Big Tree Park

Explore Big Tree Park in Glendora in Los Angeles County

Explore Big Tree Park in Glendora LA County

Big things await at Big Tree Park. The slight irony is that the park itself is actually quite small. It just happens to be home to an arboreal colossus, a Moreton Bay fig. See this tree and find plenty of historic and foodie treasures on this 3-mile urban adventure.

First figs first! Find street parking at Big Tree Park just south of Historic Route 66. Planted in 1880, this behemoth banyan is just shy of 100 feet tall and 50 feet in diameter, with roots stretching over 1,200 feet in this 15,000-square-foot park. Check out the historical marker and relax in the gazebo before heading east on Colorado Avenue.

Explore Big Tree Park in Glendora

Turn right on Glendora Avenue followed by a left on Mauna Loa Avenue. Take this for 0.5 mile to reach a secret splendor of Glendora: South Hills Park and Wilderness Area. There’s a dog park and, on the east side a short walk down the wash-bordering trail, Centennial Heritage Park, home to the historic Hamilton House, an 1890 antique farmhouse built by Glendora’s founder. There’s also a small orange grove, an ode to the citrus farms that once filled Glendora. When ready, head back to the park and find the Toyon Trail located behind the dog park. 

Embark on the 1.5-mile lollipop loop that’s a slice of the wilderness area’s trail system. Pass under coast live oaks and by the trail’s namesake coastal sage scrub as you ascend quickly (head left at the split) to be rewarded with expansive views of Glendora framed by the beautiful San Gabriels. From this vantage, it’s clear why the town is called the Pride of the Foothills.

Glendora Public Market

BONUS EATS + BEER: After returning to Big Tree Park, head to the south part of town to find the brand-new Glendora Public Market, a multitude of eateries housed in a revived 1940s brick warehouse. There’s something for everyone (and outdoor seating). We like Bolo for spicy fried chicken sandwiched in Hong Kong–style pineapple buns. Definitely stop by Smog City Brewery’s tap room to try a current experimental IPA offering to enjoy with your feast! 

To get to Big Tree Park, take the I-210 to the Grand Ave. exit and head north. After 0.5 mile, turn right onto Colorado Ave. After 0.4 mile, Big Tree Park will be on your left (intersection with Santa Fe Ave.). Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View