The best way to really unwind is by taking one of these backpacking trips in L.A. County
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Even though it’s the most populated county in America, L.A. County is home to about 20 backcountry campgrounds. I curated a list of them and organized them by the difficulty of the hike to reach them and how much “roughing it” each site requires. (Yes, I did visit each one myself.)
Backpacking offers you the opportunity to experience the forest as a temporary home. You are still enough to be immersed in your environment in a way hiking provides only a glimpse of. Far enough from the light pollution of the city, you’ll see the stars twinkling above. At night, instead of traffic and honking, your soundscape may include the croaking of frogs, the hooting of owls and, in the morning, a cacophony of birdsong as the forest awakens.
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Escaping the city is restorative. It’s also not so hard
I chose these spots, in part, because you don’t have to drive too far, they’re all first come, first served, the roads to reach them are paved and trails that lead to each site are generally well-maintained. And as a bonus, the hikes to reach each one are beautiful on their own and feature wildflowers and native trees, including massive pines and oaks that will shade your journey.
And each spot is isolated enough to make you feel as if you’re outside the city without being so devoid of human life that you’ll wonder whether Bear Grylls will pop by. (Don’t drink your pee, regardless of what he says.)
Read the full list here.
L.A.’s mountains are perfect for memory-making
When I look at the mountains that surround Los Angeles, I am consumed by the memories I’ve made.
The time a coyote ran past our campfire at Chilao campground, prompting my wife and I to move our tent from its path. The time my friends and I saw the bright pink northern lights from a dark parking lot and were essentially alone on the mountain with their brilliance. The time my dog, Maggie May, and I summited Mt. Baldy, and my fellow hikers laughed that I’d packed her a whole can of dog food for our feast at the top.
Unlike other major metropolitan centers, L.A. is a short drive from the mountains. You can pick up food at one of the best restaurants in the city and be on the trail, headed to your backcountry campsite, in under an hour. This is part of what makes living in L.A. awesome. Why not give it a whirl?
I can’t wait to return to these campsites
I am always looking for the next adventure. And I have loved guiding Californians to the great outdoors in The Wild, our weekly outdoors newsletter.
But some adventures do need to be repeated.
I keep thinking about how much I want to return to the La Jolla Walk-In Camp, a no-frills spot in Point Mugu State Park just off the epic Backbone Trail. Its campsites are just small spits of land cut out of the coastal sage scrub, but you can’t find that level of isolation and privacy anywhere else nearby.
I also hope to return to the Cooper Canyon and Valley Forge trail camps, two gorgeous campgrounds in Angeles National Forest that are near creeks perfect for a swim after a nice, long hike.
Not up to backpacking? There’s always car camping
Check out one of several first come, first served campgrounds reachable via a short drive from L.A. On a late Saturday afternoon, I stood on a cliffside looking at Cooper Canyon falls, a 25(ish)-foot waterfall near the Buckhorn campground, my favorite first come, first served spot in Angeles National Forest.
Maggie May and I hiked a bit farther on the Burkhart Trail, and I became giddy when I spotted tiny rainbow trout swimming in and out of folds of fluffy brown moss in the creek where they hid from predators (including Maggie).
It was the first time I’d spotted them in a local river. Yet another memory made.
The week’s biggest stories
Immigration agents continued raids across SoCal
- Moldy food, dirty towels: Critics warned of inhumane conditions at California’s largest detention center.
- A video showed immigration agents interrogating a Latino U.S. citizen, who said, ‘I’m American, bro!’
- A raid at a Home Depot in Hollywood shattered an immigrant refuge.
- L.A. neighborhoods cleared out as immigration raids sent people underground.
Vice President JD Vance ripped California
- Vice President JD Vance ripped Newsom, Bass and mocks Padilla during his visit to Los Angeles
- Bass, who was not invited to meet with Vance, dismissed Vance’s description of what has unfolded in Los Angeles over the last two weeks.
A new owner for the Lakers
- The Lakers are selling a majority ownership of franchise to the Dodgers owner.
- The team had a great ride with the Buss family, but the Dodgers owner will give it new life, Bill Plaschke argued.
- Here’s how the Buss family made the Lakers a Hollywood marvel.
The Dodgers face the immigration raid fury
- Federal agents were denied entry to the Dodger Stadium parking lot: Here is what really happened.
- The cowardly Dodgers remain silent as ICE raids terrorize their fans, columnist Dylan Hernández argued.
- Community leaders petitioned the Dodgers ‘to take a public stand’ against ICE raids in L.A.
- What did bowing to Donald Trump get the Dodgers? A visit from federal agents, Hernández also argued.
- While Dodgers wait to speak, Jaime Jarrín, Kiké Hernández and others support immigrants, writes Eduard Cauich.
The Dodgers also had a big week on the field
- Shohei Ohtani mades his long-awaited pitching debut for Dodgers in win over Padres.
- The contentious Dodgers-Padres series ended with benches clearing and managers ejected.
California fires
- Thousands across California had their power shut off Friday due to a heightened wildfire risk.
- L.A. needs new authority to oversee rebuilding after firestorms, a panel said.
- Crews gained control of a downtown L.A. structure blaze that sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky.
More big stories
- A new COVID subvariant is spreading in California. It featured “razor blade throat” symptoms overseas.
- Seven people were indicted in connection to the ‘largest jewelry heist in U.S. history.’
- 19 people were charged in an alleged Mexican Mafia conspiracy to kill L.A. rap artist.
- As college graduates hit the job market, here are the lowest- and highest-paying majors.
This week’s must-reads
What does a hospital do when a patient has everything but a name?
More incredible stories
- Why a Dungeons & Dragons storytelling duo signed with Critical Role.
- George Lucas’ spaceship of a museum, which is set to open in 2026, lands in L.A. with a wonderful surprise.
- Kaitlyn Dever was Hollywood’s best-kept secret. Those days are over now.
- Detectives investigating a UCLA student’s murder uncovered a stunningly personal betrayal.
For your weekend
Going out
- Travel: 11 extremely cool things to do in Palm Springs when it’s 111 degrees.
- Restaurants: Here are Caliofrnia’s 101 best restaurants.
- Theme parks: What’s new at SoCal theme parks this summer — from lively night shows to ‘Jaws’ doughnuts.
- Restaurants: 18 immigrant-founded restaurants in L.A. from our Hall of Fame list.
Staying in
- Books: Read ‘Hit Girls’ to learn about how Britney, Taylor and Beyoncé defined the 2000s and changed pop culture forever.
- Music: Haim’s new album gives vivid shape to a hard-to-define phase.
- Recipes: Try our recipe for rye shortcakes with strawberry-mandarinquat compote and citrus labneh.
- Games: Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
L.A. Timeless
A selection of the very best reads from The Times’ 143-year archive.
When the galbi jjim hits the table, hissing and sputtering in a heavy stone pot, a mountain of meat and vegetables rising out of a violently red lagoon of broth, you know you’re in the right place.
Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team
Jac Cosgrove, wilderness reporter
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, reporter
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
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