“This would be an awesome read! If I win this, I’m going to gift it to my boyfriend who has just recently discovered his love for hiking and backpacking.”

What an awesome way to share the joy of the trail with someone! Stephanie wins a copy of I Hike: Mostly True Stories from 10,000 Miles of Hiking signed by the author, Lawton “Disco” Grinter; a very cool “I Hike” bookmark; and a sticker for The Trail Show, the monthly podcast featuring Disco, POD, Mags and D-Low.

As for everyone else who participated, I want to thank you for your support. I hope that you’ve found something to love about SoCal Hiker, and stick around for more fun in the future.

And special thanks to the awesome Lawton “Disco” Grinter himself not only for writing a great book (and hiking 10,000 miles as “research”) but for donating a signed copy for SoCalHiker.net!

And for those who are still wondering how they can get a copy of ‘I Hike’, it’s available here on Amazon.

I’ve thru-hiked the JMT twice. The first time was in 1980. I was young and fit, and loved every mile. It was the experience of a lifetime. Three decades later — almost to the day — I hiked the JMT once again. I was older, wiser, and while no longer the strapping lad I once was, I still completed the trail three days faster. Another experience of a lifetime.

Sharing the JMT experience is a challenge. When you return from the mountain, you want to share this experience, but words alone cannot express the grandeur. Photos can delight, but they don’t capture the majesty of the soaring crags or the ache in your bones after descending from Silver Pass. How do you share the magnificence of sunrise over Thousand Island Lake? How do you convey the real and perceived highs and lows as you climb over Forester Pass? How can you describe the physical and mental challenges, and the sheer triumphant joy of hiking the John Muir Trail? This is the challenge a team of creative artists took on.

The Muir Project

In October of 2011, I learned about The Muir Project – a group of multi-media artists who undertook their own epic journey on the John Muir Trail. They hiked the JMT that summer — one year after my most recent trip, and had just released the initial trailer. The trailer was amazing, and really brought the memories of my own JMT hikes alive.

Rick, Jen, Jason and the rest of the team took the project to Kickstarter to raise the funding they needed to complete their labor of love. Fellow hikers, already inspired by the trailer, jumped on board and helped them exceed their goal by over $7k, giving them the resources they needed to convert hundreds of hours of video, thousands of photos, music, paintings and memories into something that might actually inspire people to consider hiking the John Muir Trail themselves.

Nearly two years later, the film is finally making its premier at the Hollywood Chinese Theater as part of the Dances with Films independent film festival. And on National Trails Day, no less.

Mile…Mile and a Half

The MMAAH team began their JMT trek in July 2011–a year notable for a 200% snowpack. What does this mean? Twice as much snow as usual. Higher water crossings. A challenging trail, made even more challenging. Which at least in part, led to the film’s name. As in, “How much further ’til we reach camp today?” “Oh, about a mile…mile and a half.”

The film follows the team on their southbound hike, from Yosemite Valley, up and over 10 passes, over 80,000 feet of elevation change, resupply points, meeting friends — both old and new — on the trail, and ultimately reaching the highest point in the contiguous United States — 14,505 feet tall Mt. Whitney.

“People are amazing. That was the biggest impression this experience left on me.” – Hiroshi, a Japanese solo hiker who joined the team for the trek up Mt. Whitney

After both of my JMT hikes, I had a sense of sharing this experience with those who hiked these trails before me, and those who will hike them after. I longed to share the experience.  Mile…Mile and a Half gives you a very real sense of what it’s like to hike the John Muir Trail. The film expresses the beauty, the challenge, and the joy of this beautiful trail better than anything short of hiking it yourself.

Mile…Mile and a Half is beautifully filmed, scored and edited. It features fantastic titles illustrated by trail journal extraordinaire Kolby “Condor” Kirk. MMAAH is not a dramatization. It’s the real deal–real people doing something amazing, and sharing the journey.  As their story unfolds, you feel like you’re there with them. It grips you, and inspires you.

“You don’t need to go to the Himalayas. You don’t need to climb Mt. Everest or go to the deepest jungles of Africa to find adventure. You can find it in your own backyard.” – Jason Fitzpatrick

You can probably tell, I love this film. I REALLY LOVE this film. Should you see it? Hell yeah! Mile…Mile and a Half is for anyone who loves the outdoors and the beauty of the mountains. It might even inspire you to lace up your boots and hike the JMT as well.

#JMT2015 anyone?

Kudos to Ric, Jason, Jen, Durand and the entire team who made this kick-ass film. Find out how you can see this amazing film at  TheMuirProject.com, and follow their latest on Facebook.

