Cave in the Middle of Los Angeles? You Have to See it to Believe it!

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Vanalden Cave Hike: Los Angeles

The Vanalden Cave Trail located in Tarzana Ca

Trail-head: The Vanalden Trail begins at the dead end of Vanalden Ave in Tarzana (Los Angeles)… follow the small fire road in the middle of the street on the south side of the road under a large tree.

1.2 miles out and back

Elevation Change: 300-500 ft

Difficulty: Easy/moderate

Time: 20-30 min

No fee or permit required. Dog friendly. Not stroller or wheel chair friendly. Good shoes recommended as the path is very slick at places. Not recommended in the rain.

When looking for a hike, we love to end at a “destination”; waterfall, overlook, or in this case, a rad cave! And can you believe that this cave is located in the middle of Los Angeles?!

The Vanalden cave is a 20 ft tall, 50 ft deep sandstone cave located in Tarzana, Ca. It has an amphitheater like appearance and is a natural cave.

Vanalden Cave Hike in Los Angeles is a short easy hike! This hidden gem is a must do!

Where to park for the Vanalden Cave? Park at the end of Vanalden Ave and head straight to the middle of the road to start the hike on a small fire road under a tree. The road is slick and over-grown so be mindful to wear good shoes and follow the small path.

Located at the end of Vanalden Ave you take the fire road in the middle of the street and follow it until you veer to the left for the cave.

The entrance is found directly under the tree. Park on the street.

At one point about .15 miles after an initial incline the road forks and you will head to the left (if you miss it you will get a vista of the Santa Monica Mountains). The turn off is not marked and not obvious— so be sure to pay attention.

At just over a mile round trip, this is an easy/moderate trail that most people (and dogs) can do. But, wear good shoes as the dirt on the rock makes it quite slippery at parts.

The views on the trail alone are quite spectacular. This is a really great hike.

After turning off to the left you will go over trees and down a few declines. As you continue on the hike you will come to another downed tree. This marks another big fork in the trail and was the most confusing part. You can either go down or up. Take the trail down (left) to the river bed and at the bottom turn right. It is a very short walk from this point until you reach the mouth of the cave. If you take the trail up you will be on top of the caves. Either path will end at the cave and you can always change course since it is not a long hike.

At the end of the hike if you go up on the right side you can walk on top of the caves and look into them.

There are a few great slots coming out from the inside of the cave my kids loved exploring.

The cave is large and fun to explore. There is (sadly) a lot of graffiti and carvings on the walls. The holes in the ceiling provide good sunlight and allow you to explore the caves as long as it is still sunny outside without the aid of flashlights.

Some of the “carvings” around the exterior caught my eye.

Please maintain good outdoor manners: no littering, graffiti, tagging, etc.

Enjoy this fun hidden gem located in Los Angeles. It’s a great, easy hike and quite a surprise for this suburban development.

Enjoying the Vanalden Cave in Los Angeles

Please remember the golden rule of hiking: pack out what you pack in. In fact pack out more. Leave the trail better than you found it. No trash. No graffiti. No tagging! LEAVE NO TRACE!

Check out Dripping Caves Hike and more family friendly hikes here.

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