The best parts of summer happen outdoors, whether it’s a lunch-break loop through the city, a post-work stroll, or a weekend adventure on the trail. And when the adventure wraps, a fresh, satisfying meal nearby makes it even better. Together, a day spent outdoors and food inspired by the season are reminders to slow down and savor more of what summer has to offer.
Pairing healthy outdoor fun and food is worth celebrating. That’s why Sweetgreen and AllTrails are spotlighting a collection of iconic urban hikes across the U.S., matched below with seasonal Sweetgreen menu favorites for the perfect post-trail refuel. From shaded park paths in New York to sunny canyon climbs in Los Angeles, each route is easy to access, easy to love, and designed to help you make the most of summer outside.
Explore five city-adjacent trails worth adding to your summer list, plus the Sweetgreen order for after the adventure.
1. Central Park East and West Drive Loop
New York, Upper Manhattan
Central Park is an urban chameleon, full of bustling crowds and quiet hideaways along some 58 miles of trails, 6 miles of which — the Central Park East and West Drive Loop — represent the classic ramble through New York City’s beating heart.
Circling the Reservoir, rolling through shaded arches and past skyline viewpoints, this broad path offers just enough elevation gain to keep your chest thumping. Make it an urban endurance lap, roving reset, or people-watching romp; this hike, like the city itself, is whatever you want it to be.
+ Trail Fuel: Classic Chicken Caesar Wrap
New York’s classic urban hike calls for an equally timeless culinary pairing. Sweetgreen’s Classic Chicken Caesar Wrap combines roasted chicken, chopped romaine, shaved parmesan, garlic breadcrumbs, all tucked into a soft flour tortilla with Caesar dressing. A squeeze of fresh lemon adds a bright accent to this classic meal.
2. The High Line
New York, Lower West Side
Built atop a historic elevated rail line, this ribbon of native plantings, public art, Hudson River views, and nonstop people-watching passes over and through Chelsea and the Meatpacking District on the Lower West Side.
At a mile and a half long, it’s less cardio grind than sensory reset — the kind of urban exploration that reminds you a good walk needn’t always involve mud, switchbacks, and trekking poles. Take your time, smell the flowers (more than 400 species of plants, grasses, and trees), and let New York unfold block by block beneath your feet.
+ Trail Fuel: Backyard Bowl
What better finish to an urban stroll redolent with native flora than Sweetgreen’s Backyard Bowl? Fresh chopped romaine, golden quinoa, blackened chicken, crispy onions, corn salsa, and charred jalapeño ranch deliver protein and crunch, all rooted in a seasonal vegetable blend that feels close to home.
3. First and Second Flatirons Loop
Boulder, Colorado
Folks in Boulder take their outdoor pursuits seriously, so it’s no wonder the First and Second Flatirons Loop is a favorite of local funhogs. This is hiking at full volume, with steep switchbacks, sandstone slabs, pine groves, and a few sections that will have you scrambling on all fours.
At just over 3 miles, the payoff comes quick: a fulfilling workout capped by dramatic views of rock formations rising above the city with the Rockies towering beyond.
+ Trail Fuel: KBBQ Chicken Wrap
Sweetgreen’s KBBQ Chicken Wrap matches Boulder’s energy with bold flavors. Roasted chicken, white rice, Napa cabbage slaw, crispy onions, carrots, kimchi sauce, garlic aioli, and KBBQ dressing create a salty-sweet reward that tastes especially good after grinding up switchbacks under the bright Colorado sun.
4. Cahuenga Peak via Burbank Peak Trail
Los Angeles, Griffith Park
This punchy climb takes you to the summit of 1,820-foot Cahuenga Peak, the high point of the Hollywood Hills. There, movie mogul Howard Hughes planned to build a love nest atop the peak that he once owned, until Ginger Rogers told him to, well, take a hike.
In 2010, the property became part of L.A.’s sprawling Griffith Park, where peak-baggers earn sweeping views of studio lots, canyon neighborhoods, and the backside of the Hollywood sign (a quarter-mile side-trail will take you to it). Exposed terrain and some 900 feet of elevation gain make this an honest effort, worthy of a fresh reward.
+ Cali Chicken Club Wrap
Cahuenga Peak is quintessential L.A., so it pairs well with Sweetgreen’s Cali Chicken Club Wrap. The seasonal summer special features roasted chicken, fresh chopped romaine, avocado, tomatoes, bacon, and garlic aioli, all wrapped into a fresh-but-indulgent capper to this iconic climb.
5. Fryman Canyon
Los Angeles, Studio City
This 5-mile winding canyon corridor mixes oak woodland, chaparral, and glimpses of the San Fernando Valley without ever feeling far removed from the city below. The rolling Betty B. Dearing Mountain Trail delivers a sneaky hard challenge as it takes you from shaded canyon to exposed climbs and cinematic ridgeline views, with enough up and down to make your quads call their agent well before you wrap.
+ Trail Fuel: Summer Market Bowl
The Summer Market Bowl is peak-season California goodness, with baby spinach, warm wild rice, roasted chicken, pickled onions, sunflower seeds, goat cheese, pesto vinaigrette, and summer vegetable mix, all in one savory package. This bowl packs the seasonal freshness and clean protein you need to bounce back from an invigorating hike — and keep your quads on set.
This article is sponsored by Sweetgreen.
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