Mile…Mile and a Half
Running Time: 87 minutes
Premiere: June 1, 2013

Getting to Runyon Canyon

Without mincing words, parking in LA is a bitch, and this is no exception. There is no public parking lot for Runyon Canyon Park, and the street parking is limited. Read the signs carefully. As of the time of writing, you can park for two hours during weekdays until 7pm, and then it’s permit parking only evenings and weekends. Factor in a short street walk just to get to the park. We lucked out and found a curbside spot on Vista, near the intersection with Franklin.

Walk uphill on Vista Street, following the street as it bends to the right and through the gate at the entrance to Runyon Canyon. From here, you might be tempted to follow the paved road right up the canyon. Don’t do it. Instead, look for the dirt trail that splits to the left and sharply uphill. This is the strenuous Hero Trail — much more fun, and you’ll lose a lot of the riff-raff in the process.

The trail uphill is quite steep in sections — almost to the point where your hands become helpful. But you’re rewarded with lighter crowds, a great workout, and an awesome view over the rest of the park. At the summit, you’ll find the Prayer Box.

Look around and you’ll also find the USGS benchmark.

Follow the trail around the mansions near the top of the hills until you reach the paved Runyon Canyon Road. Turn right and head downhill. At about the 1.5 mile mark, you’ll see a broad dirt trail bearing left and splitting away from the paved road. Take it. This is the Star Trail, and leads down the eastern ridge above Runyon Canyon.

There are several vistas with a benches where you can soak in the view. Some of the steeper sections of the trail have been improved with steps to make the going easier.

At the 2.25 mile point, take a sharp right and follow the paved road back into the canyon. You’ll pass the tennis courts, eventually reaching a bend as the road turns to head back down the canyon toward the trailhead, but don’t go there just yet. Pick your way through a little-travelled single track trail back up the canyon. About 300 yards back — hidden from view — is the Peace Spiral.

From here, turn around and follow the trail back to the paved road, and then down the canyon toward the Fuller Avenue entrance. You’ll see a trail to your right that climbs up and over a short hill and back to the Vista Street entrance.

Runyon Canyon Trail Map

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Runyon Canyon Tips

• Runyon Canyon Park is maintained as an urban wilderness. There are lots of people, but also snakes, coyotes and deer.
• Dogs are allowed off-leash in much of this park. Read the signs for details.
• Best time to go is week nights, Monday through Thursday. Even so, don’t expect solitude.

Runyon Canyon Weather Forecast

Today	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Partly Cloudy 79°/55°	Partly Cloudy 73°/54°	Fog 72°/52°	Clear 72°/55°	Partly Cloudy 70°/52°	Clear 75°/52°

The West Trail is a broad fire road that climbs up the canyon.

At 0.8 miles, you’ll cross Observatory Avenue — a public road used by cars and bicycles to reach the Griffith Observatory. Cross directly over the street to pick up the trail again.

When you reach the ridgeline, take a short detour to the right to visit the shady Berlin Forest. This is a great spot to catch your breath and enjoy the views, and there are restrooms nearby at the Observatory parking area.

Head back to the ridge and over the Canyon Road tunnel, towards the highest nearby point.

The trail to the left gives you two options. For this hike, take the single track spur that heads up hill.

At about 1.15 miles turn left and head north. At 1.25 miles, you’ll reach a major junction where five trails converge. Take the second trail on your right (more or less straight). This is a fairly level fire road that leads past Dante’s View.

Dante’s View  is a shady garden started in 1964 as a volunteer labor of love by Dante Orgolini. The garden is still a small oasis worthy of a detour.

Back on the fire road, bear left at the junction with the East Ridge Trail, and left again in a dozen yards as you head to the summit of Mt. Hollywood.

The summit is not so much a peak, as a rounded shoulder. There are picnic tables and a fence along the steeper slope overlooking the city. This is a popular destination for it’s views, and a great spot at sunset… as the city of LA begins to light up for the night.

On the day that I took this photo, the Space Shuttle Endeavor was making it’s final flight to Los Angeles. The crowds lined the trails to catch a glimpse of the history fly-by.

On the route down, stay to your left for views of the Hollywood Sign. You’ll eventually meet back at that five-trail junction, where you’ll take your first right — the Charlie Turner Trail. This is named after a retiree who volunteered many hours maintaining trails and also the gardens at Dante’s View. This fire road leads back to the tunnel overpass, and you retrace your path back to the trailhead.

