A compilation of tracks, trail runs, protected paths, and FKTs in Los Angeles.
LA Tracks Open to the Public
| Aviation Park | Manhattan Beach | Hours TBD |
| Burbank HS | Burbank | 6am-10pm; when school is not in session and there are no events (early morning/weekends/summers) |
| Cypress College | Cypress (border of LA/OC) | Hours TBD |
| Downey HS | Downey | Hours TBD |
| Glendale Community College | Glendale | $75 annual fee; More info/join here Daily Mornings: 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM *hours subject to change weekdays Evening Hours: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM *no Tue/Thu Holidays: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM |
| Santa Monica College | Santa Monica | 7:15pm-10pm M-F 8am-10pm Sat/Sun |
| South Pasadena HS | South Pasadena | 2:30pm-10pm Afternoon and evening hours subject to change depending on when HS events are taking place Public Use of Facilities Doc |
| West LA College | Culver City | Sunrise to Sunset Open to Culver City residents when no college activities are scheduled |
Popular LA Trail Running Routes
Gabrielino Trail to Brown Mountain Dam
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Location: Angeles National Forest, La Cañada Flintridge
Distance: 7 miles, mixed terrain
Gain: 600 ft
About: This mostly flat and shady course runs on a mix of groomed and rocky trail, following the Arroyo Seco to a towering dam waterfall. There are a ton of water crossings and it’s busy after 10am.
Pro-tip: add mileage by doing a loop on the path/road around Hahamongna Watershed Park
Caution: This route is unrunnable during rains as the water crossings are impassable & dangerous
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Location: Santa Monica Mountains, Tarzana
Distance: 7 miles/7.5 miles from free parking, smooth terrain
Gain: 900 ft/1,000 ft from free parking
About: This fire road run has only a few climbs each way and is easy to follow (just a couple turns), making it a great entry-level mid-length trail run. The views along the way are stunning and the climb to the top of the Nike Tower itself gets you a stunning 360 of the city.
Pro-tip: add mileage by running past the Nike Tower right turn on Dirt Mulholland to the gate & back (+1.5 miles) or continuing on Dirt Mulholland past the trail to parking & back (it continues another 3.8 miles each way)
Location: Santa Monica Mountains, Pacific Palisades
Distance: 7.3 miles, mixed terrain
Gain: 1,600 ft
About: The good thing about starting with a climb is that you end with a downhill. A little squiggly at the beginning, it opens up to a pretty groomed fire road towards the overlook, which has some epic views of Santa Monica and the ocean.
Pro-tip: add mileage by continuing on Topanga Fire Road instead of turning left to Parker Mesa
Caution: The Rabbit Hole trail is to the left of this start and is a 1.5mi v steep & technical journey up
Location: Verdugo Mountains, Burbank
Distance: 4 miles, challenging terrain
Gain: 1,800 ft
About: This up a mountain, down a mountain is steep, singletrack, and sometimes loose. The views at the top are worth it.
Pro-tip: add mileage by turning left or right on the Verdugo Motorway
Caution: This area of the Verdugos is exposed and gets extra hot during the summer
Griffith Park, Merry Go Round to Hollywood Sign
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Location: Griffith Park
Distance: 9 miles, mixed terrain
Gain: 1,600 ft
About: This climb-filled route takes you up fire roads, on a short road section, through some rocky single track, and up a road section to behind the Hollywood Sign. Take the fire road back for variety. Water fountain at the top of Bill Eckhart Trail climb (mile 2.5, mile 6.5).
Pro-tip: add mileage by taking the rocky ridge trail by the turn to the Hollywood Sign overlook to the Wisdom Tree & back (1.4 mi round trip)
Caution: Half mile of single track can be overgrown in spring/summer
Ray Miller & Backbone Lollipop
Location: Santa Monica Mountains, Point Mugu, Malibu
Distance: 12.5 miles, mixed terrain
Gain: 2,200 ft
About: This route feels like you’re exploring different worlds: the ocean-view climbing & descents of Ray Miller’s steep but runnable singletrack, the wide open space of the fire roads above it looking out into the mountains, the cool and shaded canyons. It’s got a bit of everything.
Pro-tip: add mileage by doing an out and back up Sycamore Canyon trail at the bottom of Backbone
Caution: The canyon can get very cool in winter, frost-level temps on some mornings
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LA Protected Paths
These are all mixed use paths, so please be mindful of walkers, cyclists, and the occasional pups!
Marvin Braude Bike Path
Location: Pacific Palisades to Redondo Beach
Distance: 22 mi each way
About: The Grand Daddy of all for its beach views and countless starting locations, the Marvin Braude Bike Path is often run on. There are sections of the path that have protected no-bike areas for walkers/runners specifically (ex. most notably from Malibu to Venice) and there are quieter areas of it (Playa Del Rey to Dockweiler). Otherwise, use shoulders, stay to the right, and give bikes space. It’s a pretty special place to get a run in.
