I’m constantly looking for new ways to keep myself active, but also stay social and burn some major calories! One of the best combos of all three, and a totally unexpected workout, is hiking. I’ve been hiking for years now, most of the time with just my man. It’s easy and fun to plan out a portion of the day, maybe pack a lunch, and just go hike. But recently we’ve expanded, diversified, and made things more social. We found it’s a great way to catch up with friends, explore something new, and not to mention all the calories you burn!
In Los Angeles there are a myriad of hiking trails. Lucky us! Some are easy, some are intense, and of course there are the super intense ones. You don’t always know which kind you start on, but no way do you turn back. The views are so amazing and no matter what level of hike you do, you’re going to burn some major calories. So make sure to share the love and hike with friends. Damn straight! My absolute favorite trail to hike with friends is Runyon Canyon. It’s quite the hot spot in Los Angeles, a dog friendly trail nestled in the Hollywood Hills and stretching from the boulevard to Mulholland Drive. It’s actually the first trail that I ever hiked out west. Normally when I have friends come visit from out of town we hit up Runyon Canyon; they ask about it and I love it! And I of course push us to go up the steep side and therefore get a solid workout burn. At the top there are beautiful vistas! You can see all of LA, the Hollywood sign, Downtown, and Griffith Observatory! It’s worth every bead of sweat to get to the top, unexpectedly steep but worth it.
Runyon is your typical LA hiking hot spot, but there are tons of gems that you should totally explore! And do it with your LA friends too! Recently I’ve been hiking more on the Westside; it’s closer to home with less dogs and people on the trails. Want to know a personal favorite of mine, a great hike that’s both long and intense and of course fun with friends? Hit up Mandeville Canyon in Brentwood. It’s a 3.5 mile fire access road that goes up and down, up and down, up and down, and then when you think you’re at the top you crest a hill and see the second half of the trail which finally leads to an old missile silo at the actual top! Its seven total miles of glory and the views are amazing! There are beautiful canyons, the ocean, the valley, and you definitely see a side of Los Angeles you don’t normally see. Amazing! Chat away with your friends, catch up on each other’s lives, enjoy the views, and the seven miles will fly right by. You’ll get a fabulous unexpected workout. Bonus!
Hiking is the greatest unexpected workout! I love hiking with friends way better than by myself, but either way gets wonderful results. You’ll feel great afterwards and totally get in a great workout. It’s such a fun way to spend your Saturday and your Sunday. Find your unexpected workout; hike away!
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