Mt. Hollywood Trail Map

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Mt. Hollywood Hiking Tips

• Bicycles are only allowed on paved roads in Griffith Park
• Dogs are allowed on leash
• There is no smoking allowed anywhere within Griffith Park
• This hike has lots of exposure. Wear sun protection, and bring plenty of water.
• Hiking trails in Griffith Park officially close at sunset, but there are lots of folks who stay up on Mt. Hollywood until then. Just be sure you know your way back, and bring a headlamp or flashlight.

Mt. Hollywood Resources

• GPS user? Download the GPX file
• View this trail in Google Earth

Griffith Park Weather Forecast

Today	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Partly Cloudy 79°/55°	Partly Cloudy 73°/54°	Fog 72°/52°	Clear 72°/55°	Partly Cloudy 70°/52°	Clear 75°/52°

My curiosity about the AT was first piqued by Bill Bryson’s book, Walk in the Woods. But Bryson didn’t actually finish the AT. Recently, I’ve been listening to The Trail Show podcast, where everyone on the show has hiked the AT at one time or another. In spite of all of this, I had an impression that the AT was very likely the easiest of the Big Three long trails; being shorter than either the Pacific Crest and the rugged and lesser-traveled Continental Divide Trails.

Dim the lights. Pop in the DVD (or in my case, queue the digital download on my Apple TV). Sit back and enjoy Flip Flop Flippin’: One Man’s Search for Character(s) on the Appalachian Trail. Filmed entirely by Scott “Squatch” Herriott while hiking the AT, FFF provides a great feel for what it’s really like to spend nearly half a year hiking the Appalachian Trail.

What’s with the name? Squatch wanted to be able to film some of the same hikers over and over, so he planned his hike with multiple “flip-flops” — hiking for a section, then hitching up ahead and hiking back to where he left off — and repeating over and over. His theory was that this way he’d run into some of the same characters again and again, and be able to capture their impressions at different points along the trail.

It worked well. FFF captures the effervescent enthusiasm and nerves shared in Georgia. You experience the social, party spirit of zero days in town, gorging on food and resupplying. And you sense the weariness as weather, injuries, and a really tough trail begin to chip away at hiker’s spirits. And for those that make it the entire 2,180 miles to Katahdin, you celebrate with them!

The cast of “characters” proves that truth is stranger than fiction. You can’t make this stuff up.

There’s the couple who learn that they are expecting. They made it all the way, and their daughter was born healthy, happy and with the middle name “Katahdin” — naturally.

There’s the aging stand-up comedian, cracking wise about the weather in one of the AT shelters. The trumpet-playing mom and her two sons. A guy who packed a portable electronic cello and a battery-powered amp (he didn’t make it). There are solo hikers, friends, and many who share the trail on and off over the course of many months.

In the end, you’re left with a very real sense of what it’s like on the AT, and that’s exactly what I was looking for. Well done, Squatch. Hike on!

Flip Flop Flippin’ Trailer

The trailer gives you just a sample. But get the full movie.

Flip Flop Flippin’ is available on DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download directly from Squatch Films, where you’ll also find the aptly named sequel, Flip Flop Flippin’ 2, as well as films from his hikes on the Pacific Crest and Continental Divide Trails. Next up for Squatch? He’s hiking the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain.

Postscript

I got to meet Squatch at the ADZPCTKO event in Lake Morena a couple weeks ago. It was a pleasure talking to him about his experiences. A very funny guy, and the real deal.

Mark your calendars, because Big Parade 5 is less than two weeks away. May 18-19, hundreds of Angelinos will join in this urban exploration, disproving the theory that nobody walks in LA.

The Big Parade is the brainchild of Dan Koeppel, writer and LA resident. Koeppel has been “obsessively walking stairs” for over six years, and published his first 17-mile, 48 stairway walk in Backpacker magazine in 2003.

What is Big Parade About?

It’s more than just an urban hike. It’s an opportunity to claim the city for walkers. It’s a chance to change the future, one step at a time. It’s an opportunity to really see LA in a way that you will never know from a driver’s seat. And it’s a parade — a chance to gather with friends — old and new.

Big Parade is more than a walk through LA

The walk begins on Saturday, May 18th in downtown LA at the Angel’s Flight stairway, and finishes on Sunday, May 19th atop Mt. Hollywood in Griffith Park. Koeppel planned the route in a series of connected loops so that you can pick a section that suits your fitness level and interest. Routes range from one to seven miles, starting and ending at the same point to make transportation to and from the event easier.

