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    Stough Canyon Nature Center

    4.6 (103 reviews)

    Stough Canyon Nature Center Photos

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    Zipporah M.

    This is a moderate-advanced hike. You definitely want shoes that grip or hiking boots; dirt path with a good amount of rocks. Small parking lot but there's street parking a little further down the hill.

    Amy L.

    Truly a nice hike but not good for someone who is experiencing back pain or someone who cannot handle elevation. I came here around 7am after dropping off my sister's husband at the Burbank airport on a Saturday. My boyfriend was experiencing some back pain prior to the hike and I just brushed it off and told him to just walk it off. This hike is not meant for someone to "walk off pain" because there is so much incline. With incline, there is also decline which really destroys your already fragile body because you are walking at a consistent unfamiliar forward angle. The hike itself isn't too long and you can turn back whenever you want. It does loop around and it took us around an hour and a half to get down. The best thing is there are restrooms that are open early next to the nature center (even though the nature center opens at 9am). Plenty of street parking right with a bit of a walk then there is also actual parking at a lot which wasn't open when we got there at 7am (so it probably opens at 8am? Maybe). Overall, great hike, great views, and I would love to come back again!

    Sunset hike JUL2025
    Franklin M.

    This is a moderate trail where you can bring children or the elderly since it's not too difficult to get to the BUR airport overlook. The parking is free but there aren't too many spaces but we've never have had trouble finding a spot. If you love plane spotting then you will enjoy the overlook and see the flights take off and land.

    Looking down at DeBELL
    Mario Fierro P.

    It was a beautiful warm day, perfect for a bike ride! I rode my mountain bike from Vicory and Buena Vista up past DeBELL Golf Course . I rode my bike up to Strough Canyon Nature Center. After checking out the beautiful facility, I continued up the nature trail that starts there by the parking lot. The trail starts out with a gradual incline, then starts getting steeper as you go through the switch backs. I made it up to the first stop at the Half mile point. There is a bench there and a great view of DeBELL Golf Course. It was my first attempt to make it to the top. So I decided that would be a good first ride up the trail.

    Double-Date Hike
    Diana A.

    This hike is NO joke (especially the initial starting portion which is a bit of a climb) but it's a beautiful and well-maintained trail (all dirt). The trailhead has a nice restroom and a decent parking lot. The views of Burbank are unmatched at the top and there are some picnic tables to sit at to enjoy a snack or meal. I would definitely recommend this hike to others and I don't think you need a whole bunch of hiking experience to do this one. It's more of a decent walk on dirt with incline at a very points.

    Luke L.

    Stough Canyon Nature Center is a nice little getaway spot located just 15 minutes away from Hollywood Burbank Airport. It is also happened to be an entrance of the Stough Canyon Loop (2.4-mile loop trail). [Hours]: Sunday from 12 PM to 5 PM, Tuesday to Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM, and closes on Monday. [Parking]: There's a small designated parking lot and there were empty of spot when I got here on Sunday. [Activities]: The center offers docent led hikes such as Moonlight Hikes and Wild Creatures Walk. Other activities include Woodcarving Workshop, Story Owl Hour, and other recreational classes. [What's inside]: You will get to see western hognose snake, a touch table of tortoise shell/rabbit fur/t-rex tooth replica/deer fur, and information displays. I did not have any cellular reception, but luckily the center offers free Wi-Fi. The staff was friendly and I had a friendly & quick chat too. A great stop to check out for 15 - 30 minutes. P.S. - Restroom is available just outside of the center. P.P.S. - There's a short & hidden trail called Shane Colin Proffitt Trail and it's a nice 5-minute walk. The entrance is located right next to the center (just off the parking lot) and the trail loops back to the driveway entrance of the Stough Canyon Nature Center.

    Andishé F.

    Beautiful, clean and with lots of parking available. Come during the week if you can. The trails are less crowded and you can enjoy it all to yourself.

    Darren B.

    These trails are very well maintained and you can go as far or short as your little legs can go. If you're trying to do a loop with Wildwood or other canyons, you may have to do some road mileage to get back. The facilities are well maintained and it'd be nice if every trailhead in this Verdugo Trail System also had nice facilities.

