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Senior Staff Writer
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May 13, 2026
Los Angeles’ newest hidden gem is the Elephant Hill Open Space Trail, a short but scenic 0.75-mile switchback trail that just opened on May 2, 2026.
It may be tiny, but this trail project actually dates back nearly two decades in L.A., when the community organization Save Elephant Hill launched efforts to protect the 110-acre Elephant Hill land plot in L.A.’s El Sereno neighborhood.
The opening of the Elephant Hill Open Space Trail marks a major step forward in making this land available to everyone, achieved thanks to efforts by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and Save Elephant Hill.
A 0.75-mile trail more than 15 years in the making
For years, the public has informally accessed about 10 acres of MRCA-owned parkland in the 110-acre Elephant Hill Open Space.
Now, the new Elephant Hill Trail is the area’s first official public trail, offering safer access for hiking, birding, and exploring. The footpath stretches from the corner of Pullman Street and Harriman Avenue over to Lathrop Street, featuring informational signage, trailhead fencing, and new native trees.
While most of the 110-acre Elephant Hill space is owned by an estimated 200 individuals, according to LAist, the trail opening coincides with some expansion of the protected open space for the community, thanks to a combination of public funding and ongoing land acquisition efforts.
A $700,000 county grant helped secure 16 additional land parcels and fund the new trail, while earlier funding—including $2.3 million from Proposition 68—supported the purchase of at least 12 more parcels.
“The preservation of hillsides across Los Angeles County has not been equitable,” said Norma E. García-González, Director of the Regional Park and Open Space District, in a press release.
“For too long, hillsides have been protected for the benefit of a few, while communities of color have had limited access to open space and the natural resources. The Regional Park and Open Space District’s (RPOSD) grant represents a meaningful investment in not only preserving hillsides, but about ensuring that the last remaining hillsides in urbanized Los Angeles County are made available to the public and accessible spaces for recreation, respite, and community and nature connection.”