Not sure what the categories mean? We break down our difficulty ratings for you here.
Unsure about the different registration options? We explain what driving for our trips actually involves here.
Sign ups are first come first serve! Links will be live at 9PM sharp on Sunday, September 6.
Are you in need of an adventure? Look no further! Join us for a hike to a waterfall in the beautiful Angeles National Forest! This 4.6-mile trail will be the perfect start to your Saturday. Prepare to get a little wet on the trail’s river crossings!
Join us and Professor Suzanne Wali for a hike along the coast at Point Vicente in Palos Verdes. We’ll walk the bluffs past the lighthouse, enjoy the ocean views, and have time to talk with Professor Wali outside of class. Bring water and comfortable walking shoes!
Hi everyone!! Come join us on this 5-mile FLAT hike with an incredible professor at USC!! We will depart from campus shortly after 9:30 am, arrive at the trail around 10:30 am, hike, and return to campus by 2 pm. This is an easy trail so we welcome people with all levels of hiking experience! It will be a very calm and serene day, where we can pause to take in the beautiful scenery and diverse wildlife.
Join us for a beautiful sunset hike to Griffith Observatory, one of LA’s most iconic landmarks! Somehow, I’m already a senior and have NEVER been to Griffith Observatory! I’ve honestly never been more excited for a hike, and I can’t wait to take in the stunning sunset and incredible views of the city we call home! Even better we are lucky to have Professor Warford joining us on this hike, would is an incredible professor, and very knowledgable in a wide variety of topics!
Join us and Captain Lars Harding for a hike to the Wisdom Tree and up behind the Hollywood Sign. We’ll cross Cahuenga Peak on the way to Mount Lee, with views over LA and the San Fernando Valley and a chance to get to know Lars outside of class. Bring plenty of water!
Come join us for a morning of stunning ocean views in this 4.2 mile hike. We’ll be facing some steep climbs with a total elevation gain of 1000 feet, but we promise it’s worth it. This trail will take us up along the canyon to beautiful ocean lookouts.
HIKING TO A BEAUTIFUL WATERFALL!!! Come with us to Switzer Falls, a 3.6-mile hike with 600ft of elevation gain to slow-max with the coolest professor at SC! We’ll start the day at 8 AM, aim to get to the trail at 9, hike, grab some lunch afterwards on the way home, and return to campus around 2:00 PM. This is a moderate trail, so come if you’re experienced! We’ll have a lot of time to relax by the rushing water and learn from Professor Mataric, so it should be a very chill hike!
Join us for a chill, serene stroll in Descanso Gardens to soak up the autumnal vibes. Located in the mountains of La Cañada Flintridge, Descanso Gardens features lush, manicured gardens of seasonal foliage, rose gardens, a redwood grove, Japanese pond, museum, and lots of local artwork. The hike—if you can call it that—is a meander through the gardens, for about an hour, exploring the beauty of the park! Maybe we’ll make a stop at the cafe after :)
Have you been training stair master recently? Want to up your Strava game? Join us for the awesome chance to connect with one of USC’s most famous STEM professors on a trip located in USC’s backyard: Stuart Moon and the Culver City Stairs! Good vibes with the most down to earth professor you’ll ever meet, can’t wait to see you there!
Gorgeous views! Giant rock formations! A summit scramble! Join us for a 6.1-mile loop through the Santa Monica Mountains as we follow the Backbone and Mishe Mokwa Trails to Sandstone Peak. Along the way, we’ll pass the dramatic Echo Cliffs, stop at Inspiration Point, and take in the incredible views of the mountains and coastline. We’ll finish the climb with a short rock scramble to the summit before looping back to the trailhead. Come ready for a moderately challenging hike, beautiful scenery, and a fun day on the trail with Bart Skarzynski!
Take a break from campus and join us for a hike to Eagle Rock via East Topanga Fire Road in Topanga State Park for beautiful views and a chance to get outside with good company! This moderately difficult hike will take us up to Eagle Rock, where we’ll take a break and enjoy the scenery before heading back. We probably won’t stop for lunch, so eat a big breakfast beforehand! There’s not a lot of shade, so bring plenty of water.
