Silver Lake Reservoir

We love walking baby around this nice clean pathway every time we come down here. My husband runs a couple laps but I usually do one full lap and it’s a little over 2 miles. Has a nice dog park that always has people. And a cute little kids park structure area, haven’t used it yet but always seems full. And the basketball courts are always going too

My new fav spot for walking & finding peace. It’s a nice (abt) 2.2 miles distance to do good for your heart if you walk everyday. You’ll pass by a dog park, tranquility park, little hill along the path and of course the reservoir. It’s nice to walk in the rain except for the muddy path so walk on the other side ;)

It’s 2 miles around the entire lake. A very tiny portion of it is very slightly uphill, but should not be a big deal to kids/​adults at all. You see lotsa people with their dogs, s.o., etc. It’s a great place to run, walk, and just relax. They have a dog park, meadow area, and a bb court nearby. I really wish I lived closer to this. A great way to get in some exercise and fresh air. I think they have a bathroom somewhere, but not sure of hours or how to get in. It’s on the residential side opposite the dog park.

Pretty good place to run/​walk. I am more of a nighttime runner so it’s a little creepy running at night (especially when there have been a couple of muggings) but the creepiness helps when trying to run at a faster pace. Love walking & exploring the hills/​steps close to the reservoir.

Been coming here for a few years; always guaranteed a nice, solid workout with a decent atmosphere. It’s NOT a hike — just a nice, moderately flat and expansive running trail (2.22mi per MapMyRun) with a pretty fun, eclectic group of your typical LA crowd — hipsters, people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, dog lovers, and 20 somethings looking to show off their physiques (thankfully these are in the minority). Even during peak hours it’s not too hard to find free (!) street parking.
What I reaaaaally like about this place is that it’s a pretty safe area to run at night. Recently they’ve started some construction unfortunately, so you have to take what is actually probably a more scenic detour (haven’t taken it during day hours) through some tree-​ish areas, but it’s not well lit at all. Otherwise it’s a great go-​to night running spot.
The surrounding area is on the older side, so there are some really fun split-​level houses and properties surrounding the reservoir. In the past year unsurprisingly the water has receded a ton, but not completely, so it’s not horribly depressing. There’s also a nice little dog-​free park on the northeast edge, and a dog park (smells like the worst dog farts you can imagine, so don’t breathe too deeply) on the south end, along with basketball courts and bathrooms.

Silvelake Resevoir is a GREAT place to go running. The pavement is in good condition and gives lots of people and dogs room to run either direction. The view around the resevor is gorgeous at sunset and coyoes wander around inside the fence

Wow, how is it that I’ve lived in LA forever and never been here?! Well, to be fair, I’ve driven past it like a billion times going to Silverlake or Sunset, but never stopped I didn’t think it was this nice. Meadows, dog parks, benches, people watching, running track, they have it all!
The lap around the reservoir was a nice kick in the butt. Don’t be intimidated, there are all kinds of people running. Not just a bunch of hipsters. There’s a couple hilly parts, which is a nice change of pace, but I’m not the biggest fan of running on dirt. Plenty of parking around, plenty of things to see to distract you from running. Not enough water fountains though.
There are secret stairs off Cove St. too if you want to add to your workout. Can’t wait to explore this neighborhood even more!

Sitting on a park bench.. on the shoreline, albeit behind the fence, this is one of the most peaceful places I have been despite being surrounded by a fantastic neighborhood that cascades up the hills.
As a place to talk and relax I found the opposite side from Silver Lake Blvd was the place to be. Romantic and sparsely populated at night, we watched numerous cars roll stop or not stop at all at the intersection near the bench we chose. Very amusing!

Love this place! My friend and I always walk/​run a couple of laps in the early morning or evening. It’s a great place to go around and just work out. The view of the reservoir is calming and there is the perfect lighting when the sun is going down. I like sitting at the grassy area for a picnic and just watching the sunset. Sometimes I gather a couple of my friends and play soccer or other sports games on the grass. Everyone is respectful and move out of your way if you’re running or riding a bike. the dog park is cute too. i like that they separate the big dogs from the small dogs.

Per other Unilocal 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.

2.5 miles? In an hour?
That’s the distance another Unilocaler mentioned for the path around the reservoir. Most of it is level and has great views of the lake and residential neighborhood. I took a spur of the moment walk at dusk and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Most folks were traveling clockwise but I had chosen to go counter clockwise. Lots of four legged and two legged people. Many running, some walking. The water fowl on the water were fun to watch. People were picnicking on the lawn by the rec center. Lots of poochies in the enclosed dog park. It was dark by the time I was passing the Meadows and could only see several trails disappearing into the dark.
The lights reflected on the reservoir and the pleasant chatter of people who passed by me made for a very nice walk city walk.
There are info boards and a map, with distances listed, on the corner of W. Silverake Blvd. and Tesla Ave. If you head up, along W. Silverlake Blvd., there’s an info board picturing water fowl at the reservoir.

I’ve been doing some Marathon training on the east side lately and this has to be my favorite spot for my long runs!
The wide track and varying up and down hills offer a lot regardless of which direction you’re running in. Even on busy weekends I always find that I have enough room to maneuver around big groups. My only major complaint, if I have any at all, is that one has to plan accordingly for water. The only available fountains are on the northeast side of the reservoir, about 100 yards from each other, and then there are no other spots to stop and get a drink around the remaining 2+mile track. It’s not the end of the world to me, but plan accordingly if you’re not brining a water bottle.
Not a runner like myself? The reservoir is perfect for a leisurely stroll during the day. At night, there’s less streetlamp lighting here than at a place like Echo Park Lake, so if that gives you more comfort, that might be a better spot for you at night.
The meadow is also a perfect spot for Silverlake picnics, though it can get quite crowded on the weekends.
I wish there were more spots like this in Los Angeles!

