1. The Best and Easiest Hike to the Hollywood Sign

    The Hollywood Sign is one of the most iconic and must-do sights in Los Angeles and definitely something that you will want to take a photo of as well as get as close to as possible. However if you look up driving directions to the Hollywood Sign, all of the navigation apps will automatically send you to the Griffith Observatory several miles away. From here (as well as from the other “official” viewing spot at the Hollywood and Highland shopping complex on Hollywood Boulevard), you will only be able to see the Hollywood Sign far away in the distance. I had seen the sign from both of these viewpoints years ago and the view is disappointing to say the least.

    However the good news is that it is possible to hike up to the Hollywood Sign and it is also completely free of charge to do. It is not a difficult hike (it’s more of an uphill walk) and it will take you to the top of Mount Lee where you can also get an incredible view of Los Angeles. It is also not too touristy so you can easily avoid crowds when other places in Hollywood are busy. There are several different routes to get to the Hollywood Sign with different starting points but this route is the easiest, simplest and quickest and if driving, you also will not have any issue with car parking or worries about your car being towed away which I believe can be a problem on some of the other routes listed online.

    So here is my step by step guide with photos and instructions of the easiest way to get to the Hollywood Sign. I have now done this hike several times with the most recent being March 2024 so these instructions are also up to date.

    The start point for this hike is Lake Hollywood Park and the address you need whether driving yourself or taking an Uber/Lyft is 3160 Canyon Lake Drive. There is plenty of free street parking along Canyon Lake Drive next to the park itself and I have never had a problem getting a parking space whenever I have been here. However you cannot park in the areas where the curb is painted red and do not drive uphill any further to try and park closer to the sign as this is the only place you can park.

    As of 2024 make sure to check the parking signs along Canyon Lake Drive as one side of the street now only allows for fifteen minutes of parking whilst the other side of the road (which is where you need to park) has no time limit.

    You can get a great view of the Hollywood Sign from Lake Hollywood Park itself so if you want to get a good photo but do not want to do the walk, then this is the place to come.

    After parking your car, start walking up Canyon Lake Drive which becomes Mulholland Highway. You will also start to see some fake and home made signs saying that pedestrians are not allowed any further past this point – ignore all of these signs (you will not get into trouble as they are not official signs) as they were put there by some of the residents who live nearby to try and deter tourists from walking past their houses.  I have seen different signs on every trip and I remember seeing them the first time I wanted to see the Hollywood Sign up close years ago and turning around – how little I knew back then.

    Whilst walking along this route is completely okay as these are not private roads and the trails are public access, driving and parking your car further up in the residential areas on Mulholland Highway is not okay and there are regular parking enforcement patrols (I have seen them give out tickets to cars parked here) so always make sure to park your car next to Lake Hollywood Park on Canyon Lake Drive.  Also as this is a residential area, remember to be respectful and not make too much noise when walking past the houses early in the day.

    Once you have entered the residential area on Mulholland Highway, keep to the left when the road splits into two and continue walking uphill.  You will come to a junction where you need to turn left to carry on walking up Mulholland Highway.  Again there are signs and barriers located across the road saying “No Access to the Hollywood Sign” but again ignore these as they are referring to vehicle access and not pedestrian access.  You are not breaking the law by walking along this road.

    As you carry on walking along Mulholland Highway, you will see the Hollywood Sign above you on the left but keep following the path that you are you on around to the right which will look as if you are heading away from the sign.


    As you continue to walk along the path, you will be able to see more beautiful views through the palm trees of the Hollywood Sign above you on your left hand side.


    Once you reach the end of this path, you will see a large gate in the distance.  It will look like a dead end as you approach it but as you get closer, you will see a walkway past the gate on the left hand side. Keep to the left once you have passed the gate and this will lead you to the start of the trail to walk up Mount Lee and to get to the Hollywood Sign.

    As of 2024 there is also a small gate with keypad access located here as well which is unlocked from sunrise to sunset allowing you to pass through unrestricted during these hours. I have uploaded a short video showing this gate which you can find here on YouTube..


