Free parking You can park in any of the lots!…read more As long as they don't have an event or concert at the rose bowl, it's free! Tons and pets and people run, walk, and bike the loop in both directions Plenty of people bring their strollers too! The loop is completely paved. Such a lovely and easy walk that you can do during the day or at night. The entire loop is about 3 miles long and can be done in less than 1 hour for me and I'm walking! The loop has tiny bits of shade, but you are pretty much exposed to the sun so I would suggest packing a hat, umbrella, and sunscreen :)

The Rose Bowl Loop Track is popular with fitness buffs who enjoy exercising in the great outdoors…read morewhile enjoying a lovely view of the SGV mountains. People run, walk, bike, or skate around the 3.3-mile course that encircles the historic Rose Bowl stadium and the adjacent golf course. The 5k loop is often used for fundraising walks & runs. The course is relatively flat and trees provide shade along the way. I enjoy running the loop early in the morning or bringing my dogs for an evening stroll. My dogs enjoy the occasional squirrel sighting during their walks, and I enjoy the exercise in the fresh air. If you are looking for something more challenging, there are dirt trails on the side of each hill across from the walk. Public restrooms are available and you can grab a bite to eat at Brookside restaurant if you work up an appetite.

This park is an incredible birding hotspot and a true sanctuary for nature lovers. The semi-wild…read morelandscape, filled with native oak trees and hardy scrub, provides a diverse habitat that attracts birds of all sorts--especially in the early morning. It's a great spot to see a variety of species of birds against the beautiful backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains. The park is peaceful and well-maintained. Whether you're a serious birder or just looking for a tranquil place to hike and enjoy the local wildlife, this park is a local gem that shouldn't be missed! Note: There is a frisbee golf course there if that is your thing.

Great mountain biking trails! I had a fantastic time there. I highly suggest checking them out.read more

This place is the jackpot if you like birding and bridges!! Bare with me bc I'm about to share a…read morebutt load of pics! I think this hike may have been the most pics I've ever taken in one sitting (well over 350 - but I'm not sharing that many ok lol)!! This is a very easy hike - it can be as long or as short as you want it to be. We did about 6 miles. And it's almost completely flat - AllTrails says 160 feet but my AllTrails recording logged 230 feet - either way it's minimal. There are some optional stairs that have neat views as well. A lot of the trail is rocky and bumpy, and there was a ton of mud bc of all the rain - but still easy. And there's a little trail construction going on but it's easy to maneuver around. It's also a very busy trail. We arrived right before 8am and there was a moderate crowd - not too bad. But by 9am it was pretty packed. Luckily the trail is very wide so it's easy to keep your distance and not feel like you have someone on your heels constantly. There are some really great features on this hike - all sorts of surprises in all sorts of nooks and crannies! There's a huge archery range - who knew?? It's well marked so it easy to stay out of the way and safe. There weren't any archers when we started but tons had assembled when we were leaving! I'll be coming back to watch them next time bc it's such a neat range! There's a "casting pond" which was so totally random and I'd never seen or heard of anything like it before!! It's a huge, shallow "pond" of sorts, with these rings scattered around - I'm guessing it's for people to practice their casting techniques for fishing. The water was super clean too! And the birding - omg don't get me started on the birding wow!! I'm an avid birder and this place was heaven for me! I even managed to catch one of my life-list birds here!! Huge day for me (my fellow birders will understand lol)!! A female Red Shafted Northern Flicker!! Not to mention the Yellow Rumped Warbler, California Scrub Jays, tons of Lesser Goldfinches, Mallards, and House Finches, and even an Oak Titmouse!! It was a smorgasbord of birdies!! Totally unexpected for such an "urban" hike. And then there's the bridges...soooo many bridges concentrated in one area - like 5-6 bridges!! And they're all beautiful - especially with the mountainous backdrops! You can even walk under most of them. The most famous is the Colorado Street Bridge - aka "Suicide Bridge" - kinda cryptic but everyone seems to call it that so you desensitize. You can also walk on this one, which I highly recommend bc it's a true beauty, from above and below. There are numerous trail options along this huge route - looks like it links up to the rose bowl loop too. It's easy to find and has a dirt parking lot - it definitely filled up fast (was full by 10am) but again, it was a Saturday morning. I'll definitely be back anytime I'm needing to do some serious birding!

