I personally thought this view was MUCH better than Griffith Observatory for a few reasons: 1) it’s closer to the ocean so you can see the coast line 2) it’s further away from downtown so there’s a little less smog 3) you have to walk to it so there’s A LOT less people It took us about 25 minutes to walk up the path to the site. There’s a consistent incline the entire way but it’s nothing to strenuous. There was plenty of parking at the trail head. We parked our 25 ft school bus without issue. Once at the site there were about 20 stairs to the lookout point but you don’t have to climb these as the view is just as good from the ground. There were bathrooms at the top and plenty of signage to read. There was only about 10 other people on the entire site when we arrived and we were all very spread out. There are a handful of picnic tables and benches here too! Next time we’re bringing a picnic because it is so beautiful and peaceful! 10/10 would go here again over Griffith.

This is a very fun hike. From the parking lot it's about .8 miles up to the Nike Missile Control Site. You get amazing views of san fernando valley. I like to go very early in the morning when it's cool out so my dog can join me. There are also a lot of different trails you can take at this same location. Warning; Pay attention when going in to the lot and leaving. There are some very deep pits and the first time we went we saw a car completely stuck. I give this one less star than normal as unfortunately MANY people let their dogs off leash here. While most are nice dogs we've run into a few who have been aggressive and have growled at my on leash dog. So annoying....

Nice look at the history not long ago. During the Cold War, NIKE missiles were deployed to protect Los Angeles against the Soviet Union warplanes. The site was active during the high tension period. Then new technology replaced these old missile systems. Now, it is no longer a war site, it becomes a park you can visit. It is pop for bike riders, dog walkers, or just have a little exercise. The view is gorgeous, you can see the whole valley, downtown, Santa Monica bay, Catalina island. You see many birds and hear their chirping, just wonderful experience. Highly recommended!

I've been to a few Nike bases before, but I have to say that Nike Missile Control Site LA-96 is probably my favorite. I've been on a few hiking trails in the area, but the real highlight was when one of the workers actually let us explore the electronic room. It was so cool to see all of the equipment up close and learn more about how it all works. Overall, it was a really unique and exciting experience that I won't forget anytime soon!
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Use to come up and sit on the tower during the late hours in the mid 80s. Wonderful view from any side you look. Had no idea that it was a missle deployment center at the time. The road going up was fallen in back then and it surely wasn't a park with benches. The tower is not original as there were no railings back then. The guard shack was burned to the ground at the entrance. The new door doesn't look anything like the original. The original had no knobs or keyhole. It literally looked like a blast door.

3 miles there. 3 miles back. Free parking on the lower half of the hill. $5 parking at the top if u don't want to walk. 2 porta pottys at the start on the right & when u get to the missile site. A few hills to get through, especially the first hill. Clean, no trash or graffiti. Views are OK. I went on a cloudy day so they may be better than what I saw. Shady in some parts. Site had explaiations of the site as well which made it more interesting.

I went here at 6pm as twilight was about to dim. Absolutely astonishing and well worth the trip. It's breathtaking. The fact that the parks department went out of their way to make this place welcoming and respected the history in the process is astonishing. I think everyone should visit at least once in their life.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Very interesting facility, I really appreciate the partial restoration and signage that has been placed around the site to explain the various aspects of how it functioned, the people involved, and the political climate of the time that resulted in such installations. You can easily park nearby but for a more rewarding experience try hiking in from the Westridge Trailhead, it was fun to see the facility emerge from a distance.

You will enjoy spectacular views of the San Fernando Valley, down town LA, Santa Monica Mountains, ocean on a clear day, a little bit of history, clean bathrooms, picnic tables with a view, a choice of hiking trails and the fact that dogs on leashes are allowed. The place is perfect for mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, painting and panoramic photography.

