Objective: Climb Baldwin Hills via Culver City Stairs
Distance: 0.3 miles from Jefferson Blvd to the overlook (stair climb)
Peak Elevation: 415’
Elevation Gain: 415’ from Jefferson, 272’ from bottom of stairs
Steps: 282
Difficulty: Moderate
Park Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset
The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook is a natural slice of wilderness in the middle of LA. It’s below the LAX flight path, no wonder the views are similar to what you see from the window seat. Look at the skylines of Westwood, Culver City, Hollywood, and DTLA. Wait for the train on the E Line to pass. Climb the 282 steps of the Culver City Stairs to the top of the hill. If you need an escape from the daily grind, consider running up that hill!
Directions to Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook
Head west on the 10. Take exit 7B for Washington Boulevard and drive 0.2 miles. Turn left onto Washington Boulevard and continue for 0.1 miles. Make a left onto Fairfax Avenue and drive 0.3 miles. Turn left at La Cienega Boulevard and continue for 0.3 miles. Turn right onto West Jefferson Boulevard and drive for 0.9 miles.
There’s free street parking at the bottom on Jefferson Boulevard near Hetzler Road. Or you can park at the top of Hetzler Road for $6/day.
Trek Highlights
You can start at the top or bottom, just flip a coin. At the bottom, the tail starts by the sign on Jefferson and Hetzler. At the top, the trail begins next to the roundabout by the parking lot.
Culver City Stairs: The staircase is wide and well groomed. Each step is paved with stones. The spacing of the steps are a bit far apart. That means you kind of have to stretch to get to the next one. It’s difficult to get into a nice rhythm. Once you reach the top, your heart is probably pounding as you try to catch your breath. Your reward is some of the best views of the LA basin with the mountains in the background.
At the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, you walk to the visitor center. Beyond that, there is a path connecting to the Kenneth Hahn State Recreational Area for an extra 1.5 miles roundtrip. To head back down, you can go straight down the stairs. You could also take the zig zagging trail that crisscrosses the stairs a few times.
For a more intense stair climb challenge, consider the Manitou Incline in Colorado.
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