The Hollywood Sign has been watching over Los Angeles since 1923, and hiking up to it is still one of the best things you can do in the city.
It’s one of the most popular hikes in Los Angeles — free, open every day from sunrise to sunset, and more of an adventure than most people expect going in. The trails start inside Griffith Park and lead up to Mount Lee in the Santa Monica Mountains, and there are three official routes that will get you to the sign, each starting from a different part of the park with its own character, distance, and views along the way.
If you’re planning the hike for the first time, or you’ve tried before and ran into issues with parking or crowds, this guide has everything you need. Trail breakdowns, parking details, the best times to go, and a few things most people only find out once they’re already up there.
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The Three Main Trails for the Hollywood Sign Hike
Brush Canyon Trail
Brush Canyon is the most popular route to the Hollywood Sign and the one most first-time hikers take. The trail follows a wide dirt fire road through the canyon with little to no shade, so you’ll feel the sun early. It’s well-marked the entire way — you can see the sign for most of the hike, so you always know you’re heading in the right direction.
Distance: 6 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 1,171 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: 3200 Canyon Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Getting there: From Franklin Avenue, turn north on Canyon Drive and follow it 1.4 miles until the road ends. Free parking lots are available along the road. Porta-potties are at the main lot only — there are no facilities on the trail itself.
Step-by-step directions:
- Walk past the gate at the end of Canyon Drive onto Brush Canyon Trail
- Follow the wide dirt path uphill for about one mile
- Turn left onto the Mulholland Trail fire road
- Follow Mulholland Trail as it winds around the mountain for about a mile
- When you reach paved Mt. Lee Drive, turn right and follow it uphill
- Continue to the summit of Mount Lee and the radio towers behind the sign
One important note: Griffith Park closes its gates at sunset. Cars left inside will be ticketed and towed, so plan your start time accordingly.
Cahuenga Peak Trail
Cahuenga Peak is the shortest route to the Hollywood Sign and the most demanding. Where Brush Canyon eases you in on a wide fire road, this trail is narrow single track with steep sections and loose terrain underfoot. The payoff is some of the best views on any of the three routes — and noticeably fewer people.
Distance: 3 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 875 feet
Difficulty: Hard
Trailhead: Wonder View Drive at Lake Hollywood Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Getting there: Exit the 101 Freeway at Barham Boulevard and head north. Turn right on Lake Hollywood Drive and follow it half a mile to the intersection with Wonder View Drive. Park along Lake Hollywood Drive — there is no parking on Wonder View Drive and it is strictly enforced. Cars parked on Wonder View Drive will be towed.
Step-by-step directions:
- Walk a quarter mile up paved Wonder View Drive to the end
- Pass the yellow vehicle gate onto the dirt road
- Take the Wonder View Trail on your right and begin the steep climb
- Pass the Wisdom Tree at around 0.75 miles — a good spot to rest and take in the views
- Continue along the Aileen Getty Ridge Trail toward Cahuenga Peak
- Follow the ridge east toward Mount Lee and the radio towers behind the Hollywood Sign
There is no potable water at any point on this trail, the single track can be loose and rocky especially near the peak, and the Wisdom Tree section packs in most of the elevation gain in the first three quarters of a mile. Start early, bring more water than you think you need, and wear shoes with grip.
Mt. Hollywood Trail
The Mt. Hollywood Trail is the easiest of the three official routes and the best option for beginners, families, or anyone who wants a more gradual climb. It starts at the Griffith Observatory parking lot and winds through some of the most scenic terrain in Griffith Park before reaching the sign.
The trail is longer than the Cahuenga Peak route but the elevation gain is spread out more evenly, which makes a noticeable difference on a warm day. There’s also more shade on this route than the other two, plus a water fountain at Dante’s View about 1.3 miles in.
Distance: 5.3 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 1,250 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Griffith Observatory, 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Getting there: The trailhead is at the north end of the Griffith Observatory parking lot. Parking fills quickly on weekends — the DASH Observatory Shuttle runs every 15 to 20 minutes between 10 AM and 10 PM and drops off directly at the observatory. On weekdays, parking is generally available.
