This Friday we’re hiking Ernest E. Debs Regional Park in Montecito Hills. The hike offers great vistas of the Arroyo Seco, El Sereno, San Gabriel Mountains and Downtown Los Angeles. We’ll cover 4 miles on city streets and Debs Park trails.  After the walk, there’s the opportunity to enjoy coffee and/or breakfast in South Pasadena at Heirloom Bakery and Café.

This hike is rated moderately challenging because of the Debs Park hill climb and the “secret stairs” we’ll be ascending to reach the park trails. On the walk down, there’s one section that is short and steep. Bring water, wear a hat and hiking shoes and bring your hiking poles for stability and balance.

We start at the Highland Park Metro Station at 8:00AM, walk down to Hermon Park, climb up a couple of public stairways and hike to the top of the park.  We’ll take a break at the top, walk around Peanut Lake then make our way down, cross the Arroyo Seco and 110 Freeway on a pedestrian bridge, walk through Sycamore Grove Park and catch Metrorail heading north at the Southwest Museum Station.

If you’d like coffee or breakfast after the hike, we’ll hop off the train in South Pasadena and go to Heirloom Bakery & Café.

I’ll distribute and coordinate Metrorail departure times from the Pasadena and South Pasadena Stations the week of the hike.  I will board at Sierra Madre Villa Station and sit in the first car.  You can join me at that station or depart from one that is more convenient for you.  Depending on where you board, you’ll be catching a train that leaves between approximately 7:40 (Sierra Madre Villa) and 7:54 (South Pasadena).

Contact Jane Hufnagel with any questions.