    Rachel S.

    Been hiking here twice now, both times with my husband and our doggies. The first time we went up close to the top - not doing the full loop as I think its a 6+ mile loop. We went back down but took a narrower path that was a bit scary. This time we went back down the wider path - this was a nice 3 mile hike. I like this place because - one, there's a restroom there, two, if you can get there around 10am, it's not super crowded, three - the views are amazing, and lastly - it is dog friendly - dog bowl at the restroom area. There is a parking lot but we usually just find parking on the street right before.

    First view : towards downtown LA
    Orsolya D.

    This is one of those reviews that almost pains me to write. Why? Simply because I don't want people to find out about this spot. I am VERY anti-social when it comes to hiking. Not only do I take it seriously in terms of exercise but it is also when I meditate and reflect so I don't like to hike with others and that includes not liking other people on the trails. I am not a Runyan Canyon "be seen" sort of gal. All of my secret hiking spots always get discovered after a few years and I am pushed away. Hopefully, that won't happen here as, Stough Canyon is MINE. Stough Canyon is located in the Verdugo Mountains and has a sort of nondescript entrance past a golf course. There is an actual small nature center building which I can't speak on because I haven't been inside (I have seen children attending birthday parties here so I think it can be rented out). The hike and trails themselves are probably my favorite in the Valley due to the mixture of the scenery/views and the energy in the mountain. Laurel Canyon on the Valley side has odd vibes and has become "stuffy" but you won't find that at Stough Canyon. Stough Canyon is best described as an intermediate hike. There is an immediate incline of 2000 feet and all the trails continue upwards past that. There really aren't that many flat portions. The trails are wide but very rocky: this is the type of hike NOT good for children/strollers/dogs because there are loose rocks everywhere. You will be transported into imagining what life was like when California was discovered. Make sure to wear proper supportive shoes or you will hurt your ankles and gets sediment into your shoes. Not to mention, there is little shade aside from the natural shading from trees and sides of the canyon. Therefore, this isn't as "easy" as some reviews state but perfect for hiking aficionados such as myself. Lovely views hit you instantly with a nice look during the first incline at downtown LA. Once you bypass this and hit the first fork; left takes you to the Old Youth Camp outlook which has a tree and picnic table and the most amazing views of the entire Valley. Are you a plane lover? You are right above the Burbank Airport and can just sit and watch planes take off or gaze at downtown LA. In fact, in the far distance (a bit difficult to see because of our lovely smog); you can even see the ocean! You can see the barges and boats! This is definitely the spot for all of you trendy folk who like taking photos in yoga poses with a great view in the background. Making a right at the fork is the more common path. You will get all up in the Verdugo Mountains like girls at a Bachlorette Party on Channing Tatum. This trail is rockier but also has a more lush scenery and with really neat rocks (you can collect and find awesome river rock/gems perfect for collecting or jewelry making). The wonderful thing about these trails are that there are so many options. Aside from the main trails, there are many offshoots which mountain bikers zoom past on. I have spent 2 hours at once at Stough taking a 12 mile hike and there are still more paths to explore! It is amazing and SO perfect without all the kids and unleashed dogs you find on other "hikes" (those are called "walks", people. You aren't hiking!). There are snakes, lizards, and coyotes so be careful with that especially those who hike at night for the views. The major downfall? Parking. The parking lot is very small so you usually have to park along the road leading up to the canyon so basically you are already hiking up before you even begin the hike! Annoying. I could rave about Stough Canyon all day. But I won't because it is my spot and I don't want it bombarded. Long story short though, this is an intermediate hike with great views and a very natural, rocky setting. Definitely the best in the East Valley. Now go away!

    free, limited parking
    Melanie D.

    What a gem of a nature center in Burbank. Driving up to the parking lot, the roads are well maintained and the layout is orderly. Restrooms are clean, and they have toilets and sinks. The start of the running/hiking trail head is easily located as well. The only negative is that cell reception is very spotty and difficult to access, even at the parking lot. parking - free lot

    Great views from the look-out
    David L.

    Great hikes for beginners and moderate-types alike. Plenty of parking and road-side parking in case the lot is full.

    Eve D.

