While these exposed steps aren't as charming as the well-trod stairways of Silver Lake, they are notable for their challenging unevenness — the chockablock unpredictability of their size and height prevents walkers from developing an easy rhythm. Some steps at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook are more than a foot high, and they number at least 280. The good news is that if you tire early, several escape routes present themselves — side trails leading to the summit. And on a clear day the punishment is rewarded by a vista of denim-blue mountains, several movie studios, and an industrial park that once was the David O. Selznick back lot where King Kong and Gone With the Wind were filmed. Only in L.A. can fitness devotees complete a morning workout, then behold the place where Atlanta burned — after their haunches have done the same. 6300 Hetzler Road, Culver City. parks.ca.gov/?page_id=611 . —Jeffrey Burbank

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