I’ve Got a Secret – Taking a Walk on the Secret Stairs of Los Angeles

So, about six months ago I bought this book.

I was super excited to start tackling these secret stair walks around the city. But you know how things are, you get busy, the holidays come up, you’re distracted….and suddenly it’s five months later and the book is still sitting on your bookshelf.

Last month my friends and I decided to tackle one. We leafed through the book, picked a trail, and headed to our destination…only to find the street blocked due to repaving. We tried to find an alternate route but ended up getting lost. So, the book went back on the shelf.

Well, yesterday I decided enough is enough. Come rain, come sleet, come snow I am going to find those stairs and dammit I am going to climb them!

I chose a trail in Echo Park since I knew the area well. I parked my car, grabbed the book and started walking. And guess what! I did it! The entire route. And it was AWESOME!

Not only was it a good workout, but the scenery was beautiful also. Part of the trail took me around Echo Park Lake.

Here I discovered the Echo Park Lake Boathouse which dates to 1932.

Sadly, it’s no longer operating and is not in the best shape. I hope some preservation society adopts it.

From the lake I climbed a steep set of stairs to Angelino Heights. After catching my breath I took a tour of the neighborhood. I’d been there before but never walked it this extensively. It is a gem! It is filled with historic home, from Victorians to Craftsmans to Mission Revival…just incredible. Some houses are completely restored and some look like they haven’t been touched since built. It is a diverse array to say the least. Of course, no trip to Angelino Heights is complete without a stroll down Carroll Avenue – a block made entirely of Victorian homes. Most of them are painstakingly restored and are incredibly beautiful. Behold –

Stunning, right? And believe me, they are even better in person. Obviously, this was the highlight of the walk. But, I must say, I loved the entire thing. It was quite a workout and I saw lovely sights along the way. And, it was totally free! Who doesn’t love that?

So start checking out the secret stair walks. There are a couple of free routes on the books website, but I recommend buying the book. It contains over 40 routes and is selling for $11.53 on Amazon. Total bargain.