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Running trails in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles has 43 trails in the directory — 8 paved and 8 on crushed gravel or dirt, 1 boardwalk, 11 loops that return to the trailhead, 6 with a stated distance, 8 shaded, and 2 open 24 hours. 27 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 32,795 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 7,237 reviews
This 308-acre park features a Japanese garden, a workout course, athletic fields & scenic trails.
Runyon Canyon Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 5,669 reviews
Landmark hiking trails known for sweeping city views & people watching, plus an off-leash dog park.
Ferndell Nature Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,835 reviews
Quarter-mile footpath along a man-made stream, shaded by tropical foliage & sycamore trees.
Firebreak Trail to Griffith Observatory
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,563 reviews
Steep 1.3-mile-long unmade trail leading to the domed Art Deco observatory with views across LA.
Ascot Hills Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,448 reviews
Urban retreat featuring rolling hills, views of downtown, hiking trails & a small amphitheater.
Eugene A. Obregón Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,473 reviews
This city park offers grassy lawns & picnic space, a playground, baseball field & basketball court.
Wisdom Tree
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,108 reviews
A steep, short hike leads to this unique, lone-standing tree & sweeping views of Los Angeles.
Augustus F. Hawkins Nature Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,102 reviews
Calm, 8.5-acre retreat featuring native flora & wetlands, plus a small museum with nature exhibits.
Elysian Park Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,048 reviews
Easy-going hiking & cycling trail in a pretty neighborhood park with mature trees & open spaces.
Charlie Turner Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,011 reviews
Popular hiking area offering scenic views of the Hollywood sign and Downtown L.A..
Norman O. Houston Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 895 reviews
Pocket park offering basketball courts, a kids' play area & picnic tables as well as city views.
Wonder View Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 743 reviews
Steep hiking trail to the famous Wisdom Tree and Hollywood sign with scenic views.
Griffith Park Observatory Trails Peak
4.8 ★★★★★ 718 reviews
Hilly paths around a landmark observatory rise to this lookout with views across the LA skyline.
Harvard Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 753 reviews
Community park with amenities such as a playground, basketball and tennis courts, and a kiddie pool.
Griffith Park Trails
4.8 ★★★★★ 676 reviews
Outdoor natural trail offering hills, picnic tables & views of surrounding neighborhoods.
Nancy Hoover Pohl Overlook at Fryman Canyon
4.7 ★★★★★ 651 reviews
Parkway viewpoint with valley vistas, canyon trail access, an information board & parking lot.
The Brush Canyon Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 561 reviews
Hiking area featuring a rock quarry tunnel & striking views of the city & the iconic Hollywood sign.
Fern Dell Nature Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 531 reviews
Serene enclave at Griffith Park featuring walking paths amid tropical foliage & a man-made brook.
Bronson Caves
4.5 ★★★★★ 547 reviews
Seen in many iconic films, these man-made caves provide trails & scenic views of the Hollywood Sign.
Culver West Alexander Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 344 reviews
This 3-acre park offers soccer & baseball fields, a basketball court, a playground & picnic areas.
Wattles Garden Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 321 reviews
This historically significant site features a mansion, community gardens, trails & a stream.
Circle Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 291 reviews
This small, grassy neighborhood park with benches is used for dog walking, relaxing & working out.
Glendale Peak
4.8 ★★★★★ 212 reviews
Hiking destination featuring views and a benchmark in Griffith Park.
Stocker Corridor Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 190 reviews
This short city trail draws hikers, joggers & cyclists & is known for its tranquil atmosphere.
The Eagle Rock Canyon Trail - trail head
4.1 ★★★★☆ 213 reviews
Hiking area that's also known for its rock-climbing opportunities.
Trebek Open Space
4.6 ★★★★★ 189 reviews
Donated by the eponymous game show host, this sunny, 62-acre tract offers broad & panoramic paths.
Glendale Peak Trail Head
4.7 ★★★★★ 142 reviews
3.1-mi. roundtrip hiking trail leading to a peak with sweeping views of the mountains, city & ocean.
Fern Canyon Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 128 reviews
Hiking area through redwood trees with scenic views and opportunities for photography.
Mandeville Canyon Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 115 reviews
Former mountain fire road with canyon vistas open to dogs & owners plus mountain bikers.
Sullivan Canyon Trailhead
4.6 ★★★★★ 116 reviews
Dog-friendly hiking spot and mountain-biking locale, plus horseback trails.
Bluff Creek Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 93 reviews
Flat bluff trail, mainly for hikers and dog walkers.
Bluff Trail Park at One Westbluff
4.6 ★★★★★ 54 reviews
Park and walking trail for leisurely strolls that features lovely views.
Eugene Obregon LA County Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 50 reviews
Burbank Peak
4.7 ★★★★★ 34 reviews
A pine tree & an American flag top this rocky ridge with city views & a single-track hiking trail.
Wattles Crest Trail
5 ★★★★★ 6 reviews
Oberrieder Trails
5 ★★★★★ 1 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Los Angeles
- Match the surface to your legs. Los Angeles gives you a choice: 8 paved, 8 natural surface, 3 mixed, and 1 boardwalk. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More paved trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 11 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in Los Angeles is Wisdom Tree at 8 mi. 2 trails are long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 2 trails in Los Angeles are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 27 of the 43 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 6 are lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 29 have trailhead parking, 15 have restrooms, and 11 have a water fountain in Los Angeles. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 8 shaded, 14 that runners describe as quiet, 29 dog-friendly, and 17 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Los Angeles trails by type
- Paved trails
- Natural surface trails
- Mixed trails
- Boardwalk trails
- Loop trails
- Long-run trails (5+ mi)
- Shaded trails
- Lit for early & night runs
- Flat & fast
- Hilly trails
- Scenic trails
- Trails with restrooms
- Trails with water fountains
- Trailhead parking
- Quiet, uncrowded trails
- Dog-friendly
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible
Running trails near Los Angeles
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.