There is no registration or fee. Just bring your walking shoes, water and a smile.

Along the route, you will visit historic landmarks, meet community leaders, look at art, hear music, share stories, and eat! Saturday night there will be a potluck reception at the Micheltorena Elementary Garden in Silverlake (rsvp on Facebook). 

Although I’m a second-generation Angelino, I lived elsewhere for years, returning to Los Angeles less than 12 months ago. I’ve been determined to get to know the city on foot. I joined the Great Los Angeles Walk back in November. I trained for and ran in the LA Marathon this past March. And now I’m looking forward to exploring the city again, this time in the Big Parade. Join me!

Get the Details on Big Parade

• Complete information about the Big Parade, including FAQs and final route info (and super-handy print-ready PDFs) can be found at www.bigparadela.com
• Join the Big Parade – Los Angeles group on Facebook to interact with organizers and fellow walkers
• For parade-day updates, follow @bigparadeLA on Twitter
• See photos from past Big Parades, and share yours in the Big Parade group on Flickr

Photo credit: Walking Flowers

Jack London was a journalist, author, adventurer, and a farmer. He loved the Sonoma Valley, and had planned to build a sustainable farm where he and his wife Charmain could settle. His property in the “Valley of the Moon” — as he called Sonoma Valley — became a state park in 1960 with 39 acres, a museum, London’s gravesite and the ruins of Wolf House. The Jack London Historic State Park was saved from closure through the Jack London Park Partners.  

Our first stop was a short walk up to the House of Happy Walls. Now a museum, the house was originally built by London’s wife Charmian after his death. She lived here until her death, and the home now houses a number of London’s belongings. I hadn’t read any Jack London since high school, and it was eye-opening to learn more about his life and career.

The trails are paved, and well marked. We soaked in the history and learned about the life and untimely death of Jack London, then followed the sign toward the Wolf House ruins.

The Story Behind Jack London’s Wolf House

“Jack and Charmian Londons dream house began to take shape early in 1911 when a well-known San Francisco architect, Albert Farr, created the drawings and sketches for Wolf House. Farr supervised the early stages of construction of a grand house that was to remain standing ‘for a thousand years’.

“By August 1913 London had spent $50,000 and the project was nearly complete.  On August 22 final cleanup got underway and plans were laid for moving the Londons’ specially designed custom furniture, thousands of books, collections from travel, and personal belongings into the massive stone and redwood residence.  That night, a ranch hand noticed a glow in the sky half a mile away. Wolf House was burning.  By the time the Londons arrived by horseback the house was ablaze, the tile roof had collapsed, and even a stack of lumber some distance away was burning.  Nothing could be done.” – from Jack London State Historic Park

Jack London actually planned to rebuild Wolf House, but loss from the fire was a big financial setback. On top of this, his health deteriorated. Ultimately, he died before Wolf House could be rebuilt. All that remains to day are the foundations and heavy walls crafted from volcanic rock.

We walked around the house, amazed by the size and scope of the home. Check the gallery below for more photos and floor plans (including a “Stag Party” room on the first floor).

From here, we walked out to Jack London’s gravesite. It’s a humble site shared by he and his wife, marked by a mossy covered granite stone and surrounded by a picket fence.

Heading back to the parking lot, we walked along the back of the property. All the the trails are quiet and beautiful, with glimpses of neighboring vineyards.

There is more to the park that we didn’t get to this trip, including his cottage, a small lake and other buildings that date back to his original farm. We opted instead to head for a warm dry local winery, and will revisit the other parts another time. This was an easy walk, but enriched by history and architecture. A very worthwhile visit in Sonoma Valley.

Jack London Historic State Park Trail Map

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Jack London Historic State Park Resources

• Jack London Historic State Park – official park site maintained by the Valley of the Moon Natural History Association
• Park address: 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, CA 95442

Glen Ellen Weather Forecast

Today	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Partly Cloudy 75°/43°	Clear 68°/45°	Clear 66°/41°	Clear 70°/43°	Clear 79°/48°	Clear 77°/46°

Here are the five peaks, in order of ascent:

• San Gabriel Peak – 6,161 ft.
• Mt. Disappointment – 5,963 ft.
• Mt. Deception – 5,796 ft.
• Mt. Markham – 5,728 ft.
• Mt. Lowe – 5,574 ft.

The Tale of the Trail

At 8am, we met at the Eaton Saddle trailhead, at an elevation of 5,120 feet. Our trail began on a fire road littered with rocks, reminding us that this area is prone to rock slides.

