Nancy Hoover Pohl Overlook

Nice, easy single track (for the most part) trail.
Mainly writing this review because I got stung by a yellow jacket and had to go to the ER yesterday. Just a heads up!

I love this place. You can take an easy hike if you’re just craving a relaxing breath of fresh air or you can take the Bettie Dearing Trail for a more moderate to hard hike or trail run. You can’t beat the view because it’s honestly breathtaking. This hike is the less-​crowded, less dog-​poop filled version of Runyon which makes it a thousand times better.
If you’re not feeling like exercise you can just come up to the seating area at the entrance and if timed right, admire the gorgeous sunset.

Went wandering with my dad one day while he was visiting and we ended up here. It was nice and secluded and cool to get a different scenic view than the one’s we are used to from going up Runyon, or touring around Griffith Park.
It was a simple, quick pull off the side of the road and park for 5 minutes, take a few photos and keep driving spot. Definitely not a destination or place to spend any serious time unless you like to sit on a rock and meditate for hours or something, but a nice break from the curvy roads you’ve traversed.

LOVE this hiking trail been going for years it’s my secret spot in the valley… It’s a good 6 mile gorgeous scenic hike and great workout! I brought some friends here today that are avid hikers like me and they loved it! It’s not an easy hike and you def need good hiking shoes because the trail can get slippery at times… My friend’s husband’s fitbit said we burned over 750 calories! YAY!

I don’t know that I would call this a hike so much as a nature walk, but boy is it beautiful! From the moment you park you get get a gorgeous view of LA from the overlook, and once you start following the trails, there are even prettier spots.
This is definitely a hike that almost anyone could do — a lot of the trail is wide and there aren’t really any hills. My friend and I did wander down some side trails off the main one that were fairly steep, but that’s not something everyone has to do! We actually got a little lost at one point and sort of wandered into a field with high grass — we saw really pretty flowers, plants, and several lizards.
My favorite part about this area is that it wasn’t crowded at all (I think we saw three other people the whole time we were there), which is a nice break from more well-​known places like Runyon. It is definitely child and dog-​friendly, too. Finally, there’s a nice little free parking lot, which everyone knows is a treasured rarity for LA! I’ll definitely be back here for fresh air and a break from city life.

I love how secluded this overlook and trail area is from other spots in Los Angeles! It has ample enough parking, or maybe not enough people know about this location so it’s never crowded when I go, and the views are absolutely breathtaking! The trails on this location is shaded, so overheating is never a serious problem at most times of the day. This park/​trail/​overlook is dog-​friendly as well from what I have observed, and is filled with picturesque trees and flowers! Definitely going to be a regular here.

Decent overlook along Mulholland (see
for full list), but with the added bonus of hiking trails.
From the Pohl Overlook, head to the right to hike along Betty B Dearing Trail. Coming from Fryman Canyon Park, the Dearing Trail is not a loop and the sign at the trailhead states that the trail ends in 0.7 miles. But there is a 1.7 mile loop by diverting downhill to Briarcrest Fire Road which runs along the backyards of homes. The views were mostly of the canyon. It’s an easy, hour-​long hike with about a 240 foot elevation drop. The trail crosses a tiny creek with noisy frogs and some lush areas looked like a place chef C.J. Jacobsen of Girasol would forage for food. Parking was full at 10A on a sunny Saturday.

This is a true Gem (yes with a capital G required). I almost don’t want to post how much I love the trail for fear it won’t continue to stay the secret garden of L. A hikes, but that would be greedy. We all need our nature moments. I used to live in Laurel Canyon and would come here 2 – 3 times a week with my dogs. i have hiked this trail 8 months pregger with dogs and now with me little one, who is just beginning to enjoy walking bits of it herself. This trail is a real nature immersion with a more narrow trail, less people and more shade. You can follow it to a small rain-​forrest which is just a magical little spot, cool in the summer with a stream that the dogs love to runs around in and fragrant eucalyptus trees. Enjoy!
You may want to hike with a partner if you are going alone with your kid, just because there is a part where you go across a little stream and you go downhill part there is usually a bit slippy in the sand and somtimes I have sat on my tush to get down because I did not want to drop my Little one…

I have been going to this hike for years. This hike is a secret to most people and I grew up out here. Around the corner you have Fryman ( Unilocal calls it Franklin Canyon) and Tree people. It’s weird but all these hikes connect. There are several trails on this hike but overall they are fairly easy. Over the years many people have had their dogs off leash, even though it isn’t an off leash hike. Over the last year the ranger comes and gives out tickets which is kind of a bummer. Mostly tickets if your dog is off leash.
The cool thing about this hike is that is very deserted and there are days I see no one there and some days I see a few people. There are also some pretty views too. There are two ways to hike starting from this park. The way to the right is pretty flat and easy the whole way. Takes 30 minutes or so. The other way, to the left is more steep and a little more challenging on your way back up. You will cross little ponds and it’s more exciting. If you keep going that way it will bring you through the rain forest area then back to Fryman… but it gets tricky so don’t get lost.

