As a person who grew up in Colorado, I definitely fit the stereotype: I absolutely love the outdoors! And hiking especially is one of my favorite things to do. Although I was excited to come to school in Los Angeles, I was nervous I wasn’t going to get to spend enough time in nature. However, LA has pleasantly surprised me and I’ve gone on some great hikes the past few years while going to school at USC. Even though LA is such a big city, there are plenty of places nearby to go exploring and you can forget you are so close to the city. Check out some of my favorite hikes below!
1. Mt. Baldy
Mt. Baldy, aka Mt. San Antonio, is the highest point in Los Angeles County and hiking up here is truly a treat. It reminded me so much of hikes by home, and I actually felt like I up on a real mountain! When I went, I took the Ski Hut trail up which is extremely steep and you bet my legs were feeling it! At the top you get treated with some pretty spectacular views. On the way down I took the trail along the backbone, which is a really cool section of the trail since on either side of trail there are steep drops down. Overall, this hike is about 10 miles with a 4000 ft elevation gain. Come prepared for a workout!
2. Inspiration Point
This hike takes you up the mountains near Pasadena and offers amazing views of the Los Angeles area. You are up so high you can even see Catalina in the distance, which is about 70 miles away! I really enjoyed this hike because not only was there amazing views, but the trail also has historical significance. About halfway up you pass Echo Mountain, which used to house a beautiful resort and a stop on the Mount Lowe Railway, which was a scenic mountain railroad. Overall, if you hike all the way up to Inspiration Point, it is about 12 miles with a 3000 ft elevation gain! Your legs will feel it!
Feeling on top of the world!
3. Bridge to Nowhere
As a civil engineering major, I had to be sure to include this one on my list! Back in 1936 a bridge was built in the San Gabriel Mountains which was part of the East Fork Road. However, before the road was completed there was a bit flood that washed it out! This left the bridge left standing all alone in the middle of nowhere and now people hike out to it. It’s also the only place in Los Angeles where you can bungee jump. A relatively flat hikes that is about 10 miles long, you get to follow the river all the way to bridge! Definitely would recommend it.
The bridge to nowhere!
4. Murphy’s Ranch
Would you believe me if I said there was an abandoned Nazi compound in Los Angeles? Well, I’ve hiked to it! Back before WWII, the compound was built for Nazi supports in the US and was fully equipped with bunkers, a water storage tank, a fuel tank, and and various other buildings. However since WWII ended as it did, the compound was abandoned and now today is covered in graffiti. Although kinda eery, this is a really cool hike worth checking out. You can either take the path down near the gate, or descend down 300+ stairs which never seem to end. Although only around 4 miles, you can spend some time exploring and if you opt for the stairs your legs will feel it!
The never ending stairs – my legs got shaky!
The power house covered in graffiti!
5. Dawn Mine Hike
I wrote a blog post on this hike which you can check out here, but this hike is super cool since you get to explore an old mine! Make sure to bring a flashlight though since it is dark inside!
Good thing we had flashlights!
Get out there and explore some hikes! You won’t regret it!
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