On a trip to the west coast of the US, a longtime friend had invited me out for a hiking excursion into Runyon Canyon Park @ Los Angeles, California. At the entrance, we had picked up bottles of water available via a local hiking association. This was important because of the sunny arid weather and trail length. For the ascent, there were paths ranking from basic, intermediate and advanced.

My buddy and I had selected the basic incline for our morning hike. Heading up into the first leg of trail, we were provided with view of downtown LA on the horizon. Before arriving at the first lookout ridge, the trail had switched from asphalt to loose dirt. At this overlook, we had a more complete view of LA including the emblematic Hollywood sign.

Heading toward the next ridge, we were treated to various flowers including even a yellow bloom from a massive cactus. Moving up the clay mountain top, I had noticed a sign with the following text “Beware of rattlesnake nesting areas.” Then the thought had crossed my mind,”What are the odds of sliding down the orange clay fishers into a bunch of snakes? Hmm.”

After reaching the final overlook, we had started maneuvering down the hill side. Exerting less energy on the decline, I was able to better focus on distant views of LA and the surrounding hillside for snakes. Yet, despite all the foot traffic and fear, the park still had provided a calming place to connect with the outdoors. This had fulfilled all the promise of exploring California while traveling for business. This was time well spent, even if for just a few passing moments in time.

Runyon Canyon Park is located at 2000 N Fuller Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Admission:Free
Facility Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday: Dawn to Dusk
Saturday – Sunday: Dawn to Dusk

Read More:
Runyon Canyon Park (laparks.org)