The full loop is about 2.2 miles and mostly flat, making it perfect for a casual stroll, jogging, or bringing a stroller--but I'd recommend an all-terrain stroller, it's pretty much a must in some areas. It can get a bit busy, but the atmosphere is peaceful overall. read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

As long as I've lived in Los Angeles, I have no idea why I'd never been to the Silver Lake Reservoir before. It's such a chill, slightly hilly loop that's perfect for both a relaxing walk and a great run. I also love that it's surrounded by so many cute restaurants and bars, making it easy to grab a bite or a drink afterward. I think my friend said the loop is about 2 miles, which feels like the perfect distance for a solid cardio session. There's plenty of street parking, lots of grassy areas for picnics with friends, and an overall laid-back vibe. Definitely a great spot for a chill hang. read more

14 years later since my last review - Silver Lake Reservoir def. deserves a review update! It's still one of LA's best spots to squeeze in a 2.2-mile walk/run while people-watching runners, families, yogis, and very proud dogs as diverse as the peeps on this trail! The greenery is well kept, the lawn along Silver Lake Blvd is always buzzing on weekends, and the mix of hills, flats, and surfaces keeps things interesting-- it gives treadmill vibes but with fresh air and multiple personalities lol. Only downside: the occasional rogue dog "surprise." Pet parents... we see you. Don't be a poopoo head! All that said, still a classic LA loop and still one of my favorite ways to move, unwind, and remember that humans can coexist nicely (mostly). See you on the trail sexy! read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - A beautiful Sunday on the loop! - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Enjoyed a picnic with my friends at the silver lake meadows. Such a large grass area provides room to spread out. The only downside is there aren't any port o potties and the restrooms were locked. read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Away from the craziness of Sunset Blvd, you'll find the Silverlake Reservoir nestled between steep streets and beautiful and unique homes. I was visiting a friend in the neighborhood, so we walked from her home and that was already a workout. The Reservoir is a 2.2 mile loop that can be busy with runners and walkers during peak hours. It's a decent walking path that definitely needs some landscaping improvements in certain areas. Lack of lighting and overgrown bushes has led to safety issues and you'll still see a flyer or two about the groper that was in the area. This was televised, but no one was ever caught. Great to walk or run during daytime hours, but I say avoid late night alone. What was interesting to see, was the stretch of grass along our walk with people laying out as if they were at the beach, in bikinis and all. It looks like it could be a great picnic spot. Overall, a great to walk if you're in the area. Street parking only. read more

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Mostly flat. Many joggers and people walking their dogs. Some parts of the trail are shaded but it can get pretty hot

It is a perfect place for a 2 mile walk. The water keeps the outside temperature pleasant. It is the perfect length for a dog walk. There is enough room on the path to accommodate the walkers. It is also a beautiful neighborhood. read more

A perfect walking loop. Not too challenging, but a lovely way to spend an hour and a half! Cute park and only one hill I felt. Great place to take out of town folks to see the pretty houses in that area. Nice that the dog parks are adjacent. Lovely! read more

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A bit of nature in the middle of the city. Good option for taking a nice walk, jogging, exercising, relaxing. Great to have some water around and some nice vegetation, views of the city. I did find some street parking, there's a dog park around. But it wasn't crowded when I went so that was a nice surprise. Enjoyed our walk here recently! Great little spot in the middle of the city that can give you a nice break! read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This is a nice steady walk at a little under 2 miles which takes about an hour. I think it's much better for jogging than walking since there isn't really any incline to make it a hike. While the water is pretty to look at it's surrounded by a fence so not as nice as it could be, but you can see the mountains and Griffith Park in the distance which is a plus. The south end has a part where the reservoir is unobstructed by the fence, and this is the best for pictures. The Silverlake Meadow on the east side of the reservoir is always happening on weekends with people hanging out with blankets in the grass. I always love coming here because I like the vibe in Silver Lake. I'd recommend going to lunch at nearby Red Lion Tavern or Silver Lake Coffee afterwards. To make this a more vigorous walk I'd recommend checking out the staircases in the neighborhood. There is a book called 'Secret Staircases' written by LA Times reporter Charles Fleming that is very informative and has different combination of stairwalks usually about a mile. read more

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Forget Beverly Hills. Silver Lake is where all the cool celebrities live among the steep winding streets and hidden stairways. I assume they do their jogging around this two-part manmade lake but probably not now since it's fenced off. I thought it was a COVID thing, but I believe it's in the middle of a renovation called the Silver Lake Reservoir Complex. I look forward to the result. However, in the meantime, Jamie W. and I circled the concrete-basin on the adjacent sidewalks. It was still a pleasant enough walk even though the spillway was blocked. The best part was the Silver Lake Meadows, a wide patch of greenery where people were chillaxing. Say, isn't that Ryan Gosling? No, false alarm. It was the Amazon delivery guy taking a break. RELATED - Exploring LA? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2TWT63v read more

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Is a great place to walk or run, peaceful and has a beautiful view. Look for parking in the nearby streets.

