Portuguese Bend Nature Reserve

Loved the hike down from top all the way to the ocean. Great workout. Took a smaller trail on the way down. On the left, just past Andy Gump style toilets. Steeper, lots of cool rock walls on side. No other people. Overall, wished more vegetation. As others said, parking tough. We waited by park until someone left.

Beautiful hike with amazing views of the ocean. The entire hike is about 4 – 5 miles depending on how far you go. I hiked all the way to the bottom down to Sacred Cove and Abalone Cove. So many amazing views and perfect picture opportunities. Make sure to bring lots of water and food. The hike down is pretty easy, but don’t forget you have to go back uphill. Going uphill for 2 miles was very strenuous for me. However, if you’re fit enough to make it all the way down to Sacred Cove, I highly suggest going because the place is filled with beautiful sea caves.

Beautiful views of the ocean and hills. Going down is easy, but don’t forget that you have to go up the hill at the end. Many different trails to try with range in difficulty. My dog Zulu and I took the Burma Trail down, then cut through and did about ½ of the Rim trail to Paintbrush trail, to Ishibashi back to Burma. Rim trail is hella hard. We went after the rains so some of the trails were pretty muddy. We also went on a Sunday and had to park in the street, otherwise Del Cerro Park has a few parking spots.
If we lived closer we would definitely come back more often. The views and workout is worth it.

Ah, what a beautiful and amazing hike! Despite getting lost and doing an over 10 mile hike, I enjoyed everyone minute of it!
My friend and I started the hike around 9:30 on a Saturday. I love hiking a lot earlier but I had a late night, plus it was cold and cloudy so I knew I would be okay. I parked at Del Cerro park. It’s a very small parking lot but I got lucky with parking. My friend parked on the street on Crenshaw Blvd. Do not park on the first few spots on the street because you need a permit. My friend saw someone get a ticket.
We started on the main trail which is the Burma Road Trail. Be aware that the hike starts downhill, but as the famous quote goes: «What goes up, must come down!» So don’t get too excited. I like to research before my hikes but there are sooo many little trails here, that’s it’s hard to plan ahead. We went on top to the Eagles Nest Trail to see the view from the top. It was breathtaking. We were unaware at the time that there is a trail from the top leading to the other side so we went down the way we came up and continued on the Burma Road Trail. We then did the Water Tank Trail that led us to a water tank. It’s nothing too special. Then we did the Garden Trail. I liked this one because there was an incline. We then did the Landslide Scrap Trail which led us to the Panorama Trail and that trail led us to the road. I had heard that if you cross the street, there are some really pretty trails. It’s a little scary to cross the street, but do it cus it’s sooo worth it! Once we crossed, we had to walk the road for a bit before coming to the Sacred cove trail. That let us right down to the ocean. It was soooo beautiful! I highly recommend going all the way down. We sat on the rocks for a bit which was a nice break. After, we climbed back up, ahhh such a great butt burner and walked the road down a little more and did another trail that let us right before the cliff. We didn’t make it on the cliff but it was still gorgeous!
After all the fun stuff, we got hella lost. We thought a trail was a trail, but it really wasn’t. We ended up on some random mountain and I was sooo scared there would be snakes there because it seemed like no one had walked there before. We also ended up in a private gated community — we totally trespassed: /​However, we asked a lady who lived there and she was extremely helpful and nice. She told us how to get back on the main road — such a life saver! Once we got back on the main road, we walked down the street a little, and got on the Klondike Canyon Trail. We eventually hit the Toyon Trail and finally back on the Burma Road Trail. Getting back to the car was mostly an uphill affair. We did a total of over 10 miles in about 4 hours! I wasn’t expecting that, but it was amazing! We didn’t see much wild life except a few really pretty birds.
Thankfully, the day I did it, it was cool and the sun wasn’t that crazy hot, but there is little shade! So if you come on a hot summer day, start early or you will die! Also, bring tons of water! And bring snacks! Because I think it would be fun to eat on the rocks by the water.
I would also recommend coming early because of parking. When we left around 2:30, the place was packed! Next time I do the hike, I either want to do it around sunrise or sunset because it would look absolutely stunning! Also, the next time I do it, I hopefully won’t get lost. I know there are easier ways to get down to the cove, but as newbies on the trail we had no idea. But hey, getting lost is part of the fun ;) and the more you walk, the more bigger bootaayyyy!
Do this hike if you want an amazing workout and breathtaking views!

INCREDIBLE VIEWS!!! So many trails with great elevation gain. A must visit on a clear day, you can see all of Catalina and the ocean view is spectacular, you almost forget you’re gaining 1473 in elevation in a very short amount of mileage haha! I can’t wait to explore the many different trails here! Seemed very dog friendly on the trails too!

