transit accessible hiking areas near Los Angeles
Agoura Hills - Malibu Creek State Park
63 campsites, $45 reservation
⁌ 12 minute walk to trail, 3.4 mile hike to camp ⁍
This popular campground has 63 campsites with a table and fire ring. Water, flush toilets and pay showers are available. A $45 reservation is required. Expect some traffic noise from the nearby road.
How to get there
Take transit to Agoura Rd/Liberty Canyon Rd.
Walk .6 mile south on Liberty Canyon to the trailhead. The easy 3.4 mile trail to camp is very scenic, passing through pastures with the mountains before you.
Info
Trail guides
Liberty Canyon - AllTrails
Rock Pool & MASH Site - HikingGuy
Lower Malibu Creek - Modern Hiker
Phantom Trail - Modern Hiker
MASH Location - California Through My Lens
Altadena - Bear Canyon Trail Camp (CLOSED)
3 free campsites, no reservation
⁌ 8 min walk to trail, 6.4 mile hike to camp ⁍
This free remote creekside campground has three campsites with tables. No reservation required.
How to get there
Take transit to Lincoln Av/Altadena Dr.
Walk .3 mile north on Lincoln; turn right into Loma Alta Park. The trailhead is in the NE corner of the park next to the restrooms. The 6.4 mile hike gains 2800 feet through Millard Canyon, over Tom Sloan Saddle, then 1000 feet down into Bear Canyon.
Alternative: Take transit to Fair Oaks Av/Wapello St. Walk west on Loma Alta to Chaney Trail and up Chaney to the trail. [street view] (25 min)
Info
Water and toilet are at the trailhead. A convenience store is at the bus stop. Metro Micro rideshare is available in this area.
Trail guides
Millard Canyon - AllTrails
Millard Canyon Falls - HikingGuy
Dawn Mine/Sunset Ridge - HikingGuy
Dawn Mine/Sunset Ridge - Modern Hiker
Altadena - Millard Trail Camp (CLOSED)
6 free campsites, no reservation
⁌ 8 min walk to trail, 2.3 mile hike to camp ⁍
This free creekside campground has six campsites with tables and fire rings. Trash bins, bear boxes and pit toilet are available. No reservation required.
How to get there
Take transit to Lincoln Av/Altadena Dr. Walk .3 mile north on Lincoln; turn right at Loma Alta Drive. Continue about two blocks to the trailhead. [street view] Google directions The 2.3 mile trail rises 860 feet over Sunset Ridge before dropping to the canyon.
Alternative: Take transit to Fair Oaks Av/Loma Alta Dr (AKA Fair Oaks/Wapello St). Walk west on Loma Alta to Chaney Trail (road) and up Chaney to the trail. [street view] (25-30 min to trail)
Info
Water and toilet are in Loma Alta Park .3 mile north of the bus stop. A convenience store is at the bus stop. Metro Micro rideshare is available in this area.
Trail guides
Millard Canyon - AllTrails
Millard Canyon Falls - HikingGuy
Dawn Mine/Sunset Ridge - HikingGuy
Dawn Mine/Sunset Ridge - Modern Hiker
Millard Falls - California Through My Lens
Altadena - Mt Lowe Trail Camp (CLOSED)
5 free campsites, no reservation
⁌ 20 minute walk to trail, 5.3 mile hike to camp ⁍
This free mountain campground has five campsites, tables and a pit toilet. Treatable water is ~50 feet directly uphill from camp. No reservation required.
How to get there
Take transit to Fair Oaks Av/Wapello Dr.
Walk .7 mile east on Loma Alta to the trailhead. The 5.3 mile hike to camp rises 2700 feet, passing by the ruins of the Echo Mountain resort.
Info
Water is on the trail 500 ft east of the gate. Water and toilet are 3 blocks south of the gate at Farnsworth Park. (good news, everyone!) Metro Micro rideshare is available in this area.
Trail guides
Echo Mountain/Mt Lowe - AllTrails
Echo Mtn & Inspiration Point - HikingGuy
Echo Mtn & Inspiration Pt - Modern Hiker
Laguna Beach - Crystal Cove State Park
29 campsites, $25 reservation
⁌ 5-10 minute walk to trail, 3-4 mile hike to remote camps ⁍
Three remote campgrounds with 29 campsites have tables and pit toilet. The beach campground has 30 tent campsites with water, flush toilets and a pay shower. A $25 reservation is required. At the beach campground expect some traffic noise from the nearby road.
How to get there
Eastbound: Take transit to N Coast Hwy/Reef Point Dr.
Cross the highway at the intersection, walk SE on Coast Hwy and turn left at School-State Park road to the trailheads.
Westbound: Take transit to Coast-Ent 8681 El Morro.
Walk up School-State Park road to the trailheads.
The trail to Deer Canyon camp is 3.2 miles with a gain of 830 feet; Lower Moro camp is 3 miles, 850 feet gain; Upper Moro camp is 3.9 miles, 914 feet gain.
Info
Moro park information
Roadside campsite photos
Deer Canyon campsite photos
Lower Moro campsite photos
Upper Moro campsite photos
Water and toilet are at Reef Point Park, at the trailhead and at Coastal Peak Park. Groceries and cafes are at Reef Point Dr. Area buses accept cash and passes which can be purchased on the bus or with the OC Bus App. [OC Transit]
Trail guides
Crystal Cove - AllTrails
Best of Crystal Cove - HikingGuy
El Moro Loop - California Through My Lens
Lancaster - Saddleback Butte State Park
37 campsites, $20 fee, no reservation
⁌ 15 minute walk to camp ⁍
This desert campground has 37 campsites with ramadas, tables, BBQ grills and fire rings. Water and flush toilets are available. $20 fee required, no reservation. Expect some traffic noise from the nearby road.
