I was just starting to meditate when the children began screaming with delight.

“Look at this place!” one of them shrieked. “This is amazing. Where are the frogs?!”

Soon, six tweens were racing around Peanut Lake in Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, sticks in hand, arguing over where exactly the amphibious pond dwellers were.

Nearby, two Gen Xers rested on a pink-orange bench, laughing as they shared Tik Tok videos. Two other parkgoers sat under a large shade tree, discussing a complex friends-with-benefits scenario. Another nearby group was having a picnic under the trees.

I laughed to myself as I took it all in and reflected on what I love about L.A.’s many urban public spaces. One of my favorite things about our parks is there’s something for everybody.

For those of you who have family in town for Easter, Passover, spring break or maybe just peak bloom season in the city, I have picked three hikes that showcase those unique qualities.

The Times has spilled a lot of ink over the best ways to spend your time outdoors in L.A., including the best grassy hills to roll down, the best freshwater lakes and the best playgrounds near coffee shops. We have a comprehensive guide to Griffith Park and a data-driven analysis of the best beaches in Southern California. And that’s truly just the tip of the iceberg.

I, for one, can suffer from analysis paralysis when company is headed to town. In the spirit of simplifying your life, I highlighted three hikes that are in L.A. or very close and don’t require much technical expertise to complete. I picked well-maintained paths with great views, interesting plants and animals, and glimpses at local architecture. And none of them are so hard that you’ll be gasping for breath as you identify a building on the horizon for your aunt.

Peanut Lake, also called Debs Pond, in Debs Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

1. Peanut Lake via Seco View Trail and Summit Ridge Trail

Distance: 2.3 miles
Elevation gained: About 500 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Arroyo Seco Bike Path

The day I eavesdropped at Peanut Lake (also called Debs Pond), I parked at Hermon Park (Arroyo Seco Park) and crossed Via Marisol to start my hike. There are multiple ways to hike to Peanut Lake, a blue-green pond full of turtles in Debs Park that I agree, per the aforementioned children, is worth shouting about. Regardless of how you reach it, it’s a great shady spot to take kids and adults alike.

My route took me up a steep, wide dirt path shaded by oak, pine and toyon trees. Just a 10th of a mile in, I got my first clear view of Highland Park, Monterey Hills and other nearby hilly neighborhoods. There are a few large boulders a third of a mile where you can sit and take in the view. I spotted a solitary orange poppy and small patches of Arroyo lupine nearby, growing in spite of the black mustard bullying it for space and sun.

Clockwise from top left: An Arroyo lupine in Debs Park; From the Seco View Trail, you will spot several L.A. neighborhoods, including Mt. Washington; a turtle rests on a branchin Peanut Lake at Debs Park; A lone poppy growing along the Seco View Trail in Debs Park; Fiesta flowers in Debs Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

The path turned from dirt to pavement once I reached the Summit Ridge Trail half a mile in. The trail mostly flattens out here, minus one steep incline that’s worth a bit of huffing and puffing to reach an overlook. You’ll be rewarded with a clear view of downtown L.A. and anything beyond what that day’s smog level allows you to witness. (I think I spotted the Palos Verdes Peninsula, which is about 25 miles away as the crow flies.)

From the overlook, it’s a short easy jaunt to the pond, where you can either turn around or continue hiking on one of several paths in the park.

The view from Le Mesnager trail in Deukmejian Wilderness Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

2. Dunsmore Canyon & Le Mesnager Loop Trail

Distance: 2.6 miles
Elevation gained: About 800 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Brand Park history walk

This hike through the 709-acre Deukmejian Wilderness Park in Glendale is a great option to either show out-of-towners how easy it is to quickly transition from being in the city to the mountains, or for one of those “errand runs” that is actually a much-needed break to clear your head. (We’ve all been there!)

You’ll park in a lot near the Stone Barn Nature Center. Several signs warn that the park closes one hour after sunset and to leave before you get locked in. I think they’re serious, so take note.

You’ll start your hike on the Dunsmore Canyon Trail, headed northeast up a straight gravel path covered on both sides with several native plants including ceanothus (both white and purple blooms), yerba santa and sagebrush.

Clockwise from top left: Purple blooms on a ceanothus plant in Dunsmore Canyon; The steep path of the Dunsmore Canyon Trail; White ceanothus blooms in Dunsmore Canyon; Brittlebush with its daisy-like flowers in Dunsmore Canyon.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Just .2 miles in, there’s a massive old coast live oak where kids could easily create an imaginary forest kingdom under its large branches. As you continue to climb, you’ll soon hear the trickle of Dunsmore Creek, which runs parallel to the trail. Remember to turn around as you gain elevation, as this trail rewards you with substantial views of Glendale and the Crescenta Valley soon after you start. All the while, you have the San Gabriel Mountains right in front of you, including Mt. Lukens, which you can hike to from the same park.

