Westridge Trail to San Vicente Mountain
in the Santa Monica Mountains
Loading ... 
In the 1950s, San Vicente Mountain served as a mountaintop military installation to defend Los Angeles from soviet missile attacks. Today, the 1,960-foot peak provides visitors with a look back at this chapter in the city’s history, along with a great view of West LA and the Santa Monica Mountains. Westridge Fire Road leads to San Vicente Mountain and is a popular path for mountain bikers, trail runners, and dog walkers (dogs are permitted off-leash in Westridge-Canyonback Park under their owner’s supervision). A single-track trail runs parallel to the fire road, exploring the ups and down of the top of the ridge, and offering an enjoyable alternative for hikers. It is easy to switch back and forth between the two routes on this 7.4-mile round trip hike with 900 feet of elevation gain.
The path along Westridge Fire Road
From the top of Westridge Road, the trail leaves a bountiful Brentwood neighborhood and heads north, weaving along the west side of the ridge. To the southeast, Downtown LA and Century City rise above the skyline. To the west, the trail overlooks Sullivan Canyon and the opposing Sullivan Ridge, where hikers can be seen along Sullivan Ridge Fire Road.
The trail climbs gradually through Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park. There are no confusing junctions to worry about along the way, allowing you to enjoy the vast scenery. Three-quarters of a mile from San Vicente Mountain, the old lookout tower comes into view. A quarter mile later, a PGE road joins Westridge Fire Road, coming up from Mandeville Canyon to the east (an alternate route to the summit). Enter San Vicente Mountain Park and continue half a mile along the spine of the ridge to reach the peak.
Looking back on the two paths
Like Mt. Disappointment in the San Gabriel Mountains and White Point on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, San Vicente Mountain was used as a Nike missile defense site during the cold war to detect and intersect Russian missiles directed at Los Angeles. After a decade, Nike missiles were made obsolete by long-range technology, but the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy has done an excellent job preserving this old site, adding informative panels to keep this history alive.
The tower atop San Vicente Mountain
The summit remains wrapped in fencing, but in spite of its history, San Vicente Mountain is a very peaceful spot. There are several benches and tables spread out around the old buildings, along with restrooms and a water fountain, making San Vicente Mountain perfect for a picnic.
North of the old installations is an unpaved section of Mulholland Drive, which allows hikers to reach San Vicente Mountain from other points of entry. Residents of the valley can hike to the peak from a trailhead at the southern end of Reseda Boulevard and those traveling the 405 can exit at Skirball Center Drive, head west on Mulholland Drive till the pavement ends, and hike one miles to San Vicente Mountain via unpaved Mulholland Drive (the shortest route to the summit).
A park bench at the summit overlooking Mandeville Canyon
After enjoying San Vicente Mountain, return the way you came to complete this 7.4-mile hike with 900 feet of elevation gain. Dogs and mountain bikes are welcome. No fee or permit is required, so get out and enjoy!
To get to the trailhead: From Sunset Boulevard, 2.3 miles west of the 405, turn north at the light onto Mandeville Canyon Road. After 1/3 mile turn left onto Westridge Road. Drive uphill on Westridge Road for 2.3 miles to road’s end. There is parking at the trailhead and along the road outside the park.
Use the map below to create your own directions:
Or view Los Angeles Hikes in a larger map
Nearby Trails
 | Mulholland Drive to San Vicente Mountain This 2-mile hike approaches the peak from the east and offers views to the north and south en route to the old Nike Missile site. |
 | Mandeville Canyon to San Vicente Mountain Loop This 5-mile hike incorporating a few trails, taking a DWP road up to Westridge to visit San Vicente Mountain, before crossing Mulholland Drive and Canyonback Ridge to return to Mandeville Canyon via Hollyhock Fire Road. |
 | Lower Canyonback Trail This 4.2 mile hike ascends Canyonback Ridge from Kenter Ave. in Brentwood to the Mountain Gate Country Club Estates. |
 | Upper Canyonback Trail This 3 mile hike descends Canyonback Ridge from Mulholland Drive to the Mountain Gate Country Club Estates. |
 | Sullivan Canyon This 8.5-mile round trip hike follows a wide trail up the center of a sycamore-filled canyon. |
 | Sullivan Ridge A prominent lone-standing Live Oak along Sullivan Ridge makes a natural turnaround point and a 7.5 to 8.3 mile round trip hike. |
 | Temescal Canyon This 2.6-mile loop offers a variety of scenery and decent exercise, despite its relative brevity. |
 | Murphy Ranch This 3.85-mile loop descending from Sullivan Ridge Fire Road into Rustic Canyon, where hikers can visit abandoned buildings once occupied by Nazi sympathizers. |
 | More trails in the Santa Monica Mountains Explore other destinations in the range. |
Similar Trails
 | San Gabriel Peak from Mount Disappointment Fire Road This 6,161 foot peak is reachable via a 4-mile round-trip trail from Mt. Disappointment Fire Road. |
 | Temescal Peak This 5.8 to 7.6-mile hike ascends Temescal Ridge to a summit with sweeping views over Topanga State Park and the Santa Monica Mountains. |
 | Stunt High Trail to Saddle Peak This 8.2-mile hike combines Stunt High Trail and a section of the Backbone Trail to visit the 6th tallest summit in the Santa Monica Mountains. |
 | Calabasas Peak This 3.6-mile hike travels an easy-to-follow fire road, climbing 1000 feet to panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains and San Fernando Valley. |
 | Needles Lookout in Giant Sequoia National Monument This 5-mile hike visits a fire tower with unbeatable views of the region. |
Add to trails I’ve hikedAdd to trails I want to hike 
Nice write up.
I hiked the 7.4mi Westridge Fire Road to San Vicente Peak and the Nike missile center. When I got to the top the 1 mi section of Mulholland Drive, mentioned here, on the other side was open to drive all the way to the site. The road is closed after dark.
[...] about my experience at Ladera Ranch, Kevin (at Santa Monica Performance Bike) urged me to check out Westridge Trail on my cyclocross bike. I had the time to just go right on up there, with a quick stop at home [...]
[...] hike is the Westridge Trail to San Vicente Mountain. In the 1950’s, San Vicente Mountain served as a mountain top military installation to defend [...]