Those of us who live in Los Angeles find ourselves lucky to have an urban gym at our fingertips. Year round outdoor activity is a great benefit for us Angelinos! One of my favorite activities is hiking Runyon Canyon which is located in the Hollywood Hills, and is a magical escape from the city.  

You will find it sitting on 160 acres, in the middle of LA, just down the street from the Hollywood strip. Since this is my neighborhood, I hike there 3-5 days a week, and I absolutely love it. Runyon Canyon offers the best hiking trails, breathtaking views and an animal friendly dog park. It even has daily yoga classes.  

Definitely, give Donna DeCosters class a try in the mornings. She is an AMAZING teacher and a good friend. Hiking is a great workout for your entire body and mind. When you take in the incredible beauty and animal life, you stay present and let go of stress. It brings you back to your center and recharges your batteries.  In particular, at times, the sunsets and sunrises are mind blowing.

Some of the great benefits of hiking are:
  • Controls stress
  • Calms the mind
  • Improves cardio function
  • Burns calories
  • Strengthens muscles
  • Helps control blood pressure
  • Increases bone density
The hike is in the heart of Hollywood and it is a favorite for many celebrities.  I've seen plenty of stars climbing the mountain, including Madonna, Demi Moore, Charlize Theron, Jessica Biel, Kathy Griffin (she is there a lot), Lauren Conrad and Jared Leto, just to name a few.  It's a real celebrity workout secret and so much better than exercising indoors.  Have fun exploring all the amazing trails in our magical city.