With a unique angle on my normal adventures, I set off for California to explore the wild and adventurous side of their big cities. I’m not normally a city guy, so this would be a bit of a stretch for me. But I’m passionate about getting people outside and exploring their backyards, and as so many people live in the city and can’t feasibly travel long distances to wild places, I welcomed the chance to get a little more creative and see what could be explored and enjoyed close to some major urban areas.
San Francisco hikes
First stop, San Francisco. One of the gems of American cities, San Francisco has plenty of charm. It’s a diverse city with a cultivated food scene, plenty of nightlife, and it’s all impeccably set upon a beautiful headland jutting out into the Pacific Ocean.
The Presidio National Park is unique to San Francisco
Within the hubbub of San Francisco is the Presidio – a tiny National Park site compared to its brothers and sisters around the country. But for the city, it plays a central role. The Presidio makes up about 5% of the city and is actually bigger than Central Park in New York.
History of the Presidio
The park was once a military complex guarding the Golden Gate (the name of the landscape feature, the infamous bridge came later), the entrance to the Bay. But as the military evolved, they no longer needed this strategic piece of land. It was turned over and became the Presidio, a park for San Francisco.
Old airstrips were torn up and returned to their original ways. Barracks were turned into hotels and restaurants. Battlements became overlooks to enjoy the scenery. And of course, for my interest, trails were built throughout the park.
While I loved the quiet trails of the Presidio, I also met up with Alex of Urban Hiker SF to explore the trails of the actual city. We met up for a coffee and then wandered through a few alleyways before entering the trail known as the Creeks to Peaks.
The San Francisco Parks and Recreation trail is short, but it does offer a true getaway through a gorge in the city. When you’re following the trail at the bottom, you have no idea the city is surrounding you at the rim. It’s a slice of paradise through the canyon. As you ascend, you return to the city momentarily before rising above it. The trail continues up the Twin Peaks, which stand hundreds of feet above the city.
At the top of the Twin Peaks, you can see all around the city and up and down the coast. It’s quite an excellent trail that’s literally in the middle of the city.
Leaving San Francisco behind, I headed south towards Hollywood. While I had to get a taste for the glitz and glamor, I was there to explore a different side of the city.
Los Angeles urban hiking
If L.A. is known for one food, it would have to be tacos. The city is “Taco Town USA” after all. So, what could be better than a hiking taco tour of L.A.?
I met up with Javier of L.A. Taco. Javier is a journalist who has become a celebrity for his excellence in the field of tacos. I could have no better tour guide as we walked through the Boyle Heights neighborhood hitting up Javier’s favorite taco trucks.
Griffith Park
After wandering the urban streets of L.A., it was time to head to the trails. Nestled in the heart of LA is Griffith Park, and of course, the infamous Hollywood sign. I headed to Sunset Ranch, an actual ranch tucked at the back of a Hollywood neighborhood and at the base of the Hollywood Hills. I met up with Misty, an equestrian trail guide. Together we’d be exploring some of the trails that wind all through Griffith Park on horseback.
Feeling like I wandered onto the set of an old spaghetti western, I met my steed “Lil Bro.” Misty and I rode along the trails, and I was amazed at how much Griffith Park felt like a wilderness area within the city, as it acts more like a nature preserve than a city park. Along the trail we spotted many red-tailed hawks and birds of prey. There are also many deer, coyote, and a lucky few might be able to spot the single mountain lion that lives in Hollywood.
The trail rises steeply up the granite slopes of Mt. Baldy, passing by an old ski resort that actually still operates (yes, you can ski in L.A. apparently). Mt. Baldy is no easy stroll. The high altitude and the dry desert air means you gotta come prepared with plenty of water, strong legs, and an adventurous spirit.
We slowly plodded our way up the mountain, navigating the treacherous Devil’s Backbone where the mountain falls steeply on both sides of the trail. As the day wore on, Casey and I eventually made it to the top to celebrate. I couldn’t believe I was standing over 10,000 feet with L.A. east of me and the Mojave Desert to the west. To the north, the San Gabriels continued on, quietly assuring me that L.A. has more adventure in store than I could have guessed.
Special thanks to Visit California for helping make this epic adventure a possibility!
