| Whenever I want to escape the city, I have a tendency to go deep into the backcountry of Angeles National Forest. |
| But I don't always have time for an all-day adventure. Luckily, Los Angeles has several local parks that make it easy to disappear into an old woodland or thicket of pine trees to briefly forget you're one of 10 million people living in the county. |
| The three hikes below are either in L.A. or close by and require only a short drive for many Angelenos. (And for my readers in the South Bay, I promise I will hike down your way soon.) |
| Regardless of whether you want to take an afternoon off to explore one of these hikes or try one after a weekend brunch, I hope you find a gentle peacefulness that restores you back to feeling more like yourself. Time in nature can do that and more. |
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| A large oak tree provides shade over a trail in Franklin Canyon Park. (Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times) |
1. Loop trail around Franklin Canyon Park |
| Distance: 1.2-mile loop with options to extend (see map)
Elevation gained: About 200 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Franklin Canyon Drive loop |
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| Franklin Canyon Park is 605 acres of public land north of Beverly Hills that features chaparral and oak woodlands. The park has three bodies of water: the three-acre Franklin Canyon Lake, Heavenly Pond and Wild Pond. |
| To reach the park, you'll take the southern entrance, as the northern entrance is closed while the L.A. Department of Water and Power repairs the roadway. Take good care as you drive into the park, as there are a few tight corners with low visibility. |
| Upon arrival, I'd recommend taking a 1.2-mile loop, which I've mapped out here, that will take you past the lake and ponds and up into the park's hillsides. I went on a recent afternoon when it was in the mid-80s in L.A. and found the park to be cooler thanks to the abundant shade provided by oaks, sumac and other trees. |
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| A turtle rests on a hunk of wood in the Heavenly Pond in Franklin Canyon Park. (Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times) |
| To begin your hike, you'll park in the large dirt main parking lot. Signs around the lot warn visitors of frequent break-ins, so either leave your treasure at home or hike in your pearls. |
| From the parking lot, head south on Franklin Canyon Drive, where you'll quickly find a trail entrance with wooden steps that lead down near Franklin Canyon Lake. I hope you're greeted by the sound of quacking waterfowl like I was! (And I bet if you go in the morning or evening, you'll hear bullfrogs.) |
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| Continue in the southerly direction, appreciating the gnarled coast live oaks and sound of shy red-eared sliders plopping off their logs into the water. This short trail will lead you back up to the road where you'll walk south for just a bit before turning onto the gentle path that loops around Heavenly Pond. This is an especially good spot to find turtles, ducks and at least one orange-and-white koi. |
| From Heavenly Pond, continue south on the paved road, following it past the private residence to the wooden steps at the reservoir's southern end. Take these stairs down onto Chernoff Trail. You'll quickly spot toyon and pine trees, among other natural delights. Soon, you'll bear right (or northeast) to take stairs onto the road. Cross the road and continue northeast onto the trail. Take the next set of steps up past thick bunches of black sage and chaparral nightshade. |
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| Plants with flowers blooming in Franklin Canyon include ceanothus, California brittlebush and wishbone bush. (Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times) |
| Continue north on Blinderman Trail, following it as it bears east before it loops back around west. Along the way, you'll pass well-maintained benches and bridges. Between the rustic bridges and frequent tree canopy, this trail made me feel, at times, like I was entering a fairy tale. I spotted lots of blooming California brittlebush and desert wishbone bushes along Blinderman Trail as well as some deer tracks near a forested area where the trail ends near the parking lot. |
| A portion of Blinderman Trail is a bit washed out, so I'd recommend carrying hiking poles, especially for the trip down. If you need to refill your water bottle, there are water fountains near the Eugene and Michael Rosenfeld Auditorium, which is just southeast of the main lot. |
| I left Franklin Canyon Park grateful for my short jaunt in nature, amazed by yet another well-maintained public park in the heart of L.A. |
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| Cave of Munits. (Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times) |
2. Cave of Munits |
| Distance: 1.3-mile loop
Elevation gained: About 230 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Orcutt Ranch Horticulture Center trail |
| This 1.3-mile loop trail follows El Escorpión Trail in the 61-acre El Escorpión Park to the Cave of Munits, a chimney cave named after a sorcerer in a local Indigenous legend. |
| To begin, you'll park on the street near the trailhead. To reach the cave, you can either take El Escorpión Trail, a wide exposed dirt path that starts at El Escorpión Park gate, or the path along the riverbed, which provides more shade but is more narrow. Both are visible on maps on outdoors navigation apps. When I hiked to the Cave of Munits, I took El Escorpión Trail to the cave and the shadier trail along the creek on the way back. |
| The cave isn't immediately visible when you start. Once you see a large rocky gash in the mountain, you know you're getting close. Once inside the cave, be mindful not to cause any damage and be careful when climbing. |
| The steepest part of this hike is as you approach the largest cave. Grippy shoes are a must, and trekking poles could be helpful. |
