WHERE TO PARK TO HIKE TO THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN
The Summit of Mt. Lee, above and behind the sign.
4 Popular Hikes to the Hollywood Sign
Below you’ll find route info, pros and cons, and maps for each Griffith Park hike.
Quick Summary: Click on the type of Hollywood Sign Hike you’re looking for.
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Then parking at the Innsdale Drive Trailhead is your best bet.
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Then parking on Western Canyon Road/Western Observatory Road is for you. And that steep parking fee benefits the park.
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The Section 9 parking lot is your best bet.
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Then you want the Brush Canyon Trail parking lot at the top of Canyon Drive.
Take a guided tour or read on to choose your own adventure!
These are just suggestions, of course, and there are many alternatives. Because many of the trails connect, you can certainly choose your own adventure.
But if you’re unsure and looking for some guidance, I hope these options will get you started and out on the trail.
A view of the sign from Mt. Hollywood Drive.
Note: When choosing it’s important to understand that the closest you can get to the sign is different from the closest view you can get of the front of the sign.
From any parking location you choose you can either walk to the front of the sign – I call this the “Frontal View” – or to the top of Mt. Lee (the hill that the sign is on) – this is “The Summit”, or both!
The Summit is much closer to the sign, but above and behind it. The Frontal View is a great view of the front, but not as close as The Summit.
If you have time, I would definitely choose both for the full immersive experience. It doesn’t require much more time.
Whatever route you choose, you’re in for a treat because the Hollywood Sign is located in Griffith Park – one of the largest “urban wildernesses” in the country.
At over 4300 acres it’s four times bigger than Golden Gate Park and five times bigger than Central Park.
Here are my top 4 parking-for-the-Hollywood-Sign-suggestions in no particular order. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The Fastest: Innsdale Drive Trailhead
If you park at the Innsdale trailhead you can get as close to the front of the sign as possible for a spectacular view within 30 minutes. If you have more time, you can keep going to the top of the sign within an hour and make the round trip in under 1 hr 30 minutes if you power walk it.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 4.5 miles roundtrip
Length: About 1.5 hours
The relative ease (it’s still a bit challenging at the steepest parts of the ascent!) of this option is why our tour on this route is called “The Quick and Dirty Hollywood Sign Tour.” This hike is partially on gravelly fire roads and partially paved. It also meanders through a small stretch of Hollywood Hills neighborhood – interesting in its own way. About 4.5 miles roundtrip.
Open in Google Maps: 6100 Innsdale Drive Los Angeles, Ca 90068
Advantages
+ This is the fastest and easiest route to the Hollywood Sign.
+ There is almost always great street parking available.
+ Parking is free!
+ If you’re really pressed for time you can get to the best close-up frontal view of the sign in under 30 minutes.
+ There’s often a food cart at the bottom selling fruity delights.
+ There’s sometimes a dude sitting in his carport selling drinks and candy bars.
+ This is a moderately challenging hike if you go all the way to the top of Mt. Lee. You’ll feel it on the way up so it’s great exercise!
Disadvantages
— The major drawback is that because this is the fastest and easiest hike to the Hollywood Sign, it’s also the busiest. It can be especially crowded on weekends.
— L.A. traffic can be tough getting to Innsdale on the winding narrow streets you’ll be traversing depending on where you’re coming from.
— If you’re just hiking to The Frontal View because of time pressure you’ll miss glorious 360-degree views from The Summit that include the ocean (depending on the fog), snow-capped San Gabriels (depending on the season), the San Fernando Valley (fer shur!), and the Verdugos, not to mention the L.A. Basin.
— This is a moderately challenging hike if you go all the way to the top. If you’re looking for a walk without elevation gain, this ain’t it. But if you only go to The Frontal View, it’s easy!
Overlooking Glendale/Burbank with the Verdugos and San Gabriels in the background on route to The Summit of Mt. Lee.
Enhance Your Hollywood Sign Hike with a Guided Nature Tour
Visiting the Hollywood Sign is an iconic LA experience, but a guided tour with Earth City Wonder transforms your hike into a deeper connection with nature. Our expert guides will bring the land’s history, geology, and ecology to life, providing fascinating insights along the way. Explore Griffith Park with an experienced naturalist and see the Hollywood Sign through a new lens. Book your tour today for an enriching, story-filled adventure!
2. The Most Convenient Place to Park for the Griffith Observatory + Hollywood Sign Hike: Western Canyon Road/Western Observatory Road
Looking back on the Observatory and DTLA on route to the Sign.
If you park on Western Canyon Road or Western Observatory Road, you can see both the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign on one half-day trip – depending on how much time you devote to the Observatory.
Difficulty: Challenging for the length
Distance: Up to 10 miles roundtrip
Length: Could be 4 hours or more depending how long you spend at the different locations
Depending on where on the road you park, your hike to The Summit alone will be around 1 hour and 15 minutes. If you add The Frontal View add a half hour +. This is about a 10-mile round trip hike and gives you a chance to see more of the park.
Note: Parking is expensive!
Open in Google Maps: Western Canyon Road
Advantages
+ You get to see the Hollywood Sign AND the Griffith Observatory on one trip!
+ You get to see more of the park than the Innsdale route.
+ At about 10 miles and 656 ft of elevation gain you get some pretty good exercise!
Disadvantages
— Be prepared to pay at least $10 Per Hour (!) to park
— It can be hard to find parking on weekends and Fridays.
— Traffic can be rough when it’s hard to find parking potentially making a delightful outdoorsy experience unnecessarily stressful.
— At 10 miles, you need to be conscious about bringing lots of water, sunscreen, good shoes, starting early and avoiding the hottest part of the year all together.
