Stough Canyon Nature Center

I have to laugh at some of these reviews because it is not an easy trail, and as a beginner, I can tell you, there are easier trails than this one. The trail I took was uphill all the way. I did not find it easy or pleasant. Maybe the hiking life is just not for me. Also the parking lot is tiny. Yeah the view is nice but again, I would not call this an easy hike. It was pretty intense for a beginner like me.

Great trails, pretty steep. Excellent views and the signs were well kept.
I a definitely coming back again!
We spent about 2 hours in all but it looks like there are many more trails so I am going to explore those next time.
Be sure to pack a snack either to take with you or when you get back to your car. You will be Hangry if you don’t. So glad I planned ahead!

Love this spot to go hiking. Although I freak out about not having many people pass me by, and bugs… Bring good company with you, good shoes, and a baseball cap and it’s a perfect hike. Super clean, super private, great views (kind scary cause the cliffs), but whateves! Great way to bond and lose calories. Get Em tiger!

Great steep hike in the heart of the Burbank mountains. You would never know it existed if you didn’t look for it though. It boasts some beautiful views which include Burbank, Glendale, SFV, and Dtla. If you go in the evening you can get some amazing sunset pics that shine off of the building in downtown. There are also many trails to pick from which connect at certain spots.

I discovered this place thanks to Unilocalers and it may have the best views in this part of Los Angeles. The trails are wide and easy. I have often looked at those Burbank mountains (Verdugo mountains) but never knew they were so great for hiking until recently.
They have their own parking lot (free) and a nature center with nice, actual restrooms attached. Dogs are definitely allowed all over the park but they must be on-​leash. This is especially important because this is one trail where mountain bikers come down fast and furious. My dog is a herding breed, so this is a call for her to chase, which is actually pretty dangerous for both the bikers and my pup. Because of this, she’s on a harness if we hike here. However, it feels very safe, it’s very open and like I said before, amazing scenery.
Also, there are a lot of side trails and these are full of the random giant chair, or concrete picnic table, or remains of an old house, so it’s a good area to explore if you start early.
I haven’t checked out the nature center (yet) but they seem cool, the only thing I wish they had were more garbage cans because I spend my return hike picking up everyone’s plastic and dropping them in the only can on the lot. Also, go early in the morning not mid-​day unless it’s late fall, early spring or winter: it can get very hot here.

Love this hike, nice for people who haven’t been active in quite sometime. Sweet incline all the way through.

BEWARE THERE ARE COYOTES HERE!!! If you don’t want your small dog bring eaten like Jessica Simpsons dog… you should carry them!!! I saw a pack of coyotes (around 5 or 6) starting at the golf course. I had two chihuahuas with me and it scared me! While hiking a nice man warned me the coyotes come to the trails closer to the night fall. He even told me he’s heard coyotes eating small dogs when they were by the foot of their owners, while on a leash. Anyways, the hike is past the golf course straight ahead. It’s medium difficultly. At first there’s a bit of an incline but it gets easier. Not leisurely and not too difficult. I really enjoyed this hike. We hiked for about an hour. It’s clean, you get a nice view of the city and there’s a bathroom. I will defiantly be back here again :)

We planned a hike to Stough Canyon and were pleasantly surprised to find the Nature Center. The staff were friendly, and the facility and amenities were clean. A group of kids were being given a nature lesson in the back room. It sounded like they were having a great time. The center has a hands-​on learning area where visitors can find out more about the wildlife and plants in the area.
The trail was easy. I didn’t need my walking sticks after all. There is no shade, so plan to go early in the morning or in the afternoon. It was nice to see park benches along the path, sponsored by local Rotary Clubs. The path for the most part was in good condition.
We walked the winding path to the old burned down camp building, and then backtracked to the hill with the view. The weather was clear, providing us with a spectacular view.

Such a great trail. It’s pretty steep and provides a great workout, and the views are gorgeous.

