Hollywood Sign facts at a glance
The sign stands on Mount Lee in Griffith Park, in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains. You can look at it for free from public viewpoints and trails. There is no ticket and no entry fee for viewing, and no age rules apply.
The numbers below answer the questions visitors ask most. If you want the story behind them, read the history of the Hollywood Sign. If you are planning a viewing trip, the viewpoints page lists good places to start.
Size, height and lighting
Figures for today's sign and, for comparison, the original.
| Fact | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Letter height (today) | 45 ft / 13.7 m | Steel letters built in 1978 |
| Total length | About 350 ft / 106.7 m | Approximate: the length is given as 350 to 450 ft |
| Sign site elevation | 1,578 ft / 481 m | The spot where the letters stand |
| Mount Lee summit | About 1,700 ft / 518 m | Approximate summit height |
| Cahuenga Peak | 1,820 ft | Nearby peak on the ridge |
| Lighting at night | None | The original sign had about 4,000 bulbs |
| Original letter height | 50 ft / 15.2 m | First sign, 1923 |
The summit and the sign site are different heights, because the letters stand below the top of Mount Lee. That is why you will see two numbers for the elevation.
Our pick: from the air
Our take: the thirty-minute flight passes the sign on Mount Lee.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Hollywood Sign tours and Los Angeles day trips
Guided hikes, bus and van tours, and flights with views of the sign, with live prices and availability.
Rules around the sign
The area around the letters is closed to visitors. Approaching or touching them is not allowed, and police, fire crews and park rangers monitor it around the clock. A booked guide does not lift that limit, and there is no tour that takes you to the letters.
The trails that run above and behind the sign are open between sunrise and sunset. Griffith Park has general park hours of 05:00 to 22:30, but that does not mean you can hike after dark. Stay on marked trails, keep dogs on a leash, leave bikes at home and do not light fires, smoke or drink alcohol. Horses have right of way. Plants and animals are protected, so do not feed wildlife.
On the trails, the trailhead on upper Beachwood Drive has been closed to the public since April 2017. Read the Hollywood Sign hike page for the routes that work.
Where you can see it
Three public places that work for photos.
Ovation Hollywood
The complex at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue gives you the sign above the rooftops. It is also called Hollywood & Highland.
Griffith Observatory
The observatory grounds look across to Mount Lee. The building is free to enter, and the planetarium costs extra.
Griffith Observatory guide →Lake Hollywood Park
The park is open from sunrise to sunset. Neighbourhood parking rules in the Lake Hollywood area changed in 2025, so read the signs before you leave your car.
Quick facts for your visit
Short answers to the practical questions.
Cost
Viewing the sign costs nothing. There is no ticket for the sign itself. Costs come from parking, a planetarium show at the Observatory or a guided outing.
Night
The sign is not lit, so after dark you will see little. Plan your viewing for daylight, or for the warm light before sunset.
Guides
Guided hikes and vans take you to the same public viewpoints and trails as everyone else. No outing gives special access to the fenced area.
Birthday
The sign turned 100 in 2023. The city declared 31 October 2023 Hollywood Sign Day, and the letters were cleaned and repainted ahead of it.
Hollywood Sign facts: frequently asked questions
How tall are the Hollywood Sign letters?
Each letter is 45 ft (13.7 m) high. The total length is about 350 ft (106.7 m), an approximate figure.
Where is the Hollywood Sign located?
On Mount Lee in Griffith Park, in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains of Los Angeles. The letters stand at about 1,578 ft (481 m).
Is the Hollywood Sign lit at night?
No. The sign is not lit at night today. Only the original 1923 sign carried about 4,000 bulbs.
Can you visit the Hollywood Sign?
You can see it for free from viewpoints and from trails above or behind it. You cannot walk up to the letters or touch them, and tours cannot change that.
When can you hike near the sign?
The marked trails are open from sunrise to sunset. General park hours of 05:00 to 22:30 do not allow night hikes.
Is this the official Hollywood Sign website?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not run by or connected with the Hollywood Sign Trust, the City of Los Angeles or any attraction mentioned here.