Hellman Park

I love this trail, a few steps from home, its a challenge, worth the effort for a gorgeous view every point u see u see all Los angeles, long beach, the OC, san gabriel mountains… love the view friendly people, worth every breath… but true alot of trash down any hike, and dog shit. seems people need some maners… excuse my language but besides all that is worth the workout… and a good challenge…

I love this trail

My favorite local hiking spot. Each trail provides a killer workout and leaves me sore the next day. I love the views from the water towers as well!
Dog friendly trails and there’s lots of people on bicycles speeding down the trails, so I definitely recommend not wearing headphones and staying alert at all times.
Parking in the residential areas has become a little bit of a pain over the years but as long as you read the posted signs you should be able to avoid a ticket! (Also be polite to those in the neighborhoods and not make excessive noise — especially in the mornings)

I hike this trail pretty often because sometimes I just want to go hiking but don’t want to drive too far (I’m from the SGV area). It’s a low key hiking trail in a residential area that I would have never noticed if I didn’t look it up. They have a parking lot available at the trail start, but there are limited spots. You can do street parking but watch out for the signs saying permit parking only.
It’s not the most exciting hike. It’s a pretty boring trail full of just dirt and some plants. But as you get higher, you start to get a good view and can see DTLA in the distance. It’s a very good leg & butt workout because it’s essentially hills on hills on hills. Be careful on your way down though because it can get pretty steep and you don’t want to slip and fall! It’s a pretty wide trail, so crowdedness isn’t an issue. At the top, there’s a water tower that used to be graffiti-​ed out that looked pretty cool and was great for photo ops. However, they recently painted over it and put a fence around it. LAME):
Overall, it’s a pretty decent hike for when you want a good outdoor workout.

Went here to do hill training for a marathon that I’m running in May. Hellman Park has a trail that’s almost 4mi round trip and has crazy inclines. The trail consists of multiple hills in a row and overall the incline gets progressively steeper. The trail ends at a water tower which has some interesting graffiti but unfortunately a lot of trash as well. Would definitely recommend this hike for intermediate hikers due to the steep hills, but I do see beginning hikers do the first part of the hike and then turn around.
Pros
–Extremely challenging hills!
–Short distance if you need to save time
–Nice views at the water tower
–Easy trail to navigate
Cons
–Trail gets crowded quickly and I had to walk around a lot of slower hikers
–Hard to find parking if you hike in the later morning or afternoon; some of the blocks require permits so read the parking signs

Great place for a little morning hike. I love the view and walking up the hills. not so fun going down tho. Lol. The only problem is parking, it is a bit of a hassle.)

most amazing place and just around the corner. Don’t get stuck in the dark up there you will get fined and a parking ticket. Read all the parking signs because cops are always patroling, not for your safety but to give you a ticket.

I still think this is an awesome workout although parking really is a pain in the ass… now permit parking only signs and Beverly and greenleaf. Since I live pretty close (maybe 3 miles) maybe I will take über next time. And my photo ops have dwindled since the old graffitied water tower at the end is now fenced in and they removed the graffiti…

I live 5 mins away from here and discovered this place when my friend took me. As an avid hiker and fitness enthusiast I love the incline of this trail. I can maximize my cardio training, glute/​quad/​hamstring /​calf training in a short amount of time with an excellent view. Basically: if you come here, you’re going to get a good view and an excellent workout!

Love the trails here, I really recommend going up around 5am if you want to catch the beautiful sunrise! One thing finding parking can be a bit hard since some areas are closed to the public, but if you don’t mind walking a few blocks you will be ok!

I enjoy hiking here, it’s not over crowded and it’s near my home which is a plus. Just wish there was a few more parking spaces.

What a workout! I’ve recently fallen in love with Peter’s Canyon, but needed something different to spice up my hiking routine. I came here on a whim on a Monday morning.
Parking, as everyone has said, is a hassle. Just pay special attention to the signs… on Mondays and Tuesdays the streets in the surrounding areas have street sweeping as well as the «Permit Parking Only» areas. I found parking on Milton street and just walked down to the trailhead. Not too bad.
Anyway… these hills are killer. Such a good workout for your butt and legs. Either go before the sun is at its peak or you’ll be dripping sweat. And prepare to get dirty! I always bring a pair of sandals I can change into.
No complaints here!

One of the best local hikes. Steep hills and great distance for those hikers who want to try something new. Would not recommend taking small dogs, unless you want to carry your puppy. If you want to find parking 530am is a good time, however make sure you stay around other hikers. Surprisingly many people are already there at that time :)
Highly recommended!

Such a Beautiful View!
People are pretty nice here, for the most part. There are couple of people blasting music from their speakers and talking really loud… I don’t let it bother me but it might if you are going there to relax.
My 16 year old Golden Retriever made it half way and gave up but he loved it!
It’s a awesome park if you want to go for a run or hike. I suggest taking your headphone/​earbud so you can be in your own zone.

Looking for a cool way to help and get a good workout? Come out this Saturday and the Habitat Authority will give out trash bags and other supplies to pick up trash on the trail. Now I’m happy to report that there was not nearly as much trash as I expected to see on my hike last week, mostly water bottles.
Just be careful though of the permit parking streets. You can have a nice 10 minute (if that) or so warm up walk if you park a little further down closer to Uptown and have a nice meal or do some unique shopping when you’re done!

