California 02-Mt. Lee/Hollywood Sign

The world-famous Hollywood Sign is located above the Hollywood Hills on the side of Mt. Lee, part of the Santa Monica Mountains. The mountain ranges, which basically bisects L.A., separating the L.A. basin from the San Fernando Valley, is partially protected from development because of its inclusion in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and Griffith Park, the largest city park in the country.

The mountains have a number of fire roads and trails suitable for hiking. Given their relative ruggedness and the fact that ... (more)

Mt. Lee Hike - Griffith Park View
The hike is mostly on fireroads in the Santa Monica Mountains. This...

Mt. Lee Hike - Forest Lawn Cemetery
Towards the end of the hike, the trail wraps around Mt. Lee, providing...

Mt. Lee Hike - San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley sprawls out north of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Mt. Lee Hike - Los Angeles Basin
The hikable trail ends behind the Hollywood sign - the road is fenced off,...

Mt. Lee Hike - Downtown L.A. Skyline
This is the city. Los Angeles.

Mt. Lee Hike - OHLLYWODO Sign
The letters that form the HOLLYWOOD sign are not lined up, so from this angle...

article published 3/15/2003

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Not largest city park!
According to other sources, Griffith Park is not the largest city park in the nation. That honor goes to South Mountain Park in Phoenix. See here: http://www.ahwatukee.com/afn/community/articles/010711b.html
— PaulV, April 16, 2004

To Aimee
Both my picture and my described trail route go up back above/behind the sign. That route does provide some views of the sign. There are also several views of the sign from the streets down below.

It is illegal to hike up to the base of the sign. The route I described is as close as you can get on a legal hike to the sign, and provides several great views of LA and the San Fernando Valley on a clear day.
— Mark Wasson, April 4, 2004

trail blazing
I recently attempted to hike to the sign using your Griffith Park directions but was unsuccessful. The trail I was walking would have taken me to the back of the sign with only one view of it on the way up. It is clear that I missed the trail you described(with views of the sign). Can you please share more details to help me find the more scenic route? Thanks!
— Aimee, March 15, 2004

Hey, thanks for the pictures
He posted directions, calm down. Thank you for going to the trouble of posting the pictures.
— Matt, February 28, 2004

It's a photo site, but here's directions
Hollywood's Franklin Ave., east of US 101.

Turn north on Canyon Drive. Go north on Canyon until you reach a parking area near a locked gate at an entrance to Griffith Park. You'll have to park here. Hike up Brush Canyon to Mt Hollywood Dr, to Mt Lee Drive, which wraps around Mt Lee giving nice views in all directions (on a sunny day).

It's about a 3 mile hike up to a point just above the sign. And keep in mind this is a desert, and there is no water along the trail, so bring water. And plenty of it because it's another three miles back down.

A side trail along the way leads to Bronson Caves, famous as the Bat Cave in the 1960s series.
— Mark Wasson, December 23, 2003

Hey! I want to know how to get there, not see pictures of it! Where are the directions?
— Sam Donohue, November 16, 2003

DIRECTIONS
Robert-I am with you on that one. I have been looking for a site that gives directions to the hollywood sign--HELP--
— Maureen Mungai, November 6, 2003

Why in the world cant anyone give directions to hike to the Hollywood sign?
— Robert, October 7, 2003

This has nothing to do with the info I wanted about the hollywood sign
— Letrecia Williams, October 5, 2003