Dog-friendly Trails in Los Angeles

Below is a collection of over 50 hikes around Los Angeles that allow canine accompaniment. As a general rule, national forests and national recreation areas are dog-friendly, opening up plenty of trails in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and the Angeles National Forest, LA’s two biggest parks. California state parks do not usually allow dogs on trails, but city and county parks do. The most dog-friendly park in LA is the well-known Runyon Canyon Park, where there are actually off-leash areas where dogs can run free. Dogs are also allowed to be off leash under direct supervision in Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park and a few other parks around Los Angeles. On other trails, dogs are expected to be on a leash. Rattlesnakes are prevalent around LA, especially in the spring, so be careful hiking with your dog.

Bailey catches her breath on Upper Canyonback Ridge

Good trails for dogs around Los Angeles

These dog-friendly hikes are separated by region and listed alphabetically to make it easy for you to get outdoors with your dog. Enjoy!

Santa Monica Mtns.

 

	Beacon Hill This 2.75 to 3.9-mile hike in Griffith Park climbs 500 feet to the easternmost summit in the Santa Monica Mountains.
	Bee Rock This hive-shaped point on the east side of Griffith Park is reached via a 1.7 to 4-mile round trip hike.
	Bronson Cave This short easy hike visits a man-made cave recognizable as the Batcave from the 1960s Batman TV series and hundreds of other locations on TV and film.
	Cahuenga Peak from Wonder View Trail This 3-mile hike ascends 925 feet to Cahuenga Peak and the adjacent Mount Lee, home of the Hollywood Sign.
	Calabasas Peak This 3.6-mile hike travels an easy-to-follow fire road, climbing 1000 feet to panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains and San Fernando Valley.
	Castro Crest from Latigo Canyon Road This 3.8-mile hike crosses a green canyon and Climbs to scenic saddle below Castro Peak.
	Corral Canyon This 2.5-mile loop offers ocean and canyon views from a unspoiled section of the Santa Monica Mountains in Malibu.
	Escondido Falls This 4-mile out and back visits a 200 foot waterfall that is split into two tiers. The upper tier is 150 feet tall and stunning after a rainstorm (but the trail is steep and may be difficult for small dogs).
	The Grotto This 3-mile out and back visits a remote grotto in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Dogs are permitted along the trail, but not allowed over the last 1/8 mile through the grotto itself.
	Hondo Canyon This fairly well maintained section of the Backbone Trail crosses fields of grains and forests of Bays, climbing 1500 feet over 3.8 miles.
	Lower Canyonback Trail This 4.2 mile hike ascends Canyonback Ridge from Kenter Ave. in Brentwood to the Mountain Gate Country Club Estates.
	Mandeville Canyon to San Vicente Mountain Loop This 5-mile hike incorporating a few trails, taking a DWP road up to Westridge to visit San Vicente Mountain, before crossing Mulholland Drive and Canyonback Ridge to return to Mandeville Canyon via Hollyhock Fire Road.
	Mount Lee and the Hollywood Sign This 6.4-mile hike crosses Griffith Park from Canyon Drive to the top of Mount Lee directly behind the landmark Hollywood Sign.
	Old Zoo Picnic Area This half-mile hike explores the abandoned exhibits and animal cages in the ruins of the old LA Zoo in Griffith Park.
	Paramount Ranch This segment of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area includes Western Town, an outdoor set cast as frontier towns in TV and film since the 1950s. There are also several miles of hiking trails to explore.
	Red Rock Canyon The trails in the beautifully sculpted Red Rock Canyon are 2.5 and 5.2 miles in length.
	Runyon Canyon This 1.65 or 2.65-mile loop tours the most popular dog park in Los Angeles. Both loops offer good exercise and views over Hollywood.
	Saddle Peak from Stunt High Trail This 8.2-mile hike combines Stunt High Trail and a section of the Backbone Trail to visit the 6th tallest summit in the Santa Monica Mountains.
	Saddle Peak from the Backbone Trail This 2-mile hike approaches Saddle Peak from the east.
	Sandstone Peak This 6-mile loop summits the tallest peak in the Santa Monica Mountains.
	San Vicente Mountain from Mulholland Drive This 2-mile hike approaches the peak from the east and offers views to the north and south en route to the old Nike Missile site.
	Solstice Canyon This two-mile out and back is easy and level, and visits the ruins of a burned down ranch and a small waterfall.
	Sullivan Canyon This 8.5-mile round trip hike follows a wide trail up the center of a sycamore-filled canyon.
	Sullivan Ridge A prominent lone-standing Live Oak along Sullivan Ridge makes a natural turnaround point and a 7.5 to 8.3 mile round trip hike.
	Topanga Lookout This 2-mile visits the site of an old fire tower that still offers great views of the surrounding mountains.
	Trebek Open Space This 2.5-mile hike incorporated Bantam Trail and Castair Trail in a park adjacent to Runyon Canyon.
	Tuna Canyon Park This 1.6 to 5.1-mile hike offers spectacular ocean views from a less-visited park between Topanga and Malibu.
	Upper Canyonback Trail This 3 mile hike descends Canyonback Ridge from Mulholland Drive to the Mountain Gate Country Club Estates.
	Upper Solstice Canyon This 5.5 to 6.5-mile hike travels the Backbone Trail across Upper Solstice Canyon from Corral Canyon Road to Castro Crest, with the option to hike an extra half mile up Newton Road toward Castro Peak.
	Westridge Trail to San Vicente Mountain This 7.4-mile hike travels a scenic ridge between a Brentwood neighborhood and a summit that was once used as a Nike Missile site.
	Zuma Canyon Trail This 2.8-mile hike leaves a coastal Malibu neighborhood to explore rustic Zuma Canyon.
	Zuma Canyon Ocean View Trail – Canyon View Trail Loop This 3-mile loop demands more effort than the Zuma Canyon Trail and provides great ocean and canyon views.
	Zuma Ridge Trail This wide dirt service road which weaves northwest up the back of the ridge west of Zuma Canyon offering access to several trails in the area.

