Hiking the Hollywood Sign

Hiking the Hollywood Sign

If you’ve never hiked the Hollywood Sign before, it can be tough to figure out where to get started. There are a few different paths to take, with varying results.

I went into the hike with little preparation and ended up hiking just about every trail. Hopefully, this guide will help you determine which path to hike to get the photos you want at the Hollywood sign and avoid my mistakes.

Hollywood

Why hike the sign? Is it worth it? YES — the views of downtown LA and the surrounding cities as you hike up Mount Lee are beautiful. However, the view from the top of the sign cannot be beat.

View from the top of the Hollywood sign
The view from the top!

Where to Park

There are plenty of options for parking when hiking the Hollywood sign… rather than overwhelm you with choices, I’m going to boil it down to two: where to park for the best picture in front of the sign and where to park to hike to the top of the sign. I recommend going to the front of the sign first and then completing the hike to the top.

Where to Park for the Best Picture in Front of the Sign

Note: This is not a hike, and can be accomplished very quickly. In fact, you can get this part out of the way before your hike (while you still look nice) and then hike to the top of the sign (my recommendation). Unfortunately, I didn’t find this spot until after hiking about 10 miles looking for it before I took a guess on Google Maps and got lucky.

Where to Go

Park at 6432 Mulholland Highway
This is the address you’ll want to put into your GPS
Street view of where you'll want to park
Here’s the street view of where you’ll want to park (left side is the trail entrance, park on the right side)

I know this looks like you’re walking onto someone’s driveway, but the left side is the trail entrance. Just past these bushes and you’ll see it.

*Disclaimer* There is a street sign that says “No Parking” from 8 AM to 6 PM, so there is a risk of a ticket if you park right here.

With that being said, you should only be here as long as it takes you to take some pictures before heading over to hike to the top of the sign (~20 minutes tops), so the odds of anything happening are pretty low.

*Additional Warning* The streets going up to this location are very narrow and windy. Be careful during this drive! Or hire an Uber/Lyft.

No parking sign
Rules were made to be broken. (with an awareness of the consequences)

The Best In-Front View of the Hollywood Sign

So, you’ve taken my word for it and completed your 2 minute hike. What does a picture in front of the Hollywood sign look like?

View from the front of the Hollywood sign
This is the best “front” view of the Hollywood sign in the area. Only 2 minutes of hiking required!

There you have it, the best view of the Hollywood sign you can get in the area. With the least amount of hiking needed! At this point, you can call it quits and go to In-N-Out, the Walk of Fame, or whatever’s next on your agenda. Or, you can begin the hike to the top for some of the best views in LA! Plus, the back of the sign is pretty cool too.

Hiking to the Back of the Hollywood Sign

Now, about a 15 minute drive away is the The Canyon Drive Trail, where you’ll be parking for your hike to the top of the Hollywood sign.

Where to Park

Park at Canyon Drive
Put “Canyon Drive” into your GPS
Where to Park street view Canyon Drive
The parking lot on the right is where you’ll want to park, about 1500 feet from the trail head.

From the trail head, you’ll follow the signs that lead you to the top. The total hike is about 4 miles round trip and should take about 2 or 3 hours.

The best time to hike is during the morning or evening, when it’s a bit cooler outside. However, if you are going to hike this during a hot, summer day, make sure you come prepared.

What to Bring for the Hike to the Top

  • Water (2 Liters recommended)
    • Be aware there are no bathrooms on the trail and not many easy spots to step off. Plan as you must.
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat
  • Hiking shoes
    • These are optional, I completed the hike in Adidas running shoes and they worked just fine
  • Sunscreen
    • There is little to no shade on the trail and you will be very exposed to the sun
  • Snacks – the last thing you want is to be hungry, hot, and still have a few miles to go

Hollywood Sign – The View From The Top

Congrats — You made it! You’ve just checked off the signature item from your LA bucket list. Admire the view and make sure to take some great photos.

Me at the top of the Hollywood sign
At the top of the Hollywood sign!

A Few More Pointers

  • The Hollywood sign is open from sunrise to sunset — don’t go there while it’s dark.
  • I noticed there’s a chain link fence and some No Trespassing signs, is it cool to ignore these? Yeah sure, you could definitely get some pretty sick pics! But you run the risk of going to jail and/or receiving a hefty fine. It’s on you if you want to take that risk.
  • Can I bring my dog(s)? Yeah! I saw tons of dogs on the trail. Just please be courteous to others and bring a poop bag.
  • What about the Sunset Ranch entrance? That way looks a lot faster. It’s private property and not open to the public. If you want to pay to ride a horse though it could certainly be an interesting way to go!

If you’ve got any questions about the hike, feel free to drop a comment below!

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