Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail
in Los Angeles

Hollywood Reservoir (Lake Hollywood) is circled by a paved service road that walkers, joggers, and bikers can use to get lakeside exercise with Hollywood views. The reservoir is located in the hills west of Griffith Park below Cahuenga Peak and Mount Lee (whose summit is world famous for the large white letters that spell HOLLYWOOD). Numerous views of the Hollywood Sign appear on the 3.5-mile loop around Hollywood Reservoir (with 50 feet of easy elevation change). Unfortunately, most views of the reservoir come through chain-link fences that separate the trail from the water everywhere except Mulholland Dam, which offers clear, classic views across the lake toward the Hollywood Sign.

You can begin hiking around Hollywood Reservoir from a few places. This description sets out from the northwest side of the lake where roadside parking on Lake Hollywood Drive is the most abundant (just down the road from where you would park to hike to Cahuenga Peak). Pass through an imposing looking entry fence labeled Gate 2. On the other side, find a water fountain and a map of the lake with its public access hours and rules. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) uses Hollywood Reservoir as an emergency water source, and you may see their vehicles along Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail.

Begin hiking south along the wide paved road. The Upper Reservoir comes into view through pine trees and an imposing 10-foot tall chain-link fence. Proceed down the road along the Upper Reservoir, which is just north of the larger Lower Reservoir. Through the fence, you can catch a glimpse of lush shores and inlets that ducks seem to be enjoying in the absence of public access. Across the lake, the Hollywood Sign is visible in the mountains of Griffith Park.

Pass the dam between the two reservoirs, 0.4 miles from the start, and continue down the walking trail. After 1.1 miles of hiking, when the frustration of only being able to see the lake through the fence becomes almost unbearable, the road will turn left and cross the thousand foot long dam at the south end of the reservoir. The beautifully constructed Mulholland Dam was built in 1924 with 172,000 cubic yards of concrete.

Views of the Hollywood Reservoir are scarcer going forward, so linger on Mulholland Dam and enjoy an unchained perspective across the blue water. The broad view from Mulholland Dam includes the Hollywood Sign, impossible to miss in the mountains above the large elegantly shaped lake.

Unlike other nearby urban reservoirs, Lake Hollywood has several inlets and bends that give it a natural looking form. In the opposite direction, you can look south from the dam over pines toward the tall buildings along Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard.

Cross Mulholland Dam and come to an alternate trailhead at the Weidlake Gate, which provides access to Hollywood Reservoir from the top of Weidlake Drive. Turn left before reaching the gate and take the paved road heading up the east side of the lake. Hiking the loop in this counterclockwise direction, you will be in a position for great views of the Hollywood Sign, which lines up just above the trail.

The best view of the Hollywood Sign comes about a mile from the Mulholland Dam. After that, the trail circles around a canyon above one of the reservoir’s major inlets and proceeds to the Tahoe Gate near the northeast side of Hollywood Reservoir.

After 2.75 miles on Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail, pass through the gate, cross Tahoe Drive, and turn left. The good news is that you will get to walk along a dirt trail for about half a mile. The bad news is that the trail hugs Lake Hollywood Drive and turns into a sidewalk. Follow Lake Hollywood Drive west back to the trailhead at the north end of the Upper Reservoir, finishing the loop where you started after 3.5 miles of walking.

Note: In 2005, a huge storm dropped 35 inches of rain over Los Angeles, causing a major landslide on the west side of Hollywood Reservoir. The massive clean up and repair effort that followed closed the trail on that side of the lake until April of 2013. The trail around Hollywood Reservoir has fully reopened, making it possible to hike the entire loop!

Access to Hollywood Reservoir is closed at night. The gates around Hollywood Reservoir open daily at 6:30 a.m. and are locked around sunset. Check the photo below for specific seasonal closure times and don’t get locked in! The LADWP may also periodically deny access for maintenance and other operations. Dogs are not permitted on Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail, but bikes are. No fee or permit is required to stroll around Hollywood Reservoir, so get out and enjoy!

