You’d never believe this serene hike is just outside DTLA

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Hike or walk in tranquillity in Mount Washington (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Arrive on Sea View Avenue, ignoring the “No Outlet” sign, as the road descends into a quiet neighborhood that is marked with impressive cactuses.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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The Self-Realization Fellowship on San Rafael Avenue, near the corner of Elyria Drive, is close to the starting point of the walk. Its grounds are an option for an extended hike Tuesdays through Sundays.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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The view from the 4100 block of Seaview Drive.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Dr. Raul Lopez relaxes with his dog Buddy overlooking Moon Canyon after a 12-hour workday.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Dana Johnson takes a photograph of his black Labrador retriever Giselle, on the trail in Mount Washington.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Peter Nowogrodzki and his dog Simon walk on the trail in Mount Washington.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Canyon views and a view of downtown is on your left, as you walk on the trail in Mount Washington.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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Sharon Delugach and her dogs Pancho and Spice walk on the trail in Mount Washington.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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The fine old Craftsman home on San Rafael Avenue.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

By Charles Fleming

July 9, 2016 6 AM PT

This centrally located Mt. Washington walk is freeway close and just minutes from downtown Los Angeles. But it gets off the beaten path quickly and offers serenity, silence and solitude.

1. Start walking from San Rafael Avenue, near the corner of Elyria Drive near the stately Self-Realization Fellowship grounds. Begin walking north, or slightly downhill, toward Rome Drive. Continue as the road rises under oak trees past a fine old Craftsman home and Mt. Washington Elementary School.

2. Bend slightly left and then turn left onto Sea View Avenue – ignoring the “No Outlet” sign – as the road descends into a quiet neighborhood marked with impressive cactuses.

3. Pass a chain gate as the pavement ends and is succeeded by a wide dirt path. Canyon views will open on your left as hawks and crows wheel overhead.

4. Stay on the dirt path as it winds around the hillside, shaded by oak, pepper and eucalyptus trees. In time, climb a slight grade and pass another chain gate as paved sections of the road return.

5. When you hit San Rafael, turn right. Walk past Moon Canyon – where more trails beckon – and follow San Rafael past the turn for Sea View Avenue, past the elementary school and back to your starting point.

6. If you have time, make a side visit to the Self-Realization Fellowship, whose gardens and shady paths are open to visitors 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

The stats

Distance: 2 miles

Difficulty: 2 on a scale of 1 to 5

Duration: 1 hour

Details: Ample free parking. Dogs on a leash are OK, but not at the Self-Realization Fellowship.

Fleming is the author of “Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles” and “Secret Walks: A Walking Guide to the Hidden Trails of Los Angeles.” Each month, he leads a free walk at one of his favorite spots in Southern California. Find out more at his Facebook page, Secret Stairs. He can also be reached at charles.fleming@latimes.com.

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Charles Fleming

Charles Fleming writes about automobiles and motorcycles for the Los Angeles Times’ Business section. He also writes the urban hiking column LA Walks. A former staff writer for Newsweek, Variety and the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, he is the author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller “High Concept: Don Simpson and the Hollywood Culture of Excess,” the New York Times bestseller “My Lobotomy,” and “Secret Stairs, A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles” and its sequel, “Secret Walks: A Walking Guide to the Hidden Trails of Los Angeles.”

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