This energetic group of Village Hikers meets on the second Friday of each month.  Hikes are generally four to five miles in length (sometimes longer) and include trail hiking as well as urban hikes.  

This month we will take an urban hike along the ridge that separates Eagle Rock and Highland Park.  The first 60% of this 3.8-mile hike is very hilly with lots of up and down; the remaining 40% is relatively flat. Approximately 85% of the hike is on paved roads or sidewalks.  We’ll walk as far west as Fiji Hill, which sits at the top of Occidental College and has great views of Northeast Los Angeles.  Bring your hiking poles and wear hiking shoes to help navigate Fiji Hill trail, which is unpaved and sandy.  This hike is moderately challenging because of the hills and the short, steep hike to the top of Fiji Hill.

The hike starts at 8:30AM at the corner of Figueroa and Lanark in Eagle Rock, just west of the Pasadena border.

Park on Lanark, close to the intersection with Figueroa.  For navigation you can use 1072 Lanark Street, Eagle Rock 1072 Lanark St - Google Maps.  We’ll meet at the corner.  If coming from the north, it’s best to access Lanark from La Loma Road.  The Figueroa/Lanark intersection can be busy, with no stop light, stop sign or left turn lanes.  Let me know if you’d like specific directions.

For those who would like to carpool, we will leave the Pasadena Village parking lot at 8:10 sharp.

Route

We’ll cross Figueroa safely at Yosemite Drive (with a stop light and crosswalk) and walk up Buena Vista Terrace to Wildwood Drive, a secluded street with nice views and interesting homes. The street winds east and west along the ridge between Eagle Rock and Highland Park.

Wildwood eventually drops down to Avenue 51 and we head south for a few blocks, then west on Eaton Street to access a hiking trail up to Fiji Hill.  We reach the top of Fiji Hill at 1.8 miles into the hike.  At this point, you can pat yourself on the back for accomplishing the ascent!  The rest of the walk is mostly flat or downhill.

After a few minutes admiring the hilltop views we head north and down to Yosemite Recreation Center for a water/refreshment break at the 2.3-mile point. The rec center has a lovely stone amphitheatre in the park-like grounds, where we will sit and refuel.  Bring a snack and water! 

After the break, we’ll make our way to Oak Grove Drive and head east, back towards the start of the hike. Oak Grove is a fun street to walk on with an eclectic assortment of homes and lots of small bungalows with unique architectural styles.   

Please contact Jane Hufnagel for information and to be added to the email list.