An alternate route: A variation or addition to the loop around Hollywood Reservoir is a 1-mile long dirt trail up the ridge east of the lake, an unpaved stretch of Mulholland Highway also called Hollywood Reservoir Single-track. This dirt trail starts from the southeast corner of the loop by the Weidlake Gate Trailhead. The trail ascends to the top of Canyon Lake Drive at an area where tourists gather to view the Hollywood Sign.

The trail begins across from the east end of Mulholland Dam, to the right of the main trail that goes up the east side of the lake. If you arrive from Weidlake Gate, Hollywood Reservoir Single-track is the first trail on the right. A gate in front of the trail has an opening on the left side. Go up this wide dirt trail, gaining views through a fence over Lake Hollywood. Hollywood Reservoir Single-track actually goes up a small finger of Griffith Park. Pass through a yellow gate after a quarter mile and continue to a bench at a scenic junction with a trail down from Durand Drive. This is a great place to take a break and appreciate views of Hollywood Reservoir and the Hollywood Sign.

Beyond the bench, about half a mile up the trail, your path narrows. It continues to ascend along the side of the ridge, slipping through brush that hugs close to the trail. There are a few patches of concrete along the trail, but mostly it’s dirt (with areas of loose sand that can challenge bikers). Enjoy fence-free views down the ridge toward the reservoir as you climb closer to the Hollywood Sign.

At the top of this peaceful, lightly used trail, turn left up a driveway with big flat stones laid out like lily pads. In 250 feet, you will reach the top of Canyon Lake Drive at Mulholland Highway (paved) where spectators congregate to take selfies in front of the Hollywood Sign. Have your camera ready for a great perspective of the sign. If you’re on foot, it’s probably best to backtrack down the trail. If you’re on a bike, turn left down Canyon Lake Drive and enjoy a speedy descent past Lake Hollywood Park (a popular place for people with dogs). Turn left down Tahoe Drive, bike to Lake Hollywood Drive, and turn right to finish the last 0.75 miles of the Lake Hollywood Loop to reach the trailhead at North Gate.

To extend Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail even more, and hike all the way up to Mount Lee, Cahuenga Peak, and Burbank Peak, check out Hollywood Sign – Hollywood Reservoir Loop.

To get to the North Gate Trailhead on Lake Hollywood Drive: From the 101 Freeway exit on Barham Boulevard and drive north for 1/3 of a mile. Turn right at the light onto Lake Hollywood Drive. Take this winding road for half a mile up to the intersection with Wonder View Drive and continue down Lake Hollywood Drive for a quarter mile to the trailhead gate. Free roadside parking is found on the right side of the road.

Trailhead address: Lake Hollywood Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Trailhead coordinates: 34.1288, -118.3363 (34° 07′ 43.67″N 118° 20′ 10.67″W)

To get to the Weidlake Gate Trailhead: Take Cahuenga Boulevard to Dix Street, located one block north of Franklin Avenue. Drive west on Dix Street for one short block and turn left up Holly Drive. Go 0.7 miles to the end of the road and make the big turn to the right up Deep Dell Place. In another 0.4 miles, turn left up Weidlake Drve and take this street for 1/3 of a mile to the parking area at the top of the road outside the Weidlake Gate.

Trailhead address: 6398 Weidlake Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Trailhead coordinates: 34.11718,-118.330083 (34° 07′ 01.84″N 118° 19′ 48.29″W)

Elevation Profile

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Trail Map

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• Photos
• Nearby Trails
• Similar Trails
• More Info

Photos

Hollywood Reservoir Single-track

These photos were taken in April of 2013. Click to enlarge.

