Urban Oasis Loop
Explore Ernest E. Debs Regional Park in Los Angeles
Just off the 110, Ernest E. Debs Regional Park in L.A.’s Montecito Hills is an oasis for birds—and for Angelenos craving a quick nature escape.
Home to the city’s Audubon Center, this 282-acre park features a robust network of hiking trails and surprising wildlife diversity. More than 140 bird species have been spotted here.
Birdwatcher or not, this 2.5-mile route makes for a gorgeous outing. Fair warning: trails are unmarked, so have your phone or a map handy—or, ahem, wing it. Start at the Audubon Center entrance. Head down the entrance road (from Griffin Avenue or the Audubon parking area) to a green gate at the first intersection. Take the Scrub Jay Trail on your right and continue up the dirt road for about a half-mile to a fork marked by a couple of benches—an ideal perch for sweeping views of the downtown L.A. skyline.
Turn left onto the Walnut Forest Trail and enjoy the rain-fresh greenery and the towering San Gabriel Mountains rising to the north. When the trail meets a paved road, turn right. Stay on the fire road (keep left at the next junction), or, if you’re in the mood to wander and birdwatch, take the footpath past the gazebo. It parallels the road, offering extra hillside views and a bit more solitude—just be sure to rejoin the main road in about a quarter-mile.
The road loops into a circle. Stay right to reach Peanut Lake, a charming manmade pond and a perfect place to relax on a bench while turtles bask in the sun.
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To return, rejoin the trail and turn left onto the City View Trail. This gradual climb delivers one final downtown vista before reconnecting with the Scrub Jay Trail and leading back to where you began.
Tip: Hoping to spot an American kestrel or a yellow-rumped warbler? The Audubon Center offers free rentals of binoculars, backpacks, and maps if you want to turn your walk into a birdwatching adventure.
The Audubon Center entrance is located at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park. Map. Park at the Audubon Center or along Griffin Avenue. The Audubon Center is open Thursday through Sunday, 8am to 4pm. If the center is closed, pedestrians can still enter the park via the path to the right of the entrance gate.
Story and photos by Yvonne Pasquini, @yvonne_pasquini
