Hike to a Waterfall at This Hidden Gem in LA

Contrary to the wise words of TLC, I’m all for chasing waterfalls. In fact, I recently saw my very first waterfall in the Los Angeles area, and if you’re in search of natural beauty and off the beaten path spots in LA, keep reading!
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I started my outdoor adventure by driving up to Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks, California. This area is about 30 miles northwest of Hollywood, so if you’re just visiting LA, I highly recommend renting a car for this day trip. 

Once you get out of Hollywood onto the freeway, it’s smooth sailing, but in the event you do hit traffic on the way there just consider it another part of the authentic Angeleno experience.

There was plenty of free parking available at Wildwood Regional Park, even for a Saturday afternoon. The trail begins right where the parking is located. Once you're on the trail, you'll follow the signs that lead to Paradise Falls.

The hike to the waterfall is pretty fantastic too, but there is a lot of open space with minimal shade so definitely pack a hat, water bottle, and sunblock with you. Along the way, you'll see gorgeous mountains and hills, as well as a reconstructed Native American teepee where you can have a seat if you need a quick break. 

Once I finally made it to Paradise Falls, it was an incredible grand finale to my hike. There are rocks around where you can sit to admire this beautiful place. To get an even better view (and pictures) of the waterfall, I recommend crossing the stream to the other side. You’ll likely see other hikers doing this too. Unfortunately, there’s only some rocks in place to cross the stream on, so be sure to bring some good shoes and plenty of balance. For what it’s worth, I have terrible balance and didn’t get my feet wet, so you should be okay!

The trail to the waterfall is a moderate one, and it should only take you about a half hour to get the falls. However, if you’re looking for more hiking, there are additional trails at the park you can explore as well.

Tip: Try to get here before the weather starts to become really warm in June and July. Thousand Oaks is located deep in the valley of LA country, which is notorious for being extra hot.