Hiking with Strangers in Los Angeles

I wouldn't have thought those words went together, either! But I got super lucky when my sister allowed me to crash with her in Burbank during her work training.

I opened up google maps and saw "green spaces" nearby and chose Griffith Park because it was a 20-minute drive from the hotel.

Griffith Park is the Central Park of Los Angeles.

It's shocking that +4,000 acres of rugged terrain exist in America's 2nd largest city. It is mountainous and has large canyons! It's one of the largest municipal parks with WILDERNESS in the U.S.

I even saw a coyote, heard a southern Pacific rattlesnake giving off a warning and watched a red-tailed hawk catch its dinner!

There are 53-miles of interconnected hikes from +300-1,000 feet above sea level. On my first day, I was solo-hiking and felt a bit intimidated. So I used Meetup.com to join the Sierra Club.

I was pleasantly surprised to arrive at the Upper Merry-go Parking Lot #2 at 6pm and notice hundreds of people - all joining different hiking groups! I talked to some hikers from the High Hikers group, and they told me that since COVID, everyone has gotten into urban hiking.

So, each night different groups take off from this meeting point. Talk about a wicked outdoor culture!

Once you find your tribe, you can choose your level of difficulty. The Sierra Club offered a level 2, 3, and 4 hike with guides. Other hiking groups usually offer one level - so check the level before agreeing, some hikes are level 6 which is very advanced. These people are practically jogging up and down the mountain!

HIKES:

📍Bee Rock Trail: This challenging hike is 2.6 miles round-trip and goes up +1,050 feet. It has beautiful, dramatic drops & broad views overlooking the cities of Glendale & Burbank. If you're into steep inclines and some rock climbing elements, try this! (LEVEL 3)

📍Eckert Trail: This steady hike is 1.5 miles round-trip and goes up +1,000 feet that's mostly gradual on a spacious fire road. If your hiking group is large, this is great for space. (LEVEL 2)

📍 Overlook Trail: This hike was 2 miles round-trip and went up ~1,000 feet. We passed through canyons & had amazing views of downtown Los Angeles & the Griffith Park Observatory. Perfect sunset hike for a spectacular sitting view. (LEVEL 2)