10 Easy Family Favorite Hikes in Southern California

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My family loves to hike. We have started all our kids out young. Do they always enjoy it? No. But, they don’t usually complain much because it’s just something we’ve always done. Now, I am not talking Mt. Whitney here. I am talking a good, solid, let’s almost call them nature walks (usually between 1-3.5 miles). We do have backpack carriers (for the kids), but when possible, we try to use a stroller. Because let’s be honest, who wants to lug a kid around whilst already exerting yourself? Am I right??? And we usually try to get all the “big kids” ages 3+ doing it on their own. Here are 10 of our family favorite hikes in Southern California.

Bronson Canyon Trail (AKA Hollywood Sign)– The added bonus of taking this specific trail (as if the Hollywood Sign wasn’t enough) is that for an added 10 min walk (I won’t even call it a hike, because it’s not) you get the O.G. TV Batcaves! Robin, TO THE BATCAVE!

We pushed a stroller (I say we, but my much more in shape and manly man husband did it all…. bless his sweet self) the entire time. It is not the flattest, best trail we’ve ever used, but it is doable with a stroller. And it drops you about as close as you can get to the Hollywood Sign (though I was somewhat disappointed it wasn’t closer). If you turn right towards the end when it forks, and go up a very steep hill, it drops you right up behind the sign. We were pretty tired at this point, because this one is an actual hike, and took the easier left turn to the front. Bring sunscreen and lots of water because you are on a hot dirt path the majority of the time.

Trailhead: 2950 Canyon Dr. Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA 90068 Look for a small parking area close to Brush Canyon Trail; Trail to the caves begins from the fire road on the right towards the end of the road.

Griffith Park– The park itself provides a bit of nostalgia to old L.A. and there is so much to see and do there. Griffith park is awesome because it has Merry-Go-Rounds, Trains, an inclusive playground called Shane’s Inspiration, etc. Did you know Griffith Park is one of the largest urban parks in North America? Now, if you don’t want to hike at all, but would rather explore a bit, check out the old LA Zoo picnic area. It’s right next to a huge playground and there are cages and habitats to explore where you can sit and picnic. So weird and so cool. Kids love being able to climb and explore. (Bring good shoes though, lots of trash and glass).

Ferndell hike at the edge of the park, is a stroller friendly hike, that is quite literally a walk in the park. You can make this hike longer or shorter depending on the route you choose. The quarter mile hike we walked from the trail-head takes you by a brook, waterfall and little grotto. We opted to end at the sweetest, quaintest cafe called “The Trails” for some pie and hot chocolate. It is one of the best family friendly hikes in So Cal. and just about anyone can do it! If you are in LA and looking for a great family friendly outing, this is it! And it is dog friendly!

Trailhead: Ferndell Dr. and Black Oak Drive, Los Angeles Ca, 90068 (in Griffith Park). There is a big sign to show the beginning of the trail. Park on the street.

Etiwanda Falls– One of the longer hikes on this list at 3.4 miles round-trip. This hike is right at the Etiwanda foothills in Rancho Cucamonga. It ends you at a gorgeous little forested creek and waterfall. No dogs allowed and it really isn’t stroller friendly. But it is a fun hike for the whole family. Probably don’t start on this one if you’ve never hiked before. However, for being only 3.5 miles long, it sure does give a thrill at the end. If you and your crew are up for a little jaunt, this one does not disappoint.

Trailhead: 4890 Etiwanda Ave. Rancho Cucamonga, CA, 91739. Located off the 210 fwy, 2 miles north of Day Creek Blvd. Free parking at the bottom of the trail in a lot (don’t park on street… you might get towed).

For a full detailed account on this hike, go here.

Mt. Rubidoux– Probably the most common hike in the Inland Empire. And for good reason. This is a great hike, with a great paved path perfect for strollers, beginners, and children. And for a relatively easy hike it ends with great views of the city of Riverside down below. This is one of my personal favorites. My 3-year-old walks a great deal of it himself and my 6, and 8-year-old do it no problem and have for years. If you haven’t hiked Rubidoux yet, get to it. You might get lucky and see rock climbers and small aircrafts around on your hike as well. There are two major trails to take once you go up, and they are pretty clear. When the road forks you go to the right, the trail is less steep but a little longer. If you take the road to the left it’s a tad bit steeper but shorter. We almost always go to the left because it is not much different in difficulty and much faster. At the top you can hike to the peace bridge (which is darling), an American flag and a large cross.

Trailhead: If you can find street parking, great. But beware because they have gotten really strict the last few years. Look for parking signs! The best place to park is probably the Ryan Bonaminio Park located at 5000 Tequesquite Ave, Riverside, CA 92506. From there just cross the street, head up the road for about a quarter mile and it drops you right inside the trail on the left side.

