Beginner Hiking Los Angeles

Sierra Club Griffith Park Thursday Evening Hikes & Potluck

**Come and enjoy a slightly shorter hike, followed by an optional potluck!** > > > If you don't have a current waiver card, please come a bit early (from 6:40pm on) to sign new required waiver form ("participant agreement") and get your new (pink) waiver card, good until the end of 2026.<<< Come and enjoy a great evening of hiking and conversation with fellow hikers. These conditioning hikes range in level from fairly easy (level 1) through moderate (levels 2 and 3) to advanced hikes (levels 4, 5, and 6). All levels have hills; terrain is sometimes steep with uneven footing. Because hikers are expected to maintain the pace set by hike leaders, newcomers should not hike above level 3 and may wish to start at level 2. >>>**On Tuesday & Thursday evenings, we offer \*simultaneous\* hikes at a variety of levels.** **While some levels may not be offered on a given evening, we try to cover a range of levels.**<<< Hikes are led by trained leaders and last approximately 2 hrs. Hikes begin at 7pm; newcomers should get there early to fill out a waiver and should carry the waiver card with them on the hikes. There are usually 30-60 people at the hikes. **What to bring:** Bring water and a light jacket in case it gets cold. Hiking boots/shoes are necessary for the harder hikes (levels 3-5) and are strongly encouraged for all hikes; tennis shoes with good tread may be sufficient for the more moderate hikes (levels 1 & 2). Flashlights are optional; many leaders discourage their use except in emergencies. If flashlights are used, red lights are preferable as they interfere less with night vision. Please, no radios or other sound-producing devices that others can hear. If earbuds are used, please leave one out to maintain awareness of surroundings. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are at the discretion of the leader. This is a front country outing. **After-hike potluck/cookout:** The hikes will be a little shorter and will be followed by a potluck dinner near our parking lot. The potluck begins after the hikes, usually at around 8:30pm. If you prefer to just bring and eat your own food, that's fine too! **Covid Considerations:** Note that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people may be present; everyone is encouraged to keep their distance and respect each others' need to do so. Masks are optional. Please do not attend if you are ill or have reason to think you might have Covid. **If you test positive for Covid within around 5 days of a hike, please let us know through Meetup or by emailing GPNighthikes at gmail dot com.** Check the weather [https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/griffith-park/90027/hourly-weather-forecast/2626762](https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/griffith-park/90027/hourly-weather-forecast/2626762) **Directions** to Merry-Go-Round Lot #2 (also known as the Upper Merry-Go-Round parking lot): From Los Feliz Blvd just west of the 5, take Crystal Springs north into the park; you’ll soon pass a freeway onramp. After around a mile, you’ll come to a 4-way intersection, with the Ranger station on your right. Make a left (going west). At the top of the road you’re forced to turn right into the (unlit) lot #1. Drive through the lot and along the road that leaves the opposite corner. You’ll soon come to lot #2, which is lit. The Sierra Club meets at the far (north) end of the lot, by the stone steps. Going north on the 5 from Downtown LA, you can also get off at the Griffith Park exit and take Crystal Springs going north, following the directions above. Other routes go from near the Zoo or from Travel Town. You can get directions from this link: [https://goo.gl/q7QTtb](https://goo.gl/q7QTtb) .

Perfect Weather Hike in Griffith Park! ☀️🙋🏻‍♀️ 🙋 🙋🏽‍♂️

Come join the Perfect Weather Hike in Griffith Park every Saturday (location or route varies). Join us on this friendly social hike, with optional plank challenge at the helipad. Followed by optional breakfast/lunch at the Village Bakery and Cafe. Trail Is a roughly a 4.5 mile 10,000 step loop on mostly fire roads. Distance varies depending on trail variations. We’ll have views across the city to the Pacific Ocean, Griffith Observatory, downtown LA... Moderate hike on the main fire roads with Tiffany or option for advanced inclines with Gary. Route varies: Cadman trail to 5-Points, Beacon Hill, Helipad/Viewpoint, Glendale Peak, Cedar Grove, down Commonwealth and through neighborhood back to the cars. Steady incline approx 700ft elevation gain in the first hour - challenging for beginners but worth it! We’ll gather at each split in the trail to make sure all are accounted for. Dog friendly 🐕. Just remember there are coyotes in the park. Meet afterwards at Village Bakery and Cafe 3119 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039 Like all meetups, hike at your own risk. You are responsible for your own well-being. Please bring water, wear sunscreen and proper shoes. Facebook group https://m.facebook.com/groups/1608982546701615/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF Meeting point is in a residential neighborhood with street parking. There is NO restroom on this hike. The nearest is at the Griffith park Southern Railway by the Griffith Park Cafe on Crystal Springs Drive. If you arrive early, It’s a 15 minute roundtrip walk to the restroom. Hike will be cancelled in the event of rain and soggy trails or severe heat advisories.