I really enjoyed hiking here today. I took the trail to the left which was a winding road that went downward and up in some spots. It was like walking through a shaded forest. There were a few water streams. I called it an interactive walk lol because I had to duck under a tree, walk across a small bridge and climb stairs and a few steps but I loved every minute and the view was beautiful. The hike going back was a great workout so the sweat was intense. No parking issues or overcrowding like you sometimes experience at Runyon Canyon and Griffith Park hike trails — the weekend traffic sucks. I only hiked an hour but when I return I’m going all the way to the end of the trail, Id like to see where it ends.

i love the shade on this trail! also enjoy finding switchbacks in the VALLEY! my girlfriend found this trail before me and insisted we hike it together. very quiet! very romantic! we met more runners than hikers which is not the norm at TREE PEOPLE/​FRYMAN CYN. very uncongested. very little trash (pack it out angelinos). two out of three creeks were running which is amazing for LA in july. pack a lunch for the RAINFOREST before turning around and retracing your steps to the overlook parking lot. this trail must be wonderful in the rain btw!!!

I love this park, it’s different than the other parks in the area for hiking. It’s very green and away from the los angeles smog. People are friendly. This is my favorite in the area!

What a view! If you take the main trail off to the right you can drop down in to the canyon via switchback trails. Very fun and not too strenuous. The bottom of the canyon has a cute little stream. Trails are well maintained and not too narrow. The only reason I did not give it five stars is because of it’s patrons. There were a decent amount of beer cans and cigarette butts lying around, and even though you must have your dogs leashed there were a few off leash dogs. The ones we ran in to were very friendly but we heard a story from a woman on the trail that recently there were leashed dogs that were attacked by two off leash dogs. PLEASE LEASH YOUR DOGS. It’s for their own safety and the safety of those around you.

I love parks and I love overlooks. With That said, an early morning stop at this overlook is a wonderful place for the morning sunrise and a bit of caffeine! How marvelous to see the sun come up and the soft light across the valley. As always, it is best when the pollution is lowest and the colors can be wonderful I like to use it for background to some my videos! Anyway you look out, this is one of the nice stops on Mulholland Drive.

Start here for a 3ish mile, sort of inverted hike. The trail is mostly covered in shade making it picturesque and ideal for hot summer days. The hike is green and lush. I recommend hiking to the creek and turning back if hiking with kids.
This was doable with my nine month old in an ergo carrier on my back and my twin 3.5 year olds on foot. The trail gets narrow and a bit slippery on parts and the girls definitely needed a hand. My husband, brother and future sister in law took turns holding the girls’ hand.
There is ample parking, but no bathrooms for potty breaks. Bring plenty of water!

Love the never ending ending trail and views along the way … Just be careful the paths do get pretty narrow …

Stop for a moment and think about what your idea of «romance» entails. Is it a nice dinner and flowers for the special lady? An expensive but unexpected gift? A hand-​written note and breakfast in bed? My ideal image of romance doesn’t involve dinners, gifts, or money at all. I prefer something from the heart, thoughtful, and best of all: free. Picnics, walks, a poem. You get the picture.
The Nancy Hoover Pohl overlook on scenic Mulholland Drive is easily accessible from the Valley moments from beautiful neighborhoods in Laurel Canyon and yet it takes you away to a serene and natural ecosystem. You tend to forget that you are actually moments from Mulholland Drive. The overlook consists of benches and maintained rest areas, paths leading to Fryman Canyon, and a parking lot larger than most LA restaurants. The unabashed environment captures beauty and peace with a view of the Valley which displays splendor and greenery versus the 101 and Ventura Blvd. If you told me it WASN’T the Valley, I may believe you. It truly is beautiful.
For the animal lover, you will be happy to know that several butterflies hover above your head, hummingbirds buzz by, owls hoot, frogs croak, snakes rattle, and gophers pull plants underground and then cover their hole. Yes, I saw these things happen and it made my experience even better. I fed a gopher who was cuter than the one in Caddyshack and he seemed to be a model and very photogenic (see photo). Perhaps, wildlife isn’t your thing, but I assure you that you will feel safe at the overlook, regardless.
The best thing about the overlook is the romantic essence in the aire. With a wine glass in my hand (don’t tell the park rangers!) and my boyfriend at my side; we certainly had a lovely evening. The spot is also so quiet, that you can grab an acoustic guitar, a harmonica, perhaps a cowbell and have a folk sing-​a-​long in the canyons where the movement started in the first place.
Romance to me is free. Good job, Nancy, good job.

Ah-​ha number 3! I kid you not, there is a 40 car parking lot. Jeez other overlooks have no parking lot and this place has 40 spots?
Strangely I have noticed a maple tree at every overlook. Could this be significant for anything? Luck? Happiness? Good fortune? So i strolled along the paths. They had benches and different viewing platforms of your choice. The sun was setting behind a hillside.
This overlook is named after Nancy Hoover Pohl who was a resident of Fryman Canyon. I don’t remember why she was important. haha This area in particular has wild animals. It says I might see a bobcat, a coyote, exotic birds, rabbits, etc. I didn’t see anything, but something rustled in the bushes. I told it to be quiet, but it didn’t listen.