High upon Mount Hollywood is this AMAZING tourist attraction known as the HOLLYWOOD sign. You can see it everywhere in Hollywood if you know the right places to look (& also go to). I've always wanted to see the legendary HOLLYWOOD sign & got to on a recent California trip that took us first to Los Angeles, stayed 2 nights in Oceanside, went to San Diego, & back to Los Angeles. On the last day of the trip, we made the drive up to the Griffith Observatory (which was so amazing!) & while there, I got to see the sign in all its full-blown magical glory! Just so you know, we did not do the hike this time, only because I have issues with my knee but I did see where the hiking trails are. Maybe next time we can do the hike to the sign. There are many good places to check out this marvelous wonder, but I do believe the lookout points of the observatory offer the BEST views & opportunities to capture it on camera. If you're a nostalgic person like me, you will absolutely love Mount Hollywood & the sign! Trivia tip: Did you know that ORIGINALLY the sign read HOLLYWOODLAND & was constructed atop of Mount Hollywood in 1923? read more

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Too many trails to explore, probably the best kept secret LA has to offer, nature, birds , butterflies, rain or shine it's here, you will come in a bad mood or a bad day and leave feeling relieved. read more

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I'm a lazy piece of shit, but Matt B. likes hiking, so I have to hike with him once in a while so he doesn't leave me for a younger, less tired woman. Gotta look out for my kids. We had a weekend morning to ourselves (thanks, Grandma and Grandpa C.!) and instead of sleeping in, we decided to hike the Mount Hollywood trail with our friend Bret H. We met up at 9:00 in the closest Griffith Park lot and spent the next couple of hours moving our bodies, communing with our environment, taking in panoramic views, etc. etc. And okay, fine, you all win, it was genuinely great. The hike was long by non-hiker standards and I had to rest several times, sitting down and drinking water while Matt and Bret waited, still on their feet. But it wasn't strenuous, and it was quite pleasant on an August morning, before the sun came out in full force. The views were spectacular. We were right by both the Hollywood sign and Griffith Park, and we could see Los Angeles spread out beneath us in every direction. Kind of incredible that you can just go up and have this experience in the hours before lunch. I'm glad we went, and I'd actually be happy to go again. I'd recommend Mount Hollywood even if you're a blobbish weakling. It's a fantastic hike, good for your physical and mental health, and perhaps also your marriage. read more

Oh mah gah. It is a long and hard trail, super steep for a large portion of it at the beginning and there is no shade for most of it. I ran out of water and started looking for a bathroom at one point. No, it's not a mistake: I still gave this trail 5 stars. That's because it's worth it. The view when you get to the mountain ridge is amazing! You can see both the east end of the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood from the same spot. But that's still not the endpoint. Keep going and you will reach the Hollywood Sign. I've been driving around, taking visitors to take photos, and hiked the reservoir several times... and this is the first time I've actually made it to THE SIGN. And you get a good work out out of it too. Free parking with no time limit at the bottom. Space is limited so you need to come early. Unless you don't mind hiking an additional half or full mile. read more

I conquered Mount Hollywood! One of the best hike I've done in LA! You can start either at the Observatory in Griffith Park, a lot of hikers where coming from that direction. I started at Mineral Waters Picnic area (and parking) and went up via Amir's Garden, North Trail, Dante's View. It's longer, but worth it! Not grueling, a moderate hike that gets better and better. We ran into many horses on the way and it's a quiet, nice trail, not too many folks on it. The panoramic views of the city are some of the best, you can see the Observatory below and the Hollywood sign to the right. This kinda of view takes your breath away! From here you can return to your trail or go down on some other ones, there are so many trails and hiking options. It seems like Griffith Park offers an endless array. It's about a 3 mile hike (maybe a tad more), it feels great hiking it, taking breaks to admire the city views of Glendale, DTLA in the distance and take the nature in. There are more folks up at the the summit (along with a few benches), so wear your mask and social distance. People are mostly good about it. There's also a memorial dedicated to Tom LaBonge who passed away this year and loved and served our city. Beautiful hike, one of a kind, even for LA that has a lot to offer trails wise. Great if you live in LA and want a cool adventure in the city. If you visit LA, this could be a cool off the beaten path activity and you get to see cool landmarks! Bring water, a jacket, a snack, wear comfy shoes, and sun protective lotion (there is some shade on the trail). Hiking the Hollywood could be a fun weekend treat, it was for me! read more