If you enjoy calming nature sounds and want to touch some grass during a stressful time, this hike is for you!
A 14 mi, 4,000 ft. hike with one of the most eclectic academicians you’ll ever meet: the exosphere expert, Dr. Justin Bailey!
Join us for a lovely discussion on Neurodiversity at expo park guided by the lovely Professor Sneha. A safe space for us to discuss such an important topic in the beautiful outdoors.
Looking for a quick morning getaway to start your weekend off right? Join us on this cute 2.8 mile loop around Kenneth Hahn Recreation Area with Spanish Professor Dr. Leah Kemp!
Join us for a scenic hike and rock scramble at the illustrious cave of Munits just north of LA! We will be joined by the wonderful Terry Church, and accompanying him to explore one of the oldest caves in Los Angeles.
Join us for a lovely Saturday in Ojai with the one-of-a-kind Reverend Jim Burklo, where we’ll see rolling hills, flowing rivers, and maybe meet some donkeys!
Come join us on a calm Sunday afternoon hike, with a professor I only met last week! There may or may not be a waterfall, but there will definitely be some beautiful views of this shady creek-side trail. There will also be plenty of interesting conversations about the future of our food industry!
Join us for a leisurely Saturday hike! It should be very scenic with not too much elevation, an incredible view, and even better company. There is allegedly some awesome beach access not too far from the trail, so prepare for a fun lunch at the beach after our little hike!
Finals coming up? Hit pause and trade your study spot for sunshine, salt air, and island views. We’re heading to Catalina Island for a full day of exploring, recharging, and soaking up the best of the California coast.
COME WITH US TO CONQUER EAGLE ROCK! This landscape is absolutely incredible (especially after recent rainfall) and will leave you feeling completely refreshed before finals week. It’s a 5-mile loop trail with 1000 ft of elevation gain, estimated to take around 3 hours total. We’ll stop for lunch at Eagle Rock and get back to campus around 4 PM. This is a moderately difficult trail, so come if you’re experienced!
Join Peaks and Dr. Merrick Anderson for a trip through Topanga State Park to gaze upon the majestic Eagle Rock! Enjoy the sunshine and get away from the monotony of daily life with a beautiful hike through a gem of a state park located in USC’s backyard. Spending time in the outdoors has created some of the great philosophies of the past. Who knows, maybe you’ll create one of your own on trail!
HIKING THE MOST POPULAR OF THE “LA 5 PEAKS” CHALLENGE!!! Come with us to Strawberry Peak, a 7-mile hike with 1700ft of elevation gain if you want to get some nice nature in before your finals!! We’ll start the day at 8 AM, aim to get to the trail at 9, eat lunch (provided by Peaks) at the summit around 11:00, hike back, and return to campus around 3:00 PM. This is a difficult trail, so only come if you’re experienced and ready to sweat! The mountains are GORGEOUS right now after so much rain in the last couple of months, so it’ll seem like we’re in the middle of a lush mountain on middle earth. Can’t wait to have everyone!
HIKING TO A BEAUTIFUL WATERFALL!!! Come with us to Switzer Falls, a 3.6-mile hike with 600ft of elevation gain to slow-max with the coolest professor at SC! We’ll start the day at 9 AM, aim to get to the trail at 10, eat lunch (provided by Peaks) on the trail around 11:30, hike back, and return to campus around 2:00 PM. This is a moderate trail, so come if you’re experienced! We’ll have a lot of time to relax by the rushing water and learn from Professor Pardo, so it should be a very chill hike!
DISCLAIMER: Professor Pardo will be bringing his dog on the trip!! Keep this in mind and bring allergy medicine if necessary!
Join Peaks and Andrew Chater to explore this iconic SoCal trail! This hike is a beautiful 9.5 mile trek in the San Gabriel Mountains to the mysterious Bridge to Nowhere, an isolated bridge over the San Gabriel River. There are multiple river crossings on this hike, so prepare to get your shoes wet. After hiking to the bridge, we’ll be able to eat lunch and swim in the river!