As you round the first bend, the Mueller Tunnel comes into view. This tunnel was originally built in 1942. About 100 yards long, it suffered a major collapse in 2007, but has since been repaired. While this tunnel used to be technically passable by vehicles, the road is now blocked by several large boulders near the entrance–still plenty of room for hikers and mountain bikers to weave through.

At the 1/2 mile mark, we reached the junction at a water tank. To the left, the trail heads to Mt. Lowe. We headed to the right, toward our first summit of the day, San Gabriel Peak.

The mountain still bears scars from the Station Fire in 2009. You hike through eerie stands of dead, charred manzanita that once shaded the trail.

There are some trees that have survived, but one of the most common plants you’ll encounter on these trails is the dreaded Poodle Dog Bush. This invasive species thrives in areas scarred by wildfires. It has a pungent odor and purple flowers when blossoming. The Poodle is said to be more dangerous than poison oak. Contact can cause a rash, blistering or even severe respiratory distress.

You can see the Poodle Dog Bush here, very green and lush. On most of the trail we were able to avoid contact, with the exception of Mt. Markham. I was thankful I had long sleeves and long pants on that segment, as incidental contact became unavoidable. It is said that the symptoms can take a few days to show up, so exercise caution with this plant.

At Mile 1, we reached a second junction. To the left is Mt Disappointment. We followed the trail to the right for the final .36 miles to the summit of San Gabriel Peak.

The summit of San Gabriel Peak is marked with a cairn. There’s also a makeshift steel bench and the remnants of the foundation from a structure long since gone.

We signed the summit register, soaked in the views, and headed back down to the junction, this time heading toward the communications towers atop Mt. Disappointment. This “trail” is a paved, private access road for the communications equipment. The summit itself is aptly named. There’s not really a notable peak anymore. It was leveled and used as Nike missile site from 1955-1965.

How did Mt. Disappointment get its name? The name dates back to 1894, when USGS surveyors were mapping the area. They initially thought it to be the highest peak in the immediate area, but were “disappointed” to find that nearby San Gabriel Peak was 167 feet higher. They had to move all their gear over there for their next triangulation point.

Two peaks down, we turned back down the paved access road, this time turning left (west) and heading to Mt. Deception. At 3.1 miles, there is a dirt trail off the left (south) side of the road. Follow that up a steep slope with loose rock. Trekking poles would be handy here. The trail continues west for another 0.4 miles to the summit of Mt. Deception. This summit is not very prominent, and thick with brush. We signed our third trail register, and retraced our steps back to the original junction at the water tank.

It was 11:40am. We had hiked nearly 5.25 miles, and it was time for a decision. Do we take the easy half mile back to the cars? Or do we bag a couple more peaks? Inspired by the vision of a well-earned meal afterwards, we opted to hike yet another, and headed up the trail to Mt. Lowe.

At the 5.8 mile mark, we reached the junction to Mt. Markham. Mt. Markham is taller than Mt. Lowe, and the trail is steep and tough. There were steep sections where it was helpful to use your hands to scramble up the rocks. And the dreaded Poodle Dog Bush was unavoidable. But the reward at the summit is a remarkable stone cairn.

Four peaks down. One to go.

We retraced our steps to the junction with the Mt. Lowe trail, and headed out for one more peak. At mile 6.8, we reached the junction with a trail that heads towards Mt. Wilson. We turned right, heading upward and winding around to the summit of Mt. Lowe.

At mile 7, the last junction before the summit. If in doubt, head uphill, since you’re only 1/10th of a mile from the summit of Mt. Lowe.

After five hours and seven miles of hiking, we reached our fifth summit: Mt. Lowe. There is very little shade, but there is a nice bench. You’ve got great views in all directions, and a series of “peak spotters” posted to help you identify neighboring summits.

Mt. Lowe is named for Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe, who in the late 1800′s built a scenic mountain railway from Alta Dena to the base of Mt. Lowe. The railway as well as the hotel and chalet at Echo Mountain have been gone for years — victim to a series of disasters.

From here, we headed back down the trail–an easy, gradual two mile downhill trek to our cars.

Five Peaks Trail Map

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Advice for Hiking San Gabriel Peak

• The trailhead parking requires a National Forest Adventure Pass. You can pick this up at many SoCal sporting goods stores.
• This trail is hot and dry, and there are no water sources. Bring plenty of water and food for energy. It can be uncomfortably hot in the summer.
• There is very little shade on the trail. Wear sun protection.
• The poisonous Poodle Dog Bush is prevalent. Avoid contact. Wear long sleeves and long pants.
• Trekking poles are recommended on Mt Deception and Mt Markham.
• There can be snow up here in the winter months. Plan and dress accordingly, and check for road closures.
• Dogs are allowed on these trails, but keep them on leash.
• We encountered one rattlesnake, but there are many more. Stay alert.

