la hiking Archives | a quiet girl in a noisy city

Hike to the MAS*H Site & See a Part of Television History

Malibu Creek State Park is a beautiful 8,000-acre park nestled in the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains. It may well be the most beautiful area in the area: hilly plains stretch for miles, dotted with oak and sycamore, overrun with colorful wildflowers, and surrounded by stunning mountain peaks. And, as if all this isn’t more than enough, this park contains something extra special.

Forty years ago, this gorgeous estate was home to 20th Century Fox’s location ranch, where they filmed dozens of films and television shows. The most notable of these was the hugely popular show M*A*S*H, which ran from 1972 until 1983, and generally considered one of the best television shows of all time. In this beautiful park that is now open to the public every day from dawn until dusk, a few choice set pieces from this iconic show remain.

The famous wooden signpost from the show still stands to mark the site’s location, along with a pair of rusting vehicles: a military ambulance and the remains of a jeep. While the medical tent was removed with the show’s wrap, its location is clearly marked, and numerous informational signs and photographs posted there give you an idea of what the area was like during production.

A small shed containing a variety of Korean War memorabilia has been added to the site, as well as a small picnic area. And of course, there is the famous hill that acted as the show’s helicopter landing pad.

The hike out to the M*A*S*H site is just over two miles from the parking lot. The path is fairly flat and reasonably shaded until you get close to the site and lose the tree cover. There are dozens of other beautiful hiking paths in the park as well, so I highly recommend that you stay and explore!

Quick facts about Malibu Creek State Park & the MAS*H Site:

Open daily, from dawn until dusk.

Best time to go: Anytime, but try for a cooler day. There are large areas without shade, which can be brutal in the summer heat.

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 4.75 miles round-trip (but longer if you explore the other trails)

Time: 2 hours

Elevation gain: 200 feet

Cleanliness:

What to bring: Snacks, lunch, and plenty of water.

Dogs are allowed the parking lot and campground only; they are not allowed on the hiking trails.

Address: 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Cornell, CA, 91301

Parking: $12 (covers same day parking to any California State Park and/or Beach)

If you liked this, you’ll also enjoy Hiking to Sandstone Peak and Hiking Mount Lee to the Hollywood Sign.

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Erika

Silver Lake Reservoir

I don’t spend a lot of time talking about it these days, but I happen to be a runner. While I enjoy running around my cozy neighborhood, I appreciate a change in scenery once in a while. At these times, I like to explore some of the runner-friendly locations around Los Angeles. Silver Lake Reservoir is one of my favorites.

Located in the Silver Lake region of East Los Angeles, Silver Lake Reservoir is actually a pair of reservoirs surrounded by a 2.2-mile running trail. The trail is mainly a dirt path, which joins up with sidewalks on the northernmost and southernmost ends. It weaves past a number of parks, a community center, a nursery school, and a large dog park. There’s a decent elevation change (the total change in elevation is about 200 feet), making the path useful for assorted styles of race training. It is dog-friendly, and extremely popular with walkers and runners of all types. It’s rare that I visit the reservoir and not spot someone I know. And, because of the stunning views afforded by the reservoir, the area has become home to numerous celebrities, whom you may encounter on the trail.

I appreciate the safety of running at Silver Lake Reservoir. The path is wide and well protected from heavy traffic. In my own neighborhood, I frequently find myself avoiding traffic at crosswalks and driveways. My neighborhood’s narrow sidewalks force me to change my pace and stay alert when navigating other pedestrians. At Silver Lake Reservoir I can just run. There are no streets to cross and there is plenty of room for walkers and runners to pass each other with ease. I find my running experience to be very relaxing. You’ll often find me getting in a long run or even an easy walk.

If you’re looking for a new place to run in Los Angeles, I highly recommend a visit to Silver Lake Reservoir.

Quick facts about the Silver Lake Reservoir running trail:

Always open.

Best time to go: There’s a lot of sunlight on the trail, so stick to cooler times of day or try to go early in the morning or later in the evening when the surrounding hills block some of the sunlight. These times tend to draw more crowds, as do weekends, but I personally find the crowds more manageable than the heat.

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 2.2 miles round-trip (loop)

Time: It takes roughly an hour to walk the full loop. If you’re running, it depends on your pace.

Elevation gain: Approximately 200 feet

Cleanliness:

Parking: Street parking is available in the neighborhoods around the reservoir. I usually park on the street north of the reservoir, and have never had trouble finding a spot.

Dogs allowed on leashes (but can run free in the dog park!)

Silver Lake Reservoir contains 795 million gallons of water, almost none of which is used to provide water to the citizens of Los Angeles. The water became contaminated in 2007, and the reservoir was permanently taken out of commission. The northernmost section of the reservoir, known as Ivanhoe Reservoir, was drained and refilled, and remains in service. It is covered with millions of black plastic balls that protect the water from contamination.

Silver Lake Meadow is a three-acre park located on the eastern side of the reservoir — the perfect place for afternoon picnics and kite-flying.

