The longer but gentler route from Brush Bronson Canyon is the easier way, but experienced hikers will enjoy tackling the rougher route from Cahuenga and Burbank Peaks. Before the gate at Beachwood Drive was locked, this was by far the easiest hike to a terrific viewpoint of the Sign. It was also clear coming up to the other side of the gate with KPCC that the neighborhood is really not equipped to handle that onslaught of cars.
By the time we reached the Bronson Cave it was early afternoon and definitely warming up, but we had seen a decent number of locals and tourists at the other spots on this route so far.
When we hiked through the caves to the viewpoint at the backside of the canyon, there were literally five other people there — one person working on her Instagram shots with a friend and a small family just out exploring. This is another lovely place to see the Sign and a fun place to explore for film buffs, families looking to enjoy the picnic area and playgrounds nearby, or hikers starting off on a longer trek inside Griffith Park.
For instance …. The Berlin Forest was planted in the early s to celebrate the 25 th anniversary of the designation of sister cities between Los Angeles and Berlin, Germany. The forest has been through a lot since then — including a wildfire that singed its northern reaches — but it still survives as a rare grove of dense pine trees and welcome shade in the otherwise sunny chaparral and sage scrub region of the Santa Monica Mountains.
And you only have to walk 0. In , the Tiffany and Co. The Foundation had previously done similar work on urban parks in other cities, but it was their first major initiative in Los Angeles. After more donors chipped in including well-known folks like Aileen Getty and Hugh Hefner and a massive public awareness campaign from the city itself, the land was acquired and annexed into Griffith Park.
The summit provides unparalleled views of the park and the surrounding city, and is one of the best places in L. Save for a few months back in when the Park was testing out a pilot program running shuttles along the road, this street along with Vista del Valle Drive has been closed to traffic since In the 70s and 80s, when parks across the state had to slash services due to reduced funds thanks, Prop 13!
When the Park closed the roads in , this section had a chance to recover from graffiti, vandalism, and illegal dumping — and recreationists rediscovered the natural beauty here.
In total, this trip put almost 14 miles on our hiking boots. Not including walking to and from Metro stops or in the Hollywood and Highland Mall , our route from the Hollywood Reservoir to the Bronson Caves was 9. We used Metro and DASH service whenever we could, but the fact that we had to use rideshare services twice highlights the work that still needs to be done connecting the different sections of Griffith Park and giving visitors ways to get into and around the park without a car.
I recommend that you park along Lake Hollywood Drive , because Wonder View Drive is a dead-end street with very little space to turn around.
Therefore, avoid driving on Wonder View Drive and plan your route very well. It is better to walk a little longer than to find yourself having to make complicated maneuvers to turn around. The route on foot is not easy but it is not too demanding either. It will take you 30 to 40 minutes to walk all the way to the Hollywood Sign, depending on your level of physical fitness. You have to add time to make stops to admire the view, fill the memory of the camera with pictures, catch your breath, and, of course, walk back.
Therefore, consider spending at least three hours to complete this walk. The ground on the trail is dry and dusty, so I suggest that you wear the appropriate shoes. In addition to this, keep in mind that the trail will be totally exposed to the sun and, especially in the summer, you will need to wear a hat and bring sufficient water with you.
The views you will see along the way will be very impressive, and perhaps even more beautiful than the other trails. You will reach a very famous viewpoint where the solitary Wisdom Tree stands out, which, besides being one of the few trees that survived the fire, will also be the only place where you will find shade.
Therefore, taking a break is highly recommended not only to admire the view but also to allow yourself a respite from the sun. Once past the Wisdom Tree , the route continues along the mountain ridge. The positive aspect is that there are no more excessive ups and downs in this section, but, at the same time, it will coincide with the most difficult part of the route, because you will have to be especially careful when you reach the point where there are two or three steps along the ridge and the path will also become much narrower.
The last viewpoint before you resume walking on a paved road that will take you to the top of Mount Lee is called Hugh Hefner Overlook. The donations of the founder of Playboy have made it possible for this piece of land to become public property again and thus ultimately allow you to walk on this trail.
The view of the Hollywood Sign is fascinating though I prefer a frontal view and from here, the sign is seen from a slightly lateral view as you can see from the photo. For this reason, it will also be very crowded with tourists who, especially in the high season, decide to take this route with the scope of taking a unique souvenir photo. However, the trail to reach the top of Mount Lee is very long at least an hour and a half one-way plus stops. In this case, my suggestion is that you evaluate whether you have time for such a long walk and, above all, if you feel up to it.
Sunset Ranch is a popular destination for those who want a different way to visit the Hollywood Hills. It offers many types of hikes along the Hollywood Hills, some of them on horseback with an evening barbecue included , which can definitely make your experience special.
Reaching this place is very simple. Just go to the end of Beachwood Drive. From there you will embark on the trail that leads to the Sunset Ranch and the Hollyridge Trail. This easy trail will lead you to the paved Mount Lee Dr , which will take you to your destination. Please note : Unfortunately, due to a lawsuit filed by Sunset Ranch which complained about the inability to organize hiking tours due to the high number of tourists passing through the area , as of April 18, , access has been closed to tourists who want to take the trail from the end of Beachwood Drive.
While waiting for this legal dispute to be resolved by the courts, you may access Sunset Ranch, but do not go on the trail on your own. In addition to being one of the most convenient ways to reach the top of Mount Lee, this route will allow you to discover an interesting location used in a television series.
The route to the top of Mount Lee starts right at the end of Canyon Drive, but if you want, you can take a little detour first to discover the place we mentioned above. Making this detour will not take long and will be an opportunity to take some interesting photos of the Hollywood Sign as well as give you a curious anecdote to tell when you get home. To get to the top of Mount Lee, you just need to drive all the way along Canyon Drive , until the paved road becomes a dirt road and continue to the intersection with the Mulholland Trail , which will take you to the famous Mount Lee Dr.
The route is not too difficult, although it will take you at least three hours with stops to get there and back. Among the many tours in Los Angeles to choose from, I highly recommend the helicopter tour. This is because it will give you a fantastic view, not only of the Hollywood Sign, but of the entire city and its main attractions.
It measured 50 feet high and nearly feet wide, with each letter outlined in a row of 8-watt light bulbs. The sign was an advertisement only meant to be up for 18 months, but the city fell in love with it. Due to popular demand, the sign became permanent. Time, the elements, and a drunken caretaker who crashed his truck into the H punished the sign.
After only 25 years, it needed to be completely reconstructed. The City of LA helped out in the reconstruction under the condition that the LAND be left off — along with the light bulbs, which were too costly to maintain.
This new sign lasted up until the late s when it once again needed refurbishment. Fortunately, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner hosted an auction at his mansion in which all proceeds went to preserving the sign. Each donor bid for individual letters in the sign, with Hugh Hefner winning the bid for H. The sign has received plenty of negative attention. Peg Entwistle gave the Hollywood sign even more fame — or perhaps notoriety — after she committed suicide by jumping off the letter H back in Because of previous vandalism to the sign and the dangers of getting too close to it, access is restricted and the area is heavily surveilled.
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