Hiking anywhere in Rancho Palos Verdes is a reward in itself when you have such a gorgeous view. Today was especially exceptional. Not a cloud in the sky or marine layer to worry about. It was so clear you could even see Santa Barbara Island.
The intensity of the hiking here depends on you. There are some very steep grades that will definitely test your endurance.
This definitely will be part of my regular hiking rotation.

I love this hike. It’s fairly easy on the way down, breathtaking views, cool breeze (although not much shade), cute dogs everywhere, different routes to take. The way up is not hard, but takes some effort because you basically go back up the way you came down. It is not a difficult hike though. I see elderlies, children and people of all shapes and sizes on this trail. It is fairly clean, not so much poo everywhere like some trails I know.
My only gripe is when they changed the parking so that less people can come through. We all joke that we shouldn’t let PV people come down the hill haha. I understand their issue with loud obnoxious hikers but sucks they ruined it for everyone else.

Park by Del Cerro Park. Other than the view from the park and once you reach the bottom of the hill, it isn’t really a pretty hike. I would rather go along Paseo in san Pedro, the marina or by Trumps. It was a good workout though, coming up hill. There isn’t a lot of shade, so though it was only 76 – 80 degrees it was pretty hot walking in the dirt with the sun beating down. My pug was a hot dog by the end.

I came hiking here for the first time today, and I had a great time!
I was worried that I would get lost, but the trail markers make it very clear of which trail you’re on, and the trails are very obvious.
You can park either on the street or at Del Cerro Park, which is what I did. The trailhead is to the right of the park, and if you walk down the street by the flower bushes, you can’t miss it.
Make sure to bring lots of water and sunscreen because it can get REALLY hot, especially if you go around 1 – 3 like I did.
Also, the only trail with shade is the Eucalyptus Trail, which is really woodsy and refreshing! I didn’t hike through it, but I did walk through a little bit to take a break which was really nice.

Love hiking these trails! Parking at Abalone Cove is $ 5 and there is very minimal free street parking near the fire station. Do not park at the wayfarers chapel, as they will have your car towed!
When I do my hike I always start by going down into abalone cove then head up the broken stairs and follow the paved road up to the next bluff, where there is a dirt track for running/​walking. If you continue to follow the paved road back to the highway you can walk about 200 feet along the highway to the next cove (Socrates cove, which used to be the nude beach). There’s a lot more trails to hike over there and the beach is great and you have access to both sea caves! I always see starfish, and often sea lions and dolphins. The beach is nice and I swim here often too.

Great hike, amazing views. Lots of parking on a monday morning. Got there at 930am and there was lots of fog, started clearing up around 10−1030am. i must say there were nice views all around.
There’s lots of horse poop so watch your step.
Definitely coming back :)

Good for beginner hikers and intermediate as there are many different trails. Also perfect for mountain bikes as the trails are wide enough. There’s a porta– potty towards the beginning of the trail. Becareful of horse poop as there are also horse riding trails. It might seem really easy going down the hill and might think it’s a really easy hike, but keep in mind that on your way back it will be mostly uphill. Not steep hills but consistent uphill.
Not sure starting when but the city will close the street parking to visitors and only allow residents with permits to park on the street. I think one side of the street they are allowing visitors but just keep in mind that soon the parking will get kind of crazy.

I have not been hiking in 2 years and enjoyed my 4.7 mile hike with my hubby on a misty Sunday morning. We pieced together this hike from numerous small trails. There looked like a hike that went down the mountainside, but we only saw it from a distance.
We did not get a stunning view due to June gloom, but I prefer hiking when it is cool. I could still kind of see the ocean and know the view would be amazing on a clear day.
I would hike here again, but it is not on my list of favorites in Los Angeles for the following reasons:
You start at the top, so on your way back you must go uphill.
There were so many little trails that I had no idea which ones to take. It would be helpful to study a trail map prior to your outing.
The positives:
Easy parking.
Ocean views.
Trails for miles.
Bottom Line:
If you live within a 30 minutes drive, this is a great place to hike.

This is our go to place for a scenic hike with our doggies. I love the view of the ocean and the wide paths. There’s something for everyone here. whether you’re looking for a leisurely stroll or a kick in the butt incline. Make sure you bring lots of water because it can get very hot on a sunny day. There’s not a lot of shade here.
*FYI it can be a little tricky to find this place if you’ve never been. Google Del Cerro Park and keep heading towards the end of the street. You’ll see a gate with an opening. Go through there to start on the trail.

