GET GREAT VIEWS AND A KILLER WORKOUT CLIMBING L.A. STAIRS
THESE STAIR WALKS ACROSS THE CITY WILL MAKE YOU SAY ‘WOWZA!’
HERE’S A recent realization that kind of blew my mind: Los Angeles is really a big city of hills. ¶ I spend so much time on flat freeways, I never appreciated just how elevated we get around here until I began exploring L.A.’s most challenging staircase walks, as collated by Charles Fleming in his 2010 book “Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles.” (Fleming is a contributor to The Times.) ¶ Fleming documented 42 looping stair walks around L.A., from the up-anddown neighborhoods of El Sereno to the ocean breezes of Pacific Palisades. I’d heard about these stair walks, but I secretly worried about whether I could really do them. I’m a gardener in good health, but if there’s a scale for athleticism, I’m near the bottom.
I’ve been AARP-eligible for more than a decade and my knees would be happier if I lost 25 pounds. I walk often but get winded climbing hills. Oh, and there’s the klutz factor too: I broke my leg in October 2021 by stepping off a trail into ... nothing during a night hike in Griffith Park.
So my reasoning was, if I can do these hearthammering, lung-bursting, are-you-serious?! climbs, then anyone who can manage stairs can too.
I chose some of the hardest of Fleming ’s walks with up to 1,000 steps and lengths up to four miles. I took friends with me on most of the hikes, women of about the same age and fitness level. We did many of these walks on 90-plusdegree days, and there were times I was sweating so much I felt like a liquid. Most of these routes, though, are shaded by mature trees, so there is some respite from the sun.
Many of these stairs also have lights, but I don’t recommend taking these walks at night. For one, you miss the architecture, and two, you’re so close to people’s homes, it feels a little sketchy and unsafe to be a stranger in a strange neighborhood after dark.
I relied on my fellow walkers to help me answer the other big question: Were these walks worth the time, gas and serious sweat to get there?
Answer: For the most part, absolutely! Below are nine of my favorite stair walks that I gave a “Wowza!” rating. They’re challenging routes worth multiple visits because the intense exertion is softened by magnificent scenery. For more Wowza walks, as well as ones where the exertion is more memorable than the scenery, use the QR code to find the online version of this story. Complete step-by-step directions for all the walks can be found there.
Obviously, this is very subjective — in some cases, my brain probably was addled by oxygen deprivation — so plan on trying all the walks and let me know how you would rate them.
A few other pointers:
> These walks involve quiet neighborhoods
not used to hordes of visitors, so be respectful of their privacy and keep out of their yards.
> Wear good walking shoes;
f lip-f lops aren’t going to make it here. Some of these streets are so steep you feel like you could fall off.
> Bring water and find a toilet
ahead of time, because most of these routes have neither restrooms nor cafes.
> Parking can be a challenge,
especially on weekends. Try to park as close to the starting/ending location as you can.
> Sidewalks are nonexistent
on many of the walks’ curvy, narrow streets, so proceed with care. I had a couple of near misses; drivers just don’t expect people to be walking on these roads.
> The views can be spectacular
but are often blocked by houses, trees and shrubs. For me, the best part of these walks was discovering some of L.A.’s most historic and beautiful neighborhoods and quintessential L.A. architecture.
> Buy a Kindle version of Fleming ’s 2020 book update
for more walks and interesting details. If you’re banking on dining at a restaurant he mentions, though, check if it’s still open.
> If you’re interested in other stair walks ,or teaming up with stair walkers, check out SoCal Stair Climbers, a group that regularly designs and hosts stair walks around L.A. County that are as short as four miles or as long as 20.
PACIFIC PALISADES RUSTIC CANYON LOOP WALK
I love, love, love this walk, even though it took me past a parade of hard bodies charging up and down the infamous 4th Street Stairs multiple times before I could huff and puff my way to the top just once.
So yes, expect some labored breathing on this walk, but it also takes you through some serene and majestically green neighborhoods, great ocean views and — quite unexpectedly — a tiny stream during our dry-as-dust summer. There are lots of stairs — at 976 steps, it’s one of the most stairintensive — but the sights are so transporting it’s easy to forget you’re near a city center, and that makes all the effort worthwhile.
