La Habra Heights, CA

Above the flat grid of La Habra, the road climbs into La Habra Heights, a rural hill city at the eastern end of the Puente Hills on the Los Angeles County side of the Orange County line. Houses sit on parcels of an acre or more, and the mix runs from mid-century ranch homes to large custom builds, with barns, corrals and rows of fruit trees behind many of them. Long driveways and gated entries are common, and neighbors can be hard to see from the road. The lower streets near Hacienda Road roll gently, while the upper canyons get steep, narrow and winding, with views that open across the basin. Hacienda Park, stretched out beside that same road, serves as the town green, hosting the yearly avocado festival and a steady schedule of riding events. Powder Canyon is the main gateway into the Puente Hills Preserve, and from there the Purple Sage Trail and the Black Walnut Trail climb into steeper country for hikers who want more of a workout. For everyday needs, the drive is part of the routine. Groceries, coffee, gas and dinner are down the hill in La Habra, Whittier or Hacienda Heights, and the nearest freeway on-ramps are a good distance away. Delivery trucks and school buses share the same curving roads as horse trailers. An acre of sloped ground, a grove, fences and a long private drive take steady time and money to maintain, and nothing is a short walk away. In return, La Habra Heights gives its residents room to spread out and a trailhead that may be closer than the nearest mailbox.