Half a mile in, you have the option to continue on the Dunsmore Canyon Trail or Le Mesnager Trail to make a shorter loop. The Le Mesnager Trail includes a lookout point at about 2,750 feet, a great spot for a sunset as long as you don’t get locked in! As you meander down the trail, you’ll find a nice shady canopy and continued views of the city below.

A hiking group navigates the Betty B. Dearing Trail near Fryman Canyon Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

3. Betty B. Dearing Trail and Dearing Mountain Trail

Distance: About 8 miles
Elevation gained: 1,500 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Franklin Canyon Park loop

The Betty B. Dearing Trail and Dearing Mountain Trail together are a hilly trek through canyons teeming with life. It is a great option if you have adult visitors who’d like to see city views, native plants and local architecture. It is a popular hiking area, so please pack your patience when parking.

My friend Bob and I started our hike on a Saturday at Wilacre Park and headed up through the 128-acre preserve, enjoying the shade provided by chaparral and oak trees. Wrentits sang their high-pitched giggle. Western fence lizards flitted across the trail. And we even spotted inky caps, an interesting local mushroom.

As we chatted, Bob suddenly leaped up and over, shouting “Stop!” That’s our code for “Snake!” Bob pointed to its chonky tail end as the snake slithered into its den. It wasn’t venomous, likely a gopher snake, and it was more so the surprise of her almost stepping on it that frightened us. We fell into a fit of giggles and continued on. Sorry, bud! (Of course, if it was a rattlesnake, we knew what to do.)

Clockwise from left: A bee feeds from a California brittlebush on the Betty B. Dearing Trail; The tail of a lizard or snake on the Betty B. Dearing Trail near the Nancy Hoover Pohl Overlook; Inky caps, a native mushroom, grows on the Dearing Mountain Trail.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

You will transition as you hike from Wilacre Park to Coldwater Canyon Park to Fryman Canyon Park. It’s remarkable to me how the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority has diligently acquired land around L.A. to connect our public lands. That’s special, folks!

The trails are named after Betty Brown Dearing, a tenacious activist who moved from Ohio to L.A. in 1946. Like so many of us, Dearing fell in love with the L.A. wilderness. She often took friends “to a high point on Mulholland Drive at dusk,” per this Times article. “She loved to harass public officials,” her brother U.S. Rep. Clarence J. “Bud” Brown Jr. told a crowd at the trail’s dedication in 1982. “She felt an individual has a duty to get involved and tell government what they should and should not do.”

3 things to do

Griffith Park trails provide amazing views of Griffith Observatory, downtown Los Angeles, the Hollywood Sign and the Pacific Ocean on clear days.

(Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)

1. Celebrate Earth Day by cleaning trails around L.A.
A Tribe Called Earth will host is eighth Earth Day cleanup Saturday in seven Southern California sites, along with events in San Francisco, New York, Yosemite National Park and Mammoth Lakes. In Griffith Park, volunteers will meet at 7:30 a.m. to clean near roads, parking lots and trails. Other local events will be hosted at the L.A. River, Elysian Park, the San Gabriel River, Santa Monica, Venice Beach and Black Star Canyon in Orange County. Afterward, volunteers can hang out from noon to 4 p.m. at Elysian Park for a celebration that will include sound baths, yoga, DJs and pizza. Register for a cleanup at eventbrite.com.

2. Connect with nature in La Crescenta
The Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy will host its monthly “Healing in Nature” event from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at its Rosemont Preserve. Kyle Cavazos, the group’s program coordinator, and guest facilitators Casey Velasquez and Elizabeth Starbuck will lead participants in reflection and mindfulness activities to help deepen your bonds with the Earth, your community and yourself. The event is free. Register at signupgenius.com.

3. Take the Junior Ranger Pledge in Calabasas
The Santa Monica Mountains Visitor Center at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas will kick off National Park Week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with a day of Junior Ranger program fun. The program started in the 1930s, first at Yosemite and now at more than 400 national parks. On Saturday, children (and young-at-heart adults) can complete activities, take the Junior Range pledge, earn a badge and collect limited-edition pins. For more information, visit the park’s Instagram page.

The must-read

(Ross May / Los Angeles Times; photos by Emily Hochberg; Getty Images)

One of the more remarkable things about hiking in and around L.A. is that so many of the hikes are free to access. This isn’t the case for other outdoorsy locales, including Palm Springs, where there are so many beautiful places to visit for epic desert and mountain combo views. Thankfully, Times contributor Emily Hochberg was willing to share her knowledge of free places to hike in and around the Coachella Valley. I was surprised to hear about the slot canyons on the East Indio Hills Badlands and immediately emailed one of my hiking besties about going out there ASAP. Make sure to keep this guide handy for your next Palm Springs escapade!

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

If you’re headed to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks this summer, consider checking out the newly reopened Crystal Cave, which has been closed for the past four years. You’ll take a steep trail down to the cave and then walk a half-mile loop into the cave. Once inside, you’ll observe massive awe-inspiring rooms with incredible stalactites and stalagmites. You can visit as early as May 23!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.