Two Spirals

Two Spirals



One of L.A.'s most unique pedestrian facilities can be found, in all places, on the 110 freeway just as it enters Chinatown. Commuters drive past the massive spiral staircase that connects the two 110 'sidewalks' daily, sometimes for years, without knowing any of it is there. Lifelong L.A. residents will exclaim, "I had no idea this existed!' when you show it to them. I've incorporated it into this route that also includes a pedestrian overhead crossing that is accessed on the Chinatown side by a spiral ramp.

 
Before you go - This 4.5 mile route is mostly flat with three up stairways including one of the spirals. Walking between two freeways in an enclosed are is a bit daunting. I don't recommend doing this walk after dark or alone. 

There are clean restrooms in the parks at the start and at the 3.5 mile point.

Street parking is usually available. You could also get there on the Metro L (gold) line. Get off at the Chinatown stop and start the walk from there. 

There are many places where you can get a snack in Chinatown towards the end of the walk. 

There's a good chance of cat sightings in the Chinatown part of the walk.

stairway strewn with litter

You'll have to climb a very scuzzy stairway to get to the sidewalk.

a walking path adjacent to a freeway with only a chainlink fence protecting it from traffic

The 110 sidewalk.

a stairway going up with colorfully painted steps

This colorful stairway in Chinatown is one of L.A.'s newest.


The spiral stairway has received a makeover since I wrote this blog entry. I don't know if it is permanent.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Trails of Mt. Washington

Image
  Charles Fleming's book "Secret Stairs" was my introduction to urban hiking. His Mt. Washington walk, the fourth one I tackled, was the one that made me realize how little I knew about Los Angeles. As I climbed the hills and marveled at the views I found it hard to believe I was in a city, let alone a major metropolis. That was over ten years ago and I've continued to explore my surroundings on foot; always discovering new things. On a recent walk Bob Inman took us to Rainbow Canyon, a new-to-me trail in the Mt. Washington area. It was the inspiration for this route that will introduce you to many of the trails and dirt roads scattered throughout the neighborhood. Unlike many of my other walks, this route is not stair-centric and doesn't go out of its way to appreciate any local architecture.  Despite the fact that the route is entirely within the city limits, this is more of a hike than a walk. Some of the trails are steep and can be slippery. Good hiking shoes
Read more

Hollywood Bungalow Courts

Image
This walk through the Hollywood neighborhoods of Thai Town, Hollywood Studio District, and Little Armenia features a few of my favorite things - bungalow courts, cats, and vintage motels. The map has a set route inside the Hollywood Forever cemetery, but really,  just wander around as you please. Many famous people are buried here. In addition to cats you’ll probably see a peacock or two. Before you go - The route is flat and not challenging.  Best bet for parking is on the side streets north of the Harvard House Motel. It can be very challenging to find a space on street cleaning days - 10am-Noon Wednesdays and Fridays. You could also take the Metro B line (red) to Hollywood/Western and, since the route is a loop, start and finish there. Paros restaurant or Jons supermarket are good places for a mid-walk snack. 
Read more

Playa del Rey

Image
  My expectations for this walk were low. The main goal was to escape the heat of the San Gabriel Valley for the day. My resources for finding points of interest (The Gebhard Winter Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles, LA conservancy, Atlas Obsura, etc) were drawing a blank. Luckily, on a previous visit to the area I had learned that Play del Rey is home to L.A. county's smallest bar - The Harbor Room. That was something I could work with. The route turned out to be so enjoyable that we returned to it a few days later with a friend. I got distracted talking and missed a turn leading us to discover two pedestrian walkways that made the walk even better.   Before you go - The 6 mile route is moderately challenging with a few hills here and there.  There is plenty of street parking near the start. There is no public restroom until you get to the beach at around the 2.5 mile point. You could probably get away with using the facilities at Prince O'Whales or The Shack and you'
Read more