Really awesome place to hike. We hike weekly and are currently exploring all the hiking trails nearby as we just moved into town.
Lots of different trails to choose from (beginners to advanced). The inclines are not as steep as the ones I’ve hiked at Runyon Canyon, but they get you breathing hard enough for a good workout. We did 4 miles easily with the gorgeous scenery throughout. So far, this is the spot and we’ll be back!
We’re trying out Shipwreck Trail today– so keep an eye out for that review if interested.

The address on Unilocal is inaccurate but the pin-​point is correct.
I would suggest follow the Del Cerro Park address and park around the area.
The start of Portuguese Bend Reserve is at the dead end of Burrell Lane.
So many trails to choose from once you’re down the flat.
First part of the hike is all downhill, so it was fun. But remember, all the easy down hills you do, you eventually have to hike that up later on ;)
Sun exposure, no shades! But very breezy since it’s along the coast.
A very scenic hike, all panoramic views of Palos Verde is quite breathtaking.
But if you prefer hikes with shade, and a bunch of greenery and forestry, this is not for you.
It was a fun hike, especially with the reversed incline – it challenges you for how far all this downhill you can do until you eventually have to go back: D

Hit and miss, and it’s all up to you.
We grabbed our water packs, the dog, and headed to the trailhead, ready for some amazing views and a great hike. After all, have you seen the photos that others Unilocalers have posted?
First, know that parking here is a pain. Once you get a spot, it’s a quick walk to the trailhead. As soon as we arrived there, we felt disappointment. The trail was less trail and more of a fire road. There were tons of people. This didn’t look like an escape into nature as much as a walk to Griffith Observatory, without a view of the Hollywood sign. However, not ready to stop here, we figured we would just grin, bear it, and see where the road led.
Fortunately, it doesn’t take long to get off of the road and onto real trails. The further onto the trails you get, the fewer people you see and the more fun the hiking is. We spend plenty of time exploring and ended up with a satisfying day, a solid let workout, and a tired, happy dog.
Be sure to bring your patience for parking. Then, quickly move to the first trail that you find so that you can get away from people and enjoy the scenery. Oh, and bring your dog. This is one of the few dog friendly hikes in the area.

Portuguese Bend is a very beautiful, scenic, enjoyable hike IF you follow the tips below:
— Grab a map (provided at the entrance)! There are many trails and routes you can take so unless you want to take the longest way down and back, I highly suggest taking a map.
— Bring plenty of water… And conserve it! Remember, that nice easy walk downhill will turn into a torturous uphill battle when you are trying to go home.
— Wear sunscreen! The trails have very little shade or breeze so you will overheat without it.
— Come early! Again, there is very little shade and on a hot day, ending your hike before the sun is completely out will make for a better hike.
Last tip: bring a friend and enjoy!

This has become one of my favorite local places to come hike to relax. The views are amazing! Greenery and ocean views everywhere. You can get lost in admiring the beauty all around. Plus, the trails are clean and well maintained throughout the reserve.
There are many trails to choose from so you can build your own loop or turn about. The trails are mainly moderate, some easy but not many are very challenging. Nevertheless, you can always get in a really good workout. The first time I was here I came alone and put together a bunch of trails for myself, hiking and enjoying my surroundings for about 4 hours. Each trail offered a little something different… Some were flat, others steep, some rocky, some surrounded by cacti and others by leafy plants. Most of the space is open, but there are also spots offering beautiful shade. I would suggest picking up a map at the entrance to get an idea of the roads.
Today I brought my boyfriend and two small dogs along to take advantage of the great weather (80° in January!). My bf was very impressed with views of the ocean from where we were and we all got a good cardio workout! I recommend bringing plenty of water along in case you choose the steeper or longer trails, since there are no water stops throughout the trails.
**There is one portable restroom at the end of the entrance road, right before the trails split up.

6.5 mile trail run complete! The incline is tough, but boy, you’ll be in shape in no time on these trails! Just keep running!!! Get here early and have the Reserve pretty much to yourself! This morning I parked at Del Cerro Park at 6:30 AM and I was 1 of 5 cars. By the time I finished my 6.5 mile trail run an hour and a half later, all the spots at Del Cerro were full and there was a huge line of cars for ¼ mile or so parked on Crenshaw.
The Reserve is beautiful, but as others reviewers have stated it’s a reverse incline so be prepared for the run/​hike to be much harder coming up the second half. I ran all the way to the ocean… there is access, but you have to cross PV Drive South. Once you cross you can connect to the Abalone Cove Shoreline trails. My Garmin said I completed 1,200 feet in elevation gain! Talk about a workout! This is why trail running is so much more of a challenge than simply running on the roads. It is dusty and it gets crowded so if you’re like me and like a more intimate experience with nature, set that alarm clock and get there early! Enjoy the workout!