Los Angeles Summit Hikes

On this 6-mile loop in Point Mugu State Park, you can climb to the tallest point in the Santa Monica Mountains and relax by the shores of Zuma Beach.

Hiking this 8,007-foot peak will bring you peace and solitude, as well as breathtaking views.

Trek into history on this 7-mile out-and-back in the San Gabriel foothills. You'll visit the ruins of a luxurious hotel and cog railway that date back to the early 1900s.

Savor sunny views of Catalina Island and the Pacific Ocean, then descend to a cool creek under the pleasant shade of sycamore trees on this 8.9-mile canyon loop.

Hike, run, or bike this moderate 6.2-mile out-and-back, which follows a scenic, rolling ridgeline to a boot-shaped mesa with a stunning ocean vista.

This 6.5-mile loop passes through sage, chaparral, and oak groves to a high plateau with panoramic views of the Santa Ana Mountains.

Enjoy a gurgling creek, the staccato of canyon wrens, and ridgetop vistas on this 4.2-mile jaunt just minutes from downtown Pasadena.

A 3,000-foot gain in 3.4 miles delivers landscape-painting vistas of pastoral valleys and idyllic California hamlets on this 6.8-mile round-trip.

An oak-shaded creek with cat tails and mountain lion tracks.

Experience the many moods of the chaparral and wildflowers in bloom en route to an unnamed summit on this 6.8-mile hike in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park.

Escape cookie-cutter suburbia on this 4.5-mile hike or bike through a mix of soaring ridges, lush canyons, and remnants from the ranchero era.

Explore the ranch estate of late cowboy humorist Will Rogers on this 5.4-mile trek among the Pacific Palisades ridgelines of Topanga State Park.

This 5-mile loop winds through an undisturbed swath of parkland to babbling creeks and fine views across the San Fernando Valley to the San Gabriel Mountains.

A scattering of rocky outcrops, with their big sky views, offers a surprisingly wild haven within the city limits on this 6.7-mile, figure-8 loop in Topanga State Park.

This 6.6-mile dayhike in Orange Country features scenic ridgelines and lush wooded canyons.

Cross a rolling ridgeline with great views of Orange County before descending down into the beautiful sycamore-, manzanita-, maple-, and wild zucchini-filled Telegraph Canyon.

This 9-miler travels a shady canyon with a handful of creek crossings to lovely picnic getaways in Angeles National Forest.

Escape the city's bustle by leaving the mainland. This 10.4-mile loop explores the crowd-free hills and beautiful gardens of Santa Catalina Island.

Hike one of SoCal's highest peaks on this 10.4-miler that serves up magnificent views and plenty of high-country beauty in Mt. San Jacinto State Park.

Hike 4.5 miles along Griffith Park's ridge for commanding views of the Hollywood sign and downtown.

Want to get higher than a Hollywood star? Shoot up 5,400 feet and scrape the sky on SoCal's tallest peak on this 13.2-miler in San Gorgonio Wilderness.

Scale rugged coastal hills to a solitary peak in the Santa Ynez Mountains on this 6.7-mile loop. Bonus: Soak in the natural hot springs.

Take the Metro to this 4.8-mile loop, then soak up sunny ocean views from the foothills of Will Rogers State Park.

The views over SoCal and the Pacific keep getting better and better during this 2,000-foot climb to the Main Divide of the Santa Ana Mountains.

Catch killer views of Big Bear Lake and hike a short leg of the Pacific Crest Trail on this 7.8-mile out-and-back to an 8,200-foot peak.

Test your map skills on this moderate 4.7-mile hike into the woodland maze along the Ventura River in El Nido Preserve.

This 8.4-mile out-and-back gains 2,500 feet to unbeatable desert-to-ocean views over the San Jacinto Mountains.

Bag four peaks all over 8,000 feet along this 13.8-mile out-and-back with two short off-trail summit scrambles.

This 6.4-mile loop follows trails and jeep roads to Waterman Mountain, where sweeping views of the San Gabriel Wilderness await.

Ascend two rigorous saddles on this 6.3-mile out-and-back up to the unsung Mount Markham and panoramas of the San Gabriels and L.A. basin.

Bag one of the highest peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Climb over the picturesque north face of Mount Wilson, the site of a historic observatory, on this 11-mile loop in L.A.'s San Gabriel Mountains.

Explore the ruins of historic taverns and watch clouds roll over two 8,000-foot San Gabriel peaks on this 14-mile out-and-back in the Cucumonga Wilderness.

Ascend razor-thin ridgelines and scramble up sheer rock faces on this 10.7-mile loop to Strawberry Peak, one of the most challenging summits in the San Gabriel frontcountry.

Climb 1,400 feet through a shady stretch of the Angeles National Forest on this 7-mile out-and-back that rewards with summit views from 8,250-foot Mount Islip.

Visit the 100-year-old ruins of a once glamorous resort on this 5.3-mile hike to a 3,207-foot summit in the San Gabriel Mountains.