Bathrooms: Yes
Caution: Avoid running along the bike path section of Venice Beach, it is curvy, not wide, and there is often sand on it, so bikes need the space. There’s a separate area for those walking and running close to shops here. Also, it’s entirely fee parking next to the beach along the path.
LA River Path
Location: Griffith Park through Los Feliz and Frogtown to Elysian Valley
Distance: 7.3 mi each way
About: This path runs along a somewhat prettier part of the LA River (and the 5 freeway for a bit) and you can get the entire trail in starting on Riverside Drive by the entrance of Griffith Park in Glendale by the 134. It has a few dips under or on bridges but it’s mostly flat and usually quiet in the morning. There are multiple other starting points throughout notably in Los Feliz and Frogtown.
Bathrooms: No
Caution: It’s a bike path, more traversed on the weekend than during the week, but give way to bikes. Morning walkers often have dogs, so “on your left” comes in handy. Also, during a bad rainy season, it will be littered with debris from the river (less of a challenge for runners than cyclists).
Lake Balboa Loop
Location: Lake Balboa/Anthony C. Beilenson Park (Van Nuys/Encino area)
Distance: 1 mi – 6+ mi
About: This mostly flat path circles in and around Lake Balboa Park. You can find whatever distance you want here (under 10 miles if you don’t mind a couple out and backs or being on different paths in the same area) and even some dirt. The loop around the lake is 1 Mile, the loop around the entire park is just under 5. There’s some dirt path at the south end of the park, in the middle if you want to explore, and just across the road on the southeast side of Woodley Ave.
Bathrooms: Yes
Pro-tip: For more mileage, you can continue west on the Orange line bike path, which is on the west side of Balboa Blvd. It goes to Chatsworth, so you can go for another nearly 20 miles (with road crossings) if you are looking for a long day. Don’t bother going east on the same bike path.
Caution: Parking can get a bit tricky the later you go, particularly by the lake. If you’re heading over after 10/11am, consider parking in the dirt lot at the main entrance, the lots on Woodley, or street parking on Balboa or Woodley. Also a bike path so be mindful of riders!
Ballona Creek Bike Path
Location: Culver City to Marina del Rey
Distance: 6.5 mi each way
About: This mostly flat, relatively quiet path glides towards the Pacific Ocean, following the creek with some tight paths and turns. Some dips under bridges and some sections with a small dirt track, but otherwise a pretty straight forward trip. Lots of different starting points. If get out early, you may catch the UCLA rowers practicing closer to the ocean.
Bathrooms: No
Pro-tip: For more mileage, if you start in Culver City, you can continue along once it intersects the Marvin Braude Bike Path in either direction. Left is south, closer to the airport, right is north, towards the Santa Monica Pier.
Caution: No bathrooms until you hit the beach. Continuing left on Marvin Braude, down the peninsula, across the creek bridge, and along the beach.
Lake Hollywood Loop
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Location: Hollywood Reservoir Trailhead or Hollywood Reservoir North Gate
Distance: 3.4 mi
About: This quiet nook of nature a stone’s throw from Hollywood offers an idyllic loop around Lake Hollywood. The flat route is about 2.7 miles of protected paved path and 0.7 miles of dirt path/sidewalk along a road. Clockwise has a nature feel and counterclockwise is all about the peekaboo views of the Hollywood Sign. Either way, the view of the sign from the dam/bridge will make you swoon.
Bathrooms: Yes (porta potties)
Water: Yes
Pro-tip: For more mileage, you can use the loop as an entry into Griffith Park via the Wisdom Tree Trail, at the top of the hill from the North Gate.
Caution: The park opens at 6:30am year-round and starts to get busy around 8/8:30am. The park closes at varying times throughout the year (6p: Sept/Oct, 5p: Nov-Feb, 6:30p: March/April, 7:30p: May-Aug – as of 9/2023). No pets but service dogs/miniature horses are allowed.
San Gabriel River Trail
Location: Azusa to Seal Beach
Distance: 35.5 mi each way
About: Starting in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and falling slowly towards the Pacific Ocean, this is a lesser known trail that runs next to the San Gabriel River. The river is most frequently a concrete stream (which is why this is overlooked) but there are some really beautiful areas as well. There are tons of access points (Whittier Narrows is a popular starting location).
Bathrooms: No (there are occasionally some, few and far between, in neighboring parks)
Caution: It’s a heavily trafficked bike path with some well trained cyclists/group rides and bike/run accidents have been witnessed, which is why this is at the bottom of this list. Please don’t use in-ear headphones here, run in the shoulder, and pay attention.
