2 min
Overview
There are many popular and quite lovely trails in the Puente Hills Preserve – and it’s a place I highly recommend visiting, especially if you’ve overlooked this region for the San Gabriel or Santa Monica Mountains on your quest for Los Angeles area hiking. Of the trails I’ve done so far, however, this route in the Hacienda Hills stands out. Not only is it one of the few areas in the system where hikers can enjoy trails set aside for them alone, but unlike nearby trailheads for Worsham and Turnbull Canyons, this trailhead has ample parking, water and restrooms, and a very nice section that’s fully accessible, too (along with accessible parking!). This trail begins just outside the Orange Grove Middle School in Hacienda Heights, an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County that is home to the largest Buddhist temple in North America and the northern slopes of the Puente / Hacienda Hills. There is a very small parking area at the trailhead itself, as well as a large parking area on 7th Avenue, adjacent to the Middle School’s playing fields. Please note that hours of this trailhead have been reduced — this trailhead is currently open from 9AM-6PM from June 1-September 30th and 9AM-5PM the rest of the year. Be sure to check with the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority for further updates. The mixed-use trail passes a wrought iron gate (and restroom and water fountain) and makes a very slight ascent. The Habitat Preservation Authority has done a really nice job of re-landscaping the side of this old road with native plants and bioswales, which cleanse rainwater and runoff and also help keep precipitation in the region’s aquifers instead of just draining it all into the Pacific Ocean. In the spring, this stretch of trail is full of blooming sages, California poppies, and goldfields. Young sycamores and native oaks will hopefully provide even more shade and a lovelier introduction to the area for future hikers. At about the 0.26 mile mark, the paved, accessible trail ends at an informational kiosk and small sh
Trail Stats
7.4 km
199 m
353 m
147 m
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