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This a great hike with many different trails. I parked at one of the parking lots and it has tons of parking. In total hikes 6 miles I'm about 3 hours. There is a lot of incline so bring water and proper shoes! read more

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It's a hike but totally worth it . The people you come across are really nice love going here with my teenage son and pup read more

Sunday, January 26, 2014, was a slightly overcast day which was perfect for hiking. We had a great group of really nice Yelp hikers, along with a few of their friends, meet up at 8:30 a.m. at the bear statue. Thanks so much for joining me on my first Unofficial Yelp Event-Hike for 2014. We all started our hike near the intersection of Los Feliz and Fern Dell by the bear statue and Griffith Park sign. This first trail is called the Griffith Observatory Trail, and you can find it on Yelp. Follow this trail to the right of the road and eventually it turns into a fire road. You'll be able to see the Griffith Observatory looming overhead in no time at all. Once you arrive on top then just walk across the parking lot and continue on the Charlie Turner Trail. You will be able to get a great view of the Hollywood sign to the west. Keep going on this fire road and eventually you'll make it to the summit of Mount Hollywood. There are many other ways to get to the top of Mount Hollywood, but this route is my favorite. Mount Hollywood is only one of the summits within Griffith Park. To hike to the top from Los Feliz and Fern Dell and back down is approximately 6 1/2 miles. The elevation at the summit is 1,619 feet above sea level. It is not the tallest peak in Griffith Park because that distinction belongs to Cahuenga Peak. Back in May 2007 a wildfire burned 800 acres within Griffith Park, but the plants are coming back as is evidenced by Dante's View Garden. At the top of the mountain you'll be able to see all over L.A. and to the ocean when it's clear. You can see Glendale, Burbank, the Verdugo Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains too. These are all the cool Yelpers and their friends who hiked with our group today: Wan L. Tony L. Tim C. Bic T. Nahid D. Ruth T. Rosemarie Y. & her friend Melissa Samantha C. Craig F. & his friend Mitsuko Mandi T. & her friend Fan Kris A. Thank you so much to Tony L. for taking all the great group photos. I hope I get to see you all on another hike this year or Yelp event. Get out and go hiking in the new year! Here's a happy song to help you get moving: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM&sns=em read more

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Celebrated Memorial day with a hike at Mt Hollywood, a prominent peak in Griffith Park, located above and behind Griffith Observatory. While it isn't the park's tallest peak at 1,625 feet, the summit offers excellent 360-degree views of Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory, plus a pulchritudinous views of downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Mountains. Moreover, its level of difficulty is easy to moderate with some steep short elevations. I began my hike at Western Canyon, accessible via Fern Dell Drive. This entrance to Griffith Park is located right off Los Feliz Boulevard, and it's famous for the bear statue. The path trails are well kept and wide enough to distance yourself with other hikers. Getting to the observatory was relatively easy but once you go further up north to Dante's view/peak is where you see a good bird's eye view of Los Angeles. I headed further north of the trail deeper into Griffith towards the Hollywood sign via Vista Del Valle drive where you can see the Hollywood sign from a distance on left side and the Valley, on right side (see photos). Hiking Mt Hollywood will definitely take your entire day and I suggest bring plenty of water, sunscreen and music. Overall I love hiking trails and it has become one of my favorite trail in LA and highly recommend it. read more

