Lake Hollywood Loop

Lakes, cormorants, action! Make your next walk of fame in Tinsel Town a serene reservoir hike. This 3.5-mile loop around Lake Hollywood has some of the best views of the Hollywood Sign. The LADWP has enclosed the reservoir with a fence, but the wide paved path still offers great views of the Hollywood Sign throughout the walk.

The reservoir is a protected haven for a variety of ducks, gulls, cormorants, and other local waterfowl. The fence disappears after 1.25 miles, when you cross the Mulholland Dam, built in 1924 (look for the plaque). It exhibits art deco dog heads on the southern wall. You’ll see the town of Hollywood, but the real glamour view is to the north in the form of a perfect, unobstructed look at Mount Lee and the Hollywood Sign, looming over the water. It’s truly top billing and primed for a social media photo titled “Dam good view!!”

Continue on the loop path, staying left at both the junction with the alternative entrance and a singletrack dirt trail (you can take this for an extra 1-mile out-and-back). In about a mile, the Hollywood Sign views come back, a sequel!

After about 2.75 miles, you reach the northeast gate, marked by a Hollywood-ized barrier gate. Enjoy your final views of the 7,900-acre lake as you exit the park and finish the last three-quarters of a mile via a dirt trail along Lake Hollywood Drive. You know, always a Hollywood ending.

BEER BONUS: Time for the golden reward at Golden Road Brewery. Take a patio seat and fill up on pub food or sweet treats like Butterscotch Banana Budino. Wash it all down with a glass of Hefeweizen or a seasonally brewed IPA. This is nice spot to watch the sun set over the river.

To get to the Lake Hollywood Reservoir northwest trailhead, take the Cahuenga Blvd. exit off the US-101. If coming from the north, take the Lankershim exit and turn left onto Cahuenga Blvd., followed by a left onto Barham Blvd. If coming from the south, exit Barham and turn right. Take the next right onto Lake Hollywood Dr. When you reach the intersection with Wonder View (the currently closed Wisdom Tree trailhead), turn right and find parking near the bottom of the hill (map). Park on the steep stretch of Lake Hollywood Dr. and find the trailhead (and accompanying map) at the bottom of the hill behind a chain link fence. No dogs.