I have trekked this trail 3 times now. I am not a hiking expert, so this is just my impression.
The furthest that I got was just past the 2.5 mile marker. The goal of most people appear to be getting to the radio tower which is 3.6 miles up. Hoping to get there within my next 5 hikes. I don’t want to rush things :)
The first half mile is the hardest. It appears to be the steepest when you are climbing up, the elevation is approx 2600 feet for that first half mile. The following half mile markers only go up 200 – 300 feet in elevation. The overlooks are gorgeous, spanning many miles of views of Trees, the mountain and some of downtown Los Angeles.
There are benches to rest approx every quarter to half mile. I am on a first name basis with each one :)
It’s really fun and challenging for newbies like myself. There are a few other trails off the main path that look steeper and harder and I have seen some people climb those. There re also a healthy amount of bikers… huffing and puffing straight uphill and then flying down the hill. Try not to get run over by a speeding bike! I am very cautious watching out for them, I don’t know how quickly they can stop when they’re moving at the speeds they use coming downhill. I worry one of them will skid and fly off the mountain.
This is a great way to get fresh air and a free workout with awesome views.
GO FOR IT!!!

Take the Radio Towers trail for a great burn. Trust me you will feel it. Its 3.6 miles one way. As you hike you can see the Wildwood Canyon over to your right. Wildwood Canyon is steeper but the Stough Canyon Radio Towers trail is just as great. Bring lots of water. When we go to the radio towers we turned around and ran it back down. The terrain is rough and a little lose so be careful not to slip but the trail is a decent width.
Most of the Stough Canyon reviews here on Unilocal are for the Stough Canyon Overlook and/​or Old Youth Camp Trail. Keep right and pass all the forks and hike to the radio towers for a good kick in the butt.

I come here by myself hiking all the time. Nice hiking spot hidden in Burbank. The nature center I’ve been in a few times… they have lots of cool information and stuff inside (even a giant tortoise shell!). Park is usually pretty clean… people pick up after their dogs for the post part and parking is free. I’ve spotted packs of coyotes there several times, bunnies, and a snake once
4 stars because their isn’t much to see and the hike is fairly easy. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a hike that won’t leave them unable to walk for the rest of the week!

Really a lovely place and a great walk. On a Saturday mid-​morning in January, it was still uncrowded. Steep lower section but it gets better after that. Quiet, sun-​and-​shade intermittent, scampering lizards and soaring birds. Views of DTLA and the SFV as you progress along, and lots of places to go off-​piste for even better vistas. Take water and keep Fido on the leash where he belongs. Pick up his poo, too.

The Nature Center is a cute little center that looks kind of like a visitors center its surrounded by big beautiful trees that cute little blue jays live in, they have a few live snakes inside, one of which is an award winner and a giant tortoise shell on display and they have a back room where you can celebrate birthday parties in. and at the front desk you can trade in your i.d. for a walking stick to use on your hike.
This place is great for hiking. Great place to get a work out and clear your mind. The trail is easy but there’s a bit of a steep incline so you definitely find yourself huffing and puffing on parts of the trail. You come across a few people in your walk but it’s not overcrowded like some other hiking spots and less people means it’s CLEANER!!! There’s a small parking lot at the entrance but you can also park along the main road not too far from the entrance.
Nice place for all levels of hiking beginner or expert, walker, runner or biker young and old, — It’s got a trail for everyone!

Great place to go hiking! We normally go to either Griffith Park or Runyon Canyon, but this was a nice change of pace!
The trail is a little steep if you head off the main trail to check out the view of Burbank (go left at the second beach), the overlook is great though and you can see a nice view of DTLA.
There is plenty of parking outside the nature center and clean bathrooms. Be sure to read the posted info about snakes and mountain lions. We saw a mountain lion at a distance, which was a good reminder to be cautious.

4 people & 3 dogs made for a fun Sunday evening hike! We started a little after 5pm without any expectations. The other two peeps are waaaaay more advanced hikers than me & Pete, but we all made it to the top! Woohoo! We got back to the bottom around 8:30pm :X I believe it was approximately 6.5 miles total! Next time I’ll remember to stretch before I start hiking.
Pros
+ Relatively easy hike with a steady incline (no stairs)
+ Dog friendly. Poop bags available at the trailhead
+ Easy parking lot
+ Nice views throughout the whole hike
Cons
— No trashcans to deposit your used poop bags. I often times caught whiff of the treasures inside the bag blehhh.