Park alongside the beach at the Will Rogers Parking Lot No. 1, where Entrada Drive spills into the Pacific Coast Highway. Parking here is $9, and it’s safest to bring cash, since the machines don’t reliably accept cards. This walk will take you along PCH, through a tunnel under the road, past Patrick’s Roadhouse to your first set of stairs, a colorful set of 48 steps that climb to Ocean Way. You'll also climb the 4th Street Stairs, which zig and zag 189 steps with a fair number of panting, dripping athletic types running up and down them. There are also several landings along the way where you can catch your breath and enjoy the gorgeous views behind you. You'll then head to the Santa Monica Stairs, 166 weathered wooden steps, before eventually making your way back to the parking lot.
Distance: 3.0 miles Difficulty: Strenuous
PACIFIC PALISADES CASTELLAMMARE
This scenic walk isn’t as strenuous as some of the others, but the sweeping ocean views and unique, stately homes make it well worth the trek. And believe me, you’ll still get plenty of exercise on stairs with a total of 518 steps.
Park in Will Rogers State Beach Parking Lot 5 on the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). The fees vary depending on the season. Between Labor Day and Memorial Day, expect to pay $6 on weekdays and $8 on weekends to park from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After Memorial Day, during the peak summer months, the rates increase to $8 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and $13 on weekends from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Important note: Technically the self-serve parking machines accept debit and credit cards, but when I went, the only thing that worked was cash, so be sure to bring some paper money in exact amounts, since the machines don’t give change.
Head north on PCH past a bank of public showers and restrooms (here’s your chance) toward the pedestrian bridge over the highway. As you walk, notice the damage done by landslides across the highway, where whole portions of the hillside have washed away. Farther on you’ll see some innovative and some downright ugly attempts to stop the slides. At the overpass, climb the 35 steps to cross the always busy highway and then walk past the south side of the once-grand Thelma Todd’s Sidewalk Cafe, now a historic site, up another 40 steps to Castellammare Drive. Turn left on Castellammare, walking uphill a short distance to the next set of stairs on the right — 69 steps up to Posetano Road. Across the street, you’ll see evidence of stairs that used to go farther up until they were destroyed by a landslide, so here we turn left. We’re still walking uphill but this street has many lovely homes that our slow ascent gives us plenty of time to admire.
The walk continues up- and downhill and has even more stairs up ahead. Along the walk you’ll spot a giant villa with huge, suspended-inmidair tennis courts and a patio jutting out the back. You can supposedly spot glimpses of the Getty Villa (which offers tours of its collection of ancient Greek and Roman art), but I couldn’t see much. At the end of the walk, if you’re hungry, stop at Gladstone’s restaurant.
Distance: 3.2 miles Difficulty: Moderate
SILVER LAKE COVE-LOMA VISTA LOOP WALK
This is another of my favorite walks because it takes you along Loma Vista Place, a shady stairway “street” that climbs past a mix of stunning and bedraggled homes, some with beautifully landscaped yards and others wildly overgrown. It took me several minutes to comprehend
that these steep stairs were the main access to these houses — which only sharpened my appreciation and curiosity. Who are these hearty Silver Lake people who must trudge up countless stairs daily, just to enter their homes? Someone should do a study to see if they are healthier than the rest of us.
Anyway, I loved this walk even though it nearly killed me. Near the end, I had to mince my way down one of the steepest streets I’ve ever encountered — Edendale Place. I was relieved when I realized I wouldn’t have to climb that street, but walking down was almost as hard because of the effort involved in not falling on my face.
A note: I recommend a different starting point than Fleming because of issues with parking and traffic. Fleming starts his walk at the corner of Silver Lake Boulevard and Glendale Boulevard, a nightmare of cars and noise. He recommended walking up Glendale Boulevard from there, from wherever you managed to park, so you can pass the offices of the famous father-son architects Richard and Dion Neutra at 2379 Glendale Blvd. (now the Neutra Institute Museum of Silver Lake). Richard designed the office and many of Silver Lake’s lovely homes, but the car issues are so taxing, I recommend parking about five or six blocks farther up Glendale Boulevard near Earl Street, where the traffic is far lighter and it’s much easier to park. Then, if you must get a look at the Neutra office building, walk down Glendale to take a peek.
Note, too, that the lovely Silver Lake Library is at the corner of Glendale and Silver Lake; you’ll find a restroom, water fountain and small but compelling display of old and rare books in its tiny bookstore.
