Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook

Welcome to Mother Nature’s StairMaster!
This is by far one of the coolest hikes I’ve ever done, and how amazing that it is in my neighborhood close to downtown Culver City, where you can easily get a post-​hike beer afterwards?
Most hikes involve climbing up a steep incline with dips and trails, but this is the only hike around that is a massive staircase all the way to the top, approximately 400 feet above sea level. Most of the approximately 260 concrete steps is pretty steep — on average 10 inches, with the steepest at 20 inches — so it really is a workout to get to the top especially if you are just over 5-​feet tall like I am.
There are breaks in the climb so that you can pause, or even divert onto the winding adjacent dirt trails that snake around the mountain.
I like how this hike is popular but still doesn’t get as crowded as Runyon Canyon which is like Disneyland! Lots of people bring their little kids on this hike, but I really don’t recommend it unless you plan on hauling junior on your back for part of the way. It’s kind of cruel to expect a kid to have to hoist their entire body weight up a stair, given that I already have to lift my leg up very high on some of these stairs.
Once you’re at the top, there is a wide area to hang out and enjoy the view without being squeezed among other people. You can enjoy an amazing view from the Pacific Ocean all the way to Downtown LA in the East.
Depending on your speed, it can take approximately 20 minutes to climb to the top although I imagine some of the joggers who pass me can do it quicker. For even the most athletic people, I don’t think it’s possible to run the entire way.
Parking in the area is street meters at 25 cents an hour up to 10 hours, and there’s also a tiny dirt lot that fits a dozen cars.