Lake Hollywood Reservoir Hike

3.5 miles - Easy Effort
1:30-2 Hours (Total)
150 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 790 feet
No Dogs Allowed

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.

In this Guide:

Parking For the Hike
What To Know Before You Go
Turn-by-Turn Hike Directions & Video

Quick Links: Lake Hollywood Park - NOAA Weather Report - Top Gear Picks (Sep 2023)

When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

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

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 2 — 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.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 7 — There are porta-potties at the beginning of the hike, and also at the mid-way point.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 6 — 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.

My Latest Gear Picks

Garmin inReach Mini 2 ( Amazon | REI )
HOKA Speedgoat 5 ( Men | Women )
Zpacks Sub-Nero Ultra ( Zpacks | Review )
Alpine Carbon Cork Poles ( REI | Amazon )

As a hiking guide, I test lots of hiking gear. On my picks page, I'll show you all of the gear that I actually use. I don't accept paid promotions or talk about the stuff that doesn't make the cut. It's just the gear that works best, so you don't have to waste your money.

All My September 2023 Top Gear Picks

Lake Hollywood Trail Maps

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

Best Smartphone Apps to Navigate: AllTrails | GaiaGPS | OnX

Hike Brief

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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Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 4 — Head through the gate for the beginning of the actual trail. This is the gate that gets locked at sunset.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 8 — The beginning of the hike isn't super exciting, just a paved path, but it's nice and calm.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 9 — After 5-10 minutes you'll start to see Lake Hollywood through the trees.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 10 — And shortly after that you'll see the Hollywood sign in the distance. We'll get some better views that are unobstructed shortly.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 11 — Keep your eyes open for wildlife. Here are some mule deer that I see almost every time that I do this hike.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 12 — 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.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 13 — 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.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 14 — At the end of the dam, make the left.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 15 — And right after that turn, bear left to continue on the path along the reservoir.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 16 — 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.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 1 — Head through the gates toward the road.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 17 — At the end of the paved trail, cross the street and continue on the dirt trail along the road.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 18 — Here's the dirt trail right across the street from the last shot.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 19 — The trail is smooth and easy to follow as it follows the road.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 20 — Towards the end the trail becomes paved.

Lake Hollywood Hike Directions 21 — And soon after that you'll be back where you started. That's the hike!

Have a question about the guide or want to see what other people are saying/asking? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!).

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