Beginner Hiking Los Angeles

Backpacking: Kings Canyon

**Multiple Day backpacking trip. Only experienced people should join. This is a serious trip and not anything like a day hike.** **If interested please contact me for further details, including how to obtain a wilderness permit.**

TGIF Full Moon Hike Sturgeon Moon

**## Details** **TGIF Full Moon Friday Night Hike to Mt Hollywood** **Sturgeon Moon** **Intermediate level - elevation gain 1200 feet.** **Pot luck dinner party at the top! Bring your favorite dish or specialty. Please bring your own plate, cup, and utensils.** **5 miles round trip - not a beginner hike however beginners have been known to make it, nonetheless. No child left behind....** **NOTICE\*****\*******************************\*****We will meet at 6:30 at the STEPS of Parking Lot #2 (the Merry Go Round parking lot) - North end of the lot.************************ **Hike on various trails and roads to get to the top where we have picnic tables at Mt. Hollywood.** **We will share the food we bring at the top.** **This will be a 3 plus hour event. We should be back to the parking lot by 10:00 PM. OK to leave early if you know the way back.** **Dogs Ok, owners must be on leash** **DISCLAIMER: Group organizer and assistant organizers assume no liability; hike at your own risk. By being a member of this group you hereby agree to assume all risks and liability related to or resulting from any group functions. You agree that neither you nor any third party will hold any of the group's leaders, officers, or representatives liable for any injury, loss, or damage to your own person or any members of your family, friends, acquaintances, children, pets, or property, arising directly or as a consequence from a group activity. You also agree that your membership of this group is based on an "at will" basis.** **Lee Zebold, Eagle Lightning and Scott Hathaway** **Hike Leaders/Coordinators**

Sierra Club Griffith Park Thursday Evening Hikes

**Please come early (\~6:40pm on) to sign the required waiver form ("participation agreement") and get your *new PINK waiver card*, good until the end of 2026.** Come and enjoy a great evening of hiking and conversation with fellow hikers. These conditioning hikes range in level from fairly easy (level 1) through moderate (levels 2 and 3) to advanced hikes (levels 4, 5, and 6). All levels have hills; terrain is sometimes steep with uneven footing. Because hikers are expected to maintain the pace set by hike leaders, newcomers should not hike above level 3 and may wish to start at level 2. >>>**On Tuesday & Thursday evenings, we offer \*simultaneous\* hikes at a variety of levels.** **While some levels may not be offered on a given evening, we try to cover a range of levels.**<<< Hikes are led by trained leaders and last approximately 2 hrs. Hikes begin at 7pm; newcomers should get there early to fill out a waiver and should carry the waiver card with them on the hikes. There are usually 30-60 people at the hikes. What to bring: Bring water and a light jacket in case it gets cold. Hiking boots/shoes are necessary for the harder hikes (levels 3-5) and are strongly encouraged for all hikes; tennis shoes with good tread may be sufficient for the more moderate hikes (levels 1 & 2). Flashlights are optional; many leaders discourage their use except in emergencies. If flashlights are used, red lights are preferable as they interfere less with night vision. Please, no radios or other sound-producing devices that others can hear. If earbuds are used, please leave one out to maintain awareness of surroundings. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are at the discretion of the leader. This is a front country outing. **Covid Considerations:** Note that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people may be present; everyone is encouraged to keep their distance and respect each others' need to do so. Masks are optional. Please do not attend if you are ill or have reason to think you might have Covid. **If you test positive for Covid within 5 days after a hike, please let us know through Meetup or by emailing GPNighthikes at gmail dot com.** Check the weather https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/griffith-park/90027/hourly-weather-forecast/2626762 **Directions** to Merry-Go-Round Lot #2 (also known as the Upper Merry-Go-Round parking lot): From Los Feliz Blvd just west of the 5, take Crystal Springs north into the park; you’ll soon pass a freeway onramp. After around a mile, you’ll come to a 4-way intersection, with the Ranger station on your right. Make a left (going west). At the top of the road you’re forced to turn right into the (unlit) lot #1. Drive through the lot and along the road that leaves the opposite corner. You’ll soon come to lot #2, which is lit. The Sierra Club meets at the far (north) end of the lot, by the stone steps. Going north on the 5 from Downtown LA, you can also get off at the Griffith Park exit and take Crystal Springs going north, following the directions above. Other routes go from near the Zoo or from Travel Town. You can get directions from this link: [https://goo.gl/q7QTtb](https://goo.gl/q7QTtb) .