Other San Gabriel Peak Resources

• GPS user? Download the GPX file.
• View the trail in Google Earth.
• Trailhead directions via Google Maps
• San Gabriel Peak – Dan’s Hiking Pages (note that the tunnel has in fact reopened)
• Mt Lowe Fire Road to San Gabriel Peak – Hikespeak

Get a Second Opinion

This being a group of five hiking bloggers, we all have opinions. I’ll post links to the posts from the other hikers as they go live.

• 5 Peaks, 5-ish Hours – Hiking San Gabriel Mountain – Peter 
• Five Peaks in the San Gabriels: An Epic One Day Adventure – Josh & Zac

San Gabriel Peak Weather Forecast

Today	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Clear 81°/50°	Clear 72°/45°	Clear 70°/45°	Clear 68°/45°	Clear 72°/43°	Partly Cloudy 72°/45°

I read I Hike last month, and last weekend, caught up with Disco (his trail name) at the Pacific Crest Trail kick-off not far from the Mexican border. Disco graciously shared a signed copy of his book, and now you can win it!

The winner will be selected at random from all entries. How do you enter? Leaving a comment on the blog, following us on Twitter and Facebook, and tweeting about the contest are a few of the options, and some you can do more than once! The contest begins today and ends on May 19th at 12am Pacific time, and I’ll announce the winner two days later.

One lucky SoCal Hiker reader will soon add I Hike to their library. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want more? Read my review of I Hike, or buy the book now on Amazon.

I like to walk in the evenings, and I’ve logged many miles in my neighborhood. But since this trail was just recently reopened, and it’s only six miles away, Joan and I decided to check it out. We weren’t disappointed.

Parking in LA is quite often an ordeal, usually involving daredevil maneuvering and some sort of payment–valet, meter or attendant. Often the neighborhood streets require permits to park, or are really crowded, especially around trailheads. Refreshingly, that was not the case here. There is ample, free street parking outside Gate 2.

The trail itself is really a paved path that winds around the reservoir. The lake itself is used as a water supply for the city of Los Angeles, and so no swimming or fishing is allowed. In fact, a tall fence surrounds the entire lake. But it didn’t really spoil the views, as you can see. You’ll get spectacular, rare views of the Hollywood Sign with the lake in the foreground.

What you notice first is that it’s really quiet. When you look at a map, you’ll see that the lake is pretty close to the 101 freeway. But it’s located in a valley, and the hills that separate it from the rest of the area provide a great sound barrier. It felt worlds away from what we drove through to get here.

You will have company. This trail is popular with walkers, hikers, joggers and bicyclists. It wasn’t so busy that it felt crowded, and everyone was friendly.

The next surprise was the wild life. We saw a baby rattlesnake on the trail (watch your step) and three deer grazing on the hill. They didn’t seem to mind sharing the peaceful scenery with us at all.

The Mulholland Dam is an elegant structure that was built in 1924. Named after William Mulholland, the engineer responsible for design and construction of the California Aquaduct to Los Angeles. You walk directly across the top of the dam, then follow the paved road around the lake.

The east side of the Hollywood Reservoir is partially a closed road, but then joins up with a public street. The final half mile you hike on a dirt trail adjacent to a public street with light residential traffic. This winds around the lake, following the contours until you return to the trailhead.

Lake Hollywood Loop Trail Map

Note that the elevation profile indicates lots of hills. This is incorrect. This trail is mostly flat, with negligible elevation gain or loss.

Photo Gallery

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Hollywood Reservoir Loop Tips

• Dogs are not allowed, even on leash
• Watch for rattlesnakes, especially in warmer weather
• Pay attention to the closing hours. They vary by month, so make sure you allow enough time to get out before they lock the gates.
• Hike, walk, jog, run or bike. Rinse and repeat.

More Lake Hollywood Trail Resources

• Trailhead parking and driving directions via Google Maps
• Hiking the Hollywood Reservoir – ModernHiker

Hollywood Weather Forecast

Today	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Partly Cloudy 79°/55°	Partly Cloudy 73°/54°	Fog 72°/52°	Clear 72°/55°	Partly Cloudy 70°/52°	Clear 75°/52°