Temescal Canyon Gateway Park

Great hiking; as you go up along the side of the mountain you can see breathtaking views, lots of wildlife (hello lizards) and some pretty steep climbs. We took the Temescal Canyon to Will Rodgers trail on accident so didn’t get to see Skull Rock, but hiked up to Goat Peak and back — about 5.5 miles.

Great place for a workout while experiencing nature. I went with family and the kids brought a friend. We had so much fun and couldn’t wait to reach the waterfall everyone speaks of. We made it to that point but no water lol… Of course not why would there be water flowing in Jun. Nonetheless we kept pushing our way up. Beautiful views and the kids had a great time. There are people that take their workout through the canyon very serious and I quickly noticed they were getting agitated by others walking/​strolling on the trail. Aside from that it was good times. Oh!!! Forgot one person came home with a tick and so did my nieces dog. Darn blood suckers. Learning experience for us! Great place to hike/​walk and enjoy the fresh out door air.

This is my happy place. The only semi annoying thing is that the trails aren’t marked that well. The first time I came, I got really lost. Now I just follow whichever path looks inviting and hope for the best! Once you’ve been here a few times, you get a feel for where you’re going. What else? It can get a little busy on warmer days, so if you like peace and quiet on your hike like I do, come early. And if you’re pale, bring sunscreen… On my last trip, I came on a sunny but cold day and got fried

Yawn. This trail was okay. I hate to knock it but I have to be honest. There was probably just one stretch that I really enjoyed. We started on the left side and hiked up the ridge trail. It was a good workout but the plant life was yuck. And no fun to all the false summits along the way.
I guess California can’t help that they’re in a drought and all the plants are dead and dry. As you climb up the patches of low bushes look more like a desert landscape with high exposure to the sun. That’s fine it’s just it makes enjoying nature rather anticlimactic. We saved the canyon trail for last so we could take the more ‘scenic’ route back to complete the loop. This was nice but the waterfall was dried up and I missed the sounds of a babbling brook. The greenery was pretty and harbored the ocean breeze. I loved the smell and the sights and the sounds. But this stretch is short and that’s about all we got, folks.
We parked on the side of the road before the entrance and smartly avoided any parking fees.

Great hike! The route we took wasn’t too hard. Brought kiddos and our new pooch. Liked that it felt like a walk thru the woods and that the trees provided much needed shade for me– who for med reasons has to be careful about my sun exposure. We didn’t get to see the skull rocks, don’t think we took the right route. We did see what was left of the waterfall. Lol next time we’re gonna find them beach views. Will def be back And will bring buddies to help motivate us up them hills :)!

This is a *good* place to hike, not *great* There is actually much more scenic hiking trail that’s really close by that I recommend visiting instead, «Los Liones Canyon». The views from there are amazing, but back to reviewing this trail…
First of, once you pull inside, there are hidden cameras somewhere so make sure to come to a complete stop at intersections, otherwise you’ll get a $ 100 ticket mailed to you later. Yikes!
For parking bring $ 7 cash or check, or park on the side streets, just watch the hours so you don’t get towed.
Here are stats on the park:
Elevation gain: ~1,000 ft
Total distance: 3.5 miles
Time: ~1 hour 40 minutes
You start at 250 ft elevation, go up to 1200 ft elevation, so elevation gain is around 1,000 ft, not too bad at all. The path itself is a loop, where you can start on the left side or right. Left side is more scenic but open to sun; whereas, right side is shaded but no view of the ocean. Recommend you start at the right side, and at the intersection turn left (there is a Skull Rock at the top, don’t miss it by taking a side trail to it), then return back via a left side so you can enjoy awesome views of the ocean. All in all, this is a very simple hike.
The reason I took 2 stars off this trail review is… Did I mention stupid STOP SIGN CAMERA inside the park that takes pictures of you and charges a freaking $ 100 for not stopping there? Urgh… B-​e-​w-​a-​r-​e…