The Silver Lake Dog Park is located to the south of the reservoir and includes separate areas for large and small dogs.

If you liked this, you’ll also enjoy 6 Reasons I Love Running and Learning to Scuba Dive.

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Erika

Hiking to Sandstone Peak

After last month’s disappointing hike to Eaton Falls, I decided to make it up by sharing one of my favorite hikes in the LA area: Sandstone Peak.

Soon after I moved to Los Angeles, my husband (who was then merely a classmate and newfound friend) and I began searching for fun activities in the area to become more familiar with the city. This was how we discovered the “100 Things to Try in LA Before You Die” bucket list from popular LA-based blogger Caroline on Crack. Both of us being adventurous, we decided to attempt to complete as many items from the list as possible. This hike was one of our earliest excursions. We loved it so much, we’ve been back several times.

A handful of eager classmates joined us in our first attempt to complete this 6.25-mile loop. Unfortunately, we arrived later than intended, found the temperature to be warmer than expected, and realized we were in worse shape than we had thought. We hiked 1.5 miles up the steep hill to the peak, enjoyed the beautiful views, and signed the register to announce to the world that we had succeeded in reaching the Santa Monica Mountains’ highest point. Then we turned back for the parking lot.

Not to be discouraged, we planned a second attempt a few months later, this time determined to finish the loop. A larger group of our classmates joined us for round two. This time we began in the opposite direction, heading downhill along the Mishe Mokwa trail to Split Rock. We stopped for a picnic lunch and enjoyed the shade before continuing towards the peak. The path between the parking area and Split Rock is the nicest part of the trail due to the abundance of shade, greenery, and the occasional creek. You won’t have much shade after this area, so be prepared.

As you hike gradually uphill towards the peak, you’ll see some beautiful views. Unlike Eaton Falls, this trail is well-cared-for and better appreciated by its hikers. I can’t recall seeing trash or any kind of graffiti on our three visits to the trail. As a result, I was able to appreciate the beauty of my surroundings and the company of my friends. The added difficulty of this hike is completely worthwhile.

When we reached Sandstone Peak for our second time, we felt a true sense of accomplishment. I felt it mainly in my legs and feet, but also in my heart. We had hiked almost five miles to get to this point, and we basked in this as we took a few minutes to look out over the sunlit mountains. We felt miles away from the bustling city of Los Angeles and from our impending film school assignments. We each signed the register once more, then began our descent.

Quick facts about the Sandstone Peak hiking trail:

Open daily, most parking lots open 8AM to sunset, year-round.

Best time to go: We went on weekends, but did not find the hike particularly crowded. We occasionally passed other hikers on the trail and were the only ones in the picnic area when we stopped for lunch.

Difficulty: Intermediate

Distance: 6.25 miles round-trip (loop)

Time: Several hours.

Elevation gain: 1075 feet

Cleanliness:

What to bring: Snacks, lunch, and plenty of water.

Dogs allowed on leashes.

Trailhead located one mile north of Circle X Ranch. Parking lot across the street.

Circle X Ranch address: 12896 Yerba Buena Road, Malibu, CA, 90265

Parking is free.

If you like this, you’ll also like Hiking Mount Lee to the Hollywood Sign and The Abandoned Griffith Park Zoo.

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Erika

Hiking to Eaton Falls

We’ve had beautiful weather in Southern California recently, so Eric and I decided it was time to get back into hiking. We grabbed a few friends and headed up to the San Gabriel Mountains (north of Pasadena) to explore Eaton Canyon.

Eaton Canyon is located within a 190-acre nature preserve at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Its most popular feature is a 40-foot waterfall at the top of Eaton Canyon Trail, which happened to be our destination on this particular Sunday morning. As it turned out, we were not alone.

Be sure to arrive early for this hike. We pulled into the parking lot around 9:30 AM to find it completely full. Thankfully, there was an overflow lot with a few spots open, but even these were filling quickly.

The hike itself is fairly easy. Depending on where you park, it’s about 3.5 to 4 miles round trip. Most of this is on a flat, wide, dirt path, which is quite easy to follow. A few trails lead off the main path in different directions, but are clearly marked, so it would be difficult to lose your way. We were able to follow the massive crowd of people heading towards the falls, which helped us to know we were going in the right direction.

Once you’re about half a mile from the falls, you’ll cross under a tall bridge and meet up with the creek. Here is where the hike gets a bit tricky, as you’ll be doing a bit of climbing and creek-crossing, but even this is not too difficult. Many of the people we passed on our way to the falls did not look like experienced hikers and were at varying fitness levels, so this hike really is for just about anybody. We saw people of all ages. We even saw a woman in full make-up dressed in skinny jeans and heels, though I question whether she actually made it to the falls.

We knew we had arrived at the falls when we saw the giant crowd of people. Here is where I emphasize again that you should begin this hike early in the day, or perhaps on a weekday. There were at least 100 people milling about in this tiny canyon, enjoying the cool water and the beautiful waterfall.