I was staying with my friend, not to far from the Silver Lake Reservoir, about a mile away. Even though I was on vacation, I still like to keep up my daily exercise routine, the 2.2 loop around was perfect. You will pass a big dog park, along with some urban garden areas and a recreational center. I'm an early bird, so I was out the door at 7:00 a.m. Never did I feel unsafe walking to the reservoir nor around the reservoir. Lots of people, old, young, with dogs, without dogs, running, jogging and walking. It was hot the week I was there and I did notice which was nice that there were working water fountains for people and dogs outside the dag park areas. Silver Lake Reservoir: Safe, Clean, nice urban hike read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - 2.2 miles - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Felt too rushed the whole time. He needs to take more time to explain things and to listen to what the patient is saying.

I love having this nearby to take peaceful walks. The distance around is just right for exercise purposes. There's a beautiful meadow perfect for picnicking, but be prepared for a lot of people there, which seems to be popular with young hipsters. Of course, there's also the dog park, which you will smell as you walk by. It's nice they divide it into big dogs and small dogs though. Parking is anything you can find on the streets surrounding the reservoir. read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Flowers near the meadow. - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This spot is my favorite running spot in all of LA. The loop is so large (2.5 miles) that you only have to run around it once in order to get a good workout in. At night the place can get really dark and during the winter there is less people running so I do recommend running with someone at night. Also, the sidewalk on some corners can be a little bumpy so beware of that too and have your iphone flashlight prepared to avoid falling. The loop is really long so I don't recommend walking it, don't underestimate the loop! I've never been to this place other than with the intention to run but I do notice a lot of people have picnics inside the reservoir because there is a park inside of it. Also, there are 2 dogs parks designated for little dogs and big dogs aside from the picnic area. It's a nice place with a lot to do for different people, I do recommend checking it out. read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The best place to walk or run while watching the sunset! There are so many people walking with their dogs that I feel so safe, even after dark. I would usually never ever walk alone at night in LA but I hold Silver Lake Reservoir near and dear to my heart because it's the only place I feel safe to walk alone in the dark. Everyone I've met here are so kind and friendly. This place really gives off the best vibes and I love that it's a big loop back to your car. The park is super cute to picnic on and it's always nice seeing people reading or doing yoga in the grass. read more

Love coming here any time of the day. It's a little over 2 miles if you want to walk around the whole trial. Even at night time they occasionally have food trucks read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Love coming here any time of the day. It's a little over 2 miles if you want to walk around the whole trial. - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is a great place to get a free workout either by running or walking around the reservoir. It's about a mile and it's a easy walk. Doesn't take very long to walk around the reservoir unless you take your dog with you. It takes about 40 minutes to run around the reservoir depending on how fast you run. There are several people walking/running around the reservoir either in the morning or evening and it feels completely safe. Since I like to walk around the reservoir, I can enjoy looking at all the interesting houses. I even discovered two staircases that I have yet to explore. During your walk/run around the reservoir, you will see a kids playground, dog park (one for larger dogs and the other for smaller breeds) and a basketball court. One weekend, there was a guy selling coffee and a realtor giving away free dog treats! Plenty of free parking around the reservoir and free doggie poop bags as well, but unfortunately not all people are conscientious about cleaning up after their dogs so keep an eye open for poop! read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I walk at this silver lake reservoir and it's a good place to walk or run. It has some nature and you get to go around the big body of water. read more

An absolute hidden gem nestled in the heart of Silverlake. As a native, I've never heard of it and don't even get to Silverlake as much as I'd like to. But when a girlfriend of mine had a pop up dinner picnic, I had to check it out. Parking is public, street parking along Silver Lake boulevard. Note there's no designated parking lot. I was so enchanted with the grounds along the reservoir -- reminded me of Oregon a little bit with the green hills and the upscale homes along them. I loved seeing the Geese hanging out because who sees Geese in LA!? I saw signs for no dogs but saw doggies. And an amazing sunset. It's the best time to come! read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Geese! - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Nice walk; plenty of open space, clean, fun to stop and watch the dogs playing at the dog park. Free street parking. Although plenty of people and dogs around walking it doesn't feel busy or crowded. read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I hiked 1.5 miles up and down the hills from my friend's house to the reservoir and ran a bit more than 3 laps around it to get in my 10k/6.25miles and it was nice. Not as flat as I'm used to, at least on the east side, but was friendly enough for runners and walkers. I couldn't find a drinking fountain though, even at the rec center down below the reservoir. Tried buying a water at a vending machine but it wouldn't accept my Apple Watch tap to pay, said it needed a card swiped. If I could have found water I would have given it 5 stars. read more