Came here on a Saturday morning. There are sharp inclines & if you’re out of shape your body will definitely let you know as you’re making your way to the top!
It’s shaded for the most part, there are some patches that you’ll be in the sun. Luckily, this trail is a loop so you’ll get to take two different routes to get to the same starting point.
The sky wasn’t clear & the clouds were starting to break through around 10am, but that’s not something that you will be able to predict. So, our view wasn’t as clear as it could have been. We could barely see the ocean, but on a clear day you would be able to see the ocean & DTLA from the peak. Nonetheless, the view is beautiful & the air is so fresh.
It took us about an hour an a half to go through the trail, we made stops on the way to the top & spent some time at the top as well. It’s a very nice trail that has a lot of foot traffic on a weekend morning.
As for parking, there’s a ton of spots on Sunset — save yourselves from paying $ 7!

PARKING: Park on Sunset Blvd. or across the street around the perimeter of Pacific Palisades high school for free. Otherwise pay $ 7 to park inside. The walks not far if you park on Sunset or a the school, but it may hurt after you do one of the challenging hikes.
The drive here is so far, but the challenging hikes and views are what makes this park worth it. I’ve hiked the challenging hikes before but on this day we brought the mister’s dog which made my day because he hardly leaves the house and he was so happy to be in nature running around! So dogs are not allowed on the main trail and it states that when you’re about to enter Will Rogers State Park but I think we found a part of the end of another trail where dogs were allowed or at least I saw other dogs on it.
DOG FRIENDLY TRAIL, TEMESCAL RIVAS CANYON: We ended up going another way towards the Sunset entrance and found a trail on the east end that I’d never been on and didn’t know it was a trail until we ran into a trail sign. There are these wooden blocks that are kind of built in as steps so that’s when you know you’re there, it gets a little more treacherous and steep as you hike up, and at one point I wanted to turn back but the dog and the mister kept going so I toughed it out and climbed up cautiously and was able to see the view much faster than if I went on the main trail head. We were done in about an hour or maybe even less.
Definitely coming back without the dog to do the more challenging trails and minimize my fear factor to 0!

Warning: Stop FULLY at all stop signs as there are cameras that will ticket you if you do not fully stop. You can’t see the cameras as they are located on the opposite side of the road behind the stop sign. This is legal, btw, I read a court case that went all the way to California’s court of appeals (decided 2015) where judges upheld MRCA’s use of cameras to issue tickets. The ticket gets sent to the registered owner of the car and not the driver, btw.
Also, no dogs allowed in this park.
Having said that, this was a beautiful state park. Pretty steep climbs, but worth the effort bc the views are gorgeous. I happened to see the sunset, and saw the beautiful california coastline.
It gets busy, so it’s not a solitary nature walk for those that like peace and quiet when outdoors. Also it was quite hot when I went in October, so bring plenty of water!
It’s also very dusty as the trail is basically packed dirt bc of the dry weather and high foot traffic. Footing wise, everything is pretty stable (no rock scrambling or anything like that), so wearing my sneakers was fine.
Best to take a map with you as there are quite a few trails that branch off from each other and they aren’t clearly marked, but I was able to get to where I wanted to go and back without a hitch so it’s doable without a map.
Don’t forget to pay your $ 7 parking fee! Honor system that they take seriously.

The first half of this hike was definitely more intense than the latter half! It started off with some steps, then was a pretty steep incline for another 1.5−2 miles until we reached the peak. Definitely a great workout… we were all sweating like crazy in the hot summer sun. Great view of the city, but we were hoping for a bit more ocean/​coastal view. As for parking, the park does have a lot right inside the entrance gate that is $ 7. But there’s plenty of street parking on Sunset just right outside the park entrance that’s free!

