What to go for a hike but don't have time to leave Los Angeles? If you live near the Hollywood Hills or Studio City, Fryman Canyon may be the perfect place to get an hour of outdoor exercise. The 3-mile loop on Betty B. Dearing Trail passes through Wilacre Park in Lower Fryman Canyon and Coldwater Canyon Park, dishing out just 450 feet of elevation gain. The loop covers a variety of... Read more.

On the east end of the Verdugo Mountains between Glendale and Burbank, there is a scenic 6.15-mile loop on wide dirt service roads. North and South Beaudry Motorways circle past Tongva Peak and Mount Thom, which rise above the micro-range's eastern ridges. The high point of the loop, and a highlight of the hike, is a scenic overlook on the 2,656-foot summit of Tongva Peak. There are big... Read more.

The boldly named Angel Vista is one of the top viewpoints in the Santa Monica Mountains, a coastal range running between Los Angeles and Ventura. Angel Vista soars over Thousand Oaks, presenting panoramic views of the west end of the range, which includes the Boney Mountains, the rocky crown of Santa Monicas. A few trails lead to the vista point, including the 7.6-mile round trip trek up... Read more.

Los Robles Trail in Thousand Oaks crosses a chaparral-covered mountainside leading to Angel Vista, one of the premier overlooks on the north side of the Santa Monica Mountains. There are a few routes to the viewpoint, including this 7.6-mile round trip hike up the east end of West Los Robles Trail. The hike charts a steady course along a mountain slope, gaining 800 feet to reach the vista... Read more.

Charmlee Wilderness Park is perched on a bluff overlooking Malibu's alluring coast. Operated by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (previously the city of Malibu), this 590-acre park has eight miles of interwoven trails, making it easy to build your own hike between two to four miles, easy to moderate. In spring, Charmlee puts on a champion's display of wildflowers. The... Read more.