The Hollywood Trail Hike That Takes You To The Top Of The Hollywood Sign
Locals and visitors to Los Angeles love getting close to the famous Hollywood sign. Have you wondered if you can walk up to the Hollywood sign letters? I hate to be the one to burst your bubble but no. Sadly you cannot walk directly to the letters. However, you can get decently close by hiking to the Hollywood sign.
There are several different hikes that can offer you different views from the sign. With a lot of different options, it can be difficult to know which one to choose. Today I’ll be sharing with you the best hike to the Hollywood sign that I have experienced so far. It’s also the hike that my friends recommend as well!
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Hiking to the Hollywood sign has been on my Los Angeles bucket list for years! When I began doing my research on hiking to the Hollywood sign I wanted the shortest hike. Depending on the Hollywood trail you choose the hike can be well over six miles. The shortest hike to the Hollywood sign according to my research is by starting out on the Burbank Peak Trail and then combining it with the Aileen Getty Trail. The only problem? This is not a hike for a casual hiker. The incline on the trial is intense.
When I did the Burbank Peak Trail I gave up on getting to the Hollywood sign and settled for seeing Wisdom Tree. However, I knew I would still make it to the sign I just needed to try a different trial. So I started asking around and found that a lot of my friends and co-workers recommended the Bronson Canyon trail.
Bronson Canyon Hiking Trail
What To Know Before Your Hike
♥ There is free parking near the trail. Use the address 3200 Canyon Drive Los Angeles, CA 90068.
You will find parking lots at the end of Canyon Drive. I made the mistake of parking in the first lot that I saw. Now that wasn’t the end of the world but considering how exhausted I was by the end of the hike I was bummed to see that I could have parked closer. Drive past the first parking lot to see if you can find a parking spot closer to the entrance. That lot could be full and you might have to go back to the first one but after an exhausting hike, the less distance you have to walk back to your car the better!
♥ You can take a short side trip to the Bronson Caves that were used in the Adam West Batman Series
The entrance to this trail is near the first parking lot. You can read all about my experience with the Bronson Canyon Bat Caves.
♥ What Kind Of Hike Is This
- 6-7 miles
- It is a good trail for those who do not have a lot of hiking experience
This is what the entrance to the Bronson Canyon Trail looks like. To the right of my roommate, you can see a gigantic map. The map highlights a few different trail options. Compared to the Burbank Peak Trail this way to hike up the Hollywood sign is much easier. There were a few times where I did have to stop and catch my breath but for the most part, I felt great during the hike.
Throughout the hike, there are several nice spots to stop for a photo of the Los Angeles skyline. I loved being able to see downtown as well as the ocean. In a city that never seems to sleep, it’s always nice to find spots that feel calm and far away from the hustle and bustle.
Close to halfway through the hike, there is an overlook with a bench which is a perfect spot for a break. Luckily, since this is a popular trail you shouldn’t have to wait too long to find someone that you can ask to take a picture for you. We also saw plenty of people who brought their selfie sticks on the hike with them. That is always an option if you don’t want to wait and ask strangers to take your picture.
Eventually, you will finish the Bronson Canyon Trail hike and will see the sign in the picture above. This is when you will choose if you want to go on the front side of the sign or the backside. Since I have seen the front side of the sign more times than I can count I decided that I wanted to hike to the back of the Hollywood sign. If you too want to go to the back of the sign it’s the Mt. Lee Summit hike that you need to combine with the Bronson Canyon hike. Want to go to the front side of the sign? Just take a left when you arrive at this sign instead of a right. Just a reminder that you can’t go up to the letters but you can get close!
The Mt. Lee Summit hiking trail takes you along the fence you see in the picture. So you are only about 10 feet away from the back of the Hollywood sign. For better pictures though it is recommended to get on top of the summit. In under five minutes, you can make your way from the letters to the summit.
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I was so happy when my friends and I made it to the top of the Hollywood sign. It always feels so good to finally accomplish something that you’ve been wanting to do for a long time. The view from the back of the Hollywood sign is really nice. And of course, there are plenty of people around to ask to take a picture which is great! My friends and I did this Hollywood Trail Hike on a Thursday from 10:45 am to 2:00 pm. I would say plan on spending at least 2.5 hours on the trail.