I've been on a little running kick in 2021 and on a search for more interesting routes near my…read morehouse, I discovered the Lower Arroyo Seco. I've always preferred running on a trail versus cement, so I was so happy to find a soft trail to run on that's not too far from home. I've been twice now and it appears that the trail is an out and back, although there are some river crossings (I think that's what you would consider them) so perhaps you can veer off and make things a little more interesting. I love looking up at the Colorado Street Bridge and getting a change of scenery--Pasadena really is a special place. While you're definitely out in nature, you're also spending a lot of time looking at a wire link fence and the cement river bed. Still, I like that this place is flat (running in the mountain trails near Pasadena seems, well, challenging) and I actually like that there are a fair number of people around since I've grown increasingly fearful of snakes and wildlife as I've gotten older. I've only come on weekdays so it's really not too busy, but do be sure to bring and wear your mask as you will see other people there. There's a parking lot onsite but also a few entries from the street (Arroyo) if you're on foot. I've always run here from my house so I haven't tried the parking situation, but this is a pretty quiet neighborhood and it seems like you could park on the street and walk down if the parking lot was full (although, you might just want to opt for some other sort of excursion if it's that packed during COVID times).

This trail was an absolute CF. I've been on better primitive trails. It is one way in and one way…read moreout no other options. There are NO maps and little trail indicators. You'd be better off walking barefoot on a coral reef. You cannot actually enjoy the trail because you have to always look down so that you don't trip and break your neck. I do not recommend, do so at your own risk.

I've pretty much always lived near a sewer line/bike path. Growing up in Hawaiian Gardens it was…read morenear the 605. When I lived on the outskirts of Cypress it was still right there next to me across the street. Now that I live in Whittier I've discovered this wonderful path that goes all the way from Baldwin Park at one end to the beach at the other. This path spans about 30 miles and it is both scenic, horrifying, and polarizing when it comes to how the conditions for the ride goes. When you go east towards the Santa Fe Dam the winds are with you and the riding isn't too difficult. But when you go west towards Long Beach the winds are hitting you in the face like palm strikes. It is a bit of a doozy but if you want that workout it is a great one. The surroundings can go from beautiful rivers that lead to the ocean to dry river banks filled with trash and homeless settlements. It can even have something in between where nature has taken back the area and lush fields of grass and trees occupy the space. It goes near highways and homes and really gives you a journey you never expected. I love finding new things every time I ride, from the houses that are built right next to it to the horse trails running parallel. If you want to stay socially distanced but still want to explore in a manner away from populated streets and spaces I highly recommend getting on a bike and going down this wonderful riverway.

Great local hike with well-mantained trails and great signage, making it hard to get lost. It's…read morearound 2.5 miles long, not too strenuous, and made a perfect walk before work. There are plenty of native plants to look at, if that's your thing. Great views of Glendale and Los Angeles. Free parking in the lot.

My first hike of the 2024 year!…read more Catalina Verdugo Trail is a 2.8-mile loop trail near Glendale Sports Complex in Glendale, California. This trail is considered an easy route, with an elevation gain of 550 ft which takes an average of 1 h 24 min to complete. If you want to lengthen your hike, the CVT interconnects with Ridge Motor Way. The C.V. trail begins at the back of the soccer field (walk adjacent by the wired fence). I suggest visitors park at the very end of the parking lot. The loop ends at the entrance of the sport's complex by the baseball field-parking lot. I hiked the CVT today around noon with no humans on sight. It's just me and nature. The trail has a short steep elevation at base and mostly flat at top; trailhead has narrow single file path, copious tree shades, budding flora-fauna, and three rest benches. It's nice to hear the sounds of wild life despite the noise of The (2) freeway. The highlight of my hike was seeing a hummingbird. Overall, it's a nice quick easy hike and a good cardio/leg workout. I recommend this trail.

