Urban oasis: Elyria Canyon Park
BOUNDARIES: Figueroa St., Cypress Ave., Division St., N. Ave. 50
Directions: This route starts at the peak of Mount Washington, which can be tough to find. Follow these driving directions to successfully navigate the twists and turns of the narrow canyon roads:
From the intersection of Figueroa St. and Marmion Way (GPS: N34° 5.459’ W118° 12.677’), head north on Marmion Way. After 0.4 mile, turn left on W. Ave. 45. In 0.2 mile, bear right on Cañon Crest Ave. and, in another 0.2 mile, turn left on W. Ave. 46. Then, in 0.2 mile, turn left on Rome Dr. and follow it as it bends right; in another 0.2 mile, turn left on San Rafael Ave. Drive 1 block to arrive at the intersection of San Rafael and Elyria Dr.
DISTANCE: 0.25 mile–1.5 miles, depending on route chosen
DIFFICULTY: Easy to strenuous (includes short flights of steps and optional dirt hiking trail)
PARKING: Free parking is available just inside the gates of the Self-Realization Fellowship.
Mount Washington is one of several idyllic communities hidden in the hills between downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena. This rustic neighborhood is populated with a collection of artistic, laid-back, nature-loving individuals, so it’s no surprise that it’s also home to the world headquarters of the Self-Realization Fellowship. Founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda, this worldwide religious organization seeks to bring together people of all creeds in the pursuit of world peace and harmony—a noble goal, to be sure.
This walk can be whatever you want to make of it: either a short stroll through the grounds of the fellowship, where you can meditate on the beauty of your serene surroundings atop the hill and enjoy panoramic views of the city below, or a full-fledged hike that takes you from these carefully manicured grounds down through the rustic beauty of nearby Elyria Canyon Park and back up again.
Walk Description
Begin just inside the gates of the 
Self-Realization Fellowship International Headquarters, at the intersection of San Rafael Avenue and Elyria Drive. A small visitor center is just inside the gate to your left; here, you can speak to a volunteer or browse literature to learn more about this popular religious movement.
Head into the fellowship grounds, passing a large lawn area on your right before you come to a former tennis court. Descend the steps and cut lengthwise across the court. To your right is a sundial surrounded by benches—from here, you can sit and enjoy a view of the downtown high-rises a few miles south of Mount Washington.
Continue along the gravel path, which leads through a lush meditation garden of ferns, ficus trees, and palms. Private alcoves set back into the vegetation on either side of the path offer a place to contemplate or meditate; you’ll be serenaded by the sound of a trickling fountain. Eventually, you come to a table and chairs carved out of stone that sit beneath a stand of pine trees—another lovely spot to stop for a rest, engage in deep thought, or stop thinking altogether.
Follow the path past the stone table and chairs as it turns left, ascend a short flight of steps, and take a quick right. Pass a planter filled with water and lily pads, and continue up the next set of steps, passing through a rose garden before you emerge back into the paved parking area.
Turn around here to head back toward the entrance to the fellowship. On your right is the main building: a distinctive three-story, flat-roofed structure established as the Mount Washington Inn, a popular resort for Hollywood stars and society types in the late 1800s and the early years of the 20th century. The Mount Washington Development Company even built a short railway leading up and down the hill to get patrons to and from the inn. The railway shut down long ago, but the former passenger depot still stands, down the hill at the corner of West Avenue 43 and Marmion Way.
Step inside the main building, which acts as the fellowship’s headquarters, to check out the meditation chapel and Yogananda’s library. After passing the former hotel, you reach a small gazebo on your right. Inside is a wishing well decorated with peaceful greetings and wishes from Yogananda himself.
If you wish, you can return to your car and end the walk. To keep going, exit the fellowship grounds and continue northwest on Elyria Drive, crossing San Rafael Avenue. A stunning shingled Craftsman home sits on the corner on your right.
Follow the road as it turns left. The chaparral-covered hills of Elyria Canyon slope down on your right. Continue all the way to the end of the street, where you arrive at a trailhead.
Follow the trail as it starts to descend through the grassy meadowland into the canyon. Thirty-five-acre 
Elyria Canyon Park, a Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy parkland, is home to one of the last remaining stands of California black walnut trees in greater Los Angeles. If you’ve brought your dog along for the hike, be sure to keep it leashed in the park. You should also watch out for poison oak, although you should be safe as long as you stick to the clearly marked trails.
When you come to the first split in the trail, take the right-hand path, which affords a view of Glendale in the distance.
At the next split, continue to follow your path as it curves to the right. The trail widens slightly here and shows remnants of asphalt paving. Continue downhill along the shady trail.
At the next split in the trail, follow the path that curves downhill to your left a short distance to the floor of the canyon and the Elyria Canyon Park entrance at Wollam Street.
Head back up the trail, bearing right at the split to continue along the same path you took down.
When you return to the point where the path widens, take the narrow dirt trail that branches off to the right instead of continuing back up the same trail you followed into the park. Follow this dirt trail as it curves left, affording a view of the other side of the canyon and the large homes perched high on the ridge above.
At the next split, take the narrow trail on the left that heads uphill and curves around through the bushes, past a bench and trash can, before it reconnects with your original path.
Turn right and take the trail back up to your starting point at the end of Elyria Drive.
Follow Elyria Drive back to the entrance of the Self-Realization Fellowship, where you began.
Mount Washington
Points of Interest
Self-Realization Fellowship International Headquarters 3880 San Rafael Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90065; 323-225-2471, yogananda-srf.org
Elyria Canyon Park Dead end of Elyria Drive (main entrance: 1550 Bridgeport Drive), Los Angeles, CA 90065; tinyurl.com/elyriacanyon
