The Official LAX Spotting Guide

Where?

Imperial Hill/Clutter's Park

Best for Departures on the south runways

Located in El Segundo, this spot offers a panoramic, elevated view directly overlooking the south complex runways (25R/7L).

Excellent lighting for sunset spotting

Location: El Segundo, just south of LAX

Address: 423 E. Imperial Ave. El Segundo, CA 90245

Best For: Watching planes depart from the southern runways (Runways 25R and 25L). The elevated position puts you slightly above the aircraft as they accelerate and rotate for take-off.

Views: Panoramic view of the south side of LAX, including excellent views of the Tom Bradley International Terminal, aircraft taxiing, and various ground operations. See Sofi Stadium, Century City, and snow capped mountains (in the winter) from here.

Proximity: Very close to the action. Less than 700 feet from the closest taxiway.

Photography: North-facing, meaning excellent light all day with the sun behind the spotter, offering optimal, well-lit photo conditions from mid-morning to sunset.

Hours: Generally open from one hour before sunrise until 10:00 PM daily, allowing for night-time spotting.

Parking: Free street parking is available along Imperial Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood. The area can get busy, especially on weekends.

Facilities: There are benches and tables with inlaid chess boards for picnics, but no public restrooms. There are food options nearby.

Reverse operations: Planes land low but the view is less dramatic than departures.

The site was originally known as Imperial Hill and was renamed to honor Jim Clutter, a former El Segundo City Councilor who championed noise abatement policies at LAX.