Free parking at Fryman Canyon is gone and hikers are stomping mad

Usually, on warm Sunday afternoons, I would circle the jam-packed parking lot at the base of Fryman Canyon in Studio City like a vulture looking for a spot.

Not last time. Stunned, my girlfriend and I found a spot instantly and rejoiced at our supreme luck.

It wasn’t luck.

In May, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, a public agency that manages 75,000 acres, imposed a new $7 fee for two hours of parking, with a maximum limit of four hours on the lot. The new fee caught many hikers by surprise. They groused in the queue for the lot’s parking meter.

“When did they start this?” said one hiker. “That’s crazy!” groaned another.

Tyler Ray, a senior director at the American Hiking Society, was not surprised to hear that L.A. hikers are upset. “Folks expect our public lands to be open and accessible,” he said.

The price to access the great outdoors

Parking has always been one of the biggest headaches for Southern California hikers. At the trailheads to some of my favorite hikes — the Bridge to Nowhere in Azusa Canyon, Chantry Flats in the Angeles National Forest, the Sam Merrill Trail in the San Gabriel Mountains — parking is nearly impossible unless you show up at the crack of dawn.

Parking fees can alleviate the crowds. The funding they provide is also important. Public agencies need funds to maintain and build hiking trails, and the cost has been rising along with labor and fuel prices, not to mention increased damages from climate change. Meanwhile, both state and federal parks have faced funding cuts.

Sadly, parking fees — and charges to enter state and federal parks — are often not enough to cover the gap.

Across the country, park agencies struggling with these dire conditions are responding by putting off maintenance for trails and forests to save money, said Ray.

“Maybe maintenance that is done once a year is pushed back to once every two years,” he said. “It means the quality of the access would be diminished.”

The U.S. Department of the Interior reported last year that deferred maintenance and repairs on federal lands has reached more than $35 billion, with California having the longest list of deferred projects.

The backstory to Fryman Canyon’s parking debate

While the funding is important, paid lots can create a cascading effect on nearby communities.

The paved lot was built at the base of Fryman Canyon in 1998 to alleviate crowding and littering for wealthy Studio City neighbors whose streets were packed with cars.

Shortly after, the Mountain Recreation and Conservation Authority imposed a $3 parking fee, payable only in cash, to fund park maintenance. That pushed hikers back to nearby residential streets, creating more frustration with neighbors.

In 2014, then-L.A. Councilmember Paul Krekorian, who represented Studio City, convinced county officials to subsidize the maintenance costs at the park, eliminating the need for the fee. “This is a victory for our community and a big help for hikers looking for parking,” he announced in a news release at the time.

But county funding dried up this year, forcing the conservation authority to reintroduce the parking fee.

A spokesperson for the conservation authority said that only 16 of the 68 parks managed by the group charge for parking.

“MRCA has installed amenities such as restrooms and kiosks at many of the trail heads,” authority spokesperson Dash Stolarz said in an email.

Fryman Canyon is popular for many reasons. Within a mile of bustling Ventura Boulevard, the trail offers soaring views of the San Fernando Valley, cool shade under towering oak, black walnut and eucalyptus trees and well-placed benches where hikers can catch their breath. Parking may now be $7, but the scenery, the serenity, the chance to bond with nature: Those are priceless.

Today’s top stories

Flames engulf trees in the Summit fire in Llano, Calif., on Friday.

(Ethan Swope/AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Extreme heat raises wildfire fears

• The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for Southern California that is expected to last until Thursday evening before temperatures begin to drop Friday.
• The heat and dry vegetation are elevating wildfire danger, with forecasters warning that any spark could spread quickly.

A rise in diarrhea-causing cyclosporiasis sparks fears of fruit, vegetables

• Cyclosporiasis cases are on the rise across the nation, heightening people’s concerns over how to safely eat fresh produce, one of the primary sources of the parasitic illness.
• California has reported 41 cases of the illness, however, none have been linked to the multistate outbreak that officials in Michigan say could be linked to leafy greens.

Giant skeletons are staying up year-round across L.A.

• Across Los Angeles, 12-foot Home Depot skeletons have jumped from Halloween gimmick to year-round yard fixtures, dressed for every holiday and sparking delight, irritation and HOA battles.
• Fans say the towering props channel L.A.’s creative, maximalist streak, but they also reflect a housing market where storage space is scarce and giant decor simply can’t be tucked away.

What else is going on

• The House votes to make daylight saving time permanent. Would California go along with it?
• The DMV says suspected cheating is why 11,000 Californians must retake the written test.
• The search for 3 missing people continued overnight in a deadly San Francisco Bay boat accident.
• Anger grows in Boyle Heights as last month’s warehouse fire leaves stench, flies and vermin in its wake.
• This invasive insect threatens California’s wine industry. It’s been linked to another Costco-sold plant.
• “The Ring” star Daveigh Chase, who died at 35 while homeless, leaves behind six-figure estate.

Commentary and opinions

• To seize 2028 Olympics spotlight, does MLB really need draconian participation rules?
• Industrial accidents in poor neighborhoods are so L.A. And it’s nothing new, writes columnist Patt Morrison.

This morning’s must-read

Books

The deeply weird, very L.A. survival story of star-studded Dan Tana’s

Inside the pages of ‘Everybody Came to Tana’s,’ a new posthumous memoir by Dan Tana detailing the secret mafia deals, rock star patrons and enduring appeal of one of L.A.’s classic restaurants.

July 14, 2026

Other must-reads

• Disney’s Chris Mortensen has been helping guests plan their best Disneyland days for more than 20 years. These are his tips for having the best day ever.
• It’s time for the night trip to the beach — the grunion are running.
• Why so many Latin Americans are rooting against Argentina in the World Cup.

For your downtime

(Andrew Jorgensen / Oakland Museum of California)

Going out

• Travel: People who know the real Oakland will tell you there’s so much more to “The Town” than it gets credit for. Here’s a local’s guide to vibrant, soulful, often-misunderstood city.
• Theater: “Mexodus,” a live-looping, hip-hop musical history lesson coming to Pasadena Playhouse, reenergizes the American musical.

Staying in

• Books: Why this deceptive beach read is poised to become a cult favorite.
• 🥪 Here’s a recipe for the California veggie sandwich.
• ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.

A question for you: What’s the craziest beach setup that you’ve seen?

Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.

And finally ... your photo of the day

As weather heats ups children cool down during Camp Anderson at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Genaro Molina at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Hailey Branson-Potts, staff writer
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

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