Discover the mountain, home of the famous Hollywood sign

It’s iconic in movies, but that wasn’t the original plan for the Hollywood sign. Discover the mountain that is home to this famous sign, learn about the wildlife that lives around it, and find out what you can do while visiting this part of California!

History of the Hollywood Sign

In California, there’s no shortage of billboards to tell you about the greatest new show or new product. In 1923, the Hollywood sign was designed to serve just that purpose—to advertise a new housing development. It cost $23,000 in total and contained more than today’s version. It was equipped with electric lights and the entire area was called “Hollywoodland”, as the housing development that was being built at the time was called. There have been tragedies, media sensations, pranks, fundraisers and repairs since its inception, and 2023 marks the 100th^th Year.

The mountain home of the Hollywood sign

Mount Lee is the mountain that the Hollywood sign adorns. It’s unusually flat, but that’s not due to natural events. It is a reminder of fantastic plans made and later sadly abandoned. It was a movie mogul’s dream to build a mansion there – plans were afoot to include a butler’s pantry and even servants’ quarters. To build it, workers needed a flat foundation, so in 1925 workers began stripping down the mountaintop. By 1929, the movie mogul had lost almost everything after the stock market crash and his dream home was gone.

Wildlife around Mount Lee

Mount Lee is open to hikers and their pups, and many spend their time exploring the various trails that lead to the Hollywood Sign. Some of the trails are longer while others offer a more direct route to the sign. Perhaps the most popular is the one that meanders through Griffith Park, covering a total of 6.4 miles. Several mammals live here, including raccoons, possums and gray foxes. Larger mammals include mountain lions, coyotes, and mule deer. Reptiles include the California king snake, gopher snake, California whip snake, ringneck snake, and a variety of lizards. There are also over 200 species of birds throughout the park!

Activities around Mount Lee

If you drive to Griffith Park, you can explore the Bronson Caves, stroll through Farn Dell, and stop at the trail’s cafe. You will also have the opportunity to explore the Griffith Observatory. For a more low-key exploration of wildlife, you can visit the Los Angeles Zoo. If you’re looking for more of an adrenaline-pumping adventure, you can spend the day at Universal Studios Hollywood, where the rides are thrilling, the shows intriguing, and the dining options tempting.

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