I went up on a quick mountain bike ride after multiple days of rain, it was beautiful all around, lots of people hiking, bike riding and site seeing. From the observation tower, on a clear day, you can see as far as the Catalina islands.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

It's a scenic place to visit just outside of the bustling metropolis down below, and it offers a piece of Cold War history to reflect on. The numerous trails branching off from this location offers plenty of hiking options. Bring your dogs or mountain bikes. The bathroom is clean and there is a drinking fountain for the canine companions too.

perfect secret place tucked away in the mountains, right in the middle of LA. Beautiful hikes, half an hour from the north or two hours from the south, and get rewarded by a beautiful 360 degree view over the big city.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Great lookout over LA. The signs also contained useful history from the Cold War-age defense system. We showed up around 9:30 on a Saturday, and it was quiet, but larger crowds started rolling in by 11ish.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Easy, free hike with sweeping views of the San Fernando Valley, mountains, Encino Reservoir and even Downtown LA on a good day. Signs about the history of the site and a lookout tower open to the public.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Great place to see a 360 degree view of Los Angeles County. However, the tower portion was closed when I went on July 17th, 2020 so you can't get the full view. I'm assuming it's closed now due COVID-19 restrictions, but this was not mentioned anywhere online for the parks or conservancy websites.

This was a nice little afternoon visit for my wife and I. They had plenty of information to read about, picnic benches, and bathrooms. With a nice view of the LA area, it's certainly worth a visit!
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Really cool place, but the last few times I've been here, the tower area has been closed. There's a decent amount of history behind these Nike sites, and this one has a lot of information posted to tell you about its history. It's a very easy hike with some beautiful views.

Interesting relic of the Cold War with a few informational signs and fantastic views. On clear days you can see all the way to downtown and Mt. Baldy! Plenty of hiking and mountain biking trails lead to and from here. Climb up onto the tower for the best view.

Beautiful views, and a wonderful trailhead into the Big Wild. The road up to the missile site is pretty bumpy so those with carsickness might prefer to walk from the lower parking area. Military buffs will love it as well as anyone who loves nature.

Really cool place. Besides the several trails that take you up to this point the destination itself is really incredible. The history behind it and the fact that you can go up onto the platforms and see a 360-degree view of L.A. is awesome.

I'd give it 5 stars but really had an issue recently and it has nothing to do with the actual site. I thought it was really cool in fact I would recommend it to others that find interest in the history of this great landmark and those who

A really easy hike with extraordinary views of Los Angeles and the Valley complete with some history added in as well. There are many former Nike Missile Launch sites but this one is at the top of San Vicente Mountain south of the Encino

Cool spot, not a whole lot up there other than some trails and the single tower view point, but its still cool!
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure
Price for adult entry
Free

Part of the famed Iron Curtain of Defense around the crucial LA Harbor and San Fernando Valley Manufacturing Hubs, cranking out aircraft, aircraft components, missiles, rockets and their respective launch components. This site is in as

Easy to miss the turnoff of Mulholland Dr. You can park next to the site or use the first parking lot for an easy brief walk. It's so quiet there. Amazing views. At 3pm there were maybe 20 people at the park, 4 at the lookout point.

Fun hike! Went with the dog and kids and everyone had a great time. Love that dogs are allowed off leash. Just be aware this is mostly a graded fire trail so fairly easy hike. If you are looking for a challenge, go elsewhere.

Great place to see LA, with its own unique history (and maybe a Geocache or two-wink wink) Optical devices provided to sightsee. Very nice. To think that this place was once the front line of LA's defenses is truly amazing.

Went there with a friend who loves hiking and good sunset spots and it was both. Hike/trek distance depends on where you park the car. We just did a 20 minute walk and watched the sunset from the top and it was a good spot.

This is a fascinating little known historic site. A good place to stop on your walk along he dirt road part of Mulholland Dr. Good views of the valley on one side and Hollywood/ L.A. on the other. Nice dog walk too! …

First time hike there with fairly easy terrain. The view of the city and ocean, I'm sure would have been awesome, however it was very foggy. Still a 8.0+ mile hike (RT) from we started, was good. Next time I will bike it.

Way easier hike than I thought it would be. Once you're at the missile site, you can go much further. I went another mile and a half. Unfortunately, it wasn't a clear day, so the views weren't as good as they would be.

Cool little piece of history hidden up on Mulholland. Happened to stumble upon it while working
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

This was just over a 6-mile hike from the parking area and it was all a fire Road and the views were pretty good once you get to where you can see the pay and the ocean and Catalina But be sure to bring bug spray

Visited here during a mountain bike ride through the area. It was the first time since I was very young. Much more accessible now. Interesting LA cold war history. Great place to stop during a hike or ride.

