Runyon Canyon – Hike the Hollywood Hills

Kids, the greatest thing about a rainy day in LA is the day after.  Famous for its layer of hazy smog, this is the one chance you’ll get to see clear skies in the City of Angels with the gunk washed away.  In the picture above, you would not be able to see the downtown skyline on most days.  It would look something closer to the picture below.

Runyon Canyon is one of my favorite spots in Hollywood.  Mornings after a wild party, you’ll likely find me laced up and traversing the easy climb to walk off a nasty hangover.  It’s the perfect hike for a casual climber–not too difficult, not very long (lasting about 45 minutes), and offers plenty of enjoyable views.  Runyon Canyon, after all, is more dog park and Hollywood meat market than it is a hiker’s getaway.  If you want to take your bulldog out to get exercise while checking out some hot bods running half-naked, then this is the perfect place to go.  If you’re looking for peace and a lengthy workout, you’d be disappointed coming here.  I’ll write later on my favorite hiking spots which are a bit further out of Hollywood.

Upwards from Inspiration Point

Cell-phone chatter, slobbering dogs, and trendy hollywooders aside, I’ve chosen to come here today to take in the amazing views of Hollywood, the downtown skyline, and the rest of the LA urban sprawl.  You can even see the ocean on a clear day!

In my experience, there’s three fantastic views easily accessible in Los Angeles.  If you’d like to see the westside, go to the Getty Center.  If you want a shot of Downtown, check out the Griffith Observatory.  Finally, Inspiration Point at Runyon offers both and a good look at Hollywood and the Miracle Mile (see above–downtown to left and ocean to right).  If you go off trail a bit, you’ll see a great view of the Hollywood sign too.  Along the trails, in addition to people watching, you’ll also come across smelly horses, possible rattlesnakes, and a randomly placed trampoline.  Bring a friend, as it’s quick and easy enough to catch up on the latest gossip and healthier than going out for a drink.

Here is a link to another article on Runyon: http://www.modernhiker.com/2007/08/16/hiking-runyon-canyon/.  The author does a great job illustrating the trail using Google tools and provides plenty of depth in hiking coverage.

Runyon Canyon is accessible from Hollywood at Vista and Fuller Streets right above Franklin, but it’s always difficult to find parking there among the apartment complexes.  An easier route is to drive down Mulholland, enter from the upper parking lot, and work your way downhill towards Hollywood.  It’s only open during daytime hours and very dog-friendly offering on-leash and off-leash areas.  Happy Walking.