Cahuenga Peak Hike

CAHUENGA PEAK HIKE

DISTANCE: 2.4 Miles Roundtrip
ELEVATION: 1821'
ELEVATION GAIN: 856'
TYPE: Out-and-Back, with options for the Lonesome Pine
and Hollywood Sign
HIKING TIME: 1 -1.5 hours, allow extra time for visits to the
Lonesome Pine and Mt. Lee/Hollywood Sign
RATING: Strenuous, but short
FEATURES: Vistas of San Fernando Valley and Downtown
LA, Hollywood Resevoir, the Lonesome Pine
and the Hollywood Sign. For early risers, this
also makes a great sunrise hike.

TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS

Though it boasts the highest point in Griffith Park, Cahuenga Peak is overshadowed, more often than not, by its slightly more diminutive neighbor, Mt. Lee, with its array of antennas and that famous billboard that once hawked land sales in the hills above Hollywood. In fact, Cahuenga Peak wasn't even part of the park until recently, having been previously held by the Howard Hughes estate for over 60 years. Hughes had intended to build a palatial estate on the property for his soon-to-be wife, Ginger Rogers, but Rogers broke off the engagement while Hughes was in the hospital recovering from a car accident. The exact cause of the breakup is unknown, though rumors state Rogers was fearful of being kept prisoner in the 'castle on the peak' by an increasingly eccentric Hughes. Or it may have been his frequent infidelities. He was reportedly engaged to at least one other actress at the time and dating a third. But whatever the reason, Rogers apparently returned all of Hughes gifts in a gift basket at the hospital and the grand plans for Cahuenga Peak were forgotten for over a half century. The 138 acres was long assumed by most Angelinos to be part of nearby Griffith Park, but the property was quietly sold by the Hughes Estate in 2002 to Fox River Financial Resources for $1.6 million. Los Angeles residents fearing they may be looking at overwrought mansions just to the left of the Hollywood Sign urged their leaders to save the peak. $6 million were raised, but in 2008 Fox River divided the property into 5 lots and offered them for sale at a combined total of $22 million. At the same time, the Trust for Public Land launched its Save Cahuenga Peak campaign, and with last minute donations from Hugh Hefner, Aileen Getty and The Comfort Tiffany Foundation, the parcel of land was acquired for $12.5 million, thereby preserving the peak in its natural state. The hike listed here is the shortest route to the summit and makes for an excellent sunrise hike. Short side trails lead to the Lonesome Pine on Burbank Peak and the Hollywood Sign on Mt. Lee. It should be noted that there are no direct views of the sign on this hike. To view the sign from below, try our longer Hollywood Sign Hike that also encompasses the summit of Cahuenga Peak. Cahunga Peak is part of the 5 Peaks, the tallest mountain in each of the 5 surrounding mountain ranges and is a must have summit for peakbaggers.

Click the full frame icon in the upper right corner for a larger map in a separate window.

Directions to Trailhead

Wonder View Dr. & Lake Hollywood Dr.
Hollywood, CA

Exit the 101 at Barham Blvd and head north toward the San Fernando Valley and Burbank. Proceed about .25 mile to Lake Hollywood Drive and turn right. Continue for about another .5 mile. You will pass a turn for Wonder View Drive on your right. DO NOT take this turn. Continue straight, passing the dirt lot on your right. At the next intersection, Wonder View Drive continues straight ahead and Lake Hollywood Drive turns right. Make the right turn and park on Lake Hollywood Drive. Walk back to the intersection and turn right onto Wonder View Drive, following the light green metal fence. The first .25 mile or so is through a residential neighborhood, so be courteous. At the end of the street you will find a gate that marks the official start of the trail.

Cahuenga Peak Trail Guide
Click for downloadable PDF guide and map.

Parking

Parking is available along Lake Hollywood Dr. Walk back to the
intersection with Wonder View Dr. and turn right. The first .25 mile
or so is through a residential neighborhood, so remember to be
courteous.

Unofficial Trailhead

The trail doesn't officially begin until the end of Wonder View Dr., but
this is where you begin your walk. Just before the official trailhead
you will pass a dog refreshment stand and rattlesnake check-in
station provided by a friendly neighbor to keep track of snake activity
on the trail.

Trailhead

Pass around the gate at the end of Wonder View Dr. and continue
for a couple of hundred feet to the electrical tower.

Trail Junction 1

Bear right at the electrical tower and past the bronze marker on to
a narrow, rocky single-track use path and continue for approximately
.5 mile to the summit of Burbank Peak or .75 to Cahuenga Peak.

Trail Junction 2

The use path will intersect with a long path following the ridge down
from Cahuenga Peak to Burbank Peak. Turn left to take in the view
of Cahuenga Pass at the Lonesome Pine (aka Tree of Life) about
100 yards west on the ridge trail. To reach Cahuenga Peak, turn
right and head uphill following the ridgeline for about .33 of a mile.

Burbank Peak and the Lonesome Pine, 1690'

Enjoy the views and don't forget to leave a message in the red tool
box under the tree.

Trail Junction 3

Tree of Life Trail converges with the ridge trail. Continue uphill to the
summit.

Cahuenga Peak, 1,821'

Congratulations, you've reached Cahuenga Peak, the tallest point
in Griffith Park at 1,821'. Continue on the trail to descend the
eastern slope of Cahuenga Peak to reach the Hollywood Sign on
Mt. Lee. To return to your car, simply retrace your steps down the
ridge toward the west.