A fantastic place to run, especially if you’re training for long distance races.
One full lap around is about 2.2 mi.~.
I find the dog park to be the most motivating part of my run here because once you smell it, your body instinctively pushes you to a sprint for a good .5 mi or at least until the smell of doggy poop goes away.
Tips:
–Street parking is pretty much plentiful
–There’s an outdoor basketball court if you want to join a quick game of pick up
–Dogs. Everywhere. Makes your run so much more enjoyable. Up until you smell the dog park.

The reservoir is near and dear to me. I’ve circled this lake more than I can count in the last umpteenth years.
The water in the lake has drawn out considerably in all these years and the traffic congestion has increased making it a bit of a turn off walking with a trail of carbon monoxide and noise pollution.
I still find the reservoir to be a nice place to walk and get a few laps in. Best time to come is definitely early morning or late afternoon.

I love running around the reservoir! It’s similar to the Rose Bowl track in Pasadena but about a mile or so shorter and has more hills for a slightly more intense workout.
There’s plenty of street parking either around the reservoir or off adjacent streets, so you’re sure to find something. There’s also a fenced dog park for your canine companion. The only downside is the pungent smell of dog poo around that area, so prepare to hold your breath as long as you can while you work on running quickly past it!
After your run, I’d suggest driving around or Unilocaling up some great eateries!

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 Unilocaling. 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 (
).

Tiffany H. introduced me to this place in our quest to torture ourselves pre-​half marathon.
PARKING: Street. Plenty of neighborhood parking.
The loop is roughly 2-​miles around, and I suggest doing it counter clockwise for the sick hill on the east side. It looks like the majority of people do it clockwise — to avoid the hill? who knows.
There’s two dog parks — small dogs and large dogs — on the south end of the loop along with a public rest room (yay!) that’s more on the clean than dirty side. The south end experiences the occasional overwhelmingly bad sewage smell wafting through the area.
Personally, I prefer Rose Bowl because it’s more spacious and the loop is longer. There are a lot of «let me grab ice coffee, walk with my bestie, and clog the sidewalk» people. I have seen multiple duos carrying iced lattes and walking side by side on the sidewalk. People, this is a recreation area — not The Grove.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I made a visit here. But it is just a large body of water surrounded by a fence. I guess that is what a reservoir is.
It is located just north of the dog parks and it is pretty large. On the west and east side you can see rolling hills with homes on them. There is also a nice view to the north of some of the larger mountainsides in the area. There isn’t much of a walking path around the reservoir just dirt and gravel.
It is a nice view and pleasantly relaxing.

2.2 mile lap around the reservoir. I recommend getting there super early or during sunset to avoid the scorching sun! I love the view… and you can do multiple laps and it doesn’t get boring. There’s a couple of inclines, but nothing too steep. Nice change from running on the treadmill every day. I ran about 2.5 laps ~5 miles… would’ve kept going but noticed I was like 6 shades darker lol.
If you follow Unilocal address/​google maps, it will lead you to a random spot on Silver Lake Blvd… just keep going down the street and you’ll finally hit the reservoir. There’s plenty of free street parking.
Can’t wait to enjoy a sunset run here. Heard the view is even more gorgeous.

Oh, the hallmark of Silver Lake! This reservoir is what puts the silver in Silver Lake! Here, you will find many people of all shapes, sizes, and ages (sometimes with their dogs) running /​walking/​biking around this picturesque 2.2 mile loop.
Personally speaking, the best times to go are early mornings and evenings.
If parking here, spots can sometimes be a bit tricky near the recreation center.
Speaking of the recreation center, there are all kinds of classes for the kiddos to get them active.
Also, people playing basketball and working out with trainers is a common sight. Definitely a motivator to get people moving!
And wanna impress your date? Go for a romantic stroll around at night, with the lights of streetlamps glistening on the water (speaking from personal experience!).
Besides being a great place to work out, the Silver Lake Reservoir also happens to be a popular hangout for migratory birds (part of the Pacific Flyway – stretching from Northern Alaska down to Southern Mexico!) I would know, being the bird nerd that I am! From what I have observed thus far: a flock of about 40 Canada geese, Great Blue Herons roosting high in the eucalyptus trees, killdeer singing their song mostly at night but sometimes heard during the day, mallard ducks, American coots, black phoebes, yellow-​rumped warblers, mourning doves, common ravens, red-​tailed hawks, California gulls, starlings, and the list goes on! Also, a pack of coyotes can be seen walking around the reservoir early in the morning.
And of course, there is the dog park! There’s a dirt dog park consisting of two areas: on the southern side, one for small dogs and adjacent on the north, a significantly bigger space for larger dogs that have ample room for running, playing catch, and sniffing other dogs’ butts. (Warning: the dog park has a tendency to reek right before trash day!)
And within this complex, there is the Silver Lake Meadow, which should really be called a lawn. The meadow is a great place for picnicking, lounging, reading, flying a kite, or for doing nothing!
And if this isn’t enough, there is talk about transforming part of the reservoir (the Ivanhoe side, where those gray/​black balls are sitting in that large basin) into a kind of beach/​park area. Check it out here:
I love this reservoir! I love Silver Lake!