Step-by-step directions:
- Start at the Mt. Hollywood trailhead at the north end of the Griffith Observatory parking lot
- Follow the trail uphill through chaparral past the Berlin Forest at 250 feet
- Continue to Dante’s View at about 1.3 miles — there is a water fountain and a bench here
- Pass the Mt. Hollywood summit at 1.2 miles and continue west along the ridge
- Follow the trail as it descends slightly and connects with Mt. Lee Drive
- Turn onto paved Mt. Lee Drive and follow it to the summit of Mount Lee behind the sign
One thing to note: the observatory itself is a destination worth building time around. The views of the Hollywood Sign from the observatory lawn are some of the best in the city — and free to access.
Hollywood Sign Hike Difficulty and Distance
All three official trails are rated either Easy or Hard — there is no Moderate option on the official Hollywood Sign website. Brush Canyon and Mt. Hollywood Trail are both rated Easy. Cahuenga Peak is rated Hard. That said, “Easy” here means doable for most fitness levels, not effortless. All three trails are fully exposed with little to no shade, and the sun in the Hollywood Hills can make any of them feel harder than the rating suggests.
|
Trail |
Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty | Est. Time |
| Mt. Hollywood Trail | 5.3 miles | 1,250 ft | Easy | 2.5 hours |
| Brush Canyon Trail | 6 miles | 1,171 ft | Easy | 2 hrs 45 min |
| Cahuenga Peak Trail | 3 miles | 875 ft | Hard | 1 hr 45 min |
How Long Is the Hollywood Sign Hike
Plan for two to three hours on Brush Canyon or Mt. Hollywood Trail at a comfortable pace, including time at the top. Cahuenga Peak runs closer to two hours but the steeper terrain means less time to stop and rest along the way.
A few things that add time most people don’t account for: finding parking, the walk from your car to the trailhead, and photo stops along the ridge. On a busy weekend, build in an extra 30 to 45 minutes across the board.
How Hard Is the Hike to the Hollywood Sign
It depends on the trail and the time of day. Brush Canyon and Mt. Hollywood are rated Easy and manageable for most fitness levels — including older hikers and older children. Cahuenga Peak is a different story. The single track is steep and loose in sections, and the elevation gain hits early and hard.
What makes any of the three trails harder than the rating implies is the sun exposure. There is little to no shade on the upper sections of all three routes, and afternoon temperatures in the Hollywood Hills from May through October can be brutal. Starting early in the morning is the single biggest thing you can do to have a better experience on any of the trails.
Best Time to Hike to the Hollywood Sign
The trails are open every day of the year from sunrise to sunset, but when you go matters as much as which trail you take.
Time of day:
Start early. On weekends the trails get crowded by 9 AM and the parking lots fill shortly after. Starting by 8 AM gives you cooler temperatures, a quieter trail, and a much better chance of finding parking. The Hollywood Hills are high desert scrubland with virtually no shade on any of the three routes.
Weekday vs. weekend:
A weekday morning is a noticeably different hike than a weekend. Fewer cars, fewer people on the trail, and parking is much easier to find. If your schedule has any flexibility, Tuesday through Thursday mornings are the best days to go.
Season:
Spring and fall are the best overall times to hike to the Hollywood Sign. Temperatures are mild, the hills are at their greenest, and the air tends to be clearer. Winter brings cooler temps and occasionally the clearest skies of the year — some of the best views of the city happen on cold, clear January mornings. Summer hiking is doable but demands an early start and extra water. Afternoon temperatures on the exposed ridges from June through September can be intense.
Fire conditions:
Griffith Park can close trails during red flag weather events. Check the LA Fire Department website or the official Griffith Park page before heading out during periods of high fire risk, particularly in late summer and fall.
What to Bring on the Hollywood Sign Hike
Water: Bring at least 2 liters per person. There are no water sources on Brush Canyon or Cahuenga Peak trails. On the Mt. Hollywood Trail there is a fountain at Dante’s View, about 1.3 miles in — but don’t count on it as your only supply.
Sun protection: A hat, sunscreen, and UV-protective layers. The trails above the canyon are fully exposed from start to finish, year-round.
Footwear: Trail runners or hiking shoes with grip. The Brush Canyon fire road is packed dirt and manageable in most athletic shoes, but the Cahuenga Peak single track has loose rock in sections where grip matters.
Snacks: No vendors on any of the trails. The Sunset Ranch Hollywood sits near the Brush Canyon trailhead but is not a supply stop. Eat before you go and bring something for the top.
Offline map: Cell service is generally good on the trails but can drop in the canyons. Download a map before you leave — it keeps you oriented at the junctions where the fire roads inside Griffith Park split off in multiple directions.
Hollywood Sign Views Without the Hike
These are the best spots in Los Angeles to see the Hollywood Sign without setting foot on a trail.
Lake Hollywood Park
3160 Canyon Lake Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068 Open sunrise to sunset daily
Lake Hollywood Park is the closest you can get to a front-facing view of the Hollywood Sign without hiking. The park sits directly below the sign with an open grassy area and an unobstructed sightline to the letters. It’s one of the most photographed spots in the city for good reason — the framing is clean, the sign is close, and there’s free street parking along Canyon Lake Drive.
Get there early on weekends. By mid-morning the park fills up and the parking along the street gets competitive.
Griffith Observatory
2800 E Observatory Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027
The Griffith Observatory lawn offers one of the most classic long-range views of the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles. You’re looking across the hills with the letters facing you and the city spread out below. It’s a wider shot than Lake Hollywood Park but gives the sign more context and makes for a stronger landscape photo.
Parking is paid and enforced daily — check the official Griffith Observatory website for current rates before you go. The DASH Observatory Shuttle runs every 15 to 20 minutes between 10 AM and 10 PM and is the easier option on busy days.
Mulholland Drive Overlooks
Several pullouts along Mulholland Drive give elevated views of the sign from the north side of the Hollywood Hills. The Jerome C. Daniel Overlook is the most established stop, sitting above the Hollywood Bowl with sweeping views toward Mount Lee. It’s a drive-up experience with no hiking involved.
Ovation Hollywood
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 Open Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 10 PM, Sunday 10 AM to 7 PM
The rooftop bridge on the third floor of Ovation Hollywood offers a straight-on view of the Hollywood Sign from the middle of the Hollywood Walk of Fame area. It’s convenient if you’re already on Hollywood Blvd and want the shot without driving into the hills. Parking is available in the shopping center garage.
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Hollywood Sign Hike FAQ
Can you touch the Hollywood Sign?
No. The sign is surrounded by a security fence and monitored by security cameras 24 hours a day. An LAPD officer is stationed near the sign during trail hours. All three trails end above and behind the letters — you can get close, but there is no public access to the sign itself. Trespassing is enforced.
Is there a fee to hike to the Hollywood Sign?
No. All three trails are free to access and no permit is required. Parking at the Griffith Observatory lot is paid and enforced daily — check the official Griffith Observatory website for current rates before you go. The trails themselves have no entrance fee.
Is the Hollywood Sign hike dog friendly?
Yes. Dogs are allowed on all three official trails and must be kept on a leash at all times. Rangers enforce leash laws and can issue citations. Note that dogs are not permitted on the Lake Hollywood Reservoir loop trail, which runs near the Cahuenga Peak trailhead — the hiking trail itself is dog friendly, but the flat reservoir path is not.
What is the easiest trail to the Hollywood Sign?
The Mt. Hollywood Trail, starting from Griffith Observatory, is rated Easy by the official Hollywood Sign website and has the most gradual grade of the three routes. It also has the only water source of the three trails at Dante’s View, about 1.3 miles in.
How far is the Hollywood Sign from Hollywood Blvd?
The Hollywood Sign is approximately 3.5 miles north of Hollywood Blvd by road. By trail, the Brush Canyon trailhead on Canyon Drive is about 2 miles north of Hollywood Blvd, with a further 3 miles of hiking to reach the sign from there.
Can you see the Hollywood Sign without hiking?
Yes. Lake Hollywood Park at 3160 Canyon Lake Drive offers the closest front-facing view of the sign without any trail hiking. The Griffith Observatory grounds and several pullouts along Mulholland Drive also offer clear views of the letters from a distance.
For a full guide to the best views of the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, including drive-up spots and neighborhood vantage points, we’ve got you covered.
For a guided experience that covers the Hollywood Hills and the sign along with Beverly Hills and celebrity homes, the Hollywood, Beverly Hills, & Celebrity Homes Open Air Tour depart from Hollywood Blvd and Santa Monica.
