Lake Hollywood Reservoir Hike
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Los Angeles Hikes

Lake Hollywood Reservoir Hike

By Cris Hazzard, Professional Hiking Guide
Updated January 19, 2025

Hike Stats

Total Distance
3.5 miles
Time
1:30-2 Hours
Total Climbing
150 feet
Difficulty
Easy
Crowds
Moderate
Dogs
No Dogs
Gear
What I Use
Weather
Latest Report
Park
Lake Hollywood Park

The Lake Hollywood Reservoir hike feels more like a stroll around a mountain lake than a hike in the middle of Hollywood. Just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this quiet lakeside hike is easy, serene, full of wildlife, and of course, offers great views of the iconic Hollywood Sign. It's a great hike for beginners, those wanting to see the Hollywood Sign, or anyone wanting some peace and quiet from the city.

How to Get to Lake Hollywood

The hike starts on the north side of Lake Hollywood where there is easy and ample parking. You can also easily hit the trailhead with ride-sharing services.

Use this trailhead address:
Lake Hollywood Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068

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There's plenty of street-side parking on Lake Hollywood Drive, right before the start of the hike. The actual hike starts at the bottom of the hill.
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There are porta-potties at the beginning of the hike, and also at the mid-way point.
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There's a water fountain and refill station at the trailhead.

Gear for the Hike

This is an easy, flat trail that's paved for most of the way. You are best off with fitness clothing, but you can get away with jeans and a t-shirt too. I use trail runners and light hiking gear. Bring 0.5L of water with you, there are no water fountains or refill points outside of the start of the hike.

Essentials I’m Using Now

Lake Hollywood Trail Maps

Click to activate map
CalTopo
Print Map, Work With It Yourself
GPX
Bring the Guide to Any GPS

Hike Brief

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The park is open from sunrise to sunset, and here are the approximate times for the months of the year. When the park closes, they lock the gate and you'll be locked in, so time your hike accordingly.
  • Lake Hollywood and the Hollywood Reservoir are the same body of water.
  • The reservoir was built in 1924 and holds 2.5 billion gallons of water.
  • There's a Ray Donovan episode titled "Lake Hollywood," and the lake has been in a few movies and TV shows.
  • The houses you see around Lake Hollywood rarely come on the market and, as you would imagine, cost millions of dollars.
  • The trail is paved for about 75% of the hike and you will share it with runners and bikers.
  • There is a fence between you and the reservoir for most of the way. Don't let that put you off; it's still a great hike.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions

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Start the hike at the bottom of the hill where you parked.
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Head through the gate for the beginning of the actual trail. This is the gate that gets locked at sunset.
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The beginning of the hike isn't super exciting, just a paved path, but it's nice and calm.
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After 5-10 minutes you'll start to see Lake Hollywood through the trees.
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And shortly after that you'll see the Hollywood sign in the distance. We'll get some better views that are unobstructed shortly.
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Keep your eyes open for wildlife. Here are some mule deer that I see almost every time that I do this hike.
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In roughly a mile you'll reach Mulholland Dam, which formed Lake Hollywood. It was built in 1924 and is still in great condition.

And for a laugh, here's Hollywood Reservoir and Mulholland Dam in the 1974 film "Earthquake" with Charlton Heston. In this scene, the lake is the villain and kills one of the water workers. It's a cheesy 70s film with a bunch of cameos.

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From the dam you'll get the great view of the Hollywood Sign without the fence. The lake is also a haven for waterfowl, migrating birds, and hawks. It's nice just to chill out and watch the water.
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At the end of the dam, make the left.
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And right after that turn, bear left to continue on the path along the reservoir.
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You'll get your last views of the Hollywood Sign on this stretch of the hike. It's nice because you can get the sign above your head without the fence.
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Head through the gates toward the road.
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At the end of the paved trail, cross the street and continue on the dirt trail along the road.
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Here's the dirt trail right across the street from the last shot.
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The trail is smooth and easy to follow as it follows the road.
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Towards the end the trail becomes paved.
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And soon after that you'll be back where you started. That's the hike!

Originally published January 16, 2020