TGIF Full Moon Hike Harvest Moon

**## Details** **TGIF Full Moon Friday Night Hike to Mt Hollywood** **Harvest Moon** **Intermediate level - elevation gain 1200 feet.** **Pot luck dinner party at the top! Bring your favorite dish or specialty. Please bring your own plate, cup, and utensils.** **5 miles round trip - not a beginner hike however beginners have been known to make it, nonetheless. No child left behind....** **NOTICE\*****\***********************************\*****We will meet at 6:30 at the STEPS of Parking Lot #2 (the Merry Go Round parking lot) - North end of the lot.**************************** **Hike on various trails and roads to get to the top where we have picnic tables at Mt. Hollywood.** **We will share the food we bring at the top.** **This will be a 3 plus hour event. We should be back to the parking lot by 10:00 PM. OK to leave early if you know the way back.** **Dogs Ok, owners must be on a leash 🦮** **DISCLAIMER: Group organizer and assistant organizers assume no liability; hike at your own risk. By being a member of this group you hereby agree to assume all risks and liability related to or resulting from any group functions. You agree that neither you nor any third party will hold any of the group's leaders, officers, or representatives liable for any injury, loss, or damage to your own person or any members of your family, friends, acquaintances, children, pets, or property, arising directly or as a consequence from a group activity. You also agree that your membership of this group is based on an "at will" basis.** **Lee Zebold, Eagle Lightning and Scott Hathaway** **Hike Leaders/Coordinators**

Eagle Rock: Fall Classic Stair Hike #2 - 6.5 miles, 2.5 hours

We return to a familiar neighborhood for a morning doubleheader! Start with a gentle walk through a little-known section of a little-known corner of NELA, rife with solid local architecture and one street that is so steep the sidewalk has stairs! Then we immediately go on a green, leafy walk through one of Pasadena's western-most neighborhoods, filled with charming stairways and a virtual arboretum of mixed tree varieties. You can ponder the Dodgers record-tying 14th consecutive post-season appearance as you hike 1,300 stairs. During a timeout we'll talk about the upcoming Wilderness Travel Course to get you ready for outdoor adventures. Meet at 9:30am in front of the old-timey Cindy's Restaurant, Colorado Boulevard and Townsend Avenue (1500 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041). Street parking is limited so arrive early and be prepared to sign the required Sierra Club waiver. Bring water and wear good walking shoes. Heavy rain cancels.

Urban Stair Hike in Echo Park, Level: Moderate++

Come join us for a challenging workout, for exploring interesting neighborhoods and for meeting new people! We'll do an urban stair hike in the hilliest, residential part of Echo Park going through the cutest narrow streets, the steepest hills and hidden staircases. We will be awarded gorgeous views of multiple parts of LA. **LEVEL**: Intermediate Plus for speed. Extra PLUS for the amount of stairs/steep hills we will be climbing. We are a friendly group that loves to socialize and encourage newcomers, but please note that moderate++ level of cardio fitness and brisk walking speed are required. **LENGTH**: 4.9 miles, 1350 ft gain, (which as a stair hike may be tougher than it sounds) 10 long staircases up, 6 down + steep hills. Baxter alone is 232 steps! +/- 2h. **SPEED**: Above moderate hikes, but below advanced. We'll take a short pause to re-group at the top of the stairs and the steepest hills, but hikers are expected to keep up in the easy parts of the hike. There will be no sweep, bring a phone for navigation just in case you want to leave early. **BRING**: Exercise outfit, workout shoes (hiking shoes are not necessary as trail sections are short), flashlight (any color), if you have one and water. **LOCATION**: We'll meet at 6pm for introductions and take off sharply at 6.05pm. We meet at the street corner of Echo Park Ave. and Baxter St. (If you are running up to 15min minutes late meet us at the corner of Lemoyne St. and Cerro Gordo St.) **-DO NOT FULLY TRUST THE GPS LINK. DEPENDING ON YOUR PHONE AND APP IT MAY BE SLIGHTLY OFF!** **-TAKE ECHO PARK AVE. INTO THE MEETING AREA TO AVOID SCARY HILL DRIVING!** **PARKING**: Street parking. If we fill up the spots right at the intersection you can go behind the school and find easy parking on Valentine St. **RESTROOMS**: None, (possibly port-a-potties on the way) **LIABILITY**: The organizer is an uncompensated and untrained volunteer. By joining this event each member accepts full responsibility for knowing their limits, for all injuries, health issues, material losses, assessing all risks and for getting lost. Each member shall make their guests aware of these policies and releases the host from all liability.

