LA gets written off as a car city, but the trails here are genuinely some of the best in the country — and many visitors never find them. This is my personal edit of the hiking and biking trails I return to every week, from coastal paths with ridicul...
One of those places that makes you forget you're twenty minutes from the city
Topanga State Park
The canyon views here hit differently on a clear morning — worth every step
Malibu Creek State Park
The coastal stretch here is my go-to reset when I need sea air and open space
Will Rogers State Beach
Smooth, well-maintained, and long enough to actually feel like a proper ride
Santa Clarita Bike Trails
Still genuinely under the radar, which is exactly why I keep coming back
Simi Valley Trails
One of the quieter Malibu routes that rewards you with scenery most people drive straight past
Zuma Canyon Trail
The classic for a reason — ocean the whole way from Santa Monica to Venice Beach and never gets old
Santa Monica Bike Trail
Wide open oak woodland that feels worlds away from the LA sprawl and one of my favorites for biking
Cheeseboro Canyon Trail
A gorgeous connector trail that locals know about and tourists almost never find
Las Virgenes Canyon
The elevation gain is real but the reward at the top makes it one of my favorites
Nicholas Flat Trail
One of LA's largest parks and somehow always peaceful — a proper hidden gem. It's a serious climb though!
O'Melveny Park Trail
A gentle, shaded trail that's perfect for an easy morning without the crowds
San Francisquito Creek Trail
That mix of coastal sage and dramatic canyon walls makes this one genuinely special. Another of my all-time favorite places to go biking
Sycamore Canyon
Worth the drive out — flat(ish), scenic, and one of the most relaxing rides near LA
Ojai-Ventura Bike Path
The rock formations here are unlike anything else in the area — always surprises people
Red Rock Canyon Park
Star Wars anyone? Otherworldly landscape that looks like nothing else in Southern California
Vasquez Rocks
The Palos Verdes coastline view from the top is one of the best in all of LA
Parker Mesa Overlook Trail
Steep and scrubby and totally worth it — one of those trails you feel good about finishing
