The Best (And Easiest!) Way To Hike To The Hollywood Sign

When I was ferociously researching landmarks and places to go in Los Angeles, there was one that just simply HAD to be included in my Los Angeles itinerary (which you can read about here). The Hollywood Sign. Oh, and I don’t mean just having a good old look at the Hollywood Sign, I wanted to get as close as humanly (and legally) possible!

I’d seen so many photos from behind the Hollywood Sign but I was baffled as to how to get to it, as there aren’t many simple resources online. In the end, I turned to my trusty google maps, and searched for the shortest distance to the nearest road. I found the Wonder View Trail. 

A little disclaimer before we start; when I say easy in the title, this by no means is going to be easy for everybody. I found this was the easiest, as it was the shortest route and also a lot less foot traffic than most Hollywood Sign hikes (as far as I know). However, this hike has some serious elevation (seriously, we were in the clouds at some points) and is not just a casual stroll. Just for you, I’ll include a few alternative hikes at the bottom. 

Hollywood Sign Hike: The Wonder View Trial

Now, many blogs and guides will be preaching to you to go to Griffith Park and take up one of their many hikes up to the Hollywood Sign. Which is great advice! You should DEFINITELY go to Griffth Park, and even go to the Griffith Observatory because they are beautiful parts of Los Angeles. However, the Hollywood Sign hikes in Griffith park are pretty long-winded and extremely steep. Also, for such an urban area you’d be hard-pressed to find useful information about parking and trailheads in Griffith Park (but please let me know in the comments if you do find any!). 

In the above map, I’ve pinned the Wonder View Trail, which is the trail I’m going to be referring to today (and the one that we did, yay!) 

Getting There 

I stress the importance of renting a car in LA in this post, but this couldn’t ring more true for this excursion. The trailhead is only accessible via car or private vehicle. You could opt to Uber to the trailhead from wherever you are but I would seriously consider renting just to have your own freedom and save a return Uber. We hired our red convertible for whizzing around LA from Trip.com – click below to pop in your dates and hire too!  👇

As I’ve shown on the above map, the trailhead is part of a residential area. You will need to drive past the Hollywood Hills and up to Lake Hollywood Drive. At the top of Lake Hollywood drive, you will arrive at Wonder View drive, which is where the trailhead is. You’ll see lots of signs saying “DEAD END”, “HIKERS TURN BACK”, “NO TURN OUT” etc. Please DO NOT ignore these. They are exactly right, it is a private and narrow road and you will get stuck at the top because there’s nowhere to turn around or park. Before you hit Wonder View Drive, keep right to stay on Lake Hollywood Drive and there is parking down at Lake Hollywood North Gate. 

Time Of Day

Figuring out the peak time to do the Hollywood Sign hike is completely up to your own preferences. I chose this hike because it’s a short and fast way (about 40-45 minute hike) to get to the Hollywood Sign. Additionally, I wanted a trail where it would not be packed with hikers and tourists. To maximise my chances of having a stress-free hike with optimal viewing, I chose to do the hike around sunrise.

Now, hear me out here. I am not a morning person, and I don’t think anybody thinks waking up at 5 am to do a 1.5 hr round-trip hike should be classed as fun. BUT, that morning light! I’m a bloody sucker for a golden hour (whether that be morning or evening) and, I can say I’ve watched the sun come up from behind the Hollywood Sign! As an added bonus we didn’t see a soul on the hike up and had the whole trail to ourselves, even the viewing area was deserted for the first 15 minutes we were up there. On our way back down we saw a handful of locals, on their morning walk. I fully recommend you do the Hollywood Sign Hike at sunrise rather than sunset. 

The Trail

Wonder View Trail takes you up the west side of Mt Lee and gains elevation quite quickly up the side of the mountain. As you start to reach peak elevation, you will see the manned radio towers on top of Mount Lee straight ahead. This will make the hike much easier, as you will have a marker for your destination: The Hollywood Sign. 

As you reach the peak, which is less than half a mile from the end of the road, the trail comes to a junction. You can either carry on toward the radio towers or you can take a very quick detour further up Burbank Peak, where you’ll find the perfectly positioned Wisdom Tree, an unofficial September 11th memorial. Climbing that little bit further will reward you with views of Burbank and Hollywood, you’ll also see Universal Studios to the left, identifiable by the huge Hogwarts Castle replica. 

Once you reach peak elevation, the trail starts to get flatter and more gradual. Sat at 1,820 feet, you will be at the summit of Cahuenga Peak, the twelfth highest summit in the Santa Monica Ranges. If you’re a bit of a Hollywood nerd (there’s no shame in it!) you’ll know the Cahuenga Peak is linked to old Hollywood history. Howard Hughes purchased the peak back in the 1930s as he desired to build a home for Ginger Rogers – although Ginger refused and the peak remained as it was. 

Continuing on towards the radio towers (if you can see them. We got caught in cloud cover and had to guess), the trail becomes rugged with steep rocks and steps. Eventually, you’ll come out at the backside of the “H” of the Hollywood Sign, which is now called Hugh Hefner Overlook (Hefner was instrumental in saving the Hollywood Sign from desolation back in the 1970s). 

After spending some time to take in the view of this incredibly iconic landmark, all you have to do is turn around and go back the way you came. Making it a three-mile round trip. Easy! 

Wonder View Trail

The Wonder View Trail (or sometimes known as Burbank Peak Trail or Aileen Getty Ridge Trail) is such a great excursion for those desperate to get up close and personal with a piece of history. This Hollywood Sign Hike is perfect for those who prefer a more quiet and rugged track, instead of a paved dirt track swarming with tourists. As I said, this track has its fair share of elevation so when I say it’s “easy”, I do mean that it’s fast and quiet, making it a fulfilling hike for those who want a quick outing with minimal hikers. 

Other Hiking Trails

This isn’t the only Hollywood Sign hike, and if you fancy a more challenging hike or even something a bit flatter there are heaps of hikes to get up behind it. Here are some I was reccommended.

1. Canyon Drive Trail to Hollywood Sign Hike  (easy-moderate) 
2. Griffith Observatory Trail to Hollywood Sign Hike (difficult)
3. Brush Canyon Tail to Hollywood Sign Hike (moderate)

So, there you have it! You’ve made it to the Hollywood Sign and completed the Hollywood Sign Hike! Did you end up doing this hike, or any of the other hikes I mentioned? Let me know down below how you found it and if you have any other tips to add. I’d love to hear from you!

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