4 Eastside hiking spots to find peace and green space

Living in a fast-paced city can wear you down — especially during a time of heightened tension for immigrant communities. That’s why this Labor Day weekend is a chance to slow down, reconnect and find joy in the simple act of being outside.

Nothing quiets the mind faster than a dirt trail, towering sycamores, and the earthy scent of sagebrush in the air. Just 10 minutes in nature can lower stress, ease anxiety and boost your mood and focus, studies show.

We mapped out some of our favorite Eastside green spaces to help you connect with Mother Earth. (Tip: Go in the early morning or evening to beat the heat!)

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park

This expansive Northeast L.A. gem offers 282 acres of urban wilderness, including hiking trails, stunning city views and a peaceful fish and turtle-filled pond known as Peanut Lake. Meditate on a bench along the pond or sit on the nearby “secret” wooden swing.

Accessible by foot from Rose Hill Park in El Sereno, Hermon Park in Hermon and Sycamore Grove Park in Highland Park, Debs is the Eastside’s version of Griffith Park. The parking lot off Monterey Road in El Sereno is surrounded by a large park with picnic tables and grills for weekend revelry and large mature trees are perfect for yoga, reading and dog walking. Don’t let your dog off leash as Debs is home to lots of coyotes and bobcats. A mountain lion even called it home once!

The Audubon Center at Debs Park, located off Griffin Avenue in Montecito Heights, restores habitat and hosts nature-based programming like gear swaps, outdoor movie nights and guided bird walks. Check out Theodore Payne’s newly opened Los Nogales Nursery next door for all your California native plant needs.

Elephant Hill

Nestled in northwest El Sereno is this rugged open space with panoramic views extending from the San Gabriel Mountains to Catalina Island. The site, originally called “Ochuunga” (Place of the Wild Rose), holds cultural and spiritual significance for local Indigenous communities.

A new trail at the site opened in May after decades-long conservation efforts to preserve this local jewel. The hiking trail connects one side of Elephant Hill to the other — from the corner of Pullman Street and Harriman Avenue all the way across to Lathrop Street.

For over 20 years, the community-led Save Elephant Hill has worked to preserve the land. The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) joined the efforts in 2018, spurred by a $700,000 grant from Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District, in part, to build the trail. The local agency received some $2 million in grants from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to add to the 10 acres of Elephant Hill it manages and conserves. This year, MRCA acquired an additional 12 parcels — or about 2.4 acres.

The hiking trail connects one side of Elephant Hill to the other — from the corner of Pullman Street and Harriman Avenue all the way across to Lathrop Street.

Ascot Hills Park

Home to the city’s largest micro forest, this Northeast L.A. gem opened in 2006 and features 93 acres of hiking trails, 360° city views, a shaded amphitheater, a newly restored natural stream and a native plant nursery. The impressive micro forest designed by Katherine Pakradouni features 850 native trees and plants grown entirely from locally-sourced seeds and was made possible by Grown in LA, North East Trees and Loyola Marymount University.

The micro forest isn’t the only draw. Steep hills provide a killer workout, shaded picnic benches offer a nice place to read and annual community events like the Earth Day Kite Festival and Ascot Hills 5K are a perfect place to gather with friends.

Flat Top Park

Located atop a hillside bordering Lincoln Heights and Montecito Heights, Flat Top is a popular destination for locals to watch sunsets and take in sweeping city views. 

Unusually flat and wide, the hilltop is featured on Tierra’s 1980 “City Nights” album cover and in the 1993 cult classic “Blood In, Blood Out.” Despite Spider’s dream of building a “righteous pad” on Flat Top, local activists have opposed proposed developments in a city where concerns over land use enforcement persist.

North East Trees recently secured the land as a protected park space, partnering with the Gabrieleno San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, the original caretakers of the land who will once again use it for ceremonial purposes.

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Aug. 31, 2025, to reflect that Flat Top scenic view has become a public parkland. It was updated again on June 12, 2026, to reflect that a trail at Elephant Hill had opened.

Additional reporting from LAist’s Fiona Ng.