Urban Gone Wild

A cardio climb up a mountain. Check. Stunning views. Check. And located right in LA? How very chic! Urban hiking has a wild side and the proof is on Mount Washington just northeast of downtown LA. This 4-mile loop traverses Mount Washington and its up-and-coming neighborhood, with gorgeous downtown vistas along the way. Start with a thigh-burning ascent up the stairs at Avenue 43, which was originally the path of a cable car line that carried residents up the hill before it was torn up in the 1920s. The climb continues up the steep Canyon Vista Drive for another half-mile and rewards at its peak with—you guessed it—a sweeping vista down the canyon. Turning onto San Rafael Avenue, you'll see the wrought iron gates of the Self-Realization Center and artisan homes along the cliff. The pavement gives way to a stretch of secluded dirt path slinking discretely behind the houses before returning you to the paved road where you’ll begin your descent. Highlights on the way down include a nature preserve filled with California walnut trees, and beautiful Moon Canyon Park.

TIP: Give your car the day off. The Gold Metro Line stops two blocks from Avenue 43.

Park on Marmion Way at Ave. 43, or take the Gold Metro Line to the Southwest Museum stop. Begin at the staircase just uphill from Marmion Way at Ave. 43. Continue climbing up Canyon Vista Dr. Take a right on San Rafael Ave., then turn left on Sea View Ave., just past Mount Washington School. Sea View Ave. gives way to a dirt path, before looping back into the paved Sea View Dr. When you hit San Rafael Ave. again, keep left, then veer right on Moon Ave., which becomes Crane Blvd., which eventually leads to Museum Dr. When you hit Marmion Way, take a right to return to where you started and complete the loop. Dog-friendly!