By Sarah Pfeiffer
JOIN SWEAT SCENE * AMBASSADOR AND LOS ANGELES SARAH PFEIFFER (WISCONSIN '19) AS SHE SHARES HER FAVORITE HIKES IN LOS ANGELES.
Take it Outside: Running on your gym’s treadmill or StairMaster tends to get boring after awhile, so head to your local parks, mountains, and trails for a literal (and figurative) breath of fresh air. Not only will your legs thank you, but your mind will appreciate the change of pace. If you are visiting Los Angeles, don’t forget there’s much more than just the beach to look forward to.
Iconic Hollywood: The definitive LA hike that comes to most people’s mind is the hike to the Hollywood sign. There are a few ways to see this famous attraction (it’s worth playing the tourist to see!). Starting out in Bronson Canyon, it’s a hefty 6.5 mile hike to the sign-- you'll definitely need good sneakers or hiking boots. Don’t forget a backpack full of water and some granola bars. This is an ideal hike if you're feeling adventurous and want to take the road less traveled. However, if you aren't up for that long of a hike, the canyon is still worth visiting. It's famous for several caves that you can walk through, (look out for bats),beautiful scenery and that several movies have been filmed here. Not to mention the view of the Hollywood sign is pretty great.
Fast and Furious: For those of you looking for a simpler hour-long activity to get your heart pumping and the sweat dripping, start your hike from Sunset Ranch. While this hike is on the easier side, the views are still great along the way, and you’ll definitely get a nice sweat going by the time you reach the top. This hike brings you right behind the Hollywood sign. It’s about 1.25 miles up a windy fire road and not very steep at all. This is the kind of thing you can do in Nike Free Runs as long as you don’t mind them getting totally dusty. At the end of the hike, walk down the road a few hundred feet and buy a cold drink from the hidden stand.
Scenic: If the first hike was too long, and the second was too short, then this last one will be just right. Starting from the Griffith Observatory and ending where the previous hike did, you get a two for one deal with views at the start and the finish. This hike’s trail style is similar to the previous shorter hike, but with a longer distance of 3.5 miles each way. It’s considered to be of moderate difficulty. What’s cool is that you can see where you started once you make it to the Hollywood sign and feel proud at the distance you covered. This is also the kind of hike you don’t need to be super prepared for, other than hydrating and bringing a bottle of water along for the road.
Last Thoughts: Don’t spend your time in LA stuck inside a gym or in a yoga class; explore nature’s gym, you won’t be disappointed.
***THE SWEAT SCENE is a great go to site for health minded college students featuring timely guides for staying fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle written by a team of student ambassadors and contributors.