This energetic group of Village Hikers meets on the second Friday of each month.  Hikes are generally four to five miles in length (sometimes longer) and include trail hiking as well as urban hikes.  

Elephant Hill is 110 acres of open space on the border of El Sereno and South Pasadena.  It includes scenic overlooks and rolling hillsides and now has a new, 0.75-mile trail connecting one side of the Hill to the other.  The new trail officially opened on May 2, 2026, and we'll be among the first to check it out!  For more information about Elephant Hill, see the links at the bottom of this posting.

Our 4.5-mile urban hike starts in South Pasadena and ends in Highland Park.  We return to South Pasadena via Metrorail from the Highland Park station.  The first mile or so of the hike through South Pasadena on Meridian Ave is flat or gently downhill.  Once we enter El Sereno there are a few challenging uphill climbs and the hike over Elephant Hill involves walking up to the rim and down on the other side on a series of switchbacks and stairs.  This is a moderately challenging hike.

We'll meet at 7:30AM in South Pasadena at the walking man statue on the corner of Mission Street and Meridian Avenue.  Here's the route:

• Walk south on Meridian to El Sereno
• Head west on Newtonia Dr, stopping for a refreshment break in Guardia Park
• Continue west on Lathrop St to the eastern trailhead of Elephant Hill
• Hike up and over Elephant Hill to Collis Ave
• Walk north on Collis to Avenue 60 and head west to the Highland Park Metrorail station

We'll stop for coffee and breakfast at Kitchen Mouse Cafe in Highland Park, then head back to South Pasadena on the train.

You'll need a Metro Tap Card with fare loaded for the ride back to South Pasadena.  Let me know if you don't have a Tap Card, I have extra.

South Pasadena Parking

• Free, three-hour street parking on Meridian or one of the side-streets is available one block north of Mission, starting at Hope Street.
• Free, unrestricted street parking on Meridian starts three blocks north of Mission, above Grevelia St.
• Below Mission, you'll need to park south of El Centro to take advantage of free, three-hour street parking.
• For $3.00 you can park in the Metro parking structure at 807 Meridian Ave.

More info about Elephant Hill

https://laist.com/brief/news/los-angeles-activities/years-in-the-making-a-new-trail-across-the-beloved-elephant-hill-in-northeast-la-is-here

https://saveelephanthill.la/

https://mrca.ca.gov/press/new-trail-opened-at-elephant-hill-open-space/

Please reach out to Jane Hufnagel with any questions.