Hike to Hollywood Sign from Griffith Park Observatory

Hike to Hollywood Sign from Griffith Park Observatory | Los Angeles, CA

6/17/2018

The Hollywood Sign is one of Los Angeles's most famous icons. It stands on Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills. The best way to see the landmark is to hike from the Griffith Observatory.

📌 The sign was originally erected in 1923 to promote a housing development called Hollywoodland. Each letter is 45 feet tall and painted white.

We left the car in the paid parking near the Griffith Observatory. The starting point is located at the bottom of Mount Hollywood Drive. This paved road is closed to vehicles and begins from an intersection near Griffith Observatory where Western Canyon Road and West Observatory Road meet.

From that point, we hiked about two miles until we reached the Mulholland Fire Road on our left. We continued along Mulholland, with intermittent side views of the Hollywood Sign, until the trail hits Mount Lee Drive. The last part of the route follows a paved road to reach the summit of Mount Lee, directly behind the Hollywood Sign. A tall chain-link fence keeps hikers from approaching the tall white letters and restricts the view.