HIKING THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN

Aha – Hollywood !! La La Land. If you are visiting Los Angeles – it is hard to miss the Hollywood sign. All of the tourists who visit are hoping to get the money shot with the Hollywood sign but from the past couple of years, it has become very difficult. Here you will find our recommendation for the shortest route (the best route) to hiking to the Hollywood Sign safety.

Your final destination will be on the top of Mount Lee, directly behind the Hollywood Sign. Immediately adjacent to this is the Los Angeles Communications Center. From here, you can see to Downtown Los Angeles and beyond, making this one of the most iconic views in California, and not just for the Hollywood Sign.

Beachwood Canyon/Mulholland Highway 3390 Deronda Drive is a popular Waze/Google Maps address location to get you up there. (IMPORTANT: This is the address which will get you up there). Know that you’re basically swinging up Beachwood Canyon to Mulholland and doing your best to ignore the phony signs and hike to the trail. Do not turn even if the map tells you to redirect and go back down.

We recommend parking on lower Beachwood and walk up a mile or so as parking is illegal up here on Saturdays and Sundays. The best way is to take Uber/Lyft up and get dropped off, but there’s no reception up here, so you’ll have to walk (downhill) back, which should take about 15-20 minutes.

The Deronda Gate, which looks like it’s someone’s home, but in fact, it leads to a park. While there’s a keypad on this gate, it operates on a timer that automatically unlocks between sunrise and sunset. (You can exit through the gate after sunset–just not enter.) Walk right in. Turn left and go up the hill a few feet, and you’re at the park where you get the closest frontal view of the Hollywood Sign. Turn right, and walk for .9 tenths of a mile following the Mt. Lee trail and you’re headed to the back of the Hollywood Sign, for one of the most spectacular views in Los Angeles.

When we’ve posted photos from our hike to the Hollywood Sign in the past on social media, the most common question in response is how to get a photo in front of the Hollywood Sign. Unfortunately, that is not possible except for a distance. You cannot get anywhere near the front of the sign from the top of Mount Lee.

This whole area is closely monitored by the LAPD because of its use as an emergency broadcast communications center. There is always a police cruiser parked inside the Communications Center, and there are security cameras and warning signs all over.

The Deronda and Mulholland Highway hikes are identical to one another once you get past that gate. In both cases, you’re walking along Mt. Lee Drive for about ~30 minutes. Sometimes you’re on pavement, sometimes you’re on dirt. This hike is easy to moderate and is slightly over a mile long (making it the shortest hike).

At the very beginning of the route, there’s also a large clearing where you can take up-close photos of the front of the Hollywood Sign. This is the absolute closest you can get to the front of the Hollywood Sign without breaking the law.

For its combination of simplicity, short duration, and straight-on views of the Hollywood Sign in addition to the behind-the-sign perspective atop Mount Lee, this is our top pick for the “best all-around” hike to the Hollywood Sign.

Overall, I think hiking to the Hollywood Sign is an incredibly fun experience that’s well worth doing. It’s also not nearly as touristy as you might expect, likely due to the challenge presented by parking and locals’ efforts to block access points. These hikes are among the most enjoyable in Los Angeles, with nice views along the way. To be honest, the backside of the Hollywood Sign is almost a footnote at the end of this, as the sweeping panoramic view of Los Angeles from the top of Mount Lee is truly exceptional.

Alternatively, the other option is hiking to the Hollywood Sign, which involves parking on Canyon Lake Drive (the Google Maps address is: Hollywood Sign, 3115 Canyon Lake Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068) or Lake Hollywood Drive will also do.

The upside to this location is that this is a spacious two-lane road, and there are actual (free!) parking spaces lining the road beginning at the above-listed address. This is also near Lake Hollywood Park, which is a nice place with great straight-on views of the Hollywood Sign. If all you want is a straight-on photo and no hike, this is the best option.

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