What a wonderful place to explore!
I’ve visited temescal and the area twice now via an unmarked trail from Chautauqua (that way takes you to a peak), and from the sunset entrance.
So far, both have lead me to gorgeous views of the city and sea below.
When it comes to difficulty, it all seemed fairly easy with water in tow.
When it comes to wildlife, I’ve yet to run into a rattlesnake thankfully, and instead have met tons of squirrel buddies and wild bunnies.
There is a waterfall trail, it doesn’t lead to what one would possibly imagine.
It’s more of a slow trickle down rocks.
But the trail itself is worthwhile.
Skull rock is my next destination within the trails and I look forward to discovering it on a cool day.

This is a great moderate-​level place to hike on the Westside. The trails offer a solid work-​out, with a nice mix of both hills and flat ground. From multiple vantage points, there are beautiful, expansive views of LA, including downtown, Santa Monica, the ocean, and Pacific Palisades.
I’ve been here on both sunny, warm days, as well as colder, cloudier days and enjoyed myself just the same. Yesterday, when we first ventured out here, it was pretty chilly and overcast, so our views on the way up to Skull Rock were mostly obscured by clouds. The colder weather made for a pleasant trek, and we also managed to see a family of deer eating in a pasture. On our hike down, the weather somehow improved, and we were treated to wonderful, clear views of the water and surrounding area.
The park provides restrooms, water fountains, picnic tables, and a shop at the bottom, so it has all the important, civilized things you might need. Parking is also a breeze, as there’s typically ample (free!) street-​parking available along Temescal Canyon Rd. and Sunset Blvd.
The only downside I saw was that it was pretty crowded on the way up. We were very close to other groups, so we had to walk at their pace. It might be best to come here on a weekday to avoid the crowds.
In terms of tips, be sure to bring your running/​tennis shoes since a lot of the trails are rocky and have loose dirt that can get slippery. Also, as always, be sure to bring sunscreen, a water bottle, and snacks.

Great hike! Excellent work out, but I thought I would be way more sore today! Oh well. I was huffing and puffing my stress away. Lots of friendly people saying good morning on this trail… I love that. My only «meh» from giving it a five is because although the air is fresh and nature is beautiful, it reminds me we are «in a drought» — nothing is green anymore, and all the shrubs on the sides seemed deadish.
Also, I wore my nike free runs and almost got in some ankle/​slipage trouble — so make sure you wear the right shoes (that should go without saying, and nike free runs are horrendous shoes, but there are other hikes where this isn’t a problem — like the Hollywood hike, its wide and not many rocks — so take necessary precaussions/​this hike more seriously)… :)

Love the park and the beautiful ocean views, hate the high cost of parking and idiot dog owners.
I didn’t realize that two of the trails were not dog-​friendly and was a little bit annoyed at possibly having paid $ 7 only to find out we couldn’t hike. But worry not! The Temescal Rivas Canyon Trail allows dogs. Just keep walking past the first two trailheads, pass the cabins, and the trailhead will be on your right.
The trail starts out with a steep climb that eventually levels off into a beautiful view of the Pacific. Then you descend down into a canyon, where it gets a lot cooler and a little more woodsy. The trail was well-​marked and pretty deserted, it’s definitely less popular than the ridge trail.
We were about to hit Will Rogers State Park when, out of nowhere, a huge gray pit bull charged down the trail and attacked my dog. It was not on a leash and the owner was not apologetic (her excuse? «He doesn’t like little fluffy dogs») Nobody was hurt, but I was pretty shaken. I guess leash rules don’t apply to some people?
Overall, it’s a nice little park. There’s plenty of water fountains and picnic tables near the parking lot and it’s not crowded at all at 8am on a Saturday (when I left around 11 was a different story!) It’s a nice little spot for a morning hike with awesome views.

