Baldwin Hills Overlook & Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area

Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook & Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area Photo Gallery

Click on the thumbnails on the right to learn more about Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook and Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, state parks in the heart of Los Angeles.

The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook and Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area are both California state parks.

The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook is known for the Culver City Stairs, which trek up the side of the park's 511-foot hill.

The parks feature views of the Los Angeles basin.

But amid the views of the Hollywood Sign and landmark building, the parks also host wildlife, from lizards and bats to small mammals.

Researchers have been trying to tally the wildlife within view of downtown Los Angeles for the latest Biota of Baldwin Hills study.

The study tallies flora and fauna in the urban parks to see how it's changed over the years and to get baseline figures for certain species, such as bats.

On a clear day, visitors can see for miles from the parks. Here, L.A.'s Wilshire Corridor is in the distance.

Looking west, visitors can see Santa Monica and the Pacific Ocean.

Despite being smack in the middle of the city, the Baldwin Hills parks are home to native flowers.

The flowers provide a splash of color in the city, as well as habitat for insects and animals.

The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook is directly across La Cienega Boulevard from the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, which features hilly paths and ponds.

Both parks provide key habitat for wildlife and are sites of ongoing efforts to restore habitat.