NOTE: Given the mileage and challenging river crossings, THIS HIKE IS NOT BEGINNER-FRIENDLY
Come join us on this relaxing Saturday sunset hike! We’ll get to chat with one of the most fun and caring professors at USC while looking at the stunning ocean views on the Santa Monica Mountains.
Come unwind on the Ocean & Canyon View Trail with Professor Holschneider. This 4.2-mile out-and-back moves from a shaded canyon of rocky cascades and seasonal waterfalls up to a ridge with sweeping ocean views. Expect a lively, scenic day hike that blends canyon scenery with coastal panoramas.
Spend your Saturday on a lovely 4 mile hike in Malibu with neuroscience researcher and T.A. Isaac Cohen! We will hike past the beautiful wildflowers and enjoy amazing Malibu Lake views.
Hiking? Caves? Swimming? Lakes? Camping? Scenic drives? Stars? Astronauts?? THIS TRIP HAS IT ALL!! Join Peaks and Prof. Reisman as we journey for overnight trip to Lake Isabella and the Kern River! We plan to hike up to a cave and explore the lake area, go white water rafting, and camp in this beautiful area just south of Sequoia National Park. The moon phase will be advantageous for star gazing, maybe Jaxson can be convinced to bring his telescope…
Looking to reconnect with nature to escape your finals? Come touch some grass (dirt and sand) on this 2-night camping trip to Agua Caliente with the amazing Dr. Broyer! Let your stress drift away, stargazing in some desert hot springs! We can get super existential and realize that, in the grand scale of the universe, your physics final isn’t life or death. We’ll hike some nearby trails (maybe with some big-horned sheep), and come back relaxed and ready for our exams!
Join Peaks and Dr. Merrick Anderson for a trip through Topanga State Park to gaze upon the majestic Eagle Rock! Enjoy the sunshine and get away from the monotony of daily life with a beautiful hike through a gem of a state park located in USC’s backyard. Spending time in the outdoors has created some of the great philosophies of the past. Who knows, maybe you’ll create one of your own on trail!
While this hike is only 5 miles long, it takes you to one of Los Angeles’ most iconic destinations, the Hollywood Sign. You can’t go to school in LA and not experience this landmark. Join us this Sunday for a hike filled with incredible views of downtown LA, and hear all about Dr. Gibson’s extensive knowledge on global climate regimes and climate conferences.
This 3.3-mile hike in the hills of Sierra Madre leads to a glorious waterfall — the perfect outing for a sunny day. A quick 45 min drive away, Sturtevant Falls consists of a few steep inclines, with a max elevation gain of 600 ft. The waterfall has a gorgeous pool to cool off in during the halfway point of the hike, and the whole trail is surrounded by the vibrantly green San Gabriel Mountains.
Spend your Saturday on a lovely 4 mile hike in Malibu with Writing professor Cory Nelson! We will hike past the beautiful wildflowers and enjoy amazing Malibu Lake views.
Come join the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) and Peaks on a four-mile hike in the Santa Monica Mountains! We will have lovely ocean views, and AEE faculty advisor Dr. Kelly Sanders will be joining us. Come prepared for some great conversations with fellow students interested in sustainable energy infrastructure!
Spend April 5th outdoors on a scenic Eagle Rock Trail hike in Topanga State Park with Professor Christian Straka, a possible Easter Bunny sightings, and maybe some mindfulness along the way!!
Come with Peaks to Mandeville Canyon! Get ready for a lovely hike in the Santa Monica mountains with views of the greater LA area and the beautiful coastline!
Join Peaks and Rev. Jim Burklo on a scenic hike through the mountains of Ojai! There will be good views, good vibes, and maybe even a visit to Rev. Burklo’s house at the end for snacks :)
![[AEE x Peaks] Tuna Canyon Trail w/ Kelly Sanders {Civil & Environmental Engineering}](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a42a629a8b2b05e5cf25608/1774395146132-CMLQ55RD8W58WC9DSVDR/Tuna_Canyon_Park_IMG_0699.jpg)