Coming from a former athlete who has pretty bad asthma and is pretty out of shape, this is a nice trail for a starter hiker. It’s a bit short for my liking (it took me about 45 minutes with breaks) to get up, but I consider it to be a pretty steep hike, which cancels it out. I like that they have benches throughout the whole trail, but it doesn’t have the «nature feel» I’ve gotten on other trails that have trees and streams with shade. It’s not a huge problem though, because it serves the purpose if giving a nice little work out, and would be much safer to hike in the summer time when it’s hot, than other more nature-​esque trails where you really have to beware of dangerous wild life (case and point– Brand Park hike a.k.a. Verdugo Mountains have had mountain lion sighting on the trails in past years). Another thing I like about this trail is that it’s not confusing, so it’s nearly impossible to get lost like other trails where there are several different forks while on your way up. I’m not particularly impressed with the view at the top, but again, it’s the workout that matters to me.
If you’re looking for a quick hike that’ll get your blood pumping, and don’t care much about the scenery or view point at the top, mid recommend this trail.

Funny thing, I’ve been coming here occasionally for maybe five years, and I’ve never bothered to Unilocal it!!!
Stough is just above De Bell Golf Course, on the opposite side of Wildwood Park. Both parks can be accessed via the Vital Link trail, which runs across the top of the Verdugo range, and when you’re climbing up either trail head, you’re headed for the radio towers and the Vital Link. Most of the time, I climb up hill via Stough until I’ve gone about two miles, I check out the overlook and sit in one of the park supplied chaise chairs, and then head back… but depending on which route you take, you could see and do a lot of different things up there!
There’s a nature center, and a proper bathroom in the parking lot. I once went into the nature center and talked with a volunteer who told me a story about a park ranger who got pounced on by a cougar while staying overnight in the park. Apparently the cougar didn’t want to eat the ranger because he didn’t smell like an animal, between the deodorant he was wearing and the fabric softener he’d used… anyways, I think he was telling me the story so I’d be less afraid of being eaten by a mountain lion. Nice try!
There are walking sticks you can borrow there as well… and in my infinite fear of being eaten by a mountain lion, I have hiked with an airhorn and a tire iron in my possession on the days when I’ve been determined to come here, and without a friend to join me for safety’s sake!
They have a taxidermy cougar in the nature center, as well as a handful of other interesting things, a live snake and other stuffed stuff, so it’s a fun place to bring a kid who is curious about nature. The trip up the hill on the trail would wear a child out beautifully as well!
It’s VERY sunny here in the summer, so you definitely don’t want to come up this way if it’s hotter than 80 or 85, as it’ll feel really, really hot all the way up! On the flip side, this is a sandy trail, so it dries out quickly after a rain storm, and is truly spectacular in the «winter»!

This place is great for a hike!
You take the fire road up to a split in the loop trail (which I think is ~2.8 mi roundtrip) — I’d recommend heading up toward the left first, that way youre taking the fire road down on the backside and it’s not so steep. Views from the top include both DTLA and the Burbank Airport. There’s also a burnt out cabin at the top that is pretty much just a chimney sticking out of a foundation.
We didnt see much nature besides crows and a couple of lizards, but there were flowers blooming along the trail.
Free parking at the nature center yay. Hope I can come back another time and explore the area a little further.

What?! Why haven’t I written about this place yet?!
I come here often, because it’s such a gem!
The views are exquisite! Be on the lookout for deer, rabbits, lizards, and birds too!
They have a variety of paths that are easy to navigate. All the trails I’ve been on are just right, not too steep, not insanely difficult, but challenging enough for an excellent workout.
If you make your way here before 8am, you can park right outside of the parking lot, no problem. Also after 9am it does get busier, but it’s never horribly crowded. Plus some of the main paths are wide so even with more people, you’re not going to feel like you’re going to go over the side of the mountain trying to make room for others.
Come prepared for exercise, fun and beauty here!