    I have been hiking this trail a few times, and today I made it to the tower. I was feeling very accomplished especially hiking up from Stough Cyn to the Vital Link and going down and out at Wildwood Cyn. Brutal, I made many rest stops as I felt my knees are giving up. I took nice photos & videos. Not sure when or if I will do this again. Glad I did though.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Stough Canyon Nature Center

    Is this hike okay for a 4 year old and 9 year old?

    It's a pretty tuff trail the best thing to do is try it before taking them. Unless there up for a challenge after the heat goes down.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Stough Canyon Nature Center

    I thought that I had a very long way to go because I thought the chair was at the radio tower!!

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    Johnny Carson Park

    Johnny Carson Park

    4.7
    (55 reviews)
    4.3 mi

    It's a great park for kiddos. Very pretty and big, so you can take a long walk or even a hike with…read morekids; it has, like, a small forest-type vibe because there are trees everywhere and even has a bridge over some water, like a small river type, but not really. It's cute. We came here for an event the park held called National Night Out, where they had a bunch of vendors and booths and gave out a bunch of free stuff to the kiddos. It was fun. The only downside is we did see a coyote here. Which is pretty dangerous, obviously. We saw some joggers who encountered it, and the coyote ran away when the joggers got close, but the joggers also kind of ran away lol. In other words, it's a nice park, but I would be cautious with coyotes.

    Went here for the Fall Festival. It was ok. It was more of a mini festival…read more For example, as far as food trucks went, there were only 2. One served burgers, fries, nachos, and soda, and the other served popsicles. I was relieved they even had those because at first I thought there weren't any food trucks at all. When I first went into the park, I wasn't even sure where the festival was. I just followed the people in front of me. We all followed the sound of a live band playing. Once we found the band, we could see a row of tents opposite of them. The tents were mostly for sign ups to performing arts for both children and adults, that's why I thought there wasn't any food. Then I realized the 2 food trucks were parked on the road close to the row of tents. Even the number of portable restrooms available was small, only 3, but again, better than none at all. As far as festivals go, you get what you pay for and since this one was free from parking to entrance, don't expect much. It's still something to do and a good excuse to spend some time at the park with nice weather. As for the park itself, it's clean and a way to enjoy nature in the city. There are even plaques talking about the L.A. River and a bridge to go over the water. Just know that you'll hear the constant sound of cars because of the nearby freeway. Plus, it being Burbank, you can't help but be surrounded by the entertainment industry. The park itself is named after late night host Johnny Carson, you can see the ABC skyscraper over the treetops, and when you see the mountain with the radio tower on top, you know you're looking at the backside of the Hollywood sign.

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    Playground
    Playground
    Half kids play structure
    Half kids play structure
    Johnny Carson Park is very scenic and community events take place often!

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    Johnny Carson Park is very scenic and community events take place often!
    McCambridge Park

    McCambridge Park

    4.2
    (91 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    I came here to relax on a nice sunny day with my son and had such a pleasant time…read more The place was packed since I'd come during a holiday, but there was still plenty of space for families to gather and set up picnics. There was also a ton of shade, which was great for us, and plenty of walkways for rollerblading or going for a stroll. They also have a large playground for kids, bathrooms, and courts for tennis as well. The park is very clean, and everyone I encountered was polite and friendly.

    I came here for the Memorial Day ceremony. I had never been to this park before and didn't know it…read morehad memorial plaques for people in our city who died in various wars. The ceremony included reading each of their names out loud and placing a rose on the plaque that matched the war they died in. WWII had the most roses and deaths. They had one of the fire trucks lift up a huge American flag next to the regular sized flags of the branches of our military which surround a pilar with a live flame. There was also a live band, singers, and flybys by planes in formation. It was a very solemn and respectful ceremony to honor those who died on duty. After the ceremony, I stayed at the park for a bit longer laying a towel on the grass under a tree. I don't know if it was just the spot I picked, but even though it was really grassy, underneath it was really muddy, like when I finally got up my towel was soaked through and so was my back. Then I got lost trying to find where I parked because the park is bigger than it looks and has 3 parking lots. I thought there was only 1, so I didn't pay that much attention when I walked towards the ceremony. When I tried getting back to my car I honestly thought it might have been towed. Now I know there's a parking lot by the building that leads to the swimming pool, another next to the swimming pool itself so you can actually see the water, and the last one is next to the tennis courts and baseball field. This doesn't include the parking spots all around the perimeter of the park. The park is clean, has plenty of playgrounds for children, tables and benches to eat at, and a public restroom. It's not the quietest of parks, though, since there are so many children and it's next to a busy intersection, like during the ceremony a trash truck and a random car honked their horns in support of the ceremony. Otherwise, it really is a nice park with plenty of amenities.