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The Mount Hollywood Trail at Griffith Park is the best easy hiking trail in Los Angeles. Nope, we didn't enounter any rattlesnakes or mountain lions when we hiked it, but we did encounter an awesome pre-dawn view of Downtown Los Angeles. In fact, as we hiked higher and higher, the views were more stunning at various different spots on the trail. We started our hike shortly after the Vermont Avenue gate opened at 5:00am. It was nice to start this hiking trail before the mid-morning crowd poured in at 9:00am. It's always best to start the hike early to avoid having to pay for parking at around Noon and before the Observatory opens to the public or you'll otherwise never find a convenient parking spot. The trailhead for Mount Hollywood starts at the Griffith Park Observatory next to the parking lot. The trail stickiest part of the trail is the slightly steep incline at the start of the trailhead and after you cross the bridge. From there, it's pretty much flat walking for most of the trail. I'd say that it's an easy hiking trail to push a baby in a stroller. Note there are three trails that branch off from the bridge. Go towards the left to stay on the easy trail towards Mount Hollywood. Speaking of distance, the Mount Hollywood Trail is about 3.5 miles one way, which is about 45-minute walking. The entire trail is switchback or of a zig zag pattern, which means you're actually walking zip zag up the side of a mountain. You'll see the same views of Griffith Park Observatory, you then notice the addition of the Greek Theater, and eventually (as you get higher) you will see Downtown Los Angeles with the Greek Theater, and The Griffith Park Observatory. You know that you're close to the vista point of Mount Hollywood when you pass Dante's Garden. Dante's Garden is this little oasis along side the trail. It has a few benches and a garden of mixed trees and shrubbery. It also has its own unique views of the Los Angeles area. Just past Dante's Garden is the vista point of what I believe are the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Echo Park, Atwater Village, and Glendale and the 5 Freeway. Stunning views! Eventually, the trail leads into a grand "side view" of the Hollywood sign. It was nice to watch the moon disappear from behind the sign. In an instant, you'll find that the trail forks into two paths that leads to the top of Mount Hollywood. The left path is the longer route and the one the right is shorter. The top of Mount Hollywood has the best views of the greater Los Angeles area. I love that there are plenty of picnic tables and benches around to sit and relax. It's just as convenient to lay a small blanket on the ground to sit. My favorite moment at Mount Hollywood is on a cloudy early morning, because one can catch the sun and it's glorious rays of colorful light peering down onto Downtown Los Angeles. It's surreal. read more

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ONE WAY OR ANOTHER... Griffith Park is packed with over 50 miles of hiking trails and Mt. Hollywood, the second tallest peak sits at 1,625ft with an amazing 360 degree view, including the Griffith Park Observatory, downtown LA, Hollywood, and the Hollywood Sign and so much more. There is more than one path to the summit of Mt. Hollywood. STATS: Distance 6.5 miles Elevation Gain: a bit over 1600ft. Time - 3.5-4 hours Trek: Loop Trail Trail: Single Track and Fire Road Rating: Intermediate/Advanced WARNING: Snakes, bobcats, mountain lions OUR ROUTE: There are many trails that lead to Mt. Hollywood, but for this review, the trail starts out near the Ferndell Nature Area, at "The Bear." The origin of this trek winds through the cool canopy California sycamores accompanied by over 50 fern species, tropical plants and blooms, a restroom, and child's play areas with picnic tables. Enjoy the shadiness of the sycamores, because they do come to an end and the repose of the hike to Mt. Hollywood you will be fully exposed to the elements. Best to do this hike in the cooler months, or early morning/evening in the warmer months. Keeping up-trail, out from under the shade trees, eventually a view of Mt. Lee, most famous for the Hollywood Sign, as well as the Griffith Park Observatory were in our sights. At the three-prong fork in the road, we took the one on the right, which leads to the Griffith Park Observatory. At the far end of the Observatory parking lot is a street sign for Charlie Turner Trailhead, a nice shady patch in the Berlin forest. We proceeded on our dirty, dusty hike on a fire road to Dante's View, where we made a pit stop to refuel water bottles and enjoy the grand view of the city below, as well as Dante's Garden. The final stretch to the peak of Mt. Hollywood is a steep uphill climb on hard, yet, slippery fire road. Place with good traction are always necessary, but especially along this type of terrain. Once at the top of Mt. Hollywood, packs were dropped on the picnic tables, and we maneuvered to the far end of the picnic area to soak in the far and wide 180+ degree view. From Dodger Stadium, to downtown LA, to Hollywood, to Century City. If you like cityscapes, you're certain to enjoy this scene. It was downhill from there. While we double backed in some areas, our trek down took us past the Greek Theater, a whole other side of the park. JUST ONE WAY Parking near this trailhead, to start at "The Bear" is a bear. No parking on the main drag, and residential parking sparse. The best parking is on the residential side streets south of Los Feliz Blvd. N. Oxford Ave., N. Serrano Ave, or N. Hobart Blvd. This hike is best after a good rain or Santa Ana winds, in other words when the air is clear. The views can be quite amazing without the LA Haze. DISCLAIMER: Hiking is not something that can be taken lightly. It can be life-threatening as you see and hear on the news, people die or get lost all time. Please, if you are going to hike, never go alone and prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Remember when going for a hike, no matter how short you think it may be, always be prepared. Carry at least two liters of water for every five miles (more if the weather is warm), protein bar, nuts, and electrolytes. Wear sturdy lug sole shoes and protective clothing. Some areas the weather can change quicker than a firefighter can put on his gear. It is also very important, always always always let a family member or friend know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Lastly, have fun when you hike it up. read more

