My Favorite Touristy Hiking Destinations

Update: I’ve done so much more hiking since originally writing this article. A few other fantastic hiking destinations I’ve lived in recently include: Flagstaff (a gorgeous 4 season mountain town in Northern Arizona with endless magnificent hikes in the ponderosa pine forest), Sedona (the red rock trails are seriously enchanting), and Western North Carolina (the waterfall hikes in the Blue Ridge region are incredible). I recommend adding these areas to your bucket list!

I have come up with a few of my favorite touristy hiking destinations for those of you looking to do some hiking this spring. I love hiking because in addition to being great exercise, it allows you to actually surround yourself with nature as opposed to just driving past it. Hiking is a great way to get the most out of your visit to a new area; what better way to fully take in the scenery of a gorgeou area than hiking? Plus, hiking is typically free or low cost at most, so it is a great activity for anyone looking to save a few bucks over pricey theme parks and tourist attractions.

Admittedly, I am a little nervous about running into wildlife (I’ve heard of way too many bear attacks in recent years), however, that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying a nice hike pretty much anywhere mountainous I travel to. Here are my top hiking areas (in touristy areas) ranging from urban to national parks.

Runyon Canyon Park: Los Angeles, California

Views: City of Los Angeles, Griffith Observatory
Pros: Gorgeous views of Los Angeles, good workout (a few steep hills), little wildlife, free parking, free yoga
Cons: Crowded on weekends, not shaded (hot and sunny – bring sunglasses and sunblock!)

Runyon Canyon is the ultimate touristy hiking area. If you want to see a celeb, this is the place to do so. This is why you can always see paparazzi on TMZ attempting to catch a glimpse of a celeb in action. Celeb hotspot aside, it’s a beautiful place to hike with fabulous views of the city and surrounding mountains. And it’s a great workout too; I often trained for my half marathon here. The hard hills really kicked my butt!

Address: 2001 N Fuller Ave Los Angeles, CA 90046

Griffith Park: Los Angeles, California

Views: Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles
Pros: Great spot for taking photos of the Hollywood Sign, not as crowded as Runyon Canyon, free parking, little wildlife, difficult hike despite the short distance
Cons: Hike is a bit too short, no shade

This is my preferred hiking alternative to touristy Runyon Canyon. While I was living in the L.A. region, I often came to the Griffith to hike to avoid the touristy crowds. Like Runyon, there are great views of the city, although the hikes here do not get as crowded. This is hands down the best place in the L.A. metro to hike near the Hollywood sign. You can get so close that you can appear to be standing right beneath the sign. The Mt. Hollywood trail is about 3 miles and moderate in intensity.

Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles — Views of the Griffith from a trail

Hiking beneath the Hollywood sign at Griffith Park — Cool photo opp on the trail where you can appear to hold the iconic sign!

Views of the Hollywood sign from the Griffith Observatory hike in Los Angeles

Address: 4730 Crystal Springs Dr Los Angeles, CA 90027

White Mountains National Forest: New Hampshire

Views: Beautiful mountains
Pros: Quiet isolated trails, heavily forested with beautiful pine trees, clean, the air just smells fresher
Cons: There is no one else around if you get lost, saw a few bear prints (yikes!), small fee for parking

The White Mountains is a gorgeous rustic region of New Hampshire. The White Mountain National Forest is a gorgeous place for year-round recreation, especially summer hiking. There are 1200 miles of trails available, so really you can go on hiking forever. The Greeley Ponds trail is a nice beginner option for first time visitors.

Greeley Ponds trail in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

Address: Greeley Ponds Trailhead (parking lot on Kancamagus Highway NH Rte. 112

Camden Hills State Park: Camden, Maine

Views: Mt. Battie, ocean and mountain
Pros: Plenty of different trails, breathtaking views of Mt. Battie, beautiful trees
Cons: Small parking fee, walking downhill on the rocks can be challenging

When Mike and I moved to Maine (we lived on a small island called Islesboro for a year), we regularly hiked at a beautiful state park called Camden Hills. There are many hikes here, the best being a short but steep climb up to Mt. Battie. From the top, you can enjoy fabulous views of Penobscot Bay.

Gorgeous views via the Mt. Battie trail at Camden Hills State Park in Maine — What a fabulous view of the bay after a hard climb!

Address: 280 Belfast Rd, Camden, ME 04843

Emerald Bay State Park: South Lake Tahoe, California

Views: Lake Tahoe
Pros: Beautiful views, pretty streams, Vikingsholm castle, beaches along the way to stop at
Cons: Pay for parking, parking difficult to find, short trail, lots of black bear activity

On our first summer visit to Lake Tahoe, Mike and I knew that we had to hike at gorgeous Emerald Bay State Park. There are tons of trails here, so you can find something to suit your current fitness ability. I recommend a moderate 2 mile trek known as the Vikingsholm Trail. This one takes you to a historic castle (which you can tour). The views of the lake are amazing. Tourists frequently report bear encounters here – please don’t take selfies with them (it’s not a good idea!).

Hiking Emerald Bay State Park in Lake Tahoe

Views from the Vikingsholm hike at Emerald Bay State Park in Lake Tahoe

Address: Parking located at Hwy 89 at Emerald Bay State Park, South Lake Tahoe, CA

Crystal Cove State Park: Laguna Beach, CA

Views: Coastline, mountains
Pros: Gorgeous desert scenery, peaceful (no large crowds), great escape from the city, intense workout (very steep hills), free parking, fabulous views, you can head over to the beach after your hike
Cons: There have been lion attacks, you need to watch out for snakes, may be too isolated for some

Mike and I often hiked at beautiful Crystal Cove while living in the L.A. metro. It was a quick drive from Long Beach and we loved the scenery and the challenge. The hiking here is super hilly and you will see many elite athletes training here. Moro Canyon, a 3 mile moderate loop, was our usual choice. I have heard of several mountain lion attacks here which is pretty scary, but luckily we never saw any (we heard some moving in the bushes a few times), but never saw anything. To be honest, I don’t know what I would do if I saw a lion on a trail!

Hiking at Crystal Cove State Park — Beautiful mountain scenery

Secluded beach at Crystal Cove state Park — Views of the secluded beach

Trail at Crystal Cove State park in Laguna Beach, CA — Beautiful coastal views from the Moro Canyon trail

Address: 8471 N Coast Hwy Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (free parking can be found along side streets)

Camelback Mountain: Phoenix, Arizona

Views: Phoenix, surrounding mountain landscapes, desert
Pros: Great views of the city, Lots of diverse cactus plants to take your picture next do, great workout!
Cons: You need to watch out for snakes!

My uncle, a long time Phoenix resident, first showed Mike and I this iconic hike on our first visit to the city. We both fell in love with the desert. There are 2 routes to the summit of the highest mountain peak (2704 ft) in Phoenix: The Echo and Cholla trail. They come in at about 2.6 miles (Echo) and 2.9 (Cholla) and are both very challenging and not recommended at all during the hot summer months. The scenery is fabulous with unending views of the cacti and surrounding mountain scapes.