Wilacre Park

The Studio City trailhead into the eastern Santa Monica Mountains. From the lot the Betty B. Dearing Trail climbs through the old Will Rogers estate and connects into the Cross Mountain Park system toward Fryman Canyon, Coldwater Canyon and Franklin Canyon.

What to know

Parking stopped being free on 20 May 2026, when the County subsidy that had covered it for over a decade ended. It is now $7 for up to two hours, four hours maximum per vehicle per day, by pay station or cash.

Best for

A walk long enough to actually talk, ten minutes off Ventura Boulevard

Avoid if

You wanted a free date — the lot is now paid, and the surrounding streets are tightly restricted

What to wear

Trail shoes; the fire road is loose in places and climbs steadily from the gate