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This hike is also listed under Charlie Turner's Trail and Griffith Observatory Hike - it's all the same thing. I've done this hike dozens of times. I love doing it early on a weekend morning then heading down to one of the many breakfast spots in Los Feliz. There are multiple places to start this hike to make it as long or short as you want. Griffith Park gets very busy starting at 10am and parking is virtually impossible after 11am so I always get started hiking by 8 or 9. I often just park near the observatory and do the shorter one mile version to the top. Then I'll do some of the trails that branch off on the way down. The view is incredible from the lookout at the top. Yes, the Hollywood sign. But on a clear day you get an amazing 360 degree view. Los Angeles to Santa Monica to Encino to Burbank and Glendale. On the clearest days you can see all the way to Palos Verdes. It's a relatively easy hike; you see people of all ages and fitness levels doing it, from wrinkly old seniors slowly plodding along to firefighters in training, running with weights on their waists and backs. If you start this hike from the observatory parking lot you'll find the trailhead well marked. A good workout with the payoff of a great view. read more

Some reviewers remark that this is the same hiking trail as Charlie Turner's Trail and Griffith Observatory Hike. Technically, this trail starts near the zoo area. This hike to the Hollywood sign starts at the Griffith Park parking lot west of the merry go round off of Fire Road.. It is ~6.7 miles roundtrip with ~2,400' elevation gain/loss. The workout is pretty decent for a shorter hike if you choose to take some steeper trails up. The trail is mostly single file with few loose rocks under foot. There are a few areas that are a pretty steep ascension, but for the most part, the trail is at a steady incline. Once you reach the fire road, it is a paved, wide road and a short climb up to the Hollywood sign. Views are beautiful of LA including Hollywood Lake on a clear day. parking - free lot read more

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Love my hiking spot :) it's abt 3 miles up & down starting from the Griffith observatory parking to the very top of the view area...60 minutes or less depending on how fast you walk or jog or run...best short hike if you don't have lots of time but if you have lots then there are lots of trails around the mountain. Go for it! read more

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I've hiked Mount Hollywood twice now and for some reason I don't know why I haven't reviewed it before. I really enjoyed view and the trails which were strenuous but not difficult. The day was pretty hot and dry and very dusty but the views-of both LA and the Hollywood sign. We didn't finish any of the trails we started but we were there as this time as an interlude between meals. The only gripe is that parking is a chore, especially on nice days, which in LA means everyday. read more

This was my first and honestly one of the best hiking grounds I've been on. I rate the easiness 7.5/10. It's great for a beginner, and it offers an AMAZING view of Hollywood! Everyone that hikes here was very friendly. Majority of them bring their dogs, so there's dogs all over (which just adds to the excitement if you're a fan of dogs like me). It's great for kids as well, but just keep an eye out for them. read more

Have often taken Mt. Hollywood trail to Dante's Peak. It's an excellent hike that takes around 2 hours total. There are so many trails around this area of Griffith park, that you could also treat it as a choose your own adventure. The fire road is easy to walk on, and you could detour on your way back down to see the Observatory. Just remember where you parked... Griffith is deceivingly large. The best hike to meet up with friends has parking just above the trails cafe and is never too busy. Suggest bringing water and perhaps starting before 11am so you don't get too hot, it's a sunny one. read more

What's not to love about the top of Griffith Park? There are many trails to get here, but you cannot take a bad way. Awesome views when you get to the top, plus you get a good workout. read more