Park on Glendale Boulevard as close to Earl Street as possible. Then walk up Earl heading west, toward the lake. This is a street with beautiful homes, including the “Tree Tops” home at 2434 Earl, designed by Dion Neutra in 1980, and Richard’s 1948 Sokol house at 2242 Earl, whose property extends from Neutra Place, the street named after the architects, to Silver Lake Boulevard. Follow wistfully along to Silver Lake and turn left. Enjoy the short, relatively f lat walk along Silver Lake and then turn left on Cove Avenue for a searingly steep climb to the Mattachine Steps, a.k.a. the Cove Avenue Stairs. The stairs are named after the Mattachine Society, one of the United States’ earliest gay rights organizations. At the top, continue straight on Cove Avenue past Apex Avenue and a short flight of 19 stairs back to Glendale Boulevard. Cross the boulevard carefully; the traffic is thinner here, but it’s still a major road.
The walk continues on to the Loma Vista Place stairs — 182 steps shaded by sprawling oaks and many other trees, from bananas to eucalyptus. This stair walk feels magical and transporting. It’s quite a climb but there’s so much to admire I didn’t feel much pain. In the dappled shade there are rustic, artistic mailboxes, inviting benches and whimsical landscaping. The stairs turn into a level path for a short distance and then head down, past seemingly older and much more ramshackle homes. One appears abandoned, but a passing neighbor assures me someone really does live there. I asked her, “Is there really no other way into these homes except these stairs? Do the residents really have to lug everything up multiple f lights to their doors?” The woman shrugged. “I guess it’s a lifestyle,” she said, as her dog dragged her away. Even more stairs lie ahead, including the Three Stooges Stairs, from their 1941 short movie “An Ache in Every Stake,” which features them trying to carry a block of ice up the stairs, with predictably disastrous results. Distance: 2.0 miles Difficulty: Strenuous
HOLLYWOOD HOLLYWOOD BOWL AND HIGH TOWER LOOP
I really love this walk through the hills of Hollywood Heights, next to the Hollywood Bowl, along some of the historic “walk streets” where the only access is by foot. As you’re walking, look for the narrow, cavelike garages carved into the hills below these extraordinary homes, built when cars were much smaller, and the famous freestanding High Tower elevator, which transports lucky residents with keys up to their hillside homes.
There are only 486 steps on this walk but several intense uphill climbs that lead to narrow passageways where people live, which feel both intimate and magical. The walk takes you behind the Hollywood Bowl, and I’ve added a detour through the lovely Highland Camrose Bungalow Village to avoid walking along Highland Avenue, which is lousy with jarring traffic.
But first you have to park, and that may be the most challenging part of the walk. If you drive up Highland to Camrose and take a right on what becomes Milner Road, you have a fair chance of finding some parking a few blocks away on North Las Palmas Avenue, the first right off of Milner. I do not recommend trying to park on Camrose — it’s a narrow street already crammed with cars; nice for walking but hellish for parking. And if you happen to visit on a day when there’s an event at the Hollywood Bowl, you could get blocked in, so best to leave that area for walking only.
A final note: You won’t find any restrooms or water along this route, so plan to make a prewalk pit stop at a coffee shop
or gas station somewhere else before you start.
Start the walk by turning on Camrose at Highland and head uphill — something you’ll do a lot of on this walk. On your right you’ll see the Highland Camrose Bungalow Village, a cluster of Craftsman-style bungalows built between 1900 and 1924 that’s now on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district of “workingclass housing.” The bungalows now are used as offices for organizations affiliated with the nearby Hollywood Bowl. We will walk through the grounds later, on our return. Continue up Camrose, past Woodland Way and Rockledge Road, and turn left on High Tower Drive. The homes are so unique and colorful that it’s easy to forget that we were in the thick of terrible traffic just a few blocks before. Walk to the end of the cul-de-sac and find your first stairs next to a bright pink wall draped with bougainvillea. This is a clean set of stairs shaded by eucalyptus trees that climbs 103 steps up to the cul-de-sac end of Glencoe Way. If you look behind midway up, you can see the round Capital Records building in the distance. At the top, while you catch your breath, look to your right to see the High Tower elevator shaft built in the 1920s, styled after an Italian campanile (freestanding bell tower). We’ll be walking right next to the elevator soon enough, so for now, just cross Glencoe to the next set of stairs, which goes up another 110 steps to the cul-de-sac end of Paramount Drive.
