Nike Site From Mulholland Scenic Overlook And Dirt Mulholland 17500 Mulholland Drive Encino
Hiking Distance: 2 Miles Round Trip Hiking Time: 1 Hour Configuration: Out-And-Back Elevation Gain: 300 Feet Difficulty: Easy Exposure: Exposed Ridge Dogs: Allowed
Maps: U.S.G.S. Conoga Park Topanga State Park Map Tom Harrison Maps: Topanga State Park Trail Map
5 Best Dixie To Do In San Vicente Photo Gallery
San Vicente Mountain Park Was A Former Nike Missile Control Site. From 1956 Through 1968, This Cold War Sentry Post Was Utilized To Guard Los Angeles From Soviet Attacks. The Site Contained Radar Towers Atop The 1,950- Foot Peak To Neutralize Soviet Planes. The Radar Would Guide Missiles Launched From The Sepulveda Basin Below To Destroy Any Invading Aircraft.
The 10-Acre Mountaintop Park Sits At The Head Of Mandeville Canyon Nearly 2,000 Feet Above The City. It Is Now Home To A Self-Guided Interpretive Center With Information Panels, A Radar Tower, Guard Shack, Picnic Areas, And A Variety Of Overlooks. This Hike Begins At The Mulholland Scenic Overlook, Then Follows “Dirt” Mulholland, An Unpaved Portion Of The Famous Ridge Road, To San Vicente Mountain Park. The Scenic Parkway Corridor, Constructed In 1924, Offers Spectacular Panoramic Vistas Across The San Fernando Valley And The Los Angeles Basin To The Ocean.
San Vicente Mountain Park Can Also Be Accessed From The West Via Dirt Mulholland And From The South Via The West Ridge Fire Road (Hike 72).
To The Trailhead
Heading Northbound From Los Angeles On The San Diego Freeway/Interstate 405, Exit On Mulholland Drive. Turn Right And Drive 0.3 Miles To Mulholland Drive. Turn Left And Follow The Scenic Winding Road 2 Miles To The End Of The Paved Road By Encino Hills Drive On The Right. Curve Left On Dirt Mulholland And Park.
Heading Southbound From The San Fernando Valley On The San Diego Freeway/Interstate 405, Exit On Mulholland Drive. Turn Left And Drive 0.4 Miles To Mulholland Drive. Turn Left And Follow The Winding Road 2 Miles To The End Of The Paved Road By Encino Hills Drive On The Right. Curve Left On Dirt Mulholland And Park.
The Hike
From The Overlook Of The San Fernando Valley, Walk Up Unpaved Dirt Mulholland. Curve To The Southern Slope And A View Towards Los Angeles, Then Return To The Sweeping Valley Vistas That Span To The San Gabriel Mountains And The Santa Susana Mountains. Continue On A Gentle Incline Above The Encino Reservoir To A Fork At The Top Of Mandeville Canyon At One Mile. Dirt Mulholland Continues Straight Ahead For One Mile To Caballero Canyon And Tarzana Fire Road, 3.1 Miles Ahead (Hike 84).
For This Hike, Bear Left Into San Vicente Mountain Park, The Former Cold War Sentry Post. At The 1,950-Foot Rim Above Mandeville Canyon, Stairs Lead Up To An Overlook Platform With Expansive Views. The 360-Degree Vistas Stretch From The San Gabriel Mountains And Burbank, Across The Los Angeles Basin To The Sea, And Across The San Fernando Valley From The Santa Susana Mountains To The Santa Monica Mountains. Explore The Former Helicopter Platform And Tower Platform While Savoring The Views From The Overlooks. Return By Retracing Your Steps Back Along Dirt Mulholland.
