Explore 259 Memorable Hikes Near Los Angeles, California From short nature trails to challenging peak climbs and breathtaking canyon treks, Los Angeles County is a hiker’s paradise. Experience the best of it with this updated edition of the classic hiking guidebook. Local author and hiking expert David Harris and Southland hiking guru Jerry Schad lead you along 259 trips in 33 regions, from the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains to Malibu and on out to Catalina Island. That’s virtually every hike worth taking within an hour’s drive of the city. Afoot & Afield: Los Angeles County offers a comprehensive collection of hiking adventures for everyone from families with small children to experienced mountaineers seeking the ultimate challenge. The guide encompasses almost all public lands within the county, including Griffith Park and the Hollywood Hills, the San Gabriel Wilderness, Crystal Lake Recreation Area, and numerous county and city parks. At-a-glance essential information, including distance, hiking time, elevation gain, and ratings for difficulty, help you to choose the perfect trail. Complete descriptions and driving directions are paired with easy-to-read maps with GPS waypoints to give you the in-depth details you need. So whether you seek solace from the crowds, a cardiovascular workout, or a new perspective of the natural world, Afoot & Afield: Los Angeles County will get you going. Jerry Schad (1949–2011) was Southern California’s leading outdoors writer. His 16 guidebooks, including those in Wilderness Press’s popular and comprehensive Afoot & Afield series, along with his “Roam-O-Rama” column in the San Diego Reader, helped thousands of hikers discover the region’s diverse wild places. Jerry ran or hiked many thousands of miles of distinct trails throughout California, in the Southwest, and in Mexico. He was a sub-24-hour finisher of Northern California’s 100-mile Western States Endurance Run and served in a leadership capacity for outdoor excursions around the world. He taught astronomy and physical science at San Diego Mesa College and chaired its physical sciences department from 1999 until 2011. His sudden, untimely death from kidney cancer shocked and saddened the hiking community. David Harris is a professor of engineering at Harvey Mudd College. He is the author or coauthor of seven hiking guidebooks and five engineering textbooks. David grew up rambling about the Desolation Wilderness as a toddler in his father’s pack and later roamed the High Sierra as a Boy Scout. As a Sierra Club trip leader, he organized mountaineering trips throughout the Sierra Nevada. Since 1999, he has been exploring the mountains and deserts of Southern California. David is the father of three sons, with whom he loves sharing the outdoors. Franklin Canyon Distance 1.8 miles (loop) - Hiking Time 1 hour - Elevation Gain 400' - Difficulty Easy - Trail Use Dogs allowed, good for kids - Best Times Year-round - Agencies Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority, National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy - Optional Map Trails Illustrated Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (253) DIRECTIONS From the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, go north on Beverly Drive. After 0.7 mile be careful to fork left on the less-traveled north end of Beverly Drive at the intersection where the main road, Coldwater Canon Drive, goes straight. After another 0.8 mile, bear right on narrow Franklin Canyon Drive. Go 1.2 miles farther to Lake Drive. Turn right and backtrack 0.3 mile south to a small parking area with a kiosk and gated dirt road. If you reach a larger parking area with restrooms by a field and ranch house, you’ve gone 0.3 mile too far. From the north via the 101 Freeway, it’s easier to take Exit 15 for Coldwater Canyon Avenue heading south. In 2.5 miles cross Mulholland Drive, and veer right onto narrow Franklin Canyon Drive. Continue 1.3 miles through the park, passing the lake and nature center; then veer left onto Lake Drive. Go 0.3 mile to the small parking area. The Franklin Canyon Ranch park site, a part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, belongs to a complex of open-space units straddling the Santa Monica Mountains crest. The other units include Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir, Coldwater Canyon Park, Wilacre Park, and Fryman Canyon Natural Area. The Franklin Ranch itself was owned by the family of pioneering Angeleno Edward Doheny, who discovered oil in Los Angeles in 1892. The 400-acre ranch property was acquired as parkland in 1981. From the kiosk at the parking area, walk up the gated fire road, which is unsigned but known as the Hastian Trail. Go 0.9 mile along chaparral-covered slopes to a hairpin turn (980 feet elevation) with a panoramic view of the city. Looking over green-mantled Beverly Hills estates and the office towers and condominiums of the Wilshire Corridor, you can sometimes see a blue horizon beyond