The walk continues to the Alta Loma neighborhood, which is filled with passages and serene gardens. Some of the passages are so narrow and winding they inf lame my claustrophobia as much as my fascination, but luckily I can keep moving, more steeply downhill now, almost like Alice running headlong through Wonderland. Distance: 2.6 miles Difficulty: Strenuous
HIGHLAND PARK SOUTHWEST MUSEUM WALK
Fleming designed this walk to include the grounds of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, but the museum and its grounds are currently closed to visitors with no date set for reopening, according to museum officials. Nonetheless, this challenging, strenuous walk is still one of my favorites, partly because I started looking up at the distant hills thinking, “Can he really expect me to get up there?” and then being totally exhilarated when I found myself at the top of those high hills looking down.
One reason I love this walk: It involves the longest wooden stairs in Los Angeles — 196 winding steps at the top of reportedly the steepest road in California: Eldred Street. The top of this street is so steep — a 33% grade — that I almost had to crawl to get to the top. Needless to say, the going was very slow, but every few feet, when I would stop to catch my breath (this is just a block-long hike, mind you), I would carefully turn around and gasp anew at the view.
You’ll pass through a variety of neighborhoods too, from more modest homes with inventive vegetable gardens and found-item sculptures in the front yard to more elaborate mini-mansions perched somewhat precariously at the edge of the hills. There are lots of mature trees here and birdsong with bits of history and art along the route. I went alone on this one, and I can’t wait to go back and challenge my family and friends.
Find a place to park on Sycamore Terrace, as close as you can get to North Figueroa Street and North Avenue 50, because that’s where you’ll start your walk; but you’ll also end up on Sycamore Terrace, so anywhere along this street is good. You’ll head uphill on the left side of North Avenue 50 until you reach Lynn Street, where you will turn left. Walk a block to the end of Lynn Street and find your first set of stairs, heading down. (This is where I started getting nervous about the hills looming before me, wondering how I could climb anything that high.) Walk down the 60 steps to a continuation of Lynn and turn right onto North Avenue 49.
During this walk, you’ll amble through a charming neighborhood of tidy duplexes and bungalows, huff your way up Eldred Street, climb 196 steps up a rickety white wooden staircase at Eldred Street and Avenue 48 and, near the end, pass the remarkable L.A. historic-cultural monument known as the Hiner House and Sousa Nook.
Distance: 3.0 miles Difficulty: Strenuous
HOLLYWOOD BEACHWOOD CANYON WALK
If you have visitors just dying to see the Hollywood sign, this is the walk for you. And even if you are indifferent to L.A.’s iconic sign, this strenuous walk will fill you up with historic stairs, scenic views and winding, charming streets full of unique and lovely homes.
A couple of important notes before you start: We took this walk on a Sunday, when there was far too much traffic and too many people walking up the hill to see the sign. If possible, try to schedule this walk on a weekday, when the crowds will be thinner, and stop in at the excellent Beachwood Cafe for a delicious meal (open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. except Mondays, when it’s open 4 to 9 p.m.). On Sunday, the wait was way too long for two ravenous walkers.
Find a restroom before you get to Beachwood Canyon, because you won’t find any there. We went to the Gower Gulch shopping area where, for the first time ever, I found a Starbucks that didn’t have public restrooms. The Rite Aid at the other end of the center had restrooms that were out of order, but the Denny’s had a very nice restroom we were able to use. Perhaps you can order a coffee or iced tea to-go there in gratitude.
Parking will be your first challenge. Once you drive through the “Hollywoodland” gates of Beachwood Canyon (the original name of this housing development from 1923), the cafe will be on your left, at the corner of North Beachwood Drive and Westshire Drive. We had good luck finding parking on Woodhaven Drive, a narrow, winding street with extraordinary homes just a short jog right and then immediately left from the cafe.
Wherever you park, start your walk at the cafe. Walk north (uphill) on North Beachwood Drive on the right side of the street. You’ll pass the other end of Woodhaven Street on your right, and a short distance later, past a long brown fence shaded by a magnificent backyard oak at 2800 Beachwood, look for your first stairs on the right, the North Beachwood Westshire Stairs. (Do not take the stairs a little farther to the left.) These shady stairs are steep but beautiful, 143 steps up to Westshire Drive, where you take a right and continue to climb until the road splits at Lechner Place. Stay right and continue on Westshire on a winding walk downhill. When Westshire takes a wide curve to the right, look for your next stairs on the left at 2748, another steep and shady climb with wrought-iron handrails up 149 steps to Hollyridge Drive, where you turn left.
