Discovering Griffith Park. Casey Schreiner
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How to Get There: Hike 2
IF YOU DON’T MIND A BEHIND-THE-SIGN VIEW
When people find out you can indeed hike up to the Hollywood Sign atop Mount Lee, few continue reading to find out that location actually gets you behind the sign with no way to get up close to the big white letters. Don’t fret, though—any route to the top of Mount Lee is a day well spent in Griffith Park, and although the summit can get crowded on the weekends, the views can be exceptional.
There are two primary treks most people take to get to the top of Mount Lee. The route that feels most like a hike is also the shortest and steepest. Coming in from the west, the single-track trail tops out on Burbank and Cahuenga Peaks before joining Mount Lee Drive for the final short summit push. The classic route from the end of Canyon Drive is longer, but it has a gentler ascent and is on wider fire roads, meaning it’s better for larger groups. Either way you choose, this is a mountain you are definitely going to want to summit at some point.
Location: Summit of Mount Lee
Distance from Sign: 150 feet behind the sign
How to Get There: Hike 3 for the shorter, tougher option; Hike 7 for the longer, milder option
There are plenty of places where you can see the sign without having to jostle your way through throngs of tourists.
IF YOU WANT TO HIKE BUT, LIKE, JUST A LITTLE BIT
Let’s say you want to get a good front-facing view of the Hollywood Sign but don’t want to spend too much time on the trail. Maybe you’re in a rush, or maybe you’ve got some little ones with you who don’t have energy for a longer trek. No worries!
If you want to keep it especially short, there’s a good view from the other side of the Bronson Cave with the sign behind some rugged mountain terrain. You may even recognize this scene from dozens of different films or television shows. If you’re up for a bit more elevation gain and not that much more distance, there’s a surprisingly excellent viewpoint on the West Observatory Trail between The Trails Café and Griffith Observatory. If you’ve got kiddos, both options are close to playgrounds and picnic areas, and near the West Observatory trailhead you can pick up some tasty coffee, tea, and pastries at The Trails Café before or after your hike. Keep in mind there are some steep inclines and not a ton of shade on the West Observatory Trail, but you’re not likely to find too much of a crowd at this viewpoint.
Location: Bronson Cave
Distance from Sign: About 1 mile
How to Get There: Follow directions for Hike 6
Location: West Observatory Trail
Distance from Sign: About 1.5 miles
How to Get There: Hike 9; if you head down from the observatory, you can utilize the DASH Observatory or Griffith Parkline
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN SOME SCIENCE-RELATED BONUS MATERIALS
The “official” viewing point of the Hollywood Sign has been moved to the west lawn of the Griffith Observatory, a place that the Los Angeles Times notes “offers a nice view, but . . . certainly not the only view or even the best view. It just happens to be the most politically expedient [one].” It’s also one of the most accessible viewpoints and definitely one of the easiest to find. It keeps folks from bothering residents on the narrow streets of Hollywoodland, and for most people, the views are just fine. The crowds at the lawn can get pretty huge, especially on weekends, but you’ll also have access to the free science exhibits at the Griffith Observatory and some beautiful viewpoints from the building’s roof, too. Try to come here in the morning for the lightest crowds.
If you want a smidge more solitude, head to the north side of the observatory parking lot for the Charlie Turner Trailhead and hike up to the Berlin Forest. It’s just a 0.3-mile round-trip, and there’s a bit of shade in the forest, too.
Location: Griffith Observatory
Distance from Sign: 1.5 miles
How to Get There: Paid parking, DASH Observatory, Griffith Parkline, or trek in on foot from Hikes 9, 10, or 14; see Hike 12 for trek to Berlin Forest from observatory
IF YOU LOVE A GOOD COMMEMORATIVE VIEWPOINT
When you’re looking toward the Hollywood Sign, consider that the public land you’re viewing wasn’t always public. In 2010, the Tiffany & Co. Foundation donated $1 million to the Trust for Public Land to secure a large tract of privately held land on Cahuenga Peak that a developer was threatening to build on. Additional generous donations from the likes of folks like Aileen Getty and Hugh Hefner and a massive public awareness campaign and fundraising effort from the City of Los Angeles secured the land, which was annexed into Griffith Park.
Location: Tiffany & Co. Foundation Overlook on the Mount Hollywood Trail
Distance from Sign: Just over 1 mile
How to Get There: Hike 12 from the Charlie Turner Trailhead
Even with new barriers, the Hollyridge Trail (Hike 5) is still a great place to see the sign.
This official viewpoint on the Mount Hollywood Trail commemorates those efforts and also offers up an excellent view of the Hollywood Sign. Although it can get crowded here, hikers tend not to dawdle so there’s usually a good turnover for the best views. Plus, you’ll almost always have someone who can snap a photo for you!
IF YOU WANT A BREAK ON YOUR BIKE RIDE
If you’re on a bicycle, most of the available viewpoints are a little tough to get to—but not this excellent pullout on Mount Hollywood Drive. This paved road is closed to most auto traffic and is one of the best north-south cycling routes in Griffith Park.
This viewpoint on a small western switchback of Mount Hollywood Drive provides slightly closer views than the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Overlook just above it but has much lighter foot traffic and only requires a bit more navigational know-how to reach.
Location: Mount Hollywood Drive
Distance from Sign: About 1 mile
How to Get There: By bike on Mount Hollywood Drive; Hike 33; or hike up from the DASH Observatory stop at West Observatory Road and Mount Hollywood Drive
The rustic hand-built staircases in Amir’s Garden are just one of the special touches in Griffith Park.
Other Outdoor Stuff
If you’re already lacing up your hiking boots, you can skip ahead to the “Hiking Griffith Park” section. But there is so