Wisdom Tree