The rest of the walk includes some terrific views in between houses and eventually the “Hollywoodland’s Granite Retaining Walls and Interconnecting Granite Stairs,” an L.A. historiccultural monument, built in 1928. You’ll also pass the enchanting Garden of Oz. Looking through the gate, there are signs asking you to refrain from taking photos of the colorful mosaics and sculptures within. But just a few steps downhill, you’ll pass parts of the garden that are easy to admire and photograph, including the delightful “throne” of stones built into the hill to your left. It’s called “A Throne of Your Own,” and it’s a great spot to stop and take photos
Distance: 2.6 miles Difficulty: Strenuous
MT. WASHINGTON
OK, this walk would have ended up in the “morestrenuous-than-scenic” category except for one important detail: The route takes you right by the verdant grounds of the Self-Realization Fellowship International Headquarters, established by Paramahansa Yogananda, author of “Autobiography of a Yogi,” in 1925. It’s well worth the short detour to walk the inviting, peaceful public areas of the property, which was once the site of the historic Mt. Washington Hotel. The visitor center by the entrance gate has a restroom and drinking fountain, and the staff is welcoming but decidedly un-pushy. Walk farther in to explore the short but
idyllic garden trails on your right and the old hotel on your left, which now houses the fellowship’s administration offices, library and chapel, open to the public 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Fleming notes there was once a funicular railway that carried guests from Figueroa Street to the hotel. You’ll understand why once you walk this very steep route that gets more scenic the higher you go. Almost all of this memorable walk is steep up or steep down.
Park near the Superior Grocers market at Avenue 45 and North Figueroa Street, so you can go inside the store before and/or after you’re done to buy a tall, cool agua fresca. I did both, and believe me, you’ll want to too. There are several f lavors, but I particularly love pepino con limon (cucumber with lime), which was refreshing and delicious. Enter through the store’s left doors and then turn left; the drink counter is conveniently near the restrooms. Leave the store and walk up Avenue 45 over the Gold Line train tracks and past Marmion Way, until you see Glenalbyn Drive on the left. Turn left on Glenalbyn and walk a couple of blocks until you come to Avenue 43 and turn right.
Walk up Avenue 43, a short steep block that veers right, becoming Glenmuir Avenue. Look to the left to find your first staircase, 102 steps that end at Canyon Vista Drive.
The walk continues with some excellent views of downtown and East L.A. You’ll also pass the Self-Realization Fellowship, Craftsman homes and Mt. Washington Elementary School. Distance: 3.2 miles Difficulty: Strenuous
SILVER LAKE ASTRO LOOP WALK
This is a weird walk, no question. With 704 steps, it’s pretty strenuous as well. It’s worth the effort because things change so much along the route — it stays interesting. The secret-garden feel through shady neighborhoods transforms into open dirt roads and even a Polynesian garden. I did this one alone but wish I’d had someone with me to share my bewilderment and delight.
A note: I recommend slicing off the very first part of Fleming’s walk, which takes you east along Fletcher Drive to a very busy intersection at Riverside Drive to climb some stairs behind the Ivanhoe Restaurant & Bar. The stairs are on a barren hillside, filled with weeds and broken glass, and the walk through here felt uncomfortable. The walk turns into a neighborhood with a few pretty houses but then takes you right back where you started, so this leg of the walk is best omitted entirely.
I recommend parking behind the Astro Family Restaurant on Silver Lake Boulevard. Walk to the front of the restaurant on Glendale Boulevard at Fletcher Drive, cross Glendale and turn right, heading uphill. About a block up, just past 2617 Glendale, you’ll find the Ivan Hill Glendale Stairs, which climb 212 steps in total, starting with 56 steps through a green bowered space that feels like a magic garden to Ivan Hill Terrace, and then continuing on up across the street another 156 steps to Ivanhoe Drive. According to Fleming, Judy Garland lived in the castle-like home at 2605. (It looks more like a castle from the stairs than it does from the street.)
The walk continues past interesting homes and little free libraries, including one in the shape of a black cat adorned with quotations, such as “The smallest feline is a masterpiece. — Leonardo da Vinci.” Another sign follows the “We believe” yard sign format, as in “We believe women’s rights are human rights,” etc., except this one reads: “We believe the legal thriller Michael Clayton starring George Clooney, Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson is a vastly underrated cinematic masterpiece and easily one of the five best films of the 21st century.” You’ll also spot an inscrutable Easter Island moai watching all who pass.
