Runyon Canyon Park, Nature reserve in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, US
Runyon Canyon Park is a nature reserve covering around 160 acres (65 hectares) in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, featuring trails that wind through coastal sage scrub and open grassland with views stretching across the city basin. The paths follow the eastern slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains, rising from gentle hillsides to steeper climbs that reveal the downtown skyline, the ocean horizon, and the surrounding mountain ranges.
A Greek immigrant named Caralambo received this land through a federal grant in 1867 after serving in a US Army camel unit. Ownership changed hands several times over the following decades until the city acquired the property in the late 1980s and opened it to the public as parkland.
Locals treat this hillside as an open-air gym where runners, dog walkers and yoga practitioners gather each morning to start their day outdoors. The trails act as social corridors where neighbors meet regularly, forming a community ritual around exercise and time spent in the hills above the city.
Access points along Fuller Avenue at the southern end and Mulholland Drive at the northern boundary let visitors choose routes of different lengths and difficulty. Early mornings and late afternoons offer cooler temperatures, while the open nature of the trails ensures good visibility in most weather conditions.
Around 90 acres (36 hectares) within the reserve allow dogs to roam without leashes, making this a magnet for pet owners across the city. This policy draws many visitors specifically for their four-legged companions, and the upper sections often host more dogs than people during peak hours.
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