Originally Posted by
TWA884
LAX arrival (green and yellow) and departure(Orange and purple) paths.

This is consistent with what I have seen. I think that if you're coming in from an easterly direction, you continue to the west all the way. But, if you're coming in from the north, you turn west somewhere over the San Fernando Valley, head back east about as far as downtown Los Angeles, California, and then join the rest of the inbound LAX traffic, which is moving towards the west.
I love looking out of airplane windows.