A functional man-made structure creates a body of water... and a unique place to hang out and/or exercise! I had this place on my list of things to see in Los Angeles. Alana and I had some time and we were nearby, so...we stopped and took a look! There's a high chain link fence around the perimeter of this Silver Lake Reservoir. There were many people jogging and walking on the sandy path. It's a popular and busy place! They say that one lap is 1.9 miles... a pretty good workout, eh? We couldn't get any closer to the captured water, so we were just happy to have a nice view... even though it was a bit brief. We had parked the car in a "questionable place" across the street, so we had to move soon... haha! I think we should return, have a seat on the grassy area, and watch a sunset... imagine that! read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Pretty... 7:25pm on 5-16-18 - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great place to come for a walk, run or just hang out and relax. The little park where you can sit was closed due to covid and I guess they haven't maintained it for a while because the grass was growing pretty long and there were insects everywhere. Other than that, it was still pretty nice to walk around and look at homes around the rim of the reservoir. We didn't know how long the loop was so we decided to walk but if we had known, we would've brought our running shoes and ran. The 2.5 miles of walking seemed like forever but at least it was a nice day and the water from the reservoir keeps you cool throughout the walk. Parking is easy, you can park anywhere around the loop and walk one loop back to your car. read more

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Nice place and good vibe. Just beware of drivers driving along the curves on West Silver Lake Dr. read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Beware of reckless drivers driving along West Silver Lake Dr. - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My go-to spot for my daily walks. 1 lap is equivalent to 2.5 miles. Most days I go through with just 1 but when I'm feeling good I do another. At some point, 2 laps become easy. The views are serene and therapeutic. I like turning my head to the right to see the houses as I walk by. I look up to see the sky too and sometimes I'll look to the left where the water is and just feel so in tune with life. Here are some shots I took during my walks. If you take your walk/run at 5AM, you're awake when the world's asleep so the concrete jungle is quiet and the streets are empty. You'll notice the sky change and witness the sun rise. Sometimes the morning fog would roll in. It's beautiful, really. My favorite walks were at this time. Make sure to keep yourself warm. Also, you don't have to worry about being alone. There are always early birds/people who are up early for their morning workout. If you go at night, it can get really dark. So please be careful with bumpy, uneven sidewalks. Because there aren't a lot of lights, you can see some stars. The sunsets are pretty too. They have a designated spot for picnics and dog parks so it's a popular place among locals. read more

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Its so serene here. And clean!!! Love coming here for a walk/jog. 2.5 mile seem super quick! I've been to most of the walking trail in LA and this is the simplest yet very pleasant one! Its a great place to come after having a meal at Silverlake. I come here after meals to talk instead of going to a café. read more

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Silver Lake Reservoir not too far from Echo Park, over the hill actually, supposedly had been drained and cleaned, but today it looked a bit on the dry side in terms of water level. The reservoir is fenced off and not for public access. The area has appreciated with lots of trendy restaurants and shops. It's a nice view for the homes on the hill with a view, and it's become pricey view in recent real estate years. A movie director friend more than doubled his investment in 4 years. He bought for $650k and sold $2.3million. He loves the Silver Lake reservoir view so much he purchased land and is building a brand new house with an even better view of this so called lake. read more

Overall: a good place for a jog, not so much so for a scenic walk. This is a nice place to go for a jog: The path is 2.2 miles long, flat, plenty of water fountains along the way, they are dog friendly as well. And you get a great view of the home surrounding the reservoir, and the reservoir itself. Plenty of street parking everywhere. The place is clean and safe. Open during daylight hours. That being said, there are much better parks around the area. It is definitely not as scenic as Echo Park Lake, which I highly prefer. The reservoir is usually about 2/3 full, so you can definitely tell it's a man-made lake, surrounded by a cement dam and gates. Just not the prettiest site there is in Los Angeles. However, the trail at Echo Park Lake is a lot shorter and still has a significant homeless population (Though it is safe during the day). I would recommend this place based on what your goal is- being a jog or to walk tour dog. For a more beautiful option, go with Echo Park for sure. read more