FRIDAY--Easy Night walk around Silverlake

Silverlake can be quite beautiful at night. Walk is mostly easy 2.2 miles RT around the lake. Walk is approx. 1 hour. There is short uphill on this walk--approx. 10 minutes Some members go to the local Oyster bar afterwards. **Rain will cancel walk. Dogs ok as long as on leash.** Parking: Street parking. There is more parking when you park along the lake --along W. Silverlake Dr.

Trail Work on Echo Mountain

Los Feliz : Fall Classic Stair Hike #3 - 3.5 miles, 2 hours

Wander the Los Feliz Hills and take in spectacular views of Los Angeles. See the sights of some well known landmarks such as the Griffith Park Observatory and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House and climb 400+ stairs to condition for your upcoming winter hikes. Not only is this a classic hike but it is also during the Fall Classic that hopefully will include the Los Angeles Dodgers. There will also be the opportunity to learn about the Sierra Club’s upcoming Wilderness Travel Course. Meet 6:30PM at the Coffee Bean at Hillhurst and Ambrose (2081 Hillhurst Ave 90027). Bring water and wear good walking shoes. Flashlights/headlamps encouraged. Heavy rain cancels.

Sierra Club Griffith Park Tuesday Evening Hikes

**If you don't have a current waiver card, please come early (\~6:40pm on) to sign the required waiver form ("participation agreement") and get your *PINK waiver card*, good until the end of 2026.** Come and enjoy a great evening of hiking and conversation with fellow hikers. These conditioning hikes range in level from fairly easy (level 1) through moderate (levels 2 and 3) to advanced hikes (levels 4, 5, and 6). All levels have hills; terrain is sometimes steep with uneven footing. Because hikers are expected to maintain the pace set by hike leaders, newcomers should not hike above level 3 and may wish to start at level 2. >>>**On Tuesday & Thursday evenings, we offer \*simultaneous\* hikes at a variety of levels.** **While some levels may not be offered on a given evening, we try to cover a range of levels.**<<< Hikes are led by trained leaders and last approximately 2 hrs. Hikes begin at 7pm; newcomers should get there early to fill out a waiver and should carry the waiver card with them on the hikes. There are usually 30-60 people at the hikes. **What to bring:** Bring water and a light jacket in case it gets cold. Hiking boots/shoes or other shoes with good traction are necessary for the harder hikes (levels 3-5) and are strongly encouraged for all hikes; tennis shoes with good tread may be sufficient for the more moderate hikes (levels 1 & 2). Flashlights are optional; many leaders discourage their use except in emergencies. If flashlights are used, red lights are preferable as they interfere less with night vision. Please, no radios or other sound-producing devices that others can hear. If earbuds are used, please leave one out to maintain awareness of surroundings. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are at the discretion of the leader. This is a front country outing. **Contagious disease considerations:** Note that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people may be present; everyone is encouraged to keep their distance and respect each others' need to do so. Please do not attend if you are ill or have reason to think you might have a contagious disease. **If you test positive for a contagious disease within 3 days of a hike, please let us know through Meetup or by emailing GPNighthikes at gmail dot com.** Check the weather [https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/griffith-park/90027/hourly-weather-forecast/2626762](https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/griffith-park/90027/hourly-weather-forecast/2626762) **Directions** to Merry-Go-Round Lot #2 (also known as the Upper Merry-Go-Round parking lot): From Los Feliz Blvd just west of the 5, take Crystal Springs north into the park; you’ll soon pass a freeway onramp. After around a mile, you’ll come to a 4-way intersection, with the Ranger station on your right. Make a left (going west). At the top of the road you’re forced to turn right into the (unlit) lot #1. Drive through the lot and along the road that leaves the opposite corner. You’ll soon come to lot #2, which is lit. The Sierra Club meets at the far (north) end of the lot, by the stone steps. Going north on the 5 from Downtown LA, you can also get off at the Griffith Park exit and take Crystal Springs going north, following the directions above. Other routes go from near the Zoo or from Travel Town. You can get directions from this link: [https://goo.gl/q7QTtb ](https://goo.gl/q7QTtb).

