How to Hike Will Rogers Park in Los Angeles

Will Rogers Park Trail Map

Will Rogers State Historic Park sits on 186 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains just above Sunset Blvd. It is the former ranch of the iconic humorist who famously never met a man he didn't like. The grounds include his rambling 31-room ranch house and hiking trails that offer panoramic views from the Pacific Ocean to downtown Los Angeles. This moderate, 2-mile, round-trip hike will take you up to Inspiration Point.

Things You'll Need

• Comfortable walking shoes

Instructions

1. Will Rogers State Historic Park at 1501 Will Rogers Park Road in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. If you're driving west on Sunset Boulevard, turn right on Will Rogers Park Road and follow it to where it dead ends at the park entrance.

2. Start at Rogers Trail, which overlooks Rivas Canyon. The path is near the tennis courts and goes north into the mountains. Rogers Trails leads to a turnoff for Inspiration Point, a flat knoll at the top of the walk.

3. The hike to Inspiration Point begins at the stables behind the ranch house. The trail is wide with a mellow grade upwards and winds through scrub and chaparral. The trail is a loop. When you get to Inspiration Point at the top, just continue forward on the trail and it will take you back down the road. Inspiration Point offers views of the Santa Monica Bay, the San Gabriel Mountains, Catalina Island and the Los Angeles metro area.

4. Adventurous hikers and mountain bikers can tackle the Backbone Trail into the Santa Monica Mountains, which goes all the way to Point Mugu. The park also welcomes equestrians to bring their horses for day-use of the roping arena and riding trails.

Tips & Warnings

• The park visitor center and ranch house are open for tours. The house is still filled with Rogers's possessions.

• Watch out for rattlesnakes. They're few and far between but not unheard of.

References

• LA Mountains

Resources

• Will Rogers State Historic Park