazing…read moreThe experience = unforgettable The day we went happened to be one of the cooler days but on the plus side we weren't sweaty and grasping for water lol (which she provides!). She also provides hiking poles (which I never knew could be so beneficial-for a total body workout). We bought the GroupOn for a reasonable price. We did the Photographer's Dream and she gave some useful tips on using the features on iPhone camera I never knew what they were for. I wish we could go back again but we live on the east coast :/ The hike is worth every penny, we learned a lot from her we wouldn't have known had we gone on our own.

Marly is by far one of the kindest and most uplifting people I've ever met. Not only is her…read moreknowledge on the hike amazingly insightful, she finds a way to make it a fun experience for everyone! I went on the Sunrise Trail at Temescal Gateway Park, which I highly recommend. You don't have to be a pro to do the advanced trail; you just have to be able to walk up and down slopes which really aren't that steep (at least not on this particular trail). It's an unforgettable experience for people of all ages, as long as you can walk, so bring the kids or a friend! I don't know about you, but I'm coming back for more Hikely experiences because it was just "Wow!" the whole time.

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Hikely - Hiking not your cup of tea? Trust me, we'll change your mind. There's something fun for everyone with personalized Hikely trails

Hiking not your cup of tea? Trust me, we'll change your mind. There's something fun for everyone with personalized Hikely trails

Hikely - International tourist destination or simply wanting to get to know your city better- come find this on a Hikely.

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Hikely - Windy trails through tunnels of arched chaparral- so much fun!

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Murphy Ranch Trail - Beneath the steps.

Murphy Ranch Trail

4.4(319 reviews)
2.8 miPacific Palisades

Super cool hike!…read more Not overly strenuous, with lots of stair climbing down into the canyons. Most of the trail is flat and relatively well-maintained. Parking on the street in the adjacent affluent area. Follow the road to the unpaved mountain street that winds along the hidden canyons, which are generally very verdant and robust. The road is fairly active, with hikers, locals, bikes, and cars. There's a camp if you keep going down the road, so peak seasons can feature heavier traffic, within relative standards. The area is inaccessible during the night, at least from a parking perspective. The actual trail itself, found a short walk down the service road, is easy to miss, but hard to forget. An assuming ledge with a staircase that drops down the steep canyon side, leading down to the shaded paths beneath the tree canopy. The ranch itself has a storied history, and the reclaimed buildings are a fascinating discovery and a fun point of interest before looping back up out of the canyons. Be aware of local wildlife.

We took a little walk on the wild side to Murphy Ranch. This areas has a lot of history as was…read moresuspected to be a hide out for those individuals who sympathize with Nazis. The ranch was later raided after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Afterwards became a place for artists and then the buildings were deserted and left to rot away. Give that these buildings draw people who like to party and graffiti, some of the structures have been destroyed. As you can see from the pictures there are still some structures that draw people in. Beyond these buildings there are some gorgeous views on the four mile loop. The loop consist of views of the mountains and a stream that is sometimes dry. Note the trail has a lot of steps: and they are short and narrow. The area not only draws hikers but a lot of mountain bikers. Hikers be careful on the trails as many bikers were not using bells. Lastly, there is not parking at the trailhead. You have to walk in about a half mile to trailhead. Available parking is limited as most areas say do not park.

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Murphy Ranch Trail - Razzle Dazzle

Razzle Dazzle

Murphy Ranch Trail
Murphy Ranch Trail - Love goes a long way.

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Love goes a long way.

Parker Mesa Overlook - hiking - Updated May 2026

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