Hollywood Sign Hike Los Angeles: Front, behind, and the view
Two vantage points of the sign, one trail through the Hollywood Hills
You hike to the front of the Hollywood Sign for the classic shot, then continue behind the letters to a viewpoint most LA visitors never reach. Your guide handles the photography at both spots, shares the real stories behind Hollywood's history, and points out the studios, landmarks, and celebrity homes visible from the trail. Choose between a full 2.5-hour loop or a 90-minute express. Free parking at the trailhead, and you leave with restaurant tips for the rest of your trip.
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Step-by-step itinerary
Hollywood Sign hike and views
- Hike to front of Hollywood Sign
- Continue behind Hollywood Sign
- View Lake Hollywood reservoir
- Stop at Lake Hollywood Park
- Explore Hollywood Hills scenery
- Pass through Griffith Park
- See Griffith Observatory from trail
- Spot Burbank film studios below
- View historic Hollywood area
- Look down on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- See Beverly Hills mansions
- Enjoy Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica views
- View San Fernando Valley behind sign
- Spot Glendale skyline landmarks
- See Sunset Strip from above
- Spot Capitol Records Building
- View Hollywood Bowl concert venue
- Guide shares Hollywood stories and history
The experience
What if the photo everyone takes of the Hollywood Sign is only half the story? The hike starts at the trailhead in the Hollywood Hills, and within the first stretch you're climbing toward the front of the letters: the angle that fills every Instagram feed. But here's where this one differs: your guide doesn't stop there. The full 2.5-hour hike keeps going behind the sign itself, to the closest legally accessible viewpoint in the city. That's the moment most visitors to Los Angeles never get. The trail runs 4 miles total on an easy-to-moderate grade, and the guide (First Aid and CPR certified) doubles as your personal photographer at both spots, so you're not the one holding the phone the whole way up.
The hike threads through Griffith Park, and the context matters. Your guide walks you through the real history of Hollywood as you climb: the scandals, the studios visible from above (Disney, Warner Bros. spread across Burbank below), the way the neighborhood actually built itself. From the trail you see the Griffith Observatory framing the LA skyline, the Capitol Records Building, the Hollywood Bowl, and on clear days the Pacific and Santa Monica to the west. Behind the sign, the San Fernando Valley opens up: nearly 500 square miles in a single glance. The guide points out whose house is whose in the Beverly Hills spread below, spots the Sunset Strip from above, and knows the stories that make each view land. Lake Hollywood Park sits on the route too, a man-made reservoir that's been in countless films. The whole thing unfolds against the Hollywood Hills themselves.
You choose the pace at checkout: the full 2.5-hour loop that covers both front and behind, or the 90-minute express if time is tight. That one runs 1.8 miles and hits the front viewpoint only. Either way, parking is free at the trailhead Monday through Thursday (no parking Friday–Sunday or holidays, but free street parking is nearby). Wear closed-toe shoes and layers, since elevation changes the temperature as you climb. The guide meets you outside by the long white gate at the trailhead entrance, wearing a neon yellow Bikes & Hikes LA vest. This company has been featured by the New York Times, The Today Show, USA Today, and the LA Times, and books about 26 days in advance on average, which tells you something about how fast spots fill.
After the hike, the guide hands you insider restaurant and sightseeing recommendations for the rest of your LA trip, and you get a discount code for other Bikes and Hikes LA experiences if you want to explore more of the city on foot. Ninety-eight percent of travelers recommend this one.
What’s included
Your day includes a First Aid and CPR certified guide who doubles as your personal photographer at the best viewpoints, a choice between the full 2.5-hour hike (front and behind the sign) or the 90-minute express (front only), free parking at the trailhead Monday–Thursday, insider restaurant and sightseeing recommendations for the rest of your LA trip, and a discount code for other Bikes and Hikes LA experiences.
Options for this experience
4 optionsBefore you book
Prices and times updated yesterday
Operated by Bikes and Hikes LA Tours
Is this one for you?A good fit if you want both the iconic Hollywood Sign shot and the behind-the-letters viewpoint most LA visitors miss, without arranging your own route or holding a camera the whole way up. The full hike is 2.5 hours and 4 miles on an easy-to-moderate trail. That's what fits both viewpoints into one morning or afternoon.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
Can I do just the front of the Hollywood Sign without going behind?
Yes. The 90-minute express covers 1.8 miles and stops at the front viewpoint only. The full 2.5-hour hike covers 4 miles and includes both the front and the behind-the-sign viewpoint.
Is this hike difficult?
The 2.5-hour route is easy-to-moderate difficulty on a 4-mile trail. The 90-minute express is easy, covering 1.8 miles. Both are suitable for most fitness levels, though the company does not recommend it for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.
What's included in the price?
Personal photography at the best viewpoints, a First Aid and CPR certified guide, insider restaurant and sightseeing recommendations for LA, and a discount code for other Bikes and Hikes LA tours.
Is parking available?
Free parking at the trailhead Monday–Thursday (non-holidays). No parking Friday–Sunday or holidays, but free street parking is available nearby.
Can children do this hike?
Recommended for ages 6 and up. Children must be able to hike independently. No strollers on the 2.5-hour route. For children under 6, the 90-minute option is strongly recommended.
What should I wear?
Closed-toe shoes are required. Layers are recommended because temperature varies with elevation as you climb.
How do I find my guide?
Meet your guide outside by the long white gate at the trailhead entrance. They wear a neon yellow Bikes & Hikes LA vest.
Are service animals allowed?
Yes, service animals are welcome on the hike.
How far in advance should I book?
This tour books about 26 days in advance on average, so it's worth reserving your spot early.
Will I get good photos?
Your guide is your personal photographer at both the front and behind-the-sign viewpoints, so you'll have professional-quality shots ready for Instagram and TikTok.
Hollywood Sign Hike Los Angeles: Front, behind, and the view
2h 30m · EN
from US$ 29 per person
4.921,622 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider