Getting as close as legally possible to
the Hollywood Sign!
| Most people who travel to LA
are eager to catch a glimpse of the famous Hollywood Sign,
but I wanted to do more than merely see it. I
wanted to get as close as legally possible to the Hollywood
Sign.
A friend told me that he knew how, then he led me on a hike to the top of Mount Lee, just above
the iconic letters. Through a tall chain-link fence, I looked down at the backward corrugated metal letters and support beams, a behind-the-scenes look at the Hollywood Sign that most people never see. There were also gorgeous views of multi-million dollar homes; the glimmering man-made, but lake-like, Hollywood Reservoir (Lake Hollywood); and, because it was an exceptionally clear day, the Pacific Ocean. The Hollywood Sign Hike instantly became one of my favorite things to do in Los Angeles. |
 |
| A few years later, I was charged with helping my little
brother with one of his
elementary school projects. My brother, Matthew, mailed me a
paper cutout version of himself, “Flat Matthew," along with
a note asking me to show Flat Matthew around California and
photograph his adventures. Of course, Flat Matthew had to do the Hollywood Sign Hike. A friend and I drove Flat Matthew to Hollywood. At the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Canyon Drive, we headed north on Canyon Drive. Soon, we could see the Hollywood Sign in the distance. (fun fact: When the Hollywood sign was originally built in 1923, it read Hollywoodland, to advertise homes for sale. Over the years, the sign has been repaired, rebuilt, and shortened to read Hollywood.) We knew that we had arrived at the trailhead when we reached the end of Canyon Drive. We parked, tied on our hiking shoes, tossed some bottled water into a backpack, and began our hike. (note: From the same parking area, you can access "the Batcave." See my photos and story about the Batcave here.) Our moderately strenuous, mostly shade-free, hike gave us beautiful views of Griffith Park. Depending on the time of year, the park is mostly green-brown (winter to spring) or brown-green (summer to fall). In the spring, the park is peppered with wildflowers. As we gained elevation, we could occasionally see Griffith Observatory sitting regally on a hilltop with downtown Los Angeles visible in the distance. |
 |
| About three quarters of the way to our destination, our trail changed from
dusty dirt to a paved road. The road
wrapped around the north side of Mount Lee.
We looked out over Burbank where we could see Forest Lawn
cemetery, Walt Disney Studios, and NBC Studios. Finally, we continued around to the south side of Mount Lee and photographed Flat Matthew with the backside of the famous Hollywood Sign. Two years later, when “Real Matthew” visited Los Angeles, I took him to see the Hollywood Sign. Although Matthew’s visit to Southern California included many exciting adventures, he told me that Hollywood Sign Hike was his favorite! |
I did this most recently in 2017 in Hollywood, California, USA. |
|
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jen is also known as J.W. Lynne, a best selling author of eleven novels. Click on any of the titles below to see the book on Amazon! THE UNKNOWN: Eight kids learn the shocking reason why they were kidnapped. ABOVE THE SKY: A girl lives in a world where touching her soulmate is forbidden. THE DARKNESS OUTSIDE: A teen is locked in a bunker to take a simulated trip to the moon. KID DOCS: An experimental program turns kids into doctors. WILD ANIMAL SCHOOL: A girl falls in love with a boy at an exotic animal ranch. WHAT HE DIDN'T TELL ME: A traumatized girl meets a boy with a horrible secret. IF I TELL: A teen wonders if her father is a serial killer. Besides reading books and dreaming up stories to write, Jen's favorite activities are singing along to musical theater soundtracks and hiking in California's beautiful parks. **Jen's books are available on Kindle Unlimited.** |
|
*
In Lost in Los Angeles,
the characters hike to
the Hollywood Sign and experience many other
bucket-list-worthy L.A. adventures. Use it like an insider's
Los Angeles travel guide to plan your own itinerary. Don't miss this powerful, romantic story with a shocking ending that you'll never see coming! Just weeks after eighteen-year-old Erin tragically loses her best friend, she is brutally betrayed by her high school crush. Plagued by crippling anxiety attacks and disconcerting visions of her dead friend, Erin travels to Los Angeles, searching for a sign that life is still worth living. Shortly after she arrives in L.A., she meets Ben, a mysterious man who captures both her curiosity and her heart. As they explore Los Angeles together, Ben reveals shocking secrets of his tragic childhood and helps Erin believe that she can heal from the wounds of her traumatic past. But Ben is hiding a horrible secret. A secret that could destroy her. If you love inspiring romantic contemporary novels, don't miss this powerful read! LOST IN LOS ANGELES is available as a Kindle ebook and in paperback. Find Lost in Los Angeles by J.W. Lynne on Amazon.com! |
 |
|
Hollywood Sign Hike map T-shirts and water bottles are available at Cafepress for men, women, children, and dogs!  |