Hiking is a passion of mine which I truly enjoy. This is a trail that allows the flexibility of…read morebeginner to advanced workouts. For starters if you are into running, jogging or bike rides this trail is perfect. I enjoy the running aspect as I love a great workout. If you enjoy some chill time or a read this is a great spot as well. From enjoying a great sunrise or sunset this is a great spot.

Descanso trail is 3.1-mile loop trail in La Canada Flintridge, California near the Descanso…read moreGardens. Generally, it is considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 26 min to complete. However, it took me 2.5 hours (out-and-back) because of multiple rest stops to enjoy the awesome view. This is a popular trail for hiking, mountain biking, and running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Overall, it's one of a nicest hiking spot in LA county.

A nice fire road to hike in La Canada…read more My friend and Yelper Jo Anne S. texted me that she wanted to hike, so I met her at the beginning of the trail. The Earl Canyon Motorway is a fire road that begins just west of the new Jessen Bridge right by the intersection of Solliden Lane. To get to Solliden Lane you would drive north on Palm Drive from Foothill Boulevard. First, we headed straight up the road that starts as a residential street. If you go straight you'll see a big sign for Hall Beckley Canyon. Eventually there will be an intersection and you will turn left. Don't go straight down Beckley Canyon because it dead ends in about a half mile into a spillway and abandoned home. There is a tree rope we used to climb to the top of the spillway, but once you get to the top there's no trail. I think the Santa Monica Conservancy or City of La Canada needs to start some work to re-build the trail once something is done with that abandoned house. It kind of gives me the heebie-jeebies and I was glad I wasn't hiking alone. Who knows if riff raff hangs out in this old house that is mostly boarded up. We turned back and got back on the actual fire road and it goes up a few miles. Next time I hike it I will try to get to the top and I'll edit this review. We started late and it started getting kind of warm so we turned around. Also, the Yelp map is off, but I'll get that fixed. I sent an e-mail to Yelp HQ with the coordinates. The view is amazing up there. We could see the Santa Monica Bay clearly with the naked eye. The photos didn't look as clear with iPhone. We could see to Catalina Island which was nice. This is definitely a nice trail on the side of Mt. Lukens. It may be an easy route to the summit and I'll try that in the near future.

We were looking for something to do in the area since we had time to kill. My brother suggested…read morethat we give this place a try and was really just a hop skip and jump away from home. I can't believe I have lived here for a large portion of my life and don't ever remember going on this hiking trail. According to my parents, they took me here once when I was younger but I don't have any recollection of this. As you walk up (or down) Jessen, you'll see a little road that leads past a few more homes and then slowly heads up the hills. While the path isn't paved, you definitely won't "lose" the path or find yourself in a bind with things blocking your way. The first trail definitely has a wide enough area where you won't have that sensation of falling off the side of the mountain. It is slippery because of all the loose rocks so make sure to wear good shoes. This is especially important for your trip back down because some of these places are steep enough to cause you to slide. You came here not just for the exercise but the scenery. On a bright sunny clear day you can see the skyline of Los Angeles as well as the ocean and making it up to the top really gives you a sense of accomplishment. If you really wanted more, you could continue hiking another 3 miles to head to the next view point. I have seen many people running as well as riding their bikes up the mountain (how they do that I don't know because I was already dying just walking). You can also walk your dogs up here (but please be responsible and pick up after them!). Definitely recommend this if you're in the area and looking to get some good pictures of the city :D

Such a unique and beautiful hike!!!! We even got to see some very hard snow that was almost gone,…read moredue to the rain and winds. I would highly recommend that at least 50% of the group have the trail downloaded, and you carry extra phone chargers. A few people who were with us almost got lost. It is very easy to do so if you are not paying attention. There is also one portion that becomes very steep. Take your time and bring a stick or poles if you need to. Other than that, the views are breathtaking, so enjoy! I would 1000% do this trail again, but only in a larger group with more experienced hikers. Hoping they are able to locate Monica Reza!! Please, please, please, do not leave anyone behind on their own. This is not an easy trail to guide yourself. There was a lovely man we met on the trail who hikes this consistently, and he cautioned us against losing people.

I bagged a peak this summer!! And the Waterman Mountain loop trail has become my number one fave…read morelocal trail here in SoCal. Getting up to Waterman peak isn't terribly technical - more of a straightforward moderate hike on well marked trails with tons of biodiversity and beautiful views. I hiked it towards the end of June and there were beautiful native SoCal blooms scattered along the trail - with so many native bees! The hike is through a burn scar (from the Peak Fire in 2021 I think) - so it can be a bit barren and burned up in places but it's heartening to see how well the area is recovering. I also ran into countless Pygmy Nuthatches (a lifer for me!!), White-headed Woodpeckers, squirrels, chipmunks, and even some cute tiny spiders! But this is Black Bear and Mountain Lion country so be vigilant and carry bear spray. All in all, I hiked around 6.4 miles with around 1380+ feet elevation gain. The trails are narrow in a lot of spots and mostly consists of rocks, loose dirt, and fine gravel. The first half of the trail is through forest and burn scar. The last half after the peak and old ski resort (long closed) is very exposed fire road with no shade and minimal views. On subsequent hikes I tend to skip that part and just turn around after the peak bc I like that part of the trail better lol. The peak of Waterman Mtn sits at 8030 feet. There's a great sign at the peak made by @peakart125 (on instagram) - it's lovely and makes for a fun way to celebrate making it all the way up! There's a sort of false peak right before the actual peak so I highly recommend making sure you've downloaded the trail map on AllTrails before heading out since cell signal is minimal to nonexistent on the trail. The views from the peak are a tad obstructed by rocks and trees - but you still get nice pocket views of Twin Peaks, the valley, and Mt Wilson observatory. It's also interesting to explore the old ski resort near the peak. There's tons of equipment and a chair lift but it doesn't look like it's been opened for years probably. AllTrails also shows a bathroom up there but I didn't find one so come prepared. There's a bathroom next to the paved parking area in a campground entrance at the trailhead. There's plenty of parking - almost all paved. You'll need an adventure pass to park bc it's in the Angeles National Forest - but they accept America the Beautiful passes too! I pretty much had the trail to myself on the weekday early morning. I only ran into two people - turned out it was search and rescue looking for missing hiker Monica Reza who went missing the weekend before my hike (I think she was last seen June 22nd, 2025). I helped a bit in the search on my way out but no luck. My understanding is she's still missing (I included a photo - they're still looking for volunteers to help search if you're interested!) - be aware and keep a lookout if you do the trail! They also have Instagram and FB pages for updates.

This trail (and by the way I have no idea how it got its name) is hidden in the hills above…read moreGlendale and La Crescenta. It's one of my favorite hikes in the area because it's pretty strenuous, yet it's all uphill out and downhill back (my favorite kind of hike). I love it because you got some pretty awesome views after just a few minutes of hiking. In fact I think this trail has some of the best views of the Crescenta Valley in the area. The Yelp directions are really accurate but parking is limited as it's in a residential area. I was lucky enough to hike on a weekday and have no idea what it would be like on a weekend; I found parking easily and didn't see another soul, other than a gazillion lizards. Be safe, take a cell phone and any other safety gear that's needed. And don't forget water.

This was easily one of my favorite hikes around LA, mostly because it was such an unexpected…read moreadventure. My friend originally wanted to hike the Brown Dam hike, but last minute suggested this trail and I'm so glad she did. We parked near the Angeles Crest Highway and followed the trail up to the La Cañada Teepee. The hike itself was long but relatively easy, and we were lucky that the weather was slightly overcast that day which it made the trek much more comfortable. We knew we were close when we saw the mailbox along the trail with a chain blockading the road to the teepee. That's when we ran into two Kenyan women who gave us a quick heads-up about what was ahead: stunning lavender fields, a cool telescope (I thought it was a model of the Griffith Observatory--haha), and even a little maze hidden within the flora and bushes as you get closer to the teepee structure. The sisters also mentioned that the area is actually private property, but the owners generously allow people to visit. We didn't run into the owner's, but we were able to explore and enjoy the incredible views and the massive teepee structure at the top. It truly felt like stumbling upon a hidden gem right in Los Angeles--one of the best surprises in such a long time. Highly recommended if you are an avid hiker. Best, Lina C.

This is a fun hiking destination! You can approach from the east or the south and you won't be…read moredisappointed.

"Life is but a wanderlust." - The Boss Let us begin this…read moreholiday hiking trail review. Owl Trail is a short loop half-mile trail Cherry Canyon Park that connects Flint Canyon Trail to Cerro Negro Trail. It's located in Hampstead Rd and Cherry Canyon Motorway in La Cañada Flintridge, CA. I came late morning after Christmas (12/26) and savoring the warm weather (75F). The trail is considered Easy Moderate for experienced hikers with an elevation gain of 390 feet. Moreover, the Owl Trail, Cherry Motorway, and Liz's Loop is a loop trail with a distance of 1.57 miles. The northeastern portion of the Owl trail from Flint Canyon trail to the trail marker is a beautiful shady trail among magical oaks. The upper portion of Cerro Negro Trail is steep and rocky which lead to Five Points and Sugar Loaf. The trail is doggo friendly, single friendly, married friendly, family friendly, good for running, biking and dancing. Lol. ;D The trails were well kept and free of graffiti. Furthermore, the trail has ample of direction sign post which was helpful. I spent roughly 2 hours (6.07 km) hiking, a perfect cardio workout. As for parking, there's no designated parking area for visitors. Thus, park along Hampstead road but careful the road has Tow Away Zone. Overall, I enjoyed hiking Owl trail and it's other interconnected trails. I recommend this trailhead.

The Owl Trail is probably my favorite in Cherry Canyon. It is sheltered by mature Oak trees for at…read moreleast half the way to the top. The trail starts on the left when you enter the main entrance to Cherry Canyon on Hampstead Rd. It is a nice cardio workout because it goes uphill the whole way and gets really steep in some parts. The erosion of a few parts of the trail makes it a little slippery, so make sure you wear some shoes with tread on them. My son was wearing his Vans and I was amazed he didn't slip or fall going up. There is also a section with a lot of loose rocks, so watch your step. I much prefer going up this trail than going down. I have gone down it once and that was enough. To get to the top of the trail it is .68 miles and about 332 feet in elevation gains. You heart rate should increase quite a bit if you don't stop or are talking to a friend. When you get to the top of the trail you will intersect the Ridge Motorway. You can either turn left and extend your hike up to the Lookout Station, take a little trail called The Ultimate Destination Trail on the left or just head toward Glendale. If you chose to take the Ridge Motorway to Glendale then you can take a detour to the Catalina Verdugo Trail by the Glendale Sports Complex. If you turn right on Ridge Motorway when you get to the top of the Owl Trail you can do a loop to get you back down to the bottom. When you see the paved road on the left there will be large signs for Descanso Motorway and Cherry Canyon Motorway. To get back to you car take Cherry Canyon Motorway. If you want to take the Descanso Motorway you can add a few miles to you hike. I would suggest that you park another car down by Descanso Gardens or you'll just have to walk back along Descanso Drive to Chevy Chase and then Hampstead Road. Miscellaneous Information: The La Canada Trails Council indicates that the Owl Trail is .53 miles, but I measured it on Map My Hike and it is .68 miles from the bottom to the Ridge Motorway. http://www.lcftrails.org There are waste bins and bags at the bottom of the trail, so if you forget your doggie waste bags then grab a couple. Please pick up after your dog.

Verdugo Mountains are a small, rugged mountain range of the Transverse Ranges system, located just…read moresouth of the western San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, Southern California. These mountains offer seven different elevation trails: (a) La Tuna; (b) Hostetter; (c) Vital Link; (d) Stough trail; (e) Skyline Motorway; (f) Beaudry and (g) Las Flores Motorway. I took the Vital Link trail, a 3-5 miles with 1,275 to 1,890 ft of elevation. The Verdugo Mts have a wide variety of wild plants, trees, rodents and lizards. What I like about this mountain is its 360 degree view of LACounty. Little to no shades going to the summit, so bring sunscreen and water. Overall, I enjoyed hiking this mountains. It keep me fit af!

"There's only one hill!' said the announcer before the Verdugo Mountains 10k this morning, waiting…read morefor knowing chuckles from returning runners. Only one hill......yep. The steepest hill ever and straight up 1,735 feet! Even though I've lived in the area for almost 20 years, I had never actually hiked the fire road out of Brand Park. The Verdugo Mountains 10k gave me the opportunity at last. I'd had this 10k on my radar for several years but, quite frankly, was quaking in my running shoes at the prospect of actually doing it. I'd heard it described as extremely grueling; to be honest, if anything, this aspect of the race has been under-hyped. I'd been "training" and thought I might be kind of ready. Well.......I finished it but not in any kind of decent time for me and found this the hardest race ever. It's a given that running straight uphill is difficult. But a bigger problem was coming downhill. I'd assumed it would be possible to make up some time; but the road was SO steep and rocky that this was not to be. If anything I ran more slowly downhill than up so as not to slip and fall and to avoid killing my knees. Thankfully it wasn't just me; my friend and goddaughter agreed that this was the toughest run EVER. The http://www.runtheverdugos.com/ organization did an excellent job with this race. Staff was placed strategically to ensure safety on the trail, with plentiful water stops. Everything went very smoothly, even the pancake breakfast at the end. (Five stars for the pancakes!) The Verdugo Mountains themselves offer lovely views and wonderful cool breezes floating down the canyons. This being spring, wildflowers bloomed everywhere. If you are into high intensity workouts and challenging runs, this is the road for you. Who needs to pay money to a gym? Just drive to Brand Park, take the road past the Doctor's House, breathe deeply, and start running. Enjoy!

We started the hike around 9am on 12/3. The first 2 miles are very easy, then it's all uphill. We…read moreused the All Trails Map and we got to the peak with no problem. On our way back gets very slippery it's all downhill, be cautious and wear proper shoes. We saw two ladies falling multiple times and we ended up helping them. Take your time and go slow. We did it in almost 4hrs. It was 7.44 miles complete. Enjoy the trails and please leave no trace.

Red box gap picnic area parking lot on Hwy 2 is right across from the start of Strawberry trail. A…read morefew things to note, around 1.2 miles into the trail there will be a split without a sign indicating where the trails lead. Continue heading north (or to the right) to stay on Strawberry. Again around 2.5 miles there will be another split, closer to the left side going up you'll see the marker indicating Strawberry. The trail is relatively "easy" the first 2 .5 miles. The last mile to the peak is where the climbs start to kick it. There will be a few parts where you're climbing over rocks, and for a few moments it might seem like you may be off trail, but you'll be able to glance around and see if you're still on path. The closer you get to the peak you'll hit about 2 false peaks, but don't be discouraged the actual summit is close in distance, you just have a little more climbing to do. My picture don't to the peak much justice. While the views aren't as amazing as Cucamonga peak, you'll still have some nice views of the mountain range to the north and Downtown LA to the south west. So far out of the So Cal six peak challenge alternate peaks this one might be my favorite since the hike is a combination of a relaxed walk & some intense climbs. One last thing to note, the trail is on the outside of the mountain so there isn't too much shade from trees so make sure your properly prepared during the summer time.