    From parking at Lake Hollywood Park to reaching this spot should take approximately twenty minutes. At the start of this part of the trail, there is a great spot on the left where you can get another incredible view of the Hollywood Sign if you did not want to walk any further. This is the closest to the front of the Hollywood Sign that you can legally get.

    After taking all of your photos of the Hollywood Sign from this spot, start walking up the trail which is called Mount Lee Drive.  You will also see some incredible views across Los Angeles on this section of the hike.  I have been to Los Angeles so many times over the years and I have never seen the view of the city as clear as what it was on this trip. Also do not worry that at times you will be heading in the opposite direction of the Hollywood Sign – you are heading the right way as the path leads behind Mount Lee on the way to the top.

    When the trail splits into two further up, take the left path to continue walking up Mount Lee Drive as turning right will take you along the Mulholland Trail.  No more directions are needed from this point as this path will lead to the summit of Mount Lee and the Hollywood Sign. You will also be able to see views of Burbank, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros Studios.


    Despite not being steep, the last part of the hike is the hardest as every time you think that you are almost at the top, you turn the corner and there is still more of the path to go. Once behind the Hollywood Sign, climb the last few steps up the dirt path to the summit of Mount Lee where you will be rewarded with one of the best views in Los Angeles and one that you will never forget.

    The walk from parking the car at Lake Hollywood Park to the summit of Mount Lee took about fifty minutes with plenty of stopping to take photos along the way.


    The best time of the day to hike up to the Hollywood Sign is early in the morning before it gets too hot, overcast, smoggy or busy if hiking at the weekend or late afternoon.  There is little to no shade along the route so you do not want to be out in the middle of the day which would not be fun. We arrived at Lake Hollywood Park at 7:30am which was a perfect time – especially as we had arrived in Los Angeles from London the previous day and our body clocks were wide awake!

    When hiking to the Hollywood Sign, it is a good idea to make sure you have a bottle of water with you as will need it especially when the weather is hot. Also make sure to use plenty of SPF and remember to wear comfortable shoes (trainers are ideal) and to take sunglasses, a hat as well as your camera with you.

    If you need to access mobile data whilst visiting the USA, you can purchase a travel E-Sim through Airalo. If you would like to use my referral code NIKKI8866 when signing up, you will receive £2.50 / US$3 off your first purchase.

    Have fun in Hollywood!

    Since this blog post was first written back in 2020, some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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    69 thoughts on “The Best and Easiest Hike to the Hollywood Sign”

    1. Kelly M

      Did this hike around 5pm in early May and it was the perfect way to see the Hollywood sign and the beautiful city skyline. The pictures and tips made it easy to follow what would otherwise be a tricky route to navigate. Really appreciate the detail that went into this post! Can’t wait to do it again on my next trip to the city of angels.

      Reply ↓
      1. Nikki Post author

        Thanks for your comment and I’m so happy that you loved the hike to the Hollywood Sign. Late afternoon for sunset is a great time to do the hike. Have fun and enjoy your next trip 🙂

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    2. Carter

      Hi, thank you for the detailed directions. Do you know how many miles from Lake Hollywood Park to the sign? Is this shorter than the Hollyridge Trail that starts at the very top of Beachwood Canyon Dr.? Also, in the morning around 8am, is there people on this trail? Is it safe to be alone?

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      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Carter. The distance from Lake Hollywood Park to the Hollywood Sign is just over two miles each way so about a five mile round trip but it does not feel that long when you are walking it so I think the Hollyridge Trail from Beachwood Canyon is slightly shorter. I have done the walk/hike several times now (always early in the morning) and there has always been others on the trail. If you are worried go early on a weekend as there are more people there then than during the week. Have fun 🙂

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    3. Emma Holsvik-Garcia

      Wow! Followed your detailed instructions and we got exactly where we wanted. Thank you so so much for this guide, it was honestly amazing!! If your looking for a way to get to the Hollywood sign I would highly recommend this. From our car to the top, and then back down took about 2 hours (with stopping for pictures) and was about 4.8 miles TOTAL. Super nice path the entire way up and was such a beautiful sight to see. Would DEFINITELY do again🙌🏼 Thank you again Nikki

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        1. Emma Holsvik-Garcia

          Yes was totally worth it!!
          Do you have any other recommendations for things I should do in Los Angelos, Cali area?? Any other super cool hikes???

