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Coldwater Canyon

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Coldwater Canyon cuts through the Santa Monica Mountains of Los Angeles County, near Santa Monica, CA, about 2 miles off the old road. Its Spanish name refers to cold waters. Part of the canyon is a residential neighborhood, and one corner once belonged to the film star Myrna Loy. It offers a quick glimpse of the mountains behind Los Angeles.

What is Coldwater Canyon?

The canyon runs at right angles to the Santa Monica Mountains and climbs over their central ridge. South of Mulholland Drive, a stretch of it is a neighborhood within the Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council area. Hidden Valley, on the west side a little below Mulholland, was her estate.

Visiting Coldwater Canyon: tips

The canyon lies about 2 miles from the old road. Part of it is residential, so respect private property. Virginia Robinson Gardens is about 1.6 miles away, and the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden and Fowler Museum at UCLA are both roughly 3 miles off.

Practical info

On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Coldwater Canyon

All diners on Route 66 →
  • Carney's in West Hollywood, CA
    Diner & restaurant

    Carney's

    West Hollywood, CA · 2.1 mi from Coldwater Canyon

    Hot dogs and burgers served from yellow Union Pacific rail cars above the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.

  • Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood, CA
    Diner & restaurant

    Barney's Beanery

    West Hollywood, CA · 2.1 mi from Coldwater Canyon

    A West Hollywood roadhouse on Santa Monica Boulevard since 1927, its walls covered in old license plates.

  • Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood, CA
    Diner & restaurant

    Formosa Cafe

    West Hollywood, CA · 3.6 mi from Coldwater Canyon

    A West Hollywood restaurant and bar from 1925, long a hangout for film stars from the studio lot nearby.

On the map

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Coldwater Canyon with the 6 closest stops and places to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.

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Stops near Coldwater Canyon

All of California
Virginia Robinson Gardens in Beverly Hills, CA

Virginia Robinson Gardens

Beverly Hills, California · 1.2 mi from Route 66

A historic Beverly Hills estate where a Beaux-Arts mansion sits inside six acres of gardens.

Nature & parksPhoto credit

1.6 mi from Coldwater Canyon

Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden in Los Angeles, CA

Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden

Los Angeles, California · 1.5 mi from Route 66

More than 70 sculptures by names like Rodin, Matisse and Henry Moore, spread over five acres of UCLA.

MuseumPhoto credit

3.0 mi from Coldwater Canyon

Fowler Museum at UCLA in Los Angeles, CA

Fowler Museum at UCLA

Los Angeles, California · 1.5 mi from Route 66

A UCLA museum of art and everyday objects from the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

MuseumPhoto credit

3.2 mi from Coldwater Canyon

Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles, CA

Annenberg Space for Photography

Los Angeles, California · 0.3 mi from Route 66

A former Century City photography museum that closed for good in 2020 after eleven years.

MuseumPhoto credit

3.5 mi from Coldwater Canyon

Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden in Los Angeles, CA

Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden

Los Angeles, California · 1.1 mi from Route 66

A free 7-acre university garden with more than 3,000 plant species, close to the end of Route 66.

Nature & parksPhoto credit

3.6 mi from Coldwater Canyon

Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, CA

Museum of Tolerance

Los Angeles, California · 1.0 mi from Route 66

A multimedia museum on racism and prejudice, with the Holocaust at its heart, run by a human rights group.

MuseumPhoto credit

3.7 mi from Coldwater Canyon

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