A great stop for rest and relief while mountain biking. Bathroom, water and rangers residence. South on Westridge trail, which gives you access to many different ways to return to our start, top of Reseda.

Beautiful views and a amazing hiking trail. Definitely one I will do again.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No
Price for adult entry
Free

Great views! Pavement is a little sketchy, but we’ll worth the drive.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure
Price for adult entry
Free

Awesome view of the Los Angeles basin off Mulholland Dr. The history of the site is intetesting and scary at the same time. Not far but far from Downtown. This is a bucket list site to visit.

Cool place. There is an elevated platform to stand atop of, a couple of coin telescopes to look through, and bathrooms on site. Not much to see, but it was a nice hike with a good view.

A short hike on a fire road gets you to this cool remnant of the Cold War! You can continue your hike for another mile or two and get great views of the ocean, downtown and the valley.

Great little hike tucked away in the Santa Monica hills on the Encino side. It's not horribly challenging and you feel like you've escaped the city. Shhh... Don't tell anyone! …

Worth to visit , historical place . You have panoramic view to every where with no obstacle . There is toilet and drinking water available Has binocular to see the downtown through

This is one of the best views that's accessible in a short trip. If the gate is open you can drive to the top, if not anticipate a 20 minute trek uphill. It's worth the trip!

They really should stop tearing down history. This is a neat place to see, decent hike too but the history is cool. I don't see it going away anytime soon, which is great.

It was a great walk with great views. There was a water faucet at the park and bathrooms which came in handy. No sign of wildlife in person but I found some snake tracks.

This place is a hidden gem. What I mean by that is there are nice places to sit, take pics and also a amazing environmental to relax and see the beautiful scenery.

Great hike! Occasionally you can see the beach/santa Monica and all of downtown! There are telescopes at the missle site and it's overall a good workout

The hike was definitely not long at all from the intersection before the trail upwards. Went during sunset and it was beautiful! Totally worth the hike.

Never knew this was up here! Super cool to find on our hike. The mini flies that followed us around were annoying, but that's nature …

Nice hike on a dirt gravel road, parking was plenty but iffy to find a spot on the pothole path, silo is about a mile walk up the hill with good views

Super cool if you like history and hiking. The long way up w my doggies was a great hike. Can park closer if you have children with little legs

Great place to stop on a bike ride or hike. Clean bathrooms, potable water and views to die for. Happy we didn't use it for war, only for fun.

Good exercise 8 miles to the end and back, and bikes are allowed, but the mountains are a better sight then what's left of the missile base.

Interesting historical site of defensive Nike missile sites. Great views in all directions. Easy walk from Mulholland Drive in Encino.

Great place to walk alone, with family and kids, breath fresh air, having a contact with nature and history. Perfect for MTB.

Great hike with plenty of routes to take. Dog friendly. Mask required. Would recommend parking on the nearby street.

Nice place now that it is a park.. many people hike the 3.9 miles each way to it.. great hike and a beautiful view.

The Nike radar site helped to keep Los Angeles safe until the advent of ICBMs rendered the system obsolete.

We love to operate ham radio from up here! The views of the SF Valley are worth the walk up to the top More

Was very cool to learn about the history of the San Fernando Valley during the 1950’s. Amazing views too.

This was the primary defense for attack on L.A. Now such a beautiful site in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Nice and interesting to visit the old missile tower. But the hike is hot, dry and dusty. Bring water

Great views from this vantage point. Has a nearby restroom. A working payphone was also on site.

Nice place to hike and the views are amazing. 360 views of the pacific ocean, Dtla, and SFV

Great place to hike or bike ride
Visited on
Public holiday
Wait time
No wait

I have been there several times and enjoy it every time, I mean getting (hiking) there.

Great historic interest has water restrooms picknick tables free telescopes

Amazing views and a great place to hike.
Visited on
Weekday…
More

Great view and cool history about the US defense system during the 60's

Not much to see but worth a visit to see some semi-unknown LA history.

Great place to hike. Beautiful views.
Visited on
Weekend…
More

One of the best places to visit and hike. It's historical monument!!!

Fun hike. Great views. Neat history. What more could you ask for.

An amazing hike. Just bring water and sun protection

Nice place to bike or hike and relax

Nice view after a long ride up

Amazing views of LA from here.

Nice hiking area and bike

Nice view. :) Good trails

Worth the trip