Mt. Lee is home to the iconic Hollywood sign. Back in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, the sign had always been accessible. Unfortunately, it was vandalized badly—to the extent that the city optioned to tear it down. Luckily, a few celebrities and other investors each purchased a letter of the sign for its restoration. Now, you can’t legally touch the sign, but you can get within seventy-five feet of it and enjoy the miraculous view.
First, venture up through the two miles of Beachwood Canyon ‘til you reach Sunset Ranch. Parking is rare most of the time, so I suggest arriving early. Thus, you will begin your journey on the Hollyridge Trail. While following this first part, there will be ridiculous amounts of horse manure, but for the most part, it doesn’t smell. You’ll follow this for about fifteen to twenty minutes, then you can choose to continue straight or make a sharp left and veer up the mountain—don’t worry, it’s another trail.
While on this last part of the dusty trail, a paved road will come into sight. Make a right and follow this road. It will appear as if you are walking away from the Hollywood sign, but you’re not—you are simply just walking around on the north side of Mt. Lee
After about another twenty-five to thirty minutes, a chained-link fence will now be on you’re right. It will block you from actually touching the Hollywood sign, but this will signal that you’ve made it! If you go to the very top, which is above the road and near the security entrance, you will get the best view of the Southland. On a clear day, you can see the LAX, Santa Monica, and the Pacific Ocean. Overall, the hike up the mountain is about forty-five minutes if you keep a constant pace. Make sure you savor the breezy, half-hour walk back down to your car.