This reservoir comprises two concrete-lined basins, Ivanhoe Reservoir and Silver Lake, divided by the spillway, the trail is about two miles moderate loop trail, unpaved and dog friendly. read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I was looking for a place to tire my 120+ German Shepherd... why hadn't I thought of this place? There is plenty of parking, a nice track, FREE (for those that are complaining lol) and super duper beautiful views. I have been coming to Silver Lake for over 20 years. You always have your runners, people trying to tire their own pups and people walking around the lake. It was during the week so it was pretty empty (hoorah for us). It gets a little crowded with people walking around the lake especially in the evenings during spring and summer. With the renovations on Silver Lake Blvd. of the wall blocking the main trail from traffic they have also built a small meadow which is beautiful on the Northern side of the lake. Only humans tho no doggies allowed there. They have two parks of their own on the south side of Silverlake going towards Sunset Blvd. They have a small doggie's and big doggie's park. They have low cost pet vaccinations every second Saturday of every month from 3:30 to 5:00. They used to have it only on weekdays but I am glad they have it now on the weekends. Going around the park is about 2 miles to complete. They have water fountains and some beautiful loving people have put some water bowls for the puppies to drink after their work out. Most of the terrain is flat with just two hills one hill close to Armstrong Ave. and one close to the doggie parks.They also have a recreation center on the south side with basketball courts. I have always loved coming here because I always feel relaxed when I leave here! read more

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Would I come back? If you have been to the Rose Bowl track, this is a similar track. I think I will start coming here now since the freeway is closer to my house. It would be less local streets and a faster commute. You run on the perimeter of the reservoir which is about a 2.2 mile loop. Depending on which direction you go, going counterclockwise will have more hills. The ground is 80% dirt and 20% paved. Parking is plentiful on the outskirts and there are parks round the area. For people who have dogs, there is a dog park south of the reservoir. read more

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Why all the negative reviews?! I love every opportunity for a free running course! In LA, there are very few opportunities to run laps upon laps at. While distance will be the main reason why I cannot visit often, I am so glad I did make a visit since it's so difficult (the difficulty lies in the time constraint + patience lol) to drive through LA to get here. (+) 2ish mile course - though not super scenic. There are birds / some grass, and you will mostly get a fenced off reservoir. The pavement is mostly dirt though some sidewalk. It is mostly flat with one hill (perfect for those looking to hill train)! (+) dog park, basketball courts, some playgrounds, meadow to picnic in (+) easy parking (though some areas more crowded than others) Have an hour to spend and nearby? Visit here-- your mental / physical health will thank you. read more

Clean and very easy 2.2 mile dirt path. Its mainly flat with a couple slight inclines at opposite ends of the park. Theres ample parking around the reservoir which is gated and surrounded by nicely kept houses. For a workout boost, break off to the Mattachine steps on Cove Ave up then down to Glendale Blvd and back again. To shorten your walk, take the concrete shortcut where the reservoir ends. The park has a community center, basketball court and couple dog parks for the big and lil fur babies. Theres an open field area for playing catch, book reading etc, no dogs allowed there. I'll re-mention CLEAN since that's a rarity for most L.A. parks nowadays. read more

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I cancelled my 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport gym membership in Glendale because I never went. I blamed this on a number of reasons such as getting tired of trying to find a cardio machine that wasn't broken, becoming annoyed when finally finding a working machine only to discover that it was covered in sweat, and I just couldn't stand seeing any more hairy naked Armenian men in the locker room blow drying their pubes. So I stopped working out, but I kept Yelping. Translation = I got fucking fat. It wasn't until I got the results of my blood test a few weeks ago that I decided to work out again. The results found my LDL cholesterol and triglycerides to be so elevated that the doctor has me on Lipitor (damn you In-N-Out), and my sugar levels were nearing diabetic levels (damn that delicious craft beer). Definitely a wakeup call that made me think oh shit, this fatty needs to exercise. Therefore, instead of signing up for yet another useless gym membership where I would just be throwing money away, I had a Eureka moment as I was commuting to work and passing the Silver Lake Reservoir and thought, why don't I join all the hipsters, mothers with strollers, and dog walkers that do laps around the Silver Lake Reservoir? So several days a week now after I get off work I head directly to the Silver Lake Reservoir to burn some calories by running around the 2.2-mile dirt trail. The easiest way to run it is clockwise since it has less inclines. I am still doing the clockwise run because I don't think I can do that one monster hill at the corner of Silver Lake Boulevard and Armstrong Avenue... yet. Running around the reservoir sure beats running on a stationary treadmill since it lets me run in nature. Therefore, instead of smelling human farts, I can smell dog poop. It also lets me get some much-needed sunrays to promote Vitamin D production. Moreover, there are a lot of obstacles on the trail like the aforementioned dog poop and eye candy. Darn those distractions! Another reason I like running around the Silver Lake Reservoir is because once I start a lap, I know that I am committed to finish the whole 2.2-mile trail to get back to my car. Along with listening to pump-me-up "Eye of the Tiger-ish" cardio music, to prevent myself from quitting the run I even came up with little milestones to keep myself motivated. I usually start by the Recreation Center and run up the zig-zaggy hill. Then the next milestone is the stop sign at the bus stop on Moreno Drive. Next is the turn down Tesla Avenue followed by the rollercoaster-like decline down to Silver Lake Boulevard. Then comes the water fountain by the newly constructed meadow followed by the final milestone which is the dog park. All in all, the Silver Lake Reservoir is a great run. Now that I am up to 2 laps, I need to do 3, 4 ,and 5. Actually, 5 is definitely not realistic since I do not want chafed nipples. Some interesting facts about Silver Lake Reservoir: 1. There are actually two reservoirs that are divided by a spillway. The smaller northern reservoir is known as the Ivanhoe Reservoir, which gets its name from the 1819 Sir Walter Scott novel. The larger southern reservoir with all the seagulls is the Silver Lake Reservoir that is named after Water Board Commissioner Herman Silver that helped build it. 2. During the Griffith Park fire in 2007, firefighting helicopters used the reservoir as a source of water to fight the fire. 3. In December 2007, bromate was detected in both reservoirs and all the water was drained in March 2008 and later refilled in May 2008. 4. In 2011, the "Silver Lake Meadow" was opened along the eastern shore of the reservoir. This grassy meadow was modeled after the Sheep Meadow in New York's Central Park. 5. By January of 2015, the City of Los Angeles will no longer use the reservoirs for potable water. However they will keep water in the concrete-lined basins for the "benefit of the community". Hopefully, they can bring down the fences then. 6. And about those hipsters... some Silver Lake residents have proposed to convert the Ivanhoe Reservoir into a public beach-like swimming venue dubbed "Hipster Beach". This proposal is ongoing (http://www.laweekly.com/informer/2014/01/27/silver-lakes-hipster-beach-idea-is-no-joke). read more

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love this as a great running spot! i am an early riser and thankfully it is not that popular early in the morning. A great run! 2.5 miles, inclines and just calm scenery. there is a dog park too! parking can get a bit full later in the day but in the morning not a problem. I recommend trying Silverlake coffee post run for some good coffee and bagels! read more

Per other yelp reviews, one lap is about 2.5 miles. Took me and my sis about 1 hour to complete- then again, we were walking the entire time. Nice, relatively quiet place running/walking/urban hiking space in the busy city of LA. Located in the residential area of Silverlake, the reservior is a hidden gem. There were plenty of people walking, running, or walking their dogs on the trail so you don't be alone. Relatively flat, so if you're looking for a work out or easy way to get some exercise in, I'd recommend this place. Free parking on the residential streets nearby. You'll loop past a cool neighbor park where people are hanging out with their kids or sun bathing, and a dog park. read more

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What an incredible gem in the middle of a residential area in Silver Lake!!! My friend and I decided to go for a run on the trail (mostly all flat, sandy terrain) that circles around the reservoir which you can only see from afar since it's blocked off by a fence. Such a quiet and relaxing atmosphere! You'll get a glimpse of everything on this trail: a dog park, a meadow with benches and flowers, hipster houses, a small park, and of course, the lake. Perf for dog lovers b/c there are SO many dogs on this trail. Everything is maintained really well so it's very clean, even the public restroom. We did notice that as the sun went up, the glistening blue water of the lake turned into this murky brown color. Come around sunrise to get good pics. This is right on the outskirts of the city so it's a great way to get in a relaxing stroll or run and then drive a few blocks down to grab some food. I'm definitely going to run regularly here :) read more

Silver Lake Reservoir - Reservoir! The trail around it is 2 miles - Hiking Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Why is this place under hiking? This is no mountain, but a running trail. If you go around the lake it's under 2.5 miles with ample parking. A dog park for your poochies and a small play area for the kids. Silver Lake is home. read more