The Hollywood Sign stands on a steep hillside of Mount Lee in Griffith Park, facing Hollywood and the Los Angeles basin; the Hollywood Sign Trust says there is no charge to see it, that it sits in a restricted area where getting close to or touching it is prohibited, and that there are no official tours. The Trust lists three authorized hiking trails (Mt. Hollywood, 5.3 miles; Brush Canyon, 6 miles; Cahuenga Peak, 3 miles) open sunrise to sunset, and says the closest viewpoints are behind and above the sign. Griffith Observatory, which names itself and Hollywood & Highland as places to see the sign, has free admission and paid parking, and the city's DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus runs daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for 50 cents* (35 cents* with a Metro TAP card, 25 cents* for seniors and persons with disabilities; exact change), with a stop at Mt. Hollywood Drive for trail access. The City of Los Angeles says the higher parts of Griffith Park can be extremely congested with limited parking, especially on weekends, holidays and in summer, and the observatory notes roads may close when traffic builds; the park is open 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and the sign is not illuminated at night.
*Fees subject to change, please check griffithobservatory.lacity.gov for updated information.
Nearest Airports
Straight-line distance from Hollywood Sign, not drive time.
- Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope (BUR) — 5 miles
- Van Nuys (VNY) — 11 miles
- Santa Monica Municipal (SMO) — 11 miles
Live Conditions
Wildlife Spotted Nearby
We checked operating status, opening hours, fees and closures on 2026-10-14. These change without notice — confirm with hollywoodsign.org, griffithobservatory.lacity.gov and recreation.parks.lacity.gov the week you travel.
Sources — 8 claims, 8 checked against the source
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| The sign is in Griffith Park on Mount Lee; there is no charge to see it; it is in a restricted area where getting close to or touching it is prohibited; the closest viewing is behind and above the sign; there are no official tours (checked 2026-10-14) | Hollywood Sign Trust — FAQ | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Authorized trails: Mt. Hollywood Trail (5.3 miles), Brush Canyon Trail (6 miles), Cahuenga Peak Trail (3 miles), open sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year (checked 2026-10-14) | Hollywood Sign Trust — Hiking | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| The sign is on a hillside of Mt. Lee in southwestern Griffith Park and is not illuminated at night; the observatory names Griffith Observatory and Hollywood & Highland as places to see it (checked 2026-10-14) | Griffith Observatory (City of Los Angeles) — Hollywood Sign | Checked |
| DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus: 50 cents, 35 cents with a Metro TAP card, 25 cents for seniors and persons with disabilities; exact change required (checked 2026-10-14) | Griffith Observatory (City of Los Angeles) — Getting here | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| DASH Observatory/Los Feliz service operates daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with stops at the observatory, Mt. Hollywood Drive (access to hiking trails), the Greek Theatre and Hillhurst Avenue (checked 2026-10-14) | Griffith Observatory (City of Los Angeles) — Getting here | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Admission to the observatory building, grounds and public telescopes is always free; parking near the observatory is paid by credit card at pay stations; road closures are possible if traffic becomes congested (checked 2026-10-14) | Griffith Observatory (City of Los Angeles) — Getting here | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Park hours 5 am - 10:30 pm; the higher elevations of Griffith Park can be extremely congested with limited parking, especially on weekends, holidays and in summer (checked 2026-10-14) | City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks — Griffith Park | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Notice on the page reads: areas currently closed are Bronson Caves, Parkline Shuttle and Merry-Go-Round; the page recommends the DASH Observatory/Los Feliz shuttle for reaching the observatory or hiking to a view of the sign (checked 2026-10-14) | City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks — Griffith Park (closure notice) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |