JSLALALAND

CITY & ITS PEOPLE

The LA hiking trail guide 2026 | Which mountain do Angelenos climb on weekends?

In LA, a trailhead lot at 7 a.m. on a weekend is harder to get into than brunch. One trail per page: how long, how steep, where to park, dogs or no dogs, and after the 2025 fires, whether it's actually open in 2026.

Translated from Jasmine’s original Chinese. The illustrated slides are on the interactive reader.

Key points

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  1. Before you go, check if it's open

    Check routes and recent comments on AllTrails, where closures are marked [CLOSED]; the County, MRCA, the national forest and the NPS each manage a piece. 'In LA, before a hike, you don't check the weather first; you check whether it's open.'

  2. Runyon Canyon

    Walk in from a Hollywood neighborhood and in ten minutes you see the whole city, and dogs can be off-leash in designated areas. The West Trail reopened in February 2026, but some sections are still fenced off; there's almost no shade, so go early.

  3. People I've run into on Runyon

    Hiking Runyon, I've run into Justin Bieber and also Charlize Theron, not a stitch of makeup and still naturally stunning. Everyone's there to work out, so let people hike in peace.

  4. Griffith｜Mt. Hollywood

    Start from Charlie Turner, north of the observatory parking lot: about 3 miles round trip with 500 feet of gain, and from the top you see the observatory, DTLA and the Hollywood Sign all at once. Don't want to hunt for parking? Take the DASH.

  5. The Hollywood Sign | Three ways to hike it

    Brush Canyon to Mt. Lee gets you behind the sign (about 6.4 miles round trip); Wisdom Tree is short but very steep; Lake Hollywood Park is the easiest. You can't park on Wonder View Dr; you'll get towed.

  6. Bronson Caves

    Same entrance as Brush Canyon, about 0.65 miles round trip and nearly flat; in fifteen minutes you're at the Batcave from the 1960s Batman.

  7. Angels Point

    In Elysian Park, LA's oldest park, the hilltop closest to DTLA, with a Peter Shire sculpture next to it. Arrive an hour before sunset and the towers' glass turns gold; on Dodgers home game days, traffic is bad.

  8. Baldwin Hills, 282 steps

    A row of straight, steep concrete stairs in Culver City; climb up and see from the ocean all the way to DTLA. Up the stairs, down the trail is easier on your knees; parking at the top is $2/hour, $6 a day.

  9. Fryman Canyon

    The hill Valley people loop after work, about 3 miles from Wilacre Park, with San Fernando Valley views the whole way, and you can detour to TreePeople. Dogs must be leashed, or you'll get a ticket.

  10. Temescal | Half of it is back

    Temescal Gateway Park reopened July 17, 2026, and the Rivas and Sunset Trails are open; the Temescal Canyon Trail to the waterfall isn't open yet. Parking is $12 a day.

  11. Solstice Canyon

    A flat canyon walk that ends at the ruins of Tropical Terrace, burned in a 1982 fire, and a small waterfall, about 2.6 miles round trip, the best one in Malibu for bringing family.

  12. Escondido Falls

    You walk a stretch of paved residential road before entering the canyon; to the lower falls is about 3.5 miles round trip. In October you'll only see rocks, so go after the first winter rain; the upper falls are closed, so please don't climb.

  13. Sandstone Peak

    The highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, 3,111 feet. The Mishe Mokwa loop is about 6.25 miles, past red rock walls and Split Rock; the lot is small and fills early on spring and fall weekends.

  14. Mt. Baldy | The mountain that most demands respect

    The highest point in the San Gabriel Mountains, 10,064 feet, with over 230 rescues since 2017. The Ski Hut loop is about 11.3 miles with 3,900 feet of gain; don't go when there's ice or snow, and always tell family your route.

  15. Trails that aren't back yet

    Eaton Canyon and Echo Mountain and Mt. Lowe behind it are closed through the end of 2027; Rustic Canyon, where Murphy Ranch is, is still closed. Try Sturtevant Falls or Los Liones instead.

  16. Hiking safety

    Start early, be down before noon, and carry at least 2 liters of water per person; rattlesnakes are most active when it's hot, so stay in the middle of the trail. Many parks close outright during Red Flag Warnings. 'The most important gear is getting out the door early.'

  17. The unwritten rules on the trail

    Pick up after your dog, downhill yields to uphill, horses always get priority, and say 'On your left' before passing; don't film people, especially on Runyon. 'On LA's hills, "Good morning" is a courtesy.'

  18. Two-city mirror

    In Taipei, you hike Elephant Mountain to see 101, or soak in the Yangmingshan hot springs and have a bowl of tofu pudding; in LA, you hike Runyon to see Hollywood and have a matcha after. 'In Taipei, the mountain is a weekend outing; in LA, it's everyday life.'

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An original JSLALALAND field guide by Jasmine Chang (@jslalaland).