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Summary: This is a nice walk in "the park." Griffith is the largest urban wilderness area in the US. It is a good size chunk of land, and the view from Mt. Hollywood is spectacular on a clear day. It is best to make it to the top early in the morning on a day after it has rained. The blue sky is glorious on such days, and even the city can appear beautiful. This is a great hike for children, it is short, you reach a peak with 360' visibility. You can see the entire stretch of the San Gabriels, which are even more beautiful when covered with snow. You get to see the famous Hollywood sign on Mt. Lee, the pacific, the two valleys, and a great overhead view of the observatory. This is a great So Cal stroll just to enjoy, regardless of how many other people are around. Fewer people take the road, most come from the Observatory. Trailhead: From the 101 in Los Angeles, take the Vermont exit and head North until you reach the end of the road in Griffith Park. Pass under the tunnels, then park. There are a couple of different places to pick up this trail. You can start from the Observatory and end up there, or you can take the back way up and follow the access road (paved) for a mile until you reach an offshoot of the trail, and then follow it and its offshoots until you get back down off the trail. There are quite a few choices, but to make it to the top, just keep going up, it is obvious. (Lat:34.1281 Lon:-118.30093) Trail Guides for Mt. Hollywood: Best Hikes With Dogs - Southern California by Allen Riedel (Mountaineers books) California Hiking by Tom Sinestra and Ann Marie Brown (Avalon Travel) Best Seasons: Year-Round User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Horses, Ranger Contact: LA Department of Parks and Recreation (213) 485-5501 or (323) 913 4688 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Allen Riedel, who has posted 123 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 4 Submit your own review This is a great "easy" hike with a spectacular 360 degree view as a reward when you get to the top. Beautiful views all the way up, but the real view is at the summit, which is a great place to relax and admire our great city on a clear day with picnic tables and trash bins. Get there early if you want to avoid parking problems. I have been hiking to the top of Mt Hollywood for then last 15 years. I got to meet Charlie Turner before he passed away, What a great guy. Three years ago my wife and I hiked to the top for a Valentimes day picknick. I proposed to her as we sat and watched the Sunset over the santa monica mountains. She still gets teary eyed when we watch the sunset from the top of Griffith park. I took the subway and got off on Hollywood/Western for this hike. Didn't have to deal with parking. Perfect escape from the city. I will be back frequently. Clean trails but always find litter to pick up. Do your part and help keep our parks clean for everyone to enjoy. Don't litter. hiked this on 7/27/08. we got there at 5pm. parking was crazy! a lot of ppl at the observatory. not a lot on the trail. good for families. i did this hike with my bf. took us about a lil over a hour to get to the top. very nice view but it was really foggy/smoggy. would be great after a rain. we were at the top for about 45 minutes. saw horses and birds, hawks and such. Nice after-work hike just before sunset. There is a water trough for horses & dogs and a water fountain at Dante's View. Picnic table at the top for a snack with excellent views. Watch for rattlesnakes on the trail. I just recently moved to Los Angeles and its nice to have such a nice trail so close to home. The trail is very well maintained. I went on a windy day and visibility was great. I was able to see all the way to the ocean. I can't wait to hike this at night and see the city lights. Here are some pictures I took while on the trail: http://tinyurl.com/24kpuu This is by far one of the nicest hikes I've been on. I've hiked Runyon, Temescal, and most frequently Fryman Canyon. However, Mt. Hollywood embodies everything I want in a hike; great views, gradual and easy incline but still a bit challenging. The trails are little difficult to follow, but it was easy to find. To top it all off, it is right by the Observatory!!!! I walk and run for 1 hour to the communication towers above the Hollywood Sign from the tunnel near the observatory. Bikes are not allowed at the fire road that is why I did not make it to the tower on my first attempt. Turn right at Mulholland highway at the end of the fireroad - this will take you to the communication towers overlooking the Hollywood Sign below, There are "No Hiking" signs posted - you will be arrested if you hike down to the Hollywood Sign. Beatiful: 360 view of Los Angeles, Lake Hollywood, Century City, Downtown LA, Burbank, Glendale, etc. I will try Canyon Road and Beechwood Rd. trails next time I go up the other peak beyond the communication tower. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Los Angeles County Hiking, Los Angeles County Trails, Los Angeles County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||