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    McCambridge Park
    McCambridge Park
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    Nice dayy
    Pacific Park

    Pacific Park

    4.2
    (10 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    This place is amazing place yo relax. The strong winds but still makes you feel calm. The games…read moreof pickle balls, basketball, frisbee make you feel at home. With all the busy world you need a Mother Nature sense of being just like going to the beach to reenergize yourself to release negative energy and place positive energy by walking on the grass for 15 minutes does the trick you need to take time to do that for yourself. Happy new year kindness forward. This is great for your little one i highly recommend this park.

    I love walking my dogs in this park which is very close to home. There is a lot of shade provided…read moreby abundant trees. This park is excellent for parties and picnics. There are two picnic areas to choose from: Picnic area #1 is roofed while Picnic area #2 is under the trees. What do people love about this place? There are two playgrounds here: one is for kids aged 2-5 while the bigger one is for children aged 5-12. There is also a childcare facility and restroom which is very accessible wherever side of the park you may be. There is also tons of street parking. For the sports buff, there is a tennis court, basketball court, and a football field with stadium. The park could get really busy any moment of the day so if you're planning a party, come early. A group of 20 or less no permit but must come early to secure spot. There are also lots of cool places to visit nearby. It is right next to Valhalla cemetery where the Portal of Wings is located. It is also beside the Armory where army tanks, jeeps and trucks are parked. There is also a shrine dedicated to Larry Maxam, a Burbank hero who served during the Vietnam war. The only downside of this place is being too close to the airport. It is actually along the path of airplanes taking off. Kids do really get excited in the sight of jumbo airplanes right above your head but it could get really loud when it passes by.

    Photos
    Soccer club practices at LA City Parks in San Fernando valley, very affordable.  https://linktr.ee/tfasfv
    Soccer club practices at LA City Parks in San Fernando valley, very affordable. https://linktr.ee/tfasfv
    Pacific Park
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    Studio City Recreation Center

    Studio City Recreation Center

    4.0
    (60 reviews)
    7.2 mi

    People don't do much reviews on parks. Why? I don't know. I have been to this park 4 times in the…read morepast. I truly like this park very much. It's close to home and offers a lot of activities to do. It has children's playground equipment, 2 basketball courts, 4 BIG, tennis courts, a dirt track, clean bathrooms, picnic area, nice spacious landscape and the most important, it's kept nice and clean. This park is one of my favorite parks in Studio City. They have recreation areas and can let you sign up for sports/classes that interests you. Recently, I had taken few classes with couple of their teachers/coaches and they are WONDERFUL! Earlier this morning I went to play tennis with one of my friends. Tennis is one of my favorite sports to watch and to play. We don't keep score. We just like to play and have fun. You can walk, jug, people walk their dogs, kids, they have picnic areas and do a lot of kids birthday parties.. or you can just simply sit in silence and enjoy nature, the sunlight and have a good, peaceful time. Private lot parking, or street nearby parking. They are closed on Sundays. Kind of weird, but it's their rules, not mine. That's when people usually spend time with their families. I am not going to dock a star for that since it meets all the other amenities & requirements.

    Quaint- Tennis courts, baseball area, and lots of space for a neighborhood park…read more Construction impedes the walking path so as of September 2024 it isn't very relaxing. I'm hoping to find a public track & field type of walk/run path in the valley! The sand is nice on my knees but annoying when ends up in my shoes!

    Photos
    Trees and beautiful nature..
    Trees and beautiful nature..
    Part of the Children's Playground.
    Part of the Children's Playground.
    My tennis racket.

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    My tennis racket.

    Stough Canyon Nature Center - hiking - Updated July 2026

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