| The Cave of Munits is an easy place to reconnect with your childlike wonder, but please explore with respect and reverence for the place. The cave's name relates to a Fernandeño and Western Tongva story of tragic misunderstanding, which you can read here. |
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| Dunsmore Canyon in Glendale. (Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times) |
3. Dunsmore Canyon & Le Mesnager Loop Trail |
| Distance: 2.6 miles
Elevation gained: About 800 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Brand Park history walk |
| This hike through the 709-acre Deukmejian Wilderness Park in Glendale will offer you not only great views of the surrounding cities but also an opportunity to spend time among blooming trees and native plants, including California peonies and California brittlebush. |
| You'll park in a lot near the Stone Barn Nature Center. Several signs warn that the park closes one hour after sunset and to leave before you get locked in. I think they're serious, so take note. |
| You'll start your hike on Dunsmore Canyon Trail, headed northeast up a straight gravel path covered on both sides with several native plants including ceanothus (both white and purple blooms), yerba santa and sagebrush. |
| Just .2 miles in, there's a massive old coast live oak where kids could easily create an imaginary forest kingdom under its large branches. |
| As you continue to climb, you might hear Dunsmore Creek, which runs parallel to the trail. Remember to turn around as you gain elevation, as this trail rewards you with substantial views of Glendale and the Crescenta Valley soon after you start. All the while, you have the San Gabriel Mountains right in front of you, including Mt. Lukens, which you can hike to from the same park. |
| Half a mile in, you have the option to continue on the Dunsmore Canyon Trail or Le Mesnager Trail to make a shorter loop. Le Mesnager Trail includes a lookout point at about 2,750 feet, a great spot for a sunset as long as you don't get locked in! As you meander down the trail, you'll find a nice shady canopy and continued views of the city below. |
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3 things to do |
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| Volunteers work at the Debs Park Test Plot. (Test Plot) |
| 1. Protect native habitat in L.A.
The Audubon Center at Debs Park needs volunteers from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday for its monthly maintenance on the test plot. Volunteers will meet in the center's courtyard before heading out. Participants should wear closed-toed shoes and clothing they don't mind getting dirty. They should also bring a reusable water bottle and gardening gloves. Register at act.audubon.org. |
| 2. Nurture nature in Glendale
The Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy needs volunteers from 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday for a restoration workday in the Sycamore Canyon Preserve. Volunteers will help improve the health of plant life in the preserve to better ensure it is inviting and healthy for wildlife, which use it as a corridor to travel through the area. Participants should bring water, sunscreen and work gloves. Pants, long sleeves and sturdy shoes are recommended. If able, volunteers are encouraged to bring shovels, loppers or trowels. Other tools and equipment will be available. Learn more at arroyosfoothills.org. |
| 3. Wander the wetlands in Huntington Beach
Amigos de Bolsa Chica will host a free tour from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday through the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach. Visitors should meet their guides in the south parking lot off Pacific Coast Highway, halfway between Warner Avenue and Seapoint Street. Volunteer naturalists will present information on the preserve's history, bird life and more. Register at amigosdebolsachica.charityproud.org. |
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The must-read |
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| Skiers navigate their way down Lincoln Mountain at Mammoth Mountain ski area, located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. (Christian Pondella / For The Times) |
| Two ski patrollers at Mammoth Mountain have died in separate avalanches over the past year. These workers are responsible for clearing popular ski routes by using handheld explosives to prevent avalanches from harming guests. "Were the resort's managers pushing too hard to open the mountain after major storms? Had training standards slipped, pushing relatively inexperienced ski patrollers into dangerous situations? Are young ski patrollers afraid to speak up, even when they think they've been asked to take unreasonable risks?" wrote Times staff writer Jack Dolan. Read Dolan's story to find the answer to those questions and more. |
| Happy adventuring, |
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P.S. |
| Let's end with good news! A volunteer was monitoring Eastern Pacific green sea turtles that live near the mouth of the San Gabriel River when they spotted a shelled reptile in trouble. The turtle had fishing line wound around her right flipper and into her mouth. "She was also attached to a medley of debris — clothes, algae, plastic," wrote Times staff writer Lila Seidman. "When she came up for air, aquarium staffer Aaron Hovis jumped in and grabbed her. Once freed from the garbage, she was loaded onto a stretcher and brought to the aquarium." The turtle, now named Porkchop for her voracious appetite, is now happily recovering at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Although the aquarium has been helping injured sea turtles for more than 25 years, the public can now see the little cuties on display in a new exhibit about the turtles. You can visit Porkchop until she's returned to the wild, where veterinary staff are confident she'll keep thriving — and eating! |
| 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. |
