3 L.A. hikes that will make you grateful to live in L.A.

I am someone who enjoys giving back to the people I love, so Thanksgiving is an exciting time for me.

Today, I am in my kitchen, baking a vegan roast, stuffing and a chocolate cake with peanut frosting (which, by special request, contains banana pudding in its center).

Though Thanksgiving has a complicated history, our modern-day celebration of it asks us to practice gratitude for all that we have, whether that be our family or friends. Today in the Wild, I’m expressing my appreciation for our incredible local landscape.

While hiking in L.A., I‘m often grateful that all of my senses are engaged: the sight of the pinkish evening sun as it washes over the mountains; the sound of birdsong, especially our quails, as they scamper through bushes; the smell of a California bay laurel on the trail; the taste of my peanut butter and jelly sandwich when I make it to the top of a mountain; and the feeling of the mountain below me as I rest, reminding me I’m on solid ground.

So I made you a list of hikes that will hopefully inspire gratitude for the unique terrain of Los Angeles and the nature that surrounds it. I hope you enjoy taking any one of these hikes below. While out there, take a moment to be present with the world around you. We are so lucky to be here!

Views of Point Vicente Lighthouse against the backdrop of Santa Catalina Island in Rancho Palos Verdes.

(AaronP / Bauer-Griffin / GC Images)

Boundary Trail Loop to Butcher Hill

Distance: 5-mile loop
Elevation gain: 600 feet
Difficulty: Easy

Although I love exploring the mountains around L.A., I am always weary of spending an hour (or more) in traffic for a trek in the South Bay.

But, 🎶it’s the most wonderful time of the year🎶 to explore outside your usual stomping grounds. From Thanksgiving until early January, I find that the city clears out a bit, and L.A. traffic is much less intense.

That’s why I’m excited to try out the hikes in Palos Verdes that former Wild writer and Times contributor Laura Randall recently recommended. Maybe the most alluring of her list is Boundary Trail Loop to Butcher Hill. It provides you with just enough signature California sparkle to make you feel lucky to be here.

“Expect a pleasant mix of old-growth trees, peekaboo city-to-mountain views and glimpses of quirky backyard treehouses and pet turtles,” she writes.

You had me at views and turtles!

L: Horse riders seen as you head up the trail to the Hollywood sign. R: A sunset view from the trail in Griffith Park.

Hollywood Sign via Canyon Drive

Distance: 6 miles
Elevation gain: About 1,200 feet
Difficulty: Moderate

Let’s take a quick poll: How many of you have lived in L.A. for several years and never hiked to the Hollywood sign?

I’ve been here 7 1/2 years, and I would have raised my hand until I started my research for this newsletter. As my friend Bob and I trudged up the hillside, we scoffed a bit at the idea of hiking to a sign. We could hike to waterfalls and to the tops of incredible peaks. Why hike to nine man-made letters next to some cellular towers?

Well, because it’s special too. As I stood atop a small hill above the Hollywood sign, I thought about the effort it took to haul those 50-foot letters to their current location, stretching 400 feet alongside the hillside. Here I was, taking selfies with this landmark that I knew of long before I lived here. Despite its proximity to everything, it felt like a bucket list moment. Not every hike has to be in the hinterlands to feel iconic. Plus, the views of downtown L.A. and the rest of the city as you hike up are stunning. (Please be that guy that exclaims, “I can see my house from here!”)

In terms of effort, I would rate this trail as a slightly challenging but still moderate because it gains about 500 feet in the first mile, and then another 500 feet in the final mile before you reach the sign. But it’s a wide path, so if you hike it in the morning or late afternoon, you should have some nice shady spots where you can catch your breath.

I’ve had friends tell me they tried to make it to the Hollywood sign but got lost. Bob and I found this particular route to be fairly straightforward, but we did download the map beforehand on an outdoors app. The only tricky part, to me, would be at about two miles in, where you could feasibly miss the turn to head northwest up Mount Lee Drive and instead hiked the windy road that takes you just below the Hollywood sign. Just make sure to take the steep paved route up, and you should be well on your way to what might be one of my new favorite hikes!

Josephine Peak trail

Distance: 8 miles
Elevation gain: About 1,900 feet
Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Josephine Peak is my go-to hike for when I want to feel the burn but not have to think too hard. It is an easy-to-follow wide path with a big payoff. As you look to the south, you’ll notice great views of L.A. and foothill cities. You’ll have mountain views in every other direction, including Strawberry Peak to its east.

