Today I want to bring you my guide to a San Vicente Mountain Park hike in Los Angeles. If you love spectacular views and historic places, this is a great way to spend a day in Southern California. The dog-friendly route features everything from the famous Mulholland Drive to a former Nike Missile Site. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, it’s a fun place to get outdoors. I’ve included a map of the trail, too.
San Vicente Mountain Park Hike
At the end of the paved part of Mulholland Drive, there’s a dirt road that opens up into a network of hiking trails. “Dirt” Mulholland, as the unpaved section is called, runs from the 101 freeway west across the Santa Monica Mountains to PCH near Leo Carrillo State Park.
As it goes, it passes through San Vicente Mountain Park, a former Nike missile site in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains above the Encino Reservoir and west of the 405 freeway. Spanning 10.2 acres, this place is full of history and fun to explore on a hike through the area.
The San Vicente Mountain Park hike is a popular route in LA. It features a wide dirt path with a slight incline as it goes from the paved part of Mulholland Drive to the former military reservation.
A fairly easy hike, it involves even ground, great views, and a bit of elevation gain.
How Far is it from Mulholland Drive to San Vicente Mountain Park?
The San Vicente Mountain Park hike is a relatively quick one. It’s an out-and-back route, and it’s around 2 miles round-trip.
There are lots of other trails around it, so if you want a longer hike you can certainly have one. From the Canyonback Trail to the West Mandeville Fire Road path and Mulholland Drive itself, there are plenty of options. You can see a map of all the routes below for further details.
How Long Does the San Vicente Mountain Park Hike Take?
The amount of time the hike takes depends on your fitness level and how fast you want to walk. The 2-mile hike takes around an hour. If you’re in great shape, you can do it faster. If you’re going with kids or a dog, it might take longer. If you want to spend some time exploring the missile site, you can factor that in as well.
What to Bring on the Trail
When I did this hike with my boyfriend and his dog, we wore hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. The trail runs along a ridge line, so it’s pretty exposed.
We also wore layers, as the weather changed from sunny to cloudy and back again several times as we hiked. Long-sleeve shirts and light jackets were helpful here.
We wore running shoes, but the trail was wide and flat enough that we could have worn sneakers. That said, there’s a smaller dirt trail next to the main road that has good views, so running shoes are a good idea if you want to stick to that one.
As always, we brought water. The weather in LA tends to be warm (if not hot), and the hills got us thirsty.
The Trailhead
The San Vicente Mountain Park hike trailhead is located at the point where the paved part of Mulholland Drive meets “Dirt” Mulholland. There’s no official signpost, but you’ll be on the right track if you keep following the main road and ignore any side trails.
There’s street parking on Mulholland Drive once it becomes a dirt road, and a few parking spots farther up before the trail starts.
The Hike
Once on the trail, we followed the ridge line and took in the views. We could see the Encino Reservoir on one side and canyons on the other. The panoramas were impressive. In fact, this part of Mulholland Drive was constructed in the 1920s partly to show off real estate in the San Fernando Valley and the Hollywood Hills.
The path led us up a gradual hill to San Vicente Mountain Park and the former Nike missile site. Turning left off the main trail, we passed by a guard box to get into the park.
There were signs everywhere explaining the history and significance of the LA96C missile site. We learned that the area was a military reservation during the Cold War, and that it was one of 16 of its kind in Los Angeles. It was an active battery from 1956 to 1968, and its mission was to protect LA from a Soviet bomber attack.
We walked around the site and climbed to the top of the radar tower. The views were spectacular. We could see everything from the Santa Monica Mountains to the Encino Reservoir, San Fernando Valley, and Los Angeles Basin.
Beside the tower was an area with picnic tables, restrooms, drinking fountains (for humans and dogs), trash cans, and a viewpoint. If we’d brought food, it would have been a nice place to stop for lunch.
We could have turned back there, but we were curious about the other trails in the area. We headed down the hill on West Mandeville Fire Road for a while. Another broad, smooth path, it offered more views of the canyons below.
We turned back after a while and made our way up to the Nike missile site and back down to our car on Mulholland Drive. It was a great hike, and we really enjoyed both the views and the unique historical element.
San Vicente Mountain Park Hike Map
You can see the trailhead on Google Maps here. It also shows a map of the path, so it’s a good starting point. It can be helpful for driving directions, too.
You’ll also find a map of San Vicente Mountain Park here. It has information about the park and the surrounding area.
You can see a full map of the Mulholland Drive trail here. It provides more details about the path and elevation gain. It also has additional information about hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, including hazards, resources, and what to bring on the hike.
Mulholland Drive to San Vicente Mountain Park
I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to the San Vicente Mountain Park hike in Los Angeles. It’s a great way to get outdoors and see some amazing views in LA. The missile site adds a unique angle to the trail, too.
If you’re looking for more inspiration for hiking in Los Angeles, you can read my guide to a Portuguese Bend Reserve Hike in Rancho Palos Verdes. Happy travels!
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