Photos: Neighborhood Spotlight | Hacienda Heights’ suburban living sprouted where orchards once grew

As with the rest of the San Gabriel Valley in the 1970s and 1980s, Hacienda Heights became a major destination for Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants to the United States. This demographic shift led in 1988 to the construction of the Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple in the hills above Hacienda Heights.

Hsi Lai Temple

The nearby Puente and Whittier Hills offer hiking trails, wildlife preserves and scenic views of both the San Gabriel Valley and the Los Angeles basin.

Parks and nature areas sit to the south of the suburb, and on the west side, hiking trails slither through the Hacienda Hills.