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    4. Ellie

      Just found this article. Super helpful! We are planning to take this exact route next month. Just to check, is this all still open? I’m reading mixed reports of this route been closed off. Can we definitely pass through the signs that are blocking the road we need to take as shown in your photo? Thanks!

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      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Ellie. Yes this route is still good and you can pass all of those signs no problem as long as you are on foot and not in a car. Have fun 🙂

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    5. Milena

      Nikki your detailed info was amazing! The photos were extremely helpful. Thank you for making it so easy!

      Reply ↓
    6. Nitya Jaikumar

      Thank you for the detailed directions. We are travelling with an infant and was wondering if this hike is stroller-friendly.

      Reply ↓
      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Nitya. I’d say about 90% of it is stroller-friendly – the only bit that is not paved or completely flat is the path just before you reach the gate. Hope this helps 🙂

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    7. Deb Fox

      Nikki your tips and photos were a great help
      We have lived in Glendale since 2003 and have driven up just to take photos to the Lake.

      My niece has been visiting with me from Ireland and had a list of things to do while she was here so today May 25th 2022 we took your link and walked all the way to the top🥰❤️.

      Thank you
      ☘️ Irish living in LA

      Reply ↓
      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Deb glad to hear you finally walked all the way to the top. Hope your niece manages to tick everything off her list 🙂

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    8. Zoe

      Hi! This was incredibly useful as my mum and I will be going to America this September holidays as we are from Australia. My main question is if we were to go at 7:30 am, will we still get sweaty? We are planning to take the warner brothers studio tour afterwards and we don’t want to go back to our hotel after the hike. Thank you!

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      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Dez. As mentioned in the blog about fifty minutes up, a little quicker down and however long you want to spend at the top. Have fun in Hollywood 🙂

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    10. Kelly

      Hi Nikki, my friend and I are heading to the west coast nxt weekend, thank you for this post, this route look so easy and fun, do u know if still accessible?

      And any other fun things to do or place to eat you can recommend?, would totally appreciate it.

      Reply ↓
    11. Irie

      Hi honey, was wondering if i can uber it to the top (in front of the white gate) or is that just wishful thinking ? I have two kiddos and just worried they’re gonna pass out on me 😅

      Reply ↓
    12. Katie

      Stumbled upon Nikki’s info for the Hollywood sign. It was PERFECT!! The picture follow along helped my family and we were able to get pics from below and above the sign. Thank you Nikki for the helpful info! You made our trip to the sign so much easier!!

      Reply ↓
    13. Kim S

      This is exactly the type of detailed information I was looking for – thank you so much for putting this together Nikki!!

      Reply ↓
    16. John

      Went to hike up Mt. Lee this morning (Fri, Nov 24, 2023) and … nope. The gate at the end of Deronda that used to let you have access to Mt. Lee Drive is locked with a keypad entry now. I don’t know if all of this is due to the 100th anniversary of the sign and the fresh, new paint job, but it seems they’ve got it locked up unless you go on one of the other hikes from Griffith Park or another trail.

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    18. Kirsty

      Hi Nikki! This is such a useful step by step, thank you so much for posting it! I’m visiting in July, so will look out for your update on the gate. I wondered if I was to walk to Griffith Observatory from the Hollywood Sign (after doing your route) is there anything I should know? Google maps suggests a route that looks fine, but you never know if there’s unexpected gates etc!

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      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Kirsty I’ve never done the walk from the Griffith Observatory so cannot help you there but I should be in LA next month so I can update on the gate 😀

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        1. John Keel

          Update on my comment from November and word is that the gate at end of Deronda is not locked anymore. I hiked up from Bronson Canyon 2 weeks ago and talked to a some people heading down that way on Mt. Lee Drive who said it was unlocked. I still think it might have been because of the 100th anniversary and they wanted to keep everyone away until after the photos/video for the actual birthday.