Want a Deeper Connection to SoCal ecology and the Hollywood Sign? Take a Guided Nature Tour
You can and should hike to the Hollywood Sign on your own, but with a guided tour from Earth City Wonder, you’ll go beyond the surface. Our knowledgeable naturalists will help you connect with the land's geology, ecology, and cultural significance. It’s more than just a hike—it’s an opportunity to experience the Hollywood Sign through the lens of nature and history. Join us today and discover a whole new perspective on this iconic landmark.
3. The Cheapest Way to Include the Griffith Observatory in Your Hollywood Sign Hike: The “Section 9” Parking Lot
The Pacific in the distance on route from the Griffith Observatory to the Hollywood Sign.
Parking in the Section 9 parking lot is a way to do the Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Sign half-day trip without having to pay for parking. For this you will have to be willing to take a slightly more challenging hike of 10 miles roundtrip (more if you add the frontal view) and 1030 ft elevation gain.
Difficulty: Challenging
Distance: Up to 10 miles roundtrip
Length: 4 hours or more depending on how long you spend at each location
Once you’re talking about a 10 mile plus hike you have to pay special attention to bringing enough water and sunscreen and if it’s hot making sure you start early.
Open in Google Maps: Section 9 Parking Lot in Griffith Park
Note: The lot closes at sunset. If you press your luck you will get locked in.
Advantages
+ Free parking!
+ You get to see the Hollywood Sign AND the Griffith Observatory in one go!
+ You can see an even broader cross section of the park and is diverse plant communities
Disadvantages
—The Section 9 parking lot closes at sunset. If you press your luck and stay late you will get locked in. Major drawback.
— Because this is a longer hike you really need to make sure you have good shoes, lots of water, and sunscreen – no matter the time of year.
— Real bad idea for midday in September or whenever temps are 90+ or air quality is unhealthy.
Go Beyond the Scenic Views—Discover the Stories Behind the Hollywood Sign
While a self-guided hike might offer some great views, a guided tour with Earth City Wonder lets you dig deeper. We’ll share stories about the Hollywood Sign’s history, the unique biodiversity of Griffith Park, and how the land shaped Los Angeles’ development. Ready to elevate your hike? Book your tour today for a more enriching, story-filled journey through one of LA’s most iconic landmarks.
4. The Most Ecologically Immersive and Least Crowded: Brush Canyon Trailhead Parking Lot
This is a less well-known route to the Hollywood Sign. At about 7 miles roundtrip (including the frontal view) and 1063 feet elevation gain, this is a fairly challenging hike. But it’s my personal favorite because it receives fewer visitors and has the most diverse instances of the common plant communities in Griffith Park. Don’t tell too many people about it. The tour we offer on this route is called “The Premier Hollywood Sign Hike.”
Difficulty: Challenging
Distance: 7 miles roundtrip
Length: 2.5-3 hours
There’s so much to see whichever route you choose!
The most “local secret” hike to the Hollywood Sign. It’s by no means a secret, but compared to the other routes it’ can feel quite wild.
Open in Google Maps: Brush Canyon Trail Parking Lot 2818 Canyon Drive, Los Angeles, Ca
Advantages
+ Free parking!
+ Less crowded than all the other hikes so it feels a bit wilder.
+The most diversity of flora.
+ You get a real feel for Brush Canyon as a particular part of Griffith Park.
+ Water! About 9 months out of the year there is a running creek which is why we get a little more diversity on this hike.
+It’s a challenging hike, so, great exercise. You’ll sleep like a log.
+A bit more tree-cover when it’s hot – but certainly much of it remains exposed to the sun.
+ The parking lot is next to a little family-oriented park with picnic tables and children’s jungle-gym-type amusements.
+ The “batcaves” are only a quarter of a mile away and a great add-on. We offer a Bronson Caves Tour (no spelunking, the city closed the tunnel known as the “batcaves”) that’s only 1 hour.
Disadvantages
—It’s a bit challenging, so, you will be tired depending on the temperature, your fitness level, how much water you drink.
— It’s not the most direct route to the sign. But it’s about, like, the journey, man.
— Parking is a bit limited so when this area is unusually packed parking may be difficult.
— The entrance closes to cars at sunset you can get trapped in if you push it. But just park on the street if you’re hiking in the evening.
Why take a walking tour of the Hollywood Sign if I can just go there myself?
We encourage you to explore until your heart’s content on your own.
When you’re ready to learn more about everything you’re seeing, smelling, hearing, and touching on the way and how it’s related to the cultural history of Los Angeles and California, or just want to practice ecotourism — getting to know the local ecology like you would learn local customs, currency and language when you travel to a new land – we’re here to help.
Earth City Wonder’s Los Angeles Walking Tours tell tales from the cultural history of Los Angeles and California in the context of the ecology that shaped them.
So, whether you’re a local or just passing through, and you want to have a better sense of the history of Southern California, it’s many peoples, the geology that brought us the Santa Monica Mountains and the San Andreas Fault, the climate that makes this place mediterranean, or learn a little about the plants that smell so good and the lizards that do pushups, check out our tours or sign up for a Workshop!
Learn the story of P22 El Virgen de Hollywood
Turn Your Hollywood Sign Hike into a Meaningful Nature Experience
Parking and crowds are part of the experience when visiting the Hollywood Sign, but with Earth City Wonder, you’ll make the most of your time on the trail. Our tours offer expert insights into the flora, fauna, and geology of Griffith Park, allowing you to fully connect with nature while learning about the area’s unique ecology and history. Reserve your spot today and enjoy a guided adventure that’s both educational and inspiring.