Los Angeles is known for its glitz and glamour, but beyond the flashing lights of La La Land there are scenic hiking trails for all experience levels. Taking a day trip out to LA is the perfect way to get in touch with nature and also satisfy the part of you that loves the lifestyles of the rich and the famous.

1. La Tuna Canyon Park Trail Hiking

La Tuna Canyon Trail is a 8.9 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Sun Valley, CA that offers scenic views and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. There are some low trees for shade. Includes a fire road for a good stretch. There are wonderful 200+ degree views at multiple spots up top. It’s the perfect spot for a panoramic pic! One downside is you can see/hear civilization for most of the hike, so it’s not as much of a total escape. But overall a great, challenging, and beautiful hike!

2. Fryman Canyon Park

fryman-canyon-loop

Want to go for a hike but don’t have time to leave Los Angeles? If you take a daystay near the Hollywood Hills or Studio City, Fryman Canyon may be the perfect place to get an hour of outdoor exercise. The 3-mile loop on Betty B. Dearing Trail passes through Wilacre Park in Lower Fryman Canyon and Coldwater Canyon Park, dishing out just 450 feet of elevation gain. The loop covers a variety of surfaces, like dirt roads and residential streets, to create an easy urban hike away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

3. Wisdom Tree

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Cahuenga Peak Loop is a 3.7 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Los Angeles, CA that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and trail running and is accessible year-round. Be prepared to go up hill. The path is not flat and contains many rocks and shrubbery. Very worth the effort of a moderate hike.  Take the left fork at around the 3.1 mile mark, and the short path will take you out to the Wisdom Tree. Look for an ammo box at its base. People leave letters and wishes inside of it.

4. Bronson Caves

hollywood-sign-from-batcave

Bronson Caves is a 0.6 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Los Angeles, CA that features a cave. The trail is good for all skill levels and primarily used for hiking and walking. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Bronson Canyon is especially known for the “bat cave” scenes in the Batman TV series of the 1960s. It’s an easy, off-leash, kid friendly hike with much more strenuous extensions available. And it gives you an amazing view of the Hollywood Sign.

5. Hollywood Sign

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Perhaps the most famous hike in all of LA, the Hollywood from up above provides a true site to behold. Stunning views of the Hollywood Sign unfold at your own pace on hiking trails through the Santa Monica Mountains.  Trails originally blazed by paws, hooves, and yucca-thatched moccasins now connect us to cultural as well as natural wonders. The western frontier of Griffith Park offers hikers amazingly close encounters with the Sign. You can ascend behind the Sign’s 45-foot-tall letters, where you look out over the towers of  Los Angeles, and the Pacific.

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Kellie Vertetis

Kellie Vertetis is the Social Media Manager at HotelsByDay, and a current Quantitative Finance major at Stevens in Hoboken. She can usually be found laughing at her own jokes.