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            1. Kirsty Cousins

              Hi Nikki, that’s so very helpful, thank you so much! I really appreciate the video too – no doubt that fence would have made me reconsider if I’m going the right way! Cant wait to visit 🙂

    19. Autumn Richardson

      Hi, is the hike okay to do alone early hours of the morning? If not, are there hiking groups that you can find on Facebook to do this with? Thank you 🙂

      Reply ↓
    20. Bruce Bladon

      Thank you Nikki really helpful. We went up this way and then came back on the Hollywood Trail. Your route was much more interesting and fun. Like so many, sure we would have been turned back by the signs and the gate without your blog.

      Reply ↓
    21. Kristine Jamir

      Hi. Now that it’s summer, sunset is not until later. Does the trail close and/or is there a time period where no parking is allowed at all? Thinking of going for sunset view. Also, is this trail kid friendly (5 yr old)? Thanks for your help.

      (Apologies if this question was asked before, didn’t see any as I was scrolling through the comments)

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      1. Nikki Post author

        Hi Kristine I checked my photos that I took when I was there a few months ago and the signs on the road say no parking from 8pm to 6am. And I would say that it is definitely okay for kids as I have seen families walk all the way up before 🙂

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    22. Brent M

      I did this route today with my kids and it works as of today. Two notes: (1) after Mulholland becomes split elevations for the different directions, don’t be deceived by the fire trail/road at 6161 Mulholland. Keep going straight on Mulholland and don’t turn left until Ledgewood splits off and Mulholland splits off to the left (presently no vehicle traffic). (2) At the nice viewpoint to the left when you get on Mt Lee Drive, there is a paved path that is not Mt Lee Dr. If you reach a water tower you need to go back down to the fork and got on the parallel paved road which is the real Mt Lee Dr.

      Thank you for your great blog. My kids and I would not have been able to go without your help following the “fast” route.

      Reply ↓
    23. José

      My husband and I did this route today and it was really easy and fun to follow your clear explanations. Thank you for this great guide!

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    24. Graciana Marini

      Hi Nikki!
      Thank you for sharing all this wonderful information. My family is visiting from Argentina and we plan to do this hike tomorrow (2/9). Do you know approximately how long it is from parking to the first photo spot with the sign?
      We’re bringing four kids and two grandparents so we won’t go all the way up to the sign.
      Thank you again for your generosity!

      Reply ↓
    27. Nathanel

      This is the best article I’ve found online about this area and this particular hike. Thank you so much. I kept reading it as I was hiking and looking for directions.

      Reply ↓
    29. Michele Williams

      So excited to try this hike in September! I am printing this entire article RIGHT NOW and putting it in our travel folder! 🙂
      Thank you SO VERY MUCH for the “inside scoop!” <3

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    30. John Keel

      If you’re going to take an Uber/Lyft, you should check the price difference between the one listed in this article that drops you off at Lake Hollywood, and the address 3390 Deronda Drive. That is the address of the last house on the dead end road that stops right at the gate you go in to start the walk up Mount Lee Drive. In the old days you could park there, but they’ve certainly eliminated that, and for good reason, to be honest. That eliminates the part of the hike, which isn’t terrible, from Lake Hollywood to that point and you just get right to the Mount Lee fire road and start the walk up.

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      1. Charles P LaFrance

        Hi John,
        I was hoping for some more clarity. Is there parking at the address listed in the article? Or just no parking at the address you wrote (3390 Deronda Drive.) My family and I are going next week and planned on driving so wanted to know. Thanks for the help 🙂

        Reply ↓
        1. John Keel

          There is definitely no parking at that address. This is a residential street and parking is for residents only. It’s the closest you can get to the sign but that’s why all the residents finally got the city to make it so tourists couldn’t park there. The hike starting at the park mentioned in the article is definitely not difficult, I just know from decades ago that this used to be the way I would go to get to the sign and since the road ends exactly at the gate you walk through to start the hike up, it’s an easy spot to start the hike.

          Reply ↓

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