Want The Best Views of LA? Hike Through The Hollywood Hills!
You want to take a hike, but you don’t know where to start. “Where are the best views?” “What’s the easiest hike?” “The Hardest?” As an avid hiker who lives in the Hollywood Hills, I’ve gathered the top three best hiking routes for any level of experience. With Apple’s new software update, you can also design your own hiking routes, so if these hikes aren’t enough or if they just don’t fit what you’re looking for, open the Maps app and start designing your ideal hike by selecting your starting point.
HOLLYWOOD HILLS
Let’s start with the best of the best. This hike has some of the most iconic landmarks, incredible views, and will leave you feeling tired yet very satisfied. This hike spans a whopping 7.3 miles, and has a gradual but tall elevation gain. This daylong journey brings you to many famous landmarks, including the Hollywood Sign, the Wisdom Tree, the Hollywood Reservoir, and finally Beachwood Canyon. All of these milestones showcase the beauties of Los Angeles from an elevated perspective.
You start at the base of Bronson Canyon, home to the Bat Caves made famous by Hollywood productions like Batman, Star Trek, Cabin Fever, and Gunsmoke. From this canyon, you have direct hiking access to the Hollywood Sign and surrounding attractions. Continuing on from the sign, the Wisdom Tree is another stunning scenic spot marked by a California Live Oak tree perched atop Cahuenga Peak. The lookout point gives you incredible views of the valley (Burbank, Van Nuys, North Hollywood), and the city (West Hollywood, South LA, Beverly Hills). Next, you will descend down to the Hollywood Reservoir, and finally return to the base of Bronson Canyon.
GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY
The next hike on our list is highly sought after by many tourists and sightseers. During a somewhat short 4.1 miles with only 1,000 foot elevation gain, this hike brings you straight to the steps of the Griffith Observatory, an iconic piece of classic architecture. On your way down the hill you can stop for some food or drink at The Trails Cafe, a small coffee shop located on Fern Dell Drive. Finally, you can make your way further down the street onto Los Feliz Boulevard which has a serene walking path covered with trees that provide shade no matter the time of day. Los Feliz will bring you to Vermont Avenue which will take you back up to your starting point near the Greek Theater.
THE LA ZOO
The final hike spotlighted is for those looking for a stroll in the park. Passing many rest points with a quiet environment, this moderate 5 mile hike with little to no elevation gain brings you along the outskirts of the biggest zoo in Southern California… The LA Zoo!
You start at Travel Town, a fun park filled with nothing other than trains, trains, and more trains. Then you make your way on a small dirt trail through the north side of the Griffith Park mountain. This trail dumps you out on the walking path (sometimes shared with horses) next to the Griffith Park Golf Course. After that you will make your way to the LA Zoo, a historic zoo home to 1,400 animals that represent more than 270 different species. This is a good place to stop and rest or to explore if you’re interested.
Boasting breathtaking views, the Hollywood Hills hold some of the most spectacular hikes in Los Angeles. The main Hollywood Hills hike highlights the most iconic landmarks in the US. The Observatory hike brings you to the classic Griffith Observatory, a famous building with great opportunities to stargaze (or citygaze). And the LA Zoo hike brings you to the biggest zoo in Los Angeles with so many animals you could spend all day there!