Awesome hike! Just don’t do it on a hot day as we did… Some parts didn’t have much shade.
The beginning of the trail is a bit confusing. You don’t know where to go, we follow some people and ended up going back and getting on the right trails. Don’t know where that one lead.
The hike is beautiful and you get to see LA but within LA smog it’s pretty hazy. You also get to see the coastline. Bring water as it gets extremely hot on top, and if you’re doing the full loop the side down is not well shaded. The hike wasn’t that packed when we went but we went early.
Parking: sucks. It’s better to park on the streets near the school. Beware of the stop sign on the parking lot. When it says photo enforced, it’s really photo enforced. So if you do a California roll stop they will bill you a ticket! My friend had that happen and now she does the full and complete stop at the stop sign getting out of their parking lot!

Beautiful, accessible hike for Westsiders.
You can do a hike to ocean view top in an hour and it is GORGEOUS.
Street parking by Palisades High is easy on weekday evenings.

Start at Sunset trail to get to Temescal Ridge or Temescal Canyon. Those would be the trails to your left. The trail to the right is Temescal Rivas.
Both trails and kid friendly and have shady and sunny parts. I didn’t see any dogs on the trail and would not recommend it for a four legged friend.
This is a great hiking trail that has steady inclines and is great for getting back into hiking steep inclines. Once at the top you can see an ocean view.

This hike is worth doing it to see some of the most beautiful views of the ocean and of the city. You see the city spread out on one side, and the ocean, Santa Monica, its pier, Malibu on the other. Breathtaking!
This hike is longer, moderate-​advanced. It has areas where it’s a bit steep, you need to be careful.
Temescal Canyon is in Pacific Palisades, on Sunset, on the right side, going down to PCH.
I read the reviews on Unilocal and I didn’t want any tickets, so I avoided their lot. We found free parking on Sunset, very close to the park’s entrance.
There are a couple of bathrooms and a water fountain close to the entrance. The history of the canyon is also interesting.
My problem with this canyon is that most trails are unmarked. It makes the hike more confusing. We did the main loop, but we wanted to see Skull Rock and somehow we missed it since we didn’t see any signs to indicate where it is. We even asked various hikers and they didn’t know either. That’s too bad, we’ve hiked in various places and we usually don’t have that problem. There were no maps at the entrance that you can grab.
There are more people on this hike, mostly a lot when you start and when you’re close to finish. When you get far up enough it’s not that bad. Just a few people here and there.
We did see the waterfall and the cute bridge, as you can imagine, right now there’s no water.
We’ve seen plenty of cute ground squirrels, lizards and a snake on the main trail. It’s a California King, not poisonous, but still, we waited for him to go about his business before moving ahead. So, be careful.
There are many shady spots along the way, beautiful views of the mountains. It’s a great exercise. Near the parking lot there are many picnic benches, so you can pack a basket and enjoy a meal outdoors.
Cool hike. Maybe next time we’ll find Skull Rock?

My favorite place to hike hands down. Plenty of parking on the streets and inside if you are down to shell out $ 7. And it’s located right across from my alma mater, Pacific Palisades High School.
There are multiple trails to choose from and even a «waterfall» of sorts to ooh and ahh at. Hahah just kidding it’s just some water trickling down some rocks during the spring… but seeing as we’re in a drought… good luck with that.
There are a few open rest/​stretching spots that have a great view of the Palisades/​Santa Monica/​Palisades Hills… and if you go further up, you can see all the way to downtown!
Plenty of shady areas to catch a breath if needed and lots of ups and downs so you’re never bored.
You can wash up at the bathrooms located next to the inside parking lot and there’s s Noah’s Bagle and Robek’s juice to re-​energize if you make a left out of the lot towards The Village as we used to call it…

Long years-​overdue review!
Recent revisit = fun, easy hike in the Palisades ~
* YES — Parking lot $ 7
* YES — Lots of street parking available on Temescal Cyn, just south of Sunset
* YES — Beautiful views at the end
* YES — 4-​mile roundtrip hike
* YES — You get to see Skull Rock as part of this hike
* YES — Arrive early on weekends as it tends to get packed