The 8 Best Hikes Near Santa Monica (All Under 20 Minutes Away)

One of the best things about living on the Westside is that you can go from coffee shop to trailhead in fifteen minutes. The Santa Monica Mountains are right there — ocean views, canyon shade, wildflowers in spring — and most people still drive to Runyon like it’s the only trail in LA. Here are the eight best hikes near Santa Monica, ranked by the ratio of effort to reward.

1. Temescal Canyon Loop

Distance: 3 miles • Elevation: 860 ft • Drive from SM: 12 min

This is the hike we recommend to everyone. The loop takes you up through a shaded canyon with a seasonal waterfall, then along a ridge with panoramic ocean views before dropping back down through coastal sage. It’s challenging enough to feel like exercise but short enough to finish before lunch. Parking is $12 at the Temescal Gateway Park lot — get there before 9am on weekends or you’ll be circling.

2. Los Liones Trail to Parker Mesa Overlook

Distance: 5.5 miles • Elevation: 1,190 ft • Drive from SM: 15 min

The payoff hike. The trail starts in Pacific Palisades and climbs steadily through chaparral to one of the best viewpoints in the Santa Monica Mountains. On a clear day you can see from Malibu to Palos Verdes. The final approach to Parker Mesa is exposed and can be hot — bring water and start early. This is the hike for the person who wants to earn the view.

“You don’t move to the Westside for the traffic. You move here because the mountains meet the ocean, and on a Tuesday morning you can have a trail to yourself fifteen minutes from the pier.”

3. Inspiration Point via Will Rogers State Park

Distance: 2.3 miles • Elevation: 375 ft • Drive from SM: 10 min

The best beginner hike near Santa Monica, and we mean that as a compliment. The wide dirt trail climbs gently through grassland to a lookout with views of the coast, downtown, and the Getty on a clear day. Dogs are welcome on leash. It’s the perfect hike for when you want to move your body without committing to an expedition. Parking is $12; the lot fills by 10am on weekends.

4. Solstice Canyon

Distance: 2.6 miles • Elevation: 350 ft • Drive from SM: 20 min

A flat, shaded trail along a year-round creek that ends at the ruins of a midcentury home destroyed in a wildfire. The ruins are photogenic in a haunting way — stone walls, an old fireplace, tropical plants that have gone feral. It’s one of the most unique trail destinations in the Santa Monica Mountains and almost comically easy to reach. The parking lot is free, which in Malibu feels like a miracle.

5. Escondido Falls

Distance: 3.8 miles • Elevation: 500 ft • Drive from SM: 20 min

The Westside’s best waterfall hike. The trail follows a creek through a wooded canyon to a 150-foot limestone waterfall that runs strongest from January through May. The lower falls are accessible to everyone; the upper tier requires some scrambling over wet rocks. Parking is along PCH — arrive early or you’ll be walking the shoulder for a quarter mile.

6. Sullivan Canyon Loop

Distance: 10 miles • Elevation: 1,400 ft • Drive from SM: 12 min

The long one. This fire-road loop through Brentwood’s backyard is the trail for runners, endurance hikers, and anyone who needs a full morning of movement. The canyon floor is shaded and flat for the first few miles before the climb kicks in. Barely any cell service. Almost no crowds on weekdays. It’s the closest thing to genuine solitude you’ll find within city limits.

7. Topanga Lookout via Dead Horse Trail

Distance: 4 miles • Elevation: 900 ft • Drive from SM: 18 min

A steady climb through Topanga State Park to a fire lookout tower with 360-degree views. The trail is exposed, so summer mornings only. But from the top, you can see the entire LA Basin, the ocean, and on very clear days, the Channel Islands. Bring a snack, sit at the top, and appreciate the fact that this exists twenty minutes from your apartment.

8. Backbone Trail — Trippet Ranch Segment

Distance: 3.5 miles • Elevation: 650 ft • Drive from SM: 18 min

A quieter section of the 67-mile Backbone Trail that runs the length of the Santa Monica Mountains. The Trippet Ranch trailhead gives you access to oak woodlands and grassland ridges without the crowds of Temescal or Los Liones. It’s the hike for locals who’ve done all the popular ones and want something new without driving to Malibu.