How to get there
Take transit to 170th St E/Ave K-8.
Walk .5 mile north on 170th to Ave K, then 500 ft east to the campground. Alternate route (no traffic, lots of barking): walk 1 block east on K-8 and turn left at unmarked 171st to the campground.
Info
Area buses accept TAP and cash. [Antelope Valley Transit]
Trail guides
Saddleback Butte - AllTrails
Saddleback Butte - Modern Hiker
Saddleback Butte - California Through My Lens
Pasadena - Gould Mesa Trail Camp
5 free campsites, no reservation
⁌ 6 minute walk to trail, 2 mile hike to camp ⁍
This free creekside campground has five campsites with tables and fire rings. Trash bins, bear box and pit toilets are available. No reservation required.
How to get there
There is temporarily no bus service north of Woodbury Rd, despite what transit maps and apps may say. Following are directions to the nearest active bus stop 1.2 miles from a trailhead. Check back for updates!
Take transit to Lincoln Av/Woodbury Rd, walk north on Lincoln and turn left at Ventura St to the trailhead. [street view]
(If using Metro Micro or other rideshare set your destination to the trailhead at 898 W Altadena Dr.)
Info
Gould Mesa camp information (ignore the "very steep hill" warning)
There are unlocked restrooms in McDonald's at the bus stop, and a grocery store a block north of the bus stop. There is water on the Gabrielino trail 1.3 miles from the trailhead and a toilet 2.5 miles from the trailhead at Gould Mesa. Metro Micro rideshare is available in this area.
Trail guides
Pasadena - Idlehour Trail Camp (CLOSED)
3 free campsites, no reservation
⁌ 6-20 minute walk to trail, 6.7 mile hike to camp ⁍
This free remote creekside campground has three campsites with tables. No reservation required.
How to get there
Take transit to Altadena Dr/New York Dr or Altadena Dr/Washington Bl.
Walk north on Altadena to Eaton Canyon Park and down the park road to the trailhead. (Alternate trail access is 1.4 mi up Altadena Dr at the Pinecrest gate) The 6.7-mile hike follows wide fire roads for the first 5 miles before turning off onto a single track into the canyon.
Info
Water and toilet are at the trailhead and on the trail 3.7 mi from the trailhead at Henninger Flat. A convenience store is at each bus stop. Metro Micro rideshare is available in this area.
Trail guides
Eaton Canyon - AllTrails
Eaton Canyon Falls - HikingGuy
Eaton Canyon Falls - Modern Hiker
Henninger Flats - Modern Hiker
Rancho Santa Margarita - O'Neill Park
79 campsites, $20 reservation
⁌ 15 minute walk to trail, .75 mile hike to camp ⁍
This campground has 79 campsites with table, BBQ grill and fire ring. Water, flush toilets and showers are available. A $20 reservation is required.
How to get there
Take transit to Santa Margarita/Avd De Las Flores. Walk a block north on Avd de Las Flores, turn left at Via Con Dios, right at Sweetleaf, left at Morning Glory, right at Primrose, then right at Montana to the park entrance. [street view]
Google directions
Info
O'Neill Park information
Campsite photos
Water and toilet are at the park entrance. Water, toilet, groceries (Target) and fast food are at the bus stop. Area buses accept cash and passes which can be purchased on the bus or with the OC Bus App. [OC Transit]
Trail guides
O'Neill Park - AllTrails
Topanga - Musch Trail Camp (no transit service)
8 campsites, $7 fee, no reservation
⁌ 15 minute walk to trail , 2.2 mile hike to camp ⁍
This $7 fee, no reservation campground has eight campsites with tables. Water and flush toilets are available. At last visit (6/24) the fee payment box was broken; have your cash ready if a ranger comes by.
How to get there
Bus service to Topanga is temporarily suspended, though maps and apps may say otherwise. Call the Beach Bus operator Transit Systems, Inc at (818) 504-7270 for the current status.
Take transit to Topanga Canyon Bl/Cuesta Cala Rd. The bus schedule refers to this stop as "General Store" (southbound) or "Pine Tree Circle" (northbound).
Walk .5 mile north on Topanga Canyon Bl, turn right at Entrada Dr and walk a block to the trailhead. The 2.2-mile hike to camp rises about 340 feet in the first .75 mile then flattens, passing though former ranch pastures.
Info
Water and toilet are at the library a block north of the bus stop on N Topanga Canyon Bl, and at the trailhead. Groceries and cafes are at the bus stop.
Beach Bus fare is $1. Only cash is accepted. [Topanga Beach Bus] This sign marks the bus stops. The southbound "General Store" stop in Topanga is in the store parking lot. The northbound "Pine Tree Circle/Cuesta Cala" stop is on the road, directly across from the store.
Trail guides
east of Topanga - AllTrails
Ventura - Foster Red Mountain
18 campsites, $28 reservation
⁌ 7 minute walk to camp ⁍
This beautiful campground under large oaks has 18 campsites with water, flush toilets, picnic tables and fire rings. Expect some traffic noise from the nearby road.
How to get there
Take transit to Ventura Ave/Casitas Vista Rd.
Walk .3 mile west on Casitas Vista Rd to the park entrance.
Info
(the Residence Campground and Bike Camping areas mentioned in the park info page are closed)
Trail guides
Foster Park - AllTrails
