Day Trippin' › California › From Los Angeles › Best hikes
Our picks for the best hikes within 3 hours of Los Angeles: 53 places, 22 under an hour away, 17 between 1 and 2 hours and 14 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 90012.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Sturtevant Falls, 27 min northeast of Los Angeles.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0
#1 · State park · 49 min southeast
Beach, tide pools and coastal bluff trails with historic cottages.
Heads-up: Reserve cottage dining ahead (confirm before you go). Open with some service restrictions; day use 6am to sunset; parking fee.
Photo: APK, CC BY-SA 4.0
#2 · Small town · 1 hr 47 min east
A cool pine-forest village under Mount San Jacinto with art shops, cafes and trailheads.
Heads-up: Winding mountain road. Snow and ice possible in winter. Mountain village; San Jacinto Ranger District office in town; snow Dec-Mar.
Photo: Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0
#3 · Hike · 2 hr 26 min east
A loop to an old dam with petroglyphs and sometimes water that draws birds.
Heads-up: Little shade. Water is not always present. 1.1-mile loop; water is seasonal.
Photo: Kayamon (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
#4 · State park · 27 min west
A historic ranch with polo fields, a short loop trail and views toward the ocean.
Heads-up: Burned in the Palisades fire. Inspiration Loop only partly open (confirm before you go). Reopened with limited access Nov 2025 after Palisades Fire; ranch house and stables destroyed; some areas…
Photo: The original uploader was Geographer at English Wikipedia., CC BY 2.5
#5 · State park · 36 min west
Easy hikes to a rocky pool, the old M*A*S*H set site and views of Malibu Canyon.
Heads-up: Fire recovery status (confirm before you go). Closed on red flag days. Official page loads; the closure wording was only about fire-safety/firewood rules. Check park page for trail status.
Photo: Blervis, CC0
#6 · State park · 38 min east
Rolling grass and oak hills with trails for hiking and mountain biking.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Rattlesnakes are common. Open 8 AM to 5 PM in winter; closes 48+ hours after rain over 1/4 inch and during Red Flag Warnings
Photo: Thomas from USA, CC BY 2.0
#7 · Landmark · 46 min north
Tilted rock slabs used in many movies and TV shows, with easy trails.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Bring water. LA County park, closed Mondays; winter hours roughly 8am-5pm; nature center may be under construction.
Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 3.0
#8 · State park · 1 hr west
Mountain trails, sea cliffs and canyon walks along the coast near Ventura County line.
Heads-up: Point Mugu State Beach closed at times for high tide in fall 2026 (confirm before you go). Trails close on red flag days. Open with restrictions; La Jolla day use and group camp shut for maintenance…
Photo: Antandrus at English Wikipedia, Public domain
#9 · Garden · 1 hr 39 min west
Native California plant garden with trails, historic dams and views.
Heads-up: Best in spring when wildflowers bloom.
Photo: BookOfDisquiet, CC BY-SA 4.0
#10 · Hike · 1 hr 44 min east
A canyon with a clear creek and stream-side picnic areas just outside Palm Springs.
Heads-up: Flash floods after storms. Hot in summer.
Photo: Jean trans h+, CC BY-SA 4.0
#11 · State park · 1 hr 54 min north
Colorful cliffs and canyons where the Mojave meets the Sierra. Easy trails and camping.
Heads-up: Very hot in summer. Dirt roads. Open sunrise to sunset; some areas closed for storm damage and vehicle restrictions
Photo: Z3lvs, CC0
#12 · Hike · 1 hr 54 min east
A fan-palm oasis on the San Andreas Fault with easy short trails.
Heads-up: Heat in summer. Stay on trails. Part of Coachella Valley Preserve; open sunrise to sunset; visitor center closed in summer.
Photo: Dsyrengelas at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
#13 · Zoo · 1 hr 57 min east
A desert zoo and garden in Palm Desert with giraffes, cheetahs and a wildlife trail.
Heads-up: Opens early in hot months. Bring water and a hat.
Photo: Taken by Antandrus, Public domain
#14 · State park · 2 hr 5 min west
Rugged coast with a pier, hot springs hike and long trails.
Heads-up: Check the park for hot spring trail conditions.
Photo: Ikes, CC BY-SA 3.0
#15 · State park · 2 hr 31 min southeast
A mountain park of oaks and pines with trails, a lake and views toward the desert.
Heads-up: Cold and snow in winter. Prescribed burns are planned (confirm before you go). Open, no closures listed; call for fire restrictions (760-767-4037)
Sturtevant Falls (27 min), Placerita Canyon Natural Area (32 min), Terranea and Palos Verdes Coastal Trails (32 min), Topanga State Park (33 min), Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (37 min), Yorba Linda Santa Ana River Trail (38 min), Solstice Canyon (40 min), Santa Ana River Trail (43 min), Mount Baldy Village (48 min), Newport Back Bay Loop (49 min), Heisler Park and Tide Pools (51 min), Icehouse Canyon Trail (52 min), Bridge to Nowhere (52 min), Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (54 min), Mount Rubidoux (57 min), Santa Monica Mountains Backbone Trail Sections (59 min), Mount Baldy and Baldy Notch (1 hr 4 min), Lake Perris State Recreation Area (1 hr 13 min), Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area (1 hr 15 min), Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve (1 hr 17 min), Kern River Parkway Trail (1 hr 46 min), Indian Canyons (1 hr 46 min), Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail (1 hr 51 min), Daley Ranch (1 hr 51 min), Mount San Jacinto State Park (1 hr 53 min), Cougar Crest Trail (1 hr 59 min), Mission Trails Regional Park (2 hr), Potato Chip Rock via Mount Woodson (2 hr 2 min), Palomar Mountain State Park (2 hr 10 min), Oasis of Mara (2 hr 20 min), La Purisima Mission State Historic Park (2 hr 27 min), Cottonwood Spring Oasis (2 hr 30 min), Laguna Mountains Recreation Area (2 hr 40 min), Hidden Valley Nature Trail (2 hr 46 min), Cholla Cactus Garden (2 hr 47 min), Santa Cruz Island Day Trip (2 hr 51 min), Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes (2 hr 56 min), Kaweah Oaks Preserve (2 hr 56 min)
Our top picks are Crystal Cove State Park (49 min), Idyllwild (1 hr 47 min), Barker Dam (2 hr 26 min), Will Rogers State Historic Park (27 min) and Malibu Creek State Park (36 min). The page lists 53 places in all.
53: 22 under an hour away, 17 between 1 and 2 hours and 14 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 90012.
Sturtevant Falls, about 27 min northeast of Los Angeles.
14 need no pass or fee, including Idyllwild, Mount Rubidoux and Santa Ana River Trail. Fees change, so check each place.
41 of the 53 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.