Los Liones Trail: Best place to hike with your state senator

I’d made a vague New Year’s resolution to hike more often — and done nothing about it — when an email popped into my inbox with this subject: Santa Monica Mountains Hike with Senators Allen and Stern!

Post-elections, I’d signed up for all my elected officials’ email lists, vowing to be more politically engaged. And now, my state senator Ben Allen was inviting me to go hiking:

The Santa Monica Mountains offer exceptional outdoor recreation, with beautiful views and wildlife sightings right in...