Borrego Canyon Palm Trail– Anza Borrego has one of my favorite surprise hikes. It looks so plain and desert-y when you start, it’s quite deceiving. But as you hike you come upon a true-blue Oasis (the 3rd largest in California). Like the cartoon ones. It’s nuts. And it is something to experience. You will know you hit the end once you get there. It is unbelievably cool, both literally and figuratively. After a wet spring we even bathed in a small waterfall inside the oasis. How cool is that?! Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat. You are hiking in the desert. And no dogs allowed. Their scent scares away the Big Horn Sheep that you might be lucky enough to see. Bonus: for a 5 min drive you are right near a metal sculpture art display which is awesome! Make sure to check out the serpent. And don’t miss out on the Anza Borrego Visitor Center. Anza Borrego is California’s largest state park and definitely worth checking out. The visitor center is very kid friendly! If you plan ahead kids can also participate in their Jr. Ranger program.

Trailhead: The trail is located to the north of the visitor center (stop in before your hike). To find the trailhead drive through the campground (you will pay here to hike, I believe the day fee is $10). You will basically take the road through the campsites all the way up, veer to the right and it drops you at a small parking lot where you will find the trailhead. The address for the campground is 200 Palm Canyon Dr. Borrego Springs, CA 92004

Top of the World– Laguna Beach. If you like hiking and you like the beach, this is the one for you. The majority of this hike is on top of a large plateau and gives you views of the ocean pretty much the whole time. We’ve gone a few times and taken a few different trails. The ones we’ve taken are pretty easy and kid friendly, though there are longer ones if you are looking for a challenge. Just make sure to bring water, a hat, and sunscreen because there is little shelter from the sun up there on top of the world. We started at Alta Laguna Park and just took the trail from there. We turned back when the kids seemed to be losing steam. Remember it’s out and back so as far as you walk out, save some energy for the hike back. Although the kids found enough in reserve to play at the park for a while afterward too.

Trailhead: The easiest way to get to The Top of the World Hike is to start and park at Alta Laguna Park. Again, there are many trails and trailheads you can take, but this is a great starting point, especially if you have kids with you. 3299 Alta Laguna Blvd, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve– Similar to the Top of the World trail, there are so many options at Torrey Pines. The Guy Fleming Trail is a pretty kid friendly one with great ocean views and two scenic panoramic views; it also has the best display of wildflowers, cacti, and beauty. While the beach trail (also very doable with kids) drops you onto the beach at the end. The surrounding area is great to explore too.

Trailhead: 12600 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037. To park drive past the entrance gate and enter the first lot on the right just past the visitors center.

Pumpkin Rock– Norco has a famous and fun painted pumpkin rock that looks like Jack Skellington. It’s a great hike for kids and everyone loves the finish of this one. Wear good shoes because there is a lot of broken glass at the top by the rock and a lot of graffiti at the base of it. I love this one around October for obvious reasons. But so do a lot of other people. It’s definitely a fun destination to hike to. And provides fabulous photo ops!

Trailhead: You can park at The Norco Animal Shelter at 3737 Crestview Dr, Norco CA 92860 or Pike’s Peak Park at 111 6th St, Norco CA 92860. Both are very close to the entrance. The Park has water and bathrooms. The park will not be the official “Google Maps” location, but it is a little less steep and provides bathrooms. The Shelter will take you to the official trail-head. Both trails intersect and will take you to the top no problem.

For complete info on this hike go here.

Santa Rosa Plateau– Murrieta has a little hidden treasure in the Santa Rosa Plateau. We recently were able to hike (I say the word loosely) because it was a leisurely walk pushing a stroller. We ended at the Vernal Pools which was full of toads and tadpoles thanks to all this springtime rain. Spring is a wonderful time to hit this hike up, with the wildflowers and actual water in the pools which you probably won’t find all year round. There are a lot of fun trails to explore there. I could have walked around all day, I loved it! And the kids had a blast running the platform and exploring.

Trailhead: There is a small entrance fee $4 ages 13+, $3 ages 2-12. Address 43311 Via Volcano, Temecula CA 92590. There is a parking lot which provides easy access, and a ranger there to take payment and provide answers and information.

Aliso and Wood Canyon Wilderness Park– Just a mile from Laguna Beach this is again one of those places you have your pick of trails to choose from. My recommendation with kids is in Wood Canyon and the trail is called Dripping Cave also known as Robber’s Cave. This trail was relatively secluded and ended at a hidden cave where outlaw Juan Flores and his gang used to hideout in the 1850s. You can still see holes in the cave where they dug into it in order to hang their gear from the walls. We used a stroller for the majority of this hike, but had to ditch it near the end when the sand got too soft. The majority of this trail was flat and was absolutely beautiful and quiet and a wonderful place to connect with nature. It was very easy for the kids to walk and just be kids.

Trailhead: This area has many trails that intertwine and intersect. The most direct route to get to the caves is parking off Alicia Parkway and take the Aliso Creek Trail 1.5 miles to the Wood Canyon Trail. From there go .3 miles to the Dripping Caves Trail and continue following the signs until you get there.

There are so many fun hikes in Southern California. There are definitely other family friendly ones we could have included. What did we miss? What is your favorite?

Check out these items to make your hike more enjoyable: camelback, toddler carrier, stroller,

Another family favorite hike here and here.

And check out this easy cave hike in Los Angeles here.