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Runs for Kids
This section is created in support of Trail Folx, an LA nonprofit creating opportunities for underserved & underprivileged youth to participate in mountain sports and activities, empowering them to discover the great outdoors.
Location: Travel Town, Griffith Park
Distance: 1.9 miles
About: Starting at Travel Town, you cross a (closed) road and go up Oak Canyon trail, turning at a road intersection and heading back down
Why it’s good for kids: The trail is wide and there aren’t too many people on it so kids can run wild along the whole thing. It’s pretty groomed and the dirt is soft, so falls won’t be hard to come back from. Plus, it’s really pretty! The trees are really cool and there’s a tiny stream that (depending on the season) you can hear/see.
Bathrooms: No, only in Travel Town
Caution: Sometimes there are people riding horses on the trail. When you see them, step to the side and let them pass because they have the right of way!
Upper Canyonback to the Nike Tower
Location: Upper Canyonback Trailhead
Distance: 1.85 miles
About: Starting at Upper Canyonback Trailhead, you take the trail (called Dirt Mulholland) on the right and go uphill and turn left up towards the large tower.
Why it’s good for kids: The trail is extra wide and well groomed, which is nice terrain for kids. There are some curves but for the most part, you can see far enough ahead that you can give them space to run up in front. At the top, there are signs that share all about the history of the area (which smarty pants kiddos who watch YouTube might think is cool). There are multiple picnic tables, including some with shade. The water fountain and bathrooms make it the whole package.
Bathrooms: Yes
Caution: Occasionally the yellow gate is opened and cars can drive up to the tower. It’s rare that cars do but keep an eye (and ear) out.
LA FKT Routes
West Los Angeles
Valley & Central LA
| Fryman Canyon Loop | 2.6mi | Gain 400ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/fryman-canyon-loop-ca |
| Verdugo Mountains Traverse | 24mi | Gain 4,560ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/verdugo-mountains-traverse-ca |
| Stairs of Silverlake | 16.9mi | Gain 4,040ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/stairs-silverlake-ca |
| Griffith Park Loop | 14.25mi | Gain 2,864ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/griffith-park-loop-los-angeles-ca |
San Gabriel Mountains (West)
| Brown Mountain Loop | 15.8mi | Gain 2,000ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/brown-mountain-loop-ca |
| Kill ‘Em Quick | 1mi | Gain 1,070ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/kill-em-quick-ca |
| Mount Lowe Loop | 12.7mi | Gain 3,786ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/mount-lowe-loop-ca |
| Strawberry Peak Loop | 16.5mi | Gain 2,700ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/strawberry-peak-loop-ca |
| Josephine Pk via Strawberry Pk | 13.5mi | Gain 3,894ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/josephine-peak-strawberry-peak-ca |
| Jones Peak | 6.6mi | Gain 2,450ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/jones-peak-ca |
| Mt Wilson | 16mi | Gain 4,900ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/mt-wilson-ca |
| Silver Moccasin Trail | 53mi | Gain 7,256ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/silver-moccasin-trail-ca |
San Gabriel Mountains (East)
| San Dimas to Glendora Ridge Rd | 33mi | Gain 6,969ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/san-dimas-glendora-ridge-road-ca |
| Iron Mountain | 14mi | Gain 7,200ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/iron-mountain-ca |
| Sunset Peak | 3.6mi | Gain 1,233ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/sunset-peak-ca |
| Mt Baldy | 6.5mi | Gain 6,142ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/mt-baldy-ca |
| Bear Canyon – Baldy – 3Ts – Icehouse Canyon Loop | 17.6mi | Gain 7,146ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/bear-canyon-baldy-3ts-icehouse-canyon-loop-ca |
| PCT – Angeles National Forest | 77.2mi | Gain 12,793ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/pacific-crest-trail-angeles-national-forest-ca |
East LA
| San Gabriel River Trail | 35.4mi | Gain 1,000ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/san-gabriel-river-trail-ca |
| Schabarum-Skyline Trail | 29.8mi | Gain 1,129ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/los-angeles-county-schabarum-skyline-trail-ca |
Ventura County
| Rocky Peak Loop | 26mi | Gain 5,000ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/rocky-peak-loop |
San Bernardino Mountains
| 9 Peaks Traverse | 29mi | Gain 8,400ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/san-bernardino-9-peaks-traverse-ca |
| Butler Peak | 10.1mi | Gain 1,645 ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/butler-peak-ca |
| PCT – Hwy 18 to Hwy 10 | 54.3mi | Gain 5,916 ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/pacific-crest-trail-hwy-18-hwy-10-ca |
San Bernardino County
| Santa Ana River Trail | 63.8mi | Gain 383ft | https://fastestknowntime.com/route/santa-ana-river-trail-ca |
LA Running Connoisseur 