 

San Gabriel Mtns.

 

	Baldy Bowl – Ski Hut The Baldy Bowl – Ski Hut Trail offers a steep but scenic ascent up the south side of Mt. Baldy, crossing 4.5 miles and 3900 feet to the summit.
	Baldy Notch To hike the scenic Devil’s Backbone to Mt. Baldy, you must pass through Baldy Notch. You can hike to the notch, or take a ski lift.
	Bridge to Nowhere This adventurous 10-mile round trip hike reaches an abandoned and out-of-place bridge with a unique history.
	Cooper Canyon Falls This 3-mile hike leaves from Buckhorn Campground and visits a short waterfall in an enchanting glen of tall pines.
	Crystal Lake This 1 1/3-mile round trip hike visits the only naturally occurring lake in the San Gabriel Mountains.
	Dawn Mine This 6-mile hike from Millard Campground leads past Millard Falls to an old gold mine.
	Devil’s Backbone This 3.2-mile ridge-top trail between Baldy Notch and the summit of Mt. Baldy offers incredible views of the San Gabriel Mountains.
	Eaton Falls This 3-mile hike visits a 40-footer.
	Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail This 5.8-mile hike visits a historic railway and ruins from a century old resort overlooking Pasadena.
	Fish Canyon Falls This 4-mile hike starts at a rock quarry with restricted access and ends up at a multi-tiered 80-foot waterfall.
	Hermit Falls This 2.5-mile heads down canyon away from Sturtevant Falls toward a 30-foot waterfall. The lush canyon and the babbling creek are quite calming.
	Hoegees Camp This 4.25-mile hike follows Lower Winter Creek Trail through a beautiful wooded canyon to a backcountry campground with fourteen first-come first-serve sites.
	Icehouse Canyon Trail to Icehouse Saddle This 7.2-mile hike climbs 2,600 feet through a picturesque canyon to a saddle with panoramic views and extended hiking opportunities.
	Lower Zion Trail The trail from Hoegees Camp up Mt. Zion is 1.5 miles long.
	Millard Falls This one mile hike visits a 50-foot waterfall up one of the most scenic canyons in the range.
	Mount Baldy Loop This 11.3-mile hike incorporates the Devil’s Backbone and the Baldy Bowl – Ski Hit Trail into one see-all loop.
	Mount Waterman This 5.5-mile hike gradually ascends 1300 feet, passing through a pine forest to reach the round summit of Mt. Waterman.
	Rubio Canyon Trail This 1.3-mile round trip hike ventures into a rustic canyon to a double waterfall.
	San Antonio Falls This 1.2-mile hike visits a multi-tier waterfall along the trail to Mt. Baldy.
	San Gabriel Peak from Mt. Disappointment Fire Road This 6,161 foot peak is reachable via a 4-mile round-trip trail from Mt. Disappointment Fire Road.
	San Gabriel Peak from Mt. Lowe Fire Road This 6,161 foot peak is also reachable via a 3.2-mile round-trip trail from Eaton Saddle.
	Santa Anita Canyon Loop This 9.5-mile loop visits a two peaceful creeks, a 60 foot waterfall and plenty of beautiful wilderness.
	Smith Mountain This 7-mile hike ascends 1,800 feet to a 5,111 foot summit with panoramic views over the San Gabriel Mountains.
	Spruce Grove Camp This 8-mile in-and-out or 9.5-mile loop takes hikers beyond Sturtevant Falls to a backcountry campground with seven first-come first-serve sites.
	Sturtevant Falls This 3.25-mile hike visits a 60-foot waterfall and a lush cottage-lined canyon.
	Switzer Falls This 4.5-mile hike starts out above and finishes below a 50-foot tall waterfall.
	Trail Canyon Falls This 4-mile hike visits a 40-foot beauty on the east side of the San Gabriel Mountains.
	Upper Winter Creek Trail This 2.75-mile long trail can be used to extend Santa Anita Canyon Loop or create a 4.85-mile loop with Lower Winter Creek Trail.
	Upper Zion Trail The trail from Spruce Grove Camp up Mt. Zion is 1.5 miles long.

 

Palos Verdes Pen.

 

	Lunada Canyon Trail This short trail explores an overgrown canyon between two residential ridges inland of Lunada Bay.
	Seascape Trail This level family-friendly 1.5-mile hike explores scenic coastal bluffs north of the historic Vicente Point Lighthouse.
	White Point Nature Preserve This 1 to 2.5-mile hike explores an open space containing a military bunker built to defend the west coast during World War II.

 

Elsewhere

 

	Community Trail This 2.5-mile hike delivers views over Los Angeles from Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in the Baldwin Hills.
	La Tuna Canyon This 4.4-mile round-trip hike follows a fire road to the top this small mountain range north of Burbank.
	Lizard Rock To add extra mileage and views to a visit to Paradise Falls in Thousand Oaks, consider placing Lizard Rock on your itinerary.
	Paradise Falls This 40-foot waterfall is located within Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks and is reachable via several trails.