Runyon Canyon

Runyon Canyon
Santa Monica Mountains
Los Angeles,
California

Total Time: 2:00 min
Estimated Distance: 3.5 Miles

Hiking Partner:
My wife Avigael

I had traveled to L.A. with my wife for a friend's wedding. We didn't really have enough time to go on a real hike, but while we were walking through Hollywood we realized the Santa Monica Mountains are very close nearby and found a park with trails and hiked there directly from Hollywood. The park contains heavily traversed trails with hikers and joggers, and goes through and around a canyon called Runyon Canyon. Though busy, it is an amazing contrast from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood Boulevard where we came from just below the mountain.

Being that we started this hike walking through Hollywood as a leisure walk, I was wearing sandals, and this was my first hike every wearing sandals (not recommended). I had seen the mountain from Hollywood and thr trails above, and from Hollywood Blvd traversed our way towards the park, climbing through the canyon and then up the trail that goes up the mountain to the east. The weather was perfect and I have never seen the city of L.A. so clear. It is usually full of smog with limited visibility; on this hike it was extremely clear and you could see for miles! Continued along past the view then back down the wide road path on the western flank of the the mountain and then headed back.

Map of the route.

Beavertail Cactus Grove at the entrance to the canyon

Atop the first viewpoint overlooking Hollywood.

Multi-million dollar homes in the Santa Monica Mountains

The view from the lookout.
Hollywood in the foreground and skyscrapers of downtown
in the background.

View of Runyon Canyon. Looking south from where we started.

Me at the summit view. Notice the San Gabriel Mountains
in the background with snow.

View of the mountain from the side of the canyon.

The mountain we had climbed from the other side of the canyon.