​Best Local Hiking Areas and Hiking Trails

The South Bay area is a treasure trove for hikers. Getting to know the numerous hiking trails is an ideal way to discover the area. Most hiking trails are easy to moderate in difficulty. You don’t have to be an experienced hiker to hike at these locations.
Be sure to wear sturdy hiking boots. Carry lots of drinking water. Put on sunscreen and don’t forget your sunglasses. These trails have some spectacular views so take your camera. Don’t wander off the existing trails.
Here are a few you will want to try:

1. The Runyun Canyon Loop

 
Closed from April 1 to July 2016, this three-mile round-trip trail is not a nature walk. However, it is ideal for people watching. Check out the Hollywood Hills. Get an amazing view at Cloud’s Rest. See all the million-dollar mansions and get a Kodak moment to view such iconic tourist attractions as the Hollywood Sign, the Sunset Strip, and the L.A. Basin.
 

1. Bronson Canyon

 
This one-mile hiking trail in the southwest corner of Griffith Park is tricky to get to if you are not a South Bay native. From Franklin Ave. in Hollywood, go north on Canyon Drive. The road ends at the "Camp Hollywood" parking lot. Cross the small, red cement bridge on the right. Walk around the vehicle barrier. Stay left and follow the unpaved road a short distance into Bronson Canyon. 
Bronson Canyon has been a popular location for filmmakers who want a remote or alien setting. The tunnel entrance was used as the Bat cave in the sixties Batman TV series.
 

1. Griffith Observatory West Loop Trail

 
If you wish to extend your hike while you are in Bronson Canyon, why not try the Griffith Observatory West Loop Trail.
The two-and-a-half-mile trail starts at the Los Feliz Blvd Fern Dell picnic area. From the restrooms at the picnic area, stay to the right. Go up the hill toward the Griffith Observatory. Be sure to stop and enjoy city views. At the top of the hill, take the trail to the right towards the observatory. At the bottom of the hill, the trail curves on its way back to the Fern Dell picnic area. 
 

1. Franklin Canyon Park

 
This one-mile hiking trail is located near Benedict Canyon. The 605-acre land has over five miles of hiking trails. Used by the oil baron Edward Doheny family as a summer retreat in the 1930’s, the trail has an easy walk around the reservoir. Watch for birds and wildlife while you walk the trail.