Luckily I was able to sneak around to the right of the falls and capture some decent, unimpeded photos. Most of the people in the canyon were hesitant to get in the water because of how cold it was. An attention-seeking couple jumped in for a few minutes to make out under the falls (so romantic, I’m sure, with all those people standing around), and I was able to see that the water was about two feet deep. Our friends, who had done this hike in the past, commented that the pool was much lower than their last visit, but I was glad to see that the water was still flowing. With California’s ongoing drought, who knows how long these falls will be here?

Because this hike is so popular, it is unfortunately frequented by people who don’t seem to care much about preserving its natural beauty. We noticed a significant amount of graffiti and trash. One thing that particularly upset me was the frequent sightings of bagged dog poo littering the ground. I’m not quite sure why people think this constitutes cleaning up after your dog!

After completing this hike, I can’t say that I would recommend it.While the falls themselves are beautiful, my experience was much less special due to the huge crowds and the poor condition of the trail. I may give it another chance one day, when I can go at a less popular time. Until then I’ll continue to explore other natural areas of Southern California in the hopes that I’ll find some that are better appreciated.

Quick facts about Eaton Canyon:

Park open daily from sunrise to sunset, year-round.
Best time to go: Very early. Weekdays.
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3.5 to 4 miles round-trip
Time: 2 to 3 hours
Elevation gain: 375 feet
Cleanliness:
Dogs allowed, but must be kept on-leash.
Free parking on-site. Overflow parking available.
Location: 1750 North Altadena Drive, Pasadena, CA

A few easy Los Angeles hikes that you’ll enjoy more: M*A*S*H Site and The Abandoned Griffith Park Zoo.

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Erika

Experience History at the Abandoned Griffith Park Zoo

Exploring abandoned places can be a fun yet dangerous activity, and any major city has their share of interesting sites. Los Angeles is no exception. My personal favorite is the abandoned Griffith Park Zoo.

The zoo first opened in Griffith Park in 1912, and its popularity quickly outgrew its size. By the late 1950’s, Los Angelians realized a new zoo would have to be constructed and broke ground two miles to the north. When the Los Angeles Zoo opened in 1966, the animals moved from their small, stuffy cages to newer, roomier habitats. The Griffith Park Zoo was left abandoned.

Today, the old zoo is a converted picnic area and hiking trail. Many of the cages have been left open for you to explore.

It’s located on the east side of Griffith Park, in a secluded area that tends to stay hidden from tourists and locals alike. To get there, enter Griffith Park from Crystal Springs drive and follow the signs to the Merry-Go-Round. Park in the lot north of the Merry-Go-Round and follow the path west until you come to a staircase leading up to a clearing. Once in the clearing, look to the left and you’ll be presented with your first sight of the old zoo: the man-made caves that were once home to a variety of animal species.

You may recognize these caves; they were used in the 2004 film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy as a backdrop for the “panda watch” scenes.

Beyond the caves, you’ll find a path that leads up and around the back of the caves. You can follow this for a short hike to a few more animal cages and other abandoned zoo maintenance buildings. You may also continue to the right along the paved path where you’ll discover an old bird sanctuary and a whole row of old, rusty cages. Make sure you save plenty of time to explore because there’s a lot to see!

As with all abandoned locations, use extreme caution if you decide to enter any cages or stray from the pathways. A few areas of the old zoo are fenced off and, despite the large holes in the fences, you are not actually allowed to enter these areas. Because abandoned structures do not receive any upkeep, they are at risk to crumble or cave-in without warning. The old zoo appears to be sturdily built, but I’ve noticed bits of rebar poking out from walls and broken glass littering the floors. If you get hurt climbing around in areas you’re technically not supposed to be, it’s nobody’s fault but your own.

Naturally, people explore these closed-off areas of the zoo all the time. There’s a plethora of amazing photography online to prove it. Just know that if a park ranger finds you in a fenced-off area, they will ask you to return to the path. I’ve never been chastised beyond this, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be.

And unlike many abandoned places, there are plenty of areas of the old zoo that you’re actually allowed to explore! The long line of animal cages on the west side are my absolute favorites, especially when the plant life gets overgrown (they trim it back on occasion). Many of these cages are left open for you to enter and look around.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a picnic lunch and head to Griffith Park to explore a fascinating piece of Los Angeles history!

Quick Facts about The Old Zoo:

Open year-round. 6am to 10pm daily.
Best time to go: Virtually any time of day, unless it’s raining.
Nearby activities: Merry-Go-Round (weekends year-round and weekdays during summer months), hiking trails, Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival (summer months only)
What to bring: Hiking shoes, sunscreen, and a picnic lunch.
Getting there: Drive into Griffith Park via Crystal Springs drive. Follow the signs to the Merry-Go-Round and park in the parking area. Walk due west until you reach a staircase leading to a clearing and picnic area. The old zoo will be to the left.
Cost: Free!
Family friendly.