I liked it. I wouldn't classify it as hard. The trail is a smooth fire road all the way to the top…read more It is a steady incline, but not terribly steep. There are a few alternatives for side tracking, but I stuck with the mapped trail. Absolutely no shade, but if you wear a nice white hat, you'll be fine. Telecommunications tower at the top. Great views off in the distance. Great geology close up. Read up on the interesting geology of the Verdugo Mountains, and you'll get a little more out of the trail-side scenery.

It is three miles up and a gain of 2,200 feet to get to the top of Mount Thom aka Mount Verdugo…read more This is eastern peak of the Verdugo Mountains which lies in the City of Glendale is about 2,450 feet above sea level. When you are near the top it feels a lot higher than it is. It is such a landmark when you are driving on the 2 Glendale Freeway or the 134 because it just looms over the City of Glendale. The Verdugo Mountains are right in the middle of the suburbs, but no development is allowed, thank goodness. I believe the Verdugos contains around 4,000 acres. There are black bears and one was just spotted and tranquilized on the northwestern side of the range. They look brown, but the Grizzly bears have not been seen since the early 1900's. There are also mountain lions and I believe they have been spotted on the Burbank side. There are lots of native chaparral, live oaks, sycamores and non-native pine trees that were planted after some of the forest fires in the past. The view is really is incredible on the Los Flores Motorway Trail and I bet you can see the ocean on a clear day. On your way up to the top you will have an unbelievable view of Glendale, Downtown L.A. and Griffith Park. As you approach the top you will be able to see Burbank, Universal City and the Crescenta Valley. You can't really stand on the very top of Mount Thom because of the large communication tower and the heavy duty fence that surrounds it. You will be able to see a few other roads up at the top. One is the Beaudry Motorway Loop and the Verdugo Motorway. Here is a map: http://parks.ci.glendale.ca.us/pdf/COG_TrailsAndFireRoadsBrochure.pdf Read my earlier review of where to park for this particular route. Make sure you look at the signs because there is a lot of permit parking and red curbs. We parked about a 1/4 mile from the beginning of the fire road.

I am so happy to have found this park - so so beautiful and relaxing. I wanted to do an evening…read morestroll and found this park on google map. I loved how there was a designated free parking area. We went on a Saturday evening and there was plenty of parking. I love how it also feels like an easy hiking trail with lots of greenery trees and plants to see. We walked around the park and it led up to a beautiful view of Los Angeles with the sunset. It was truly so peaceful and enjoyable throughout the trail. I loved every bit of. It was also super clean - no trash to be seen so I am so happy the community does their part in taking care of this park. I am definitely going to come back here and take my parents.

Ascot Hills Park is one of my favorite hiking trails in LA. It's about a 2-mile hike--short enough…read moreto fit into a busy day, but still a great workout with plenty of cardio. What I really love is that it feels like a hidden gem right in the middle of the city. There's plenty of parking, and the park itself is kept pretty clean. The big payoff is at the top--the views of Downtown LA and Dodger Stadium are absolutely beautiful and worth the climb. The only downside is the restrooms. I personally wouldn't use them since there are often homeless people around that area, but it doesn't take away from how enjoyable the trail is overall. If you're looking for a quick hike with gorgeous city views and a spot that's not overly crowded, Ascot Hills is definitely worth checking out.

THE RESERVOIR IS FULL OF WATER =============================…read more Eight inches of rain in November of 2025 has really filled up the Devil's Gate Dam Reservoir. It's really nice walking or riding bikes over the dam and seeing the pretty scenery. You can access the roads and trails via the intersection of Oak Grove Drive and Berkshire or the multiple access points on the east side of the dam.

Devils Gate Dam is one of those places that feels straight out of an urban legend. Getting there…read morewas half the fun - a little hike, a little adventure, and then boom... you're face to face with this massive rock formation that legit looks like the devil's face carved into stone. Creepy but awesome. The tunnel itself? Yeah, definitely has that "horror movie" vibe. Dark, echoey, and unsettling enough to give you chills -- in a good way. I was honestly surprised it didn't smell musty or gross inside, which made exploring it even better.