To start, I usually park near the Clear Creek Information Center and fire station, and take the fire road four miles up to this incredible lookout point. About 2.5 miles in, you’ll hike on the northern side of the mountain, where the trail has more of a remote forest vibe. At the top, you’ll find a green shelves where hikers leave mementos and sometimes snacks. They’re all that’s left from a fire lookout that was built in 1935 and then burned in a wildfire in 1975.

My friends Mish, Andrea and I once did this hike during a full moon, and although I wouldn’t recommend doing that, given its remoteness and the chance of bear encounters, we have a funny memory of sitting at the chilly top eating hand pies that Mish had just pulled from the oven before leaving for our adventure.

The trail lacks any technical elements, so if you have a friend coming into town who’s hankering for adventure, Josephine Peak is a great option to be among the trees. Just note, it can get chilly at the top, so consider packing a windbreaker. Hand pies optional!

3 things to do

A human holds two pine cones, one in each hand.

1. Find peace with pine cones in Sun Valley
The Theodore Payne Foundation will host a nature journaling event focused on drawing pine cones from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at its grounds in Sun Valley. Maryanne Pittman, the foundation’s public programs director, will teach participants about the diversity of cones from California’s native conifers, cypresses and firs, exploring their shapes, textures and unique structures. Afterward, Pittman will guide guests in pine cone sketching lesson. Artists of every level, including beginners, are welcome. Participants are asked to wear layers and closed-toe shoes, as part of the day’s class will be held outdoors and on uneven terrain. Registration is $28.52 for foundation members and $33.85 for nonmembers. Register at eventbrite.com.

2. Learn about nature’s resilience in Mount Baldy
The Mount Baldy Wilderness Preserve will host a fire ecology nature walk from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Monday. Rachel Wing, of the California Botanic Garden, will teach participants on a 3/4 mile jaunt through the preserve about native plants and how wildfire affects them. Participants will be asked to consider the effects of fire on the region and learn about wildlife prevention. The walk includes uneven surfaces. Guests should wear sturdy athletic footwear, and consider bringing walking sticks or trekking poles. Learn more and register at wca.ca.gov.

3. Gather the family for a walk in Eaton Canyon
Volunteers with the Eaton Canyon Nature Center Associates will host a family nature walk through the area from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday. Everyone is welcome, but the walk is especially great for families, including small children. Participants should wear walking shoes and a hat, and bring sunscreen and water. Afterward, guests can visit the discovery table and nature center to learn about the owls, hawks, mountain lions and other animals that live in the canyon. The walk, which occurs each Saturday, will meet in front of the Eaton Canyon Nature Center (1750 N. Altadena Drive). Learn more at ecnca.org.

The must-read

A human is silhouetted against pine trees and the sky.

One of my favorite hikes to escape and unwind is the loop trail to Mt. Waterman in Angeles National Forest. It’s a gem that cuts through through a pine forest and serves up sweeping views of the Antelope Valley. The hike takes you past, for now, a closed ski resort. But, as Times staff writer Lila Seidman reports, a private company wants to buy the resort and turn it into a playground for wealthy clients it would bring to the mountain by helicopter on the best ski days. What will this mean for public access of this public land? That’s a key concern to the U.S. Forest Service, the agency that would need to approve the plan. “I’m pretty confident we would not allow … any kind of exclusive use,” said the U.S. Forest Service’s Justin Seastrand, who oversees the public services staff area of the Angeles National Forest. But Angeles Mountain Partners co-founder Joshua Shelton told Seidman that Forest Service officials misunderstood his plans for the club. His company won’t shut out the public. “That’s the furthest from what we’re hoping to do here,” he said.

It’ll take time for any business at Mt. Waterman to get off the ground. Until then, I plan to celebrate its fully accessible wonder.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

If you’re still shopping for the hiker on your list, consider reading the outdoorsy gift guide my colleague Deborah Vankin and I wrote. Among the things on our list, I am personally obsessed with the shoulder pouch from Bay Area-based Westbound Gear. I can fit my big honking iPhone in it, which I pull out at least 87 times on a hike to take photos. Way better than keeping it in my pocket. Happy shopping!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.