Los Angeles, California hiking is primarily located in Topanga Canyon. Topanga Canyon is located just northeast of Malibu and the Pacific Palisades. Topanga Canyon offers a convenient 1/2 day hiking experience within Los Angeles city limits. It is the only park of its kind to have such beautiful views of both urban sprawl and the pacific ocean in Malibu.
I am all for supporting our state parks and recreational areas, but this is one site that is not worth paying for parking. Parking costs $6, but just in front of the entrance (about 30 ft) you can park on the side of the road and walk into the park.
The park is dog friendly, but make sure to have them on a leash while you walk past the ranger station. There are about a dozen trails in topanga Canyon, but each one has its own special ending. If you are looking for a longer hike you can mix and match a few of the trails to create your own custom hike. Eagle Rock is one of the shorter trails, but it is a spectacular choice for an older group or one with younger children. If a 3 mile hike is what you are interested in then take the Topanga Fire Road to the Parker Mesa Overlook for your scenic view ending. Some of the recommended trails include.......
Waterfall Santa Ynez- 2.0 Mi (Don't bother going in the middle of the summer)
Pacific Palisades- 4.6 Mi
Abuelitas is our only stop for lunch When you are done working up an appetite drive into Topanga for a meal at Abuelitas Mexican Restaurant. Abuelitas is located just across the street from the small strip mail, the sign is a little hard to see, but let the smell of burritos and tacos bring you in. You should expect some local hippie server that is in a chipper mood and ready to lighten up your day with great food and service to match. If you happen to be in Topanga in the evening Abuelitas is the only bar arround. You can usually plan on a local band for a small cover, but more importantly the beer is COLD!