Nearby Trails

	Hollywood Sign - Hollywood Reservoir Loop This 5.4 to 7.4-mile loop combines trails and streets to visit the Hollywood Sign on Mount Lee, neighboring Cahuenga Peak and Burbank Peak, and Lake Hollywood Reservoir.
	Hollywood Sign via Innsdale Drive, Mulholland Highway, and Mount Lee Drive This 4.6-mile round trip hike combines trails and streets to deliver some of the very best views of the Hollywood Sign on the way to the summit of Mount Lee above the sign.
	Burbank Peak This 1.6-mile round trip hike climbs to the Wisdom Tree perched at the west end of Griffith Park.
	Cahuenga Peak This 3-mile hike on Burbank Peak Trail and Aileen Getty Ridge Trail ascends to Cahuenga Peak and the adjacent Mount Lee, home of the Hollywood Sign.
	Mount Lee and the Hollywood Sign via Hollyridge Trail This 3.5-mile hike ascends 750 feet to reach the summit of Mount Lee behind the Hollywood Sign.
	Mount Lee and the Hollywood Sign via Brush Canyon Trail This 6.4-mile hike crosses Griffith Park from Canyon Drive to the top of Mount Lee directly behind the landmark Hollywood Sign.
	Mount Chapel, Mount Bell, and Mount Hollywood This 5.7-mile loop tops three prominent summits on a panoramic tour of Griffith Park.
	Bronson Cave This short easy hike visits a man-made cave recognizable as the Batcave from the 1960s Batman TV series and hundreds of other locations on TV and film.
	Mount Hollywood This 1,625-foot peak is a star of Griffith Park with panoramic views that can be reached from Griffith Observatory on a steep 1.4-mile hike or a scenic 2.65-mile trek and from lower in the park in Western Canyon for a hike of around 4.2 miles.
	Ferndell Trail This relaxing half-mile hike goes through a tropical garden in the lushest little canyon in Griffith Park. Explore farther on a 1.75-mile hike in Western Canyon or venture up to the Griffith Observatory to see more of the park.
	Griffith Observatory via West Observatory Trail This 2.1-mile hike ascends from Western Canyon up ridges to Griffith Observatory, getting sweeping views over Los Angeles and Griffith Park along the way.
	Griffith Observatory via East Observatory Trail This 1.5-mile hike from Vermont Canyon Avenue up to Griffith Park's great observatory delivers excellent views over Los Angeles along the way.
	Glendale Peak This hike is around three miles long and visits a less known summit on the southeast side of Griffith Park with views that deserve more attention.
	Glendale Peak - Mount Hollywood Loop This 4.15-mile hike tops two summits in Griffith Park that both have awesome views.
	Cedar Grove & Vista View Point Loop This 2.3-mile loop on the southeast side of Griffith Park follows paved and unpaved trails to two park attractions, a quiet grove with a picnic area and a helipad with panoramic views.
	Bee Rock This hive-shaped point on the east side of Griffith Park is reached via a 1.7 to 4-mile round trip hike.
	Old Zoo Picnic Area This half-mile hike explores the abandoned exhibits and animal cages in the ruins of the old LA Zoo in Griffith Park.
	Beacon Hill This 2.75 to 3.9-mile hike in Griffith Park climbs 500 feet to the easternmost summit in the Santa Monica Mountains.
	Amir's Garden This one-mile hike reaches a relaxing garden on the east side of Griffith Park that is a pleasant retreat for hikers.
	More trails in the Santa Monica Mountains Explore other destinations in the range.

	Franklin Canyon Lake Loop & Chaparral Trail This 2.5-mile hike loops around Franklin Canyon Lake and ascends Chaparral Trail (optionally) for an overview of Franklin Canyon.
	Lake Huntington This level and easy 3/4-mile loop circles a small lake in Huntington Beach Central Park.
	Lake View Loop & East Ridge Overlook This 3.65-mile loop expands on the 2.7-mile Lake View Loop with a small loop to the high point of Peters Canyon Regional Park.

More Info

A kcet.org article on the reopening of Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail

A nbclosangeles.com article on the reopening of Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail

A cbslocal.com article on the reopening of Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail

Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail on modernhiker.com