If, like me, you are feeling famished at the end of the walk, grab a table at the Astro Family Restaurant. This isn’t gourmet fare, but I got a milkshake and a burger, and it was just right. Distance: 2.5 miles Difficulty: Strenuous
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES WALK
This walk is the answer for every Angeleno who’s had out-of-town visitors begging to see downtown L.A. It’s also great for anyone who loves downtown, or wants to know more about the area, because it takes you to favorite haunts and landmarks and a few other places I never knew were there.
It also includes a lot of stairs, 804 total, so come prepared. This is not an easy stroll, but it sure is fun. If you just stick to the route and keep moving, it should take about 90 minutes to complete, but of course we stopped several times along the way, for coffee, snacks or just to admire, so plan accordingly. It could easily take up most of an afternoon.
Park at the Los Angeles Times Spring Street parking garage, just a block from Grand Central Market, where you start your walk. We paid $10 for parking at the Spring Street garage. Exit out the back of the garage and turn left (south) onto South Broadway. Walk about a block on Broadway and cross East 3rd Street to enter the historic Bradbury Building at 304 S. Broadway. Built in 1893, it’s now the oldest commercial building still standing in the city center. This is the first of many recommended detours, but it’s worth a few minutes to admire the extraordinary wrought-iron staircases, open-cage elevator, brick and wood walls and enormous atrium roof in the lobby, all featured in the classic movie “Blade Runner.” You can’t go any farther unless you have a personal escort, but it’s free to wander the lobby from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. Walk back outside and cross Broadway to 3rd Street, then turn left, past the historic Million Dollar Theater to Grand Central Market, L.A’s. largest and oldest public market, which opened in 1917. Again, another detour and the walk hasn’t even started yet! But good luck trying to walk through this aromatic, raucous space without stopping to buy something. I recommend an early surrender to give all the walkers a chance to fortify themselves.
When everyone is satiated, walk out the back of the market to South Hill Street and cross the street at the crosswalk to the Angels Flight Railway and stairs, the official beginning of our walk. Admire the funicular cars that move up and down the steep slope between Hill and South Olive streets. Your task is to climb the adjacent stairs, 121 steps to the top. Here, I diverge from Fleming’s instructions. He recommends walking through the park next to the stairs, but it’s fenced off now, and walking along Olive Street to some stairs near 4th and Olive is a mess of traffic and noise. Instead, I suggest continuing up the stairs in front of you another 30 steps to what appears to be a parking garage over Olive Street. In fact, it is one of several entrances to California Plaza, which was our destination anyway. It’s a lovely spot to walk, rest or grab another coffee.
This walk goes on to include the Bunker Hill Stairs, the Central Library’s Maguire Gardens, a spiral staircase in the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, the backyard of Walt Disney Concert Hall and Grand Park. Distance: 3.0 miles Difficulty: Strenuous
FRANKLIN HILLS WEST RADIO-PROSPECT LOOP
I took an out-of-state friend on this East Hollywood walk and she loved
it, which inf luenced my decision to give it a Wowza! score. She had just spent 30 days hiking 250 miles on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, so she’s no newbie to walking, but she liked what I too liked best about this walk: exploring classic L.A. neighborhoods and all the different architecture and landscape styles, from basic to eye-popping.
There are fewer than 700 steps on this walk, but it still has some breathtaking climbs and drops.
Fleming starts this walk at the nightmare triple intersection of Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard and Hillhurst Avenue. I recommend doing anything
you can to avoid that, such as parking on a nearby residential street like Rosalia Road (where I parked) or North Commonwealth Avenue, both of which connect to Sunset Drive, where we will start our walk heading east. Be sure you walk on Sunset Drive — not Sunset Boulevard — toward the hills, which, yes, we are going to climb. Walk past Rosalia Road and North Commonwealth Avenue on Sunset, and turn left on Hoover Street. Walk two blocks up Hoover, past Clayton Avenue ( jog a little to the right to stay on Hoover) and West Camero Avenue to where the street ends in front of the Hoover Walk, a double-sided staircase with a colorful and slightly graffitied mural and 38 steps.
The walk continues past Prospect Studios to include several more sets of steps as well as great views of Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood sign. You can at one point take a short detour to the magical Shakespeare Bridge, where you can take photos through the crazy turrets and stare down at the wild garden below. Distance: 2.7 miles
Difficulty: