Eaton Canyon Falls are often flowing in the spring, especially after Los Angeles has had a few good rainstorms. This hike takes you to a genuine waterfall right in Los Angeles and one of the easier ones to get to — which is both good and bad. I’ll get to that later. First the specifics. Eaton Canyon […]
Mt Wilson Trail to Manzanita Ridge
The Mount Wilson Trail was built in 1864 by Benjamin “Don Benito” Wilson. He had planned to use it to bring down timber for his ranch. Not much timber was cut, and the trail was repurposed to construct the first Mt. Wilson Observatory, established by Harvard College in 1889. Hiking up this trail you can feel […]
Haskell Canyon Open Space
If I said I’ve hiked Haskell Canyon Open Space more than 100 times, it would not be an exaggeration. The main trailhead is about a mile walk from my front door, so this little treat of a hike is my mainstay. It is typically my Thanksgiving sunrise hike. Even after 100 times, it still entices me. […]
Franklin Canyon Reservoir Loop
Franklin Canyon Park is a little slice of wilderness right in Beverly Hills’ backyard. Part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, the original ranch was owned by Edward Doheny, who discovered oil in Los Angeles back in 1982 1882. But this hike is best known for the loop around Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir, […]
Inspiration Point and Muir Peak
Hiking to Muir Peak and Inspiration Point from the Cobb Estate in Altadena is challenging. The 11 mile trail climbs over 2800 feet, gives you a taste of LA history and some really great views. Even with a coastal haze, we spied Catalina Island poking up in the distance. I hiked this with the Sierra […]
Vital Link Trail to Verdugo Peak
The Verdugo Mountains sit between the San Gabriel Mountains and the Santa Monica Mountains, towering like an island above Glendale and Burbank. Our first foray into these mountains was on the nearby Beaudry Motorway Loop which begins in Glendale. This time, we took in a different side of the mountain, starting in Burbank, and bagged […]
Beaudry Loop in the Verdugo Mountains
Joan and I headed out early on Saturday morning to hike the Beaudry Motorway Loop trail. Why are the trails called “Motorways?” It’s part of the charm of the Verdugo trail system, made largely of fire breaks and limited access roads for the antennae dotting the ridge line. The weather was forecast to reach the […]
Inspiration Loop Trail in Will Rogers State Park
When the heat is on, the coast beckons. This easy, family-friendly hiking trail begins at the historic Pacific Palisades home of Will Rogers and loops up to Inspiration Point. The Inspiration Loop Trail is not challenging. It’s not long. But with balmy breezes, great views, and a dose of history, Inspiration Loop makes a fun outing. We […]