Lots of incline, I felt it in my calves/​thighs.
View was nice, especially with the cool breeze blowing right through. The water tower is blocked off with caution tape & a security guard. :(
Parking is free. Don’t park along the street closest to the entrance, it requires a permit. (the police wrote so many tickets!) Park past the stop sign & you’ll be good! Now go work dat bum bum

Visit this hike on Memorial day, and we expected it to be packed, which it was.
First off the hike was very wide and a lot of room, since it is outdoor the trails cannot be perfect, so it is uneven and run down. A lot of people today with all different types of physiques plus children and fathers carrying babies on their backs (kudos!).
My one pet peeve, please leash your dog and pick up after your dog or at least move it away from the middle of the trail. The trail is like 15 ft wide, the poop does not have to be in the middle.
Anyways– This hike is doable and there are options from steep or even ground (steady incline). Once you get to the top of probably the fourth hill, you can see the temple on your right.
Great for butt and thighs, challenge yourself and try running up a hill, then take a break :)

UPDATE AS OF 11÷1÷15−
Closest parking w/​no Parking Restrictions is Newlin Ave, between Orange and Beverly Blvd (Nestled also Milton/​Pickering Ave) They are all rental properties, so chances are it will never be permitted since the renters have no say so & the owners could give a rats ass. Watch out for the people who put their trash cans on the street so the hikers or anyone else can’t park there, although I remember it still being a street open for public parking… just saying!
5 stars to challenging hills & kick ass workout. But having both being a hiker & living a few blocks from the park, it’s just not the same feeling, experience as it use to be, hence the 2 stars now It’s just too crowded, even getting up before the sun comes out doesn’t remedy it, based on how quickly the masses are coming out earlier & earlier nowadays. But that’s not all. I live here now and it has greatly effected the parking situation on my block since last November. It appears from last week’s article in the Daily News, that Greenleaf’s next for permit parking:
Well our street is not going to be considered because there are far more rentals & maybe 1 to 3 property owner ratio (Our jackass owner being one of them) to sign a petition (nor do I think they care as they are all retired & hardly get out); Its ridiculous to see everyone fending for parking. (sucks more when you see capable bodied individuals borrowing their aging family members «Handicap» parking tags to utilize what should be for the actual handicap individual). Do what one neighbor does & put your trash can on the side of street so no one parks there… lol.
The good news is there are many, many, many more trails throughout LA area to explore, but you’ll have to be open to driving out of «five mile radius» comfort zone & look for the ones that are less populated.
As for me, I say good «Bye Bye» Hellman, it was nice you and me (and everyone else on here on Unilocal reviews that I personally know and few I’ve gone hiking with).
On to new trails, wherever God takes me.
Or as my daughters say «Wherever the wind blows» is where I shall roam. (Beach trails, cliff’s off Palos Verdes and possible West side trails watching planes fly over)
But note to the new, you’ll fall in love with it, take selfies with or w/​out graffiti tower -. Everyone does. Just pay attention to the permit parking and please be kind to the residents surrounding it.

Another one of my favorite places to hike and train. The climb up might be a little much of inexperienced hikers so come prepared with plenty of water. I come here year round, but the best tube to come I’d in the spring and winter as that’s when it’s the greenest. The trail starts from the parking lot to the right. One of the other entrances is blocked off do the trail starts to the right. The ascent is steady until you get smacked with the view I’ve kick ass hill. The easier route is the Mariposa trail to the left, but take that trail down. At the top if the hill is another fork. Take it to the left for more hill fun! Continue on and take the middle path to yet another hill. The short hike up and down, and yet another fork. Take it to the left and it’s one Sandy hill.
Atop this hill you are greeted with a nice panoramic view of the LA Basin. DTLA can been seen in the distance on a clear day. The temple in Rose Hills is also visible from here. This hill also forks to the left and right (surprising huh?) and you will reach one of two water towers.
Coming up the hill, to the left is a nice descent down but the easier water tower is easy to get to from here. Take the trail to all the way down till you reach asphalt. There’s a peace road that leads to a dead end do skip that. Another trail is found along the gate that surrounds the building. It eventually leads to a small sanctuary and residential area. Nice place to chill before heading back. The way back to the entrance used to loop closer to this water tower, but it’s been closed for some time now.
Back tracking, if you were coming up the Sandy hill and went to the right, you are greeted with an easier descent. The trail to this secondary water tower is a bit more of a challenge as it’s another nice hill to climb. The Turnbull trailhead can be found on this part of the trail. Continue past it until you reach the hill. Take the hill up to the tower.
All in all its a pretty straight forward. Despite all the forks it’s pretty easy to navigate and it’s pretty hard to get lost. I usually take the Mariposa trail back down for a change if scenery.
It’s a great place to bring your dog but bring doggy bags to clean up after them. This place loses a star though because of the, lack of parking. The lot is small do be prepared to park on the streets. If you park on the streets though, PAY ATTENTION TO THE SIGNS! Must of the surrounding neighborhoods have «Permit Parking Only» signs and a ticket is the last thing you need to end an awesome work out.
Another reason for the lost star is the fact that the other entrance had been closed for quite some time it was an, awesome way to get back from the first water tower described.
Still, it doesn’t take from the challenge of the hike. If you want a good challenge, definitely try out this hike!

The more strenuous hike in Whittier’s back yard.
This one unlike the others is a constant up and down. I believe it has the steepest climb in one section of its path.
Nonetheless, it’s a great hike that can be a little exhausting. The views you can get at it’s highest point are well worth the climb.