Explore Griffith Park

Please read this entire write up. This is a moderately strenuous hike. The hikes are about 2 hours long and about 4 miles, and those miles include steep ascents and descents, most often on single track trails. Some trails can be uneven and slippery. We move at a fairly rapid pace. but pause occasionally to enjoy the scenery, smell the flowers, and take pictures of the amazing views. No two hikes are the same, and we go all over the park. Please don't be late, as we aim to leave on time, 5:00 p.m. Good idea to arrive around 4:45 so that we can start at 5:00 p.m. Don't forget to bring water and wear good hiking shoes with lug soles. A note re time -- hike start times change occasionally, depending on the weather and the time of year. Please check the start time when you sign up, but an e-mail will be sent out whenever the time is changed. . Please be aware that Assistant Organizers, Event Hosts, and support hikers are volunteers organize hikes without compensation and assume absolutely no responsibility for you or your guests. By signing up for a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and made your guests aware of the risks, dangers, and hazards associated with any outdoor activity, and you accept, and fully assume all such risks, dangers, and hazards, and further agree to release, and discharge the Organizer, Assistant Organizers, and Event Hosts from, and against any, and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. Please see the Meetup terms of service agreement http://www.meetup.com/terms/

Wednesday Warriors: 6.0 Mile Urban Hike South Pasadena, Fast Pace

Come join us for a FAST-paced urban hike around the winding hills and beautiful streets of peaceful South Pasadena. Enjoy the scenery, the Craftsman and Mid-Century Modern architecture, the cooler evening air, and the setting sun. **NOTE**: Before signing up, be sure to review the safety guidelines and policies below, including the 'No Crashing'/'Guests Must Also Sign Up' policy and the 'Timeframe for Cancelling an RSVP/Signup' policy. **LEVEL**: Advanced/Fast for speed (approximately 17-18 mins per mile), a few staircases, and some long street inclines, otherwise moderate plus. We are a friendly group that loves to socialize and encourages newcomers, but please note that moderate+ level of cardio fitness and fast walking speed are required. **LENGTH**: 6.0 miles, a few staircases, and some long street inclines. Elevation gain is 900ft. Approximately 2:00 hours. **SPEED**: Advanced/Fast speed of approximately 17-18 mins per mile. We will try to take a quick pause to re-group at the top of stairs and steep hills but our regulars like to keep up a good solid fast pace of about 17-18 minutes per mile. There will be no sweep, so bring your phone for navigation just in case you fall behind or want to leave early. **BRING**: Exercise outfit, workout shoes, and sufficient water. Also, be sure to bring a flashlight for when it's dark. **MEETING POINT**: We will meet at 6:00 pm in front of the South Pasadena Library (1100 Oxley Street, South Pasadena, 91030) for introductions and take off sharply at 6.05 pm. **RESTROOMS**: At the library. None along the way (unless you count any random Port-a-Potties that we might come across along the route). **PARKING**: Free street parking around the library area. Parking at your own risk. **'NO CRASHING'/'GUESTS MUST ALSO SIGN UP':** All participants MUST sign up through the Meetup app and check in with the leader upon arrival. If someone is a bringing a guest, then that guest MUST also sign up as well through the Meetup app *before* the hike if space is available. There are NO exceptions. The waitlist, if any, generally clears in order. Members with a good attendance record and a posted picture (LA Hiking Group rule) may get some priority. **CANCELLING AN RSVP/SIGNUP**: Please sign up only if you think there's a realistic chance that you will make the hike. If folks sign up and then decide that they can't make it, please be sure to change your RSVP to "Not Going" at least 24-36 hours before the scheduled time for the hike in order: (1) allow me to more accurately predict the number of participants on the hike, and (2) allow people on the waitlist to join the hike within a reasonable amount of time of the hike. Waiting until the last minute to cancel (or simply not showing up) is not fair to me and to other LA Hiking members. **PROFILE NAME AND PIC**: Be sure to update your profile to indicate at least your first name, and include a picture showing your face, per group policy. This is for your safety and to discourage non-signed-up crashers. **LIABILITY**: The organizer is an untrained and unpaid volunteer. By joining this event each member accepts full and total responsibility for knowing their limits, for all injuries and health issues, assessing all risks, for any material losses, for falling behind, and for getting lost. Each member fully releases the host from any and all liability.

The Studio City walk is back! Join us!

We’re doing the 5 ish mile Studio City walk again hosted by Lori and Eagle. We’ll pass by the Brady Bunch house, go through Toluca Village and walk through some cool neighborhoods. On our walk we’ll see the disco ball tree, the asshole tree, yard art, classic cars and other interesting landmarks. We do our best to keep walk in 2ish hour range. Comfortable shoes, water, flashlight and a good attitude are suggested items to bring. Hope to see you at our next urban walking adventure Lori can answer any questions you may have . Feel free to reach out. She aint large but she is in charge !