Sierra Club Griffith Park Moonlight Hike

**Moderate hike to a vista in the park (\~4 to 5 miles RT, \~1100 ft elevation gain); bring a food item to share or for yourself.** Leashed well-mannered dogs welcome. **Gather at 6:45pm and sign waiver sheets; hike begins at 7pm and lasts around 2 1/2 hours.**(Waiver form is separate from those used for the regular evening hikes.) No beginners or tigers, please. (Tigers are super-fast hikers who wouldn't be satisfied with a moderate pace.) For those familiar with our Tuesday/Thursday evening hikes, the socially-paced hike will be similar to a level 2 or 3. There are usually between 10 and 25 hikers on the Moonlit hikes; not everyone RSVPs on Meetup. **What to bring:** Water, a light jacket in case it gets cold, and a food item to share or for yourself. Hiking boots/shoes are recommended. Flashlights are optional; many leaders discourage their use except in emergencies. (If used, colored lenses such as red help preserve others' night vision). Leashed, well-behaved dogs welcome. This is a front country outing. **Rain in the park at the time of the hike cancels.** Check the weather: [https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/griffith-park/90027/hourly-weather-forecast/2626762](https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/griffith-park/90027/hourly-weather-forecast/2626762) **Directions to Merry-Go-Round Lot #2:** From Los Feliz Blvd just west of the 5, take Crystal Springs north into the park; you’ll soon pass a freeway onramp. After around a mile, you’ll come to a 4-way intersection, with the Ranger station on your right. Make a left (going west). At the top of the road you’re forced to turn right into the (unlit) lot #1. Drive through the lot and along the road that leaves the opposite corner. You’ll soon come to lot #2, which is lit. The Sierra Club meets at the far (north) end of the lot, by the stone steps. Going north on the 5 from Downtown LA, you can also get off at the Griffith Park exit and take Crystal Springs going north, following the directions above. Other routes go from near the Zoo or from Travel Town; you can get directions from this link: [https://goo.gl/q7QTtb](https://goo.gl/q7QTtb) .

Sturtevant Falls and Hoegee’s Campground – 7 miles, 1500’ elevation gain

FRIDAY--Easy Night walk around Silverlake

Silverlake can be quite beautiful at night. Walk is mostly easy 2.2 miles RT around the lake. Walk is approx. 1 hour. There is short uphill on this walk--approx. 10 minutes Some members go to the local Oyster bar afterwards. **Rain will cancel walk. Dogs ok as long as on leash.** Parking: Street parking. There is more parking when you park along the lake --along W. Silverlake Dr.

O: Franklin Canyon Park – Intro to Hiking

Brown Mountain Dam Waterfall - A Shady Hike in Arroyo Seco

Dying for you: an Echo Park Stairwalk

Join me for some stair walking in Echo Park, including the twin towers of Baxter St. And Avalon St, and a jaunt through the peaceful Fellowship Parkway, a street accessible only by stairs. This is my first time leading a walk on Meetup (!) but I have walked these stairs many times, so I promise not to get (too) lost. **LEVEL**: Intermediate. I won't be walking super fast, but there are a lot of stairs on this hike. Probably best if you've done other stairwalks in the past. **LENGTH**: 4.6 miles, 10 big up stairways and 8 down, plus various hills. **SPEED**: A good pace, but not aggressive. We'll take short pauses at the top of some of the bigger stairs. **BRING**: Wear comfortable clothing and comfy shoes. Other than a short bit in Elysian Park, we'll be mainly on roads and stairs, so hiking shoes aren't necessary. Bring plenty of water, wear sunscreen, etc. **LOCATION/PARKING**: We'll meet at the corner of Echo Park Ave and Avalon Street. The Dodgers are out of town, so hopefully street parking won't be too bad. **RESTROOMS**: Sadly none unless we find a port-a-john. **LIABILITY**: The organizer is an uncompensated and untrained volunteer. By joining this event each member accepts full responsibility for knowing their limits, for all injuries, health issues, material losses, assessing all risks and for getting lost. Each member shall make their guests aware of these policies and releases the host from all liability.

Sierra Club Griffith Park Tuesday Evening Hikes

**Please come early (\~6:40pm on) to sign the required waiver form ("participation agreement") and get your *new PINK waiver card*, good until the end of 2026.** Come and enjoy a great evening of hiking and conversation with fellow hikers. These conditioning hikes range in level from fairly easy (level 1) through moderate (levels 2 and 3) to advanced hikes (levels 4, 5, and 6). All levels have hills; terrain is sometimes steep with uneven footing. Because hikers are expected to maintain the pace set by hike leaders, newcomers should not hike above level 3 and may wish to start at level 2. >>>**On Tuesday & Thursday evenings, we offer \*simultaneous\* hikes at a variety of levels.** **While some levels may not be offered on a given evening, we try to cover a range of levels.**<<< Hikes are led by trained leaders and last approximately 2 hrs. Hikes begin at 7pm; newcomers should get there early to fill out a waiver and should carry the waiver card with them on the hikes. There are usually 30-60 people at the hikes. **What to bring:** Bring water and a light jacket in case it gets cold. Hiking boots/shoes or other shoes with good traction are necessary for the harder hikes (levels 3-5) and are strongly encouraged for all hikes; tennis shoes with good tread may be sufficient for the more moderate hikes (levels 1 & 2). Flashlights are optional; many leaders discourage their use except in emergencies. If flashlights are used, red lights are preferable as they interfere less with night vision. Please, no radios or other sound-producing devices that others can hear. If earbuds are used, please leave one out to maintain awareness of surroundings. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are at the discretion of the leader. This is a front country outing. **Covid Considerations:** Note that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people may be present; everyone is encouraged to keep their distance and respect each others' need to do so. Masks are optional. Please do not attend if you are ill or have reason to think you might have Covid. **If you test positive for Covid within 3 days of a hike, please let us know through Meetup or by emailing GPNighthikes at gmail dot com.** Check the weather [https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/griffith-park/90027/hourly-weather-forecast/2626762](https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/griffith-park/90027/hourly-weather-forecast/2626762) **Directions** to Merry-Go-Round Lot #2 (also known as the Upper Merry-Go-Round parking lot): From Los Feliz Blvd just west of the 5, take Crystal Springs north into the park; you’ll soon pass a freeway onramp. After around a mile, you’ll come to a 4-way intersection, with the Ranger station on your right. Make a left (going west). At the top of the road you’re forced to turn right into the (unlit) lot #1. Drive through the lot and along the road that leaves the opposite corner. You’ll soon come to lot #2, which is lit. The Sierra Club meets at the far (north) end of the lot, by the stone steps. Going north on the 5 from Downtown LA, you can also get off at the Griffith Park exit and take Crystal Springs going north, following the directions above. Other routes go from near the Zoo or from Travel Town. You can get directions from this link: [https://goo.gl/q7QTtb ](https://goo.gl/q7QTtb).

Runyon Canyon Conditioning Workout hike

This is an Intermediate/advanced hike for physical conditioning to prep for harder mountain hikes. There is some steep downhill requiring hiking shoe tread. The uphill is gradual but constant. Pace is Intermediate/advanced. You can do one loop and exit or multiple. I usually do 3. Each takes about 50 minutes. I normally arrive at 8:55am. We will leave at 9 am sharp. MEETING PLACE : I will be right inside the green iron gate near the water fountain just off Mulholland Parking : parking lot near entrance gate. More parking on Mulholland but pay attention to signs. RAIN CANCELS This is a loop I do weekly. Each loop is approximately 2 miles/50 minutes. You can do as few or as many as you want. We'll go down the fire road to East ridge then come up West ridge fire road. I usually do 3 laps. You can exit at the Mulholland gate after any lap. Our Policy: Profile photo: Anyone interested in joining this event must have a profile photo showing his/her face. This is a requirement of L.A. Hiking. Without it, you will not be allowed to sign up for an event. Waiting list priority: People who hike with with L.A. Hiking regularly will be given priority when they are on the waiting list. Advanced hikes: Anyone interested in participating in advanced hikes (>3,000' elevation gain or distance > 10 miles or Difficulty Level > = 7) will be subject to prescreening before his/her name will be added to the list. Therefore, interested hiker must share with the event host his/her recent hiking background to establish proficiency before his/her name will be added to the list. Guests are not allowed on advanced hikes. Early departure: If a hiker needs to be separated from the group for any reason, he/she must inform the event host. Not knowing a hiker's where about may prompt the event host to report a hiker's missing to proper authority for further actions. No show: If you sign up for an event but did not show up, you will be removed from the next event you sign up. No minor: Meetup user agreement and our liability waiver can not be agreed to by a minor. Therefore, you and your guest must be over 18 to participate in our events. No drug: Zero tolerance for all illegal drug use. *** Warning: If you have prior medical condition or a family history of illnesses pertaining to heart, lungs, brain, etc. that can be aggravated by heat and physical exertion, this is not the hike for you. If you have never done a hike of this distance or difficulty before, this hike will be very difficult for you. It may well be your death march. The mountain is not going anywhere. We will schedule this event again in the future. Do it when your mind and body are ready. Hiking is a recreation, not a suicide mission. Release of Liability: The organizer (me) of this trip is a volunteer and is not a professional guide. The function of the organizer is only to organize this trip. Each person who signs up for a trip/hike/or outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests. By signing up for this trip, or any other event organized by me, you are acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the organizer (me) of this hike from and against any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. L.A. Hiking, its organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers are not responsible for any injuries or accidents that may occur carpooling to and from this event, or for any injuries or accidents incurred before, during, and after this event. If you sign up or participate in an event you acknowledge that you freely and voluntarily agree to assume all risks of injuries and damages arising from, as a result of and associated with this event. Read less

Explore Griffith Park

Please read this entire write up. This is a moderately strenuous hike. The hikes are about 2 hours long and about 4 miles, and those miles include steep ascents and descents, most often on single track trails. Some trails can be uneven and slippery. We move at a fairly rapid pace. but pause occasionally to enjoy the scenery, smell the flowers, and take pictures of the amazing views. No two hikes are the same, and we go all over the park. Please don't be late, as we aim to leave on time, 5:30 p.m. Good idea to arrive around 5:15 so that we can start at 5:30 p.m. Don't forget to bring water and wear good hiking shoes with lug soles. A note re time -- hike start times change occasionally, depending on the weather and the time of year. Please check the start time when you sign up, but an e-mail will be sent out whenever the time is changed. . Please be aware that Assistant Organizers, Event Hosts, and support hikers are volunteers organize hikes without compensation and assume absolutely no responsibility for you or your guests. By signing up for a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and made your guests aware of the risks, dangers, and hazards associated with any outdoor activity, and you accept, and fully assume all such risks, dangers, and hazards, and further agree to release, and discharge the Organizer, Assistant Organizers, and Event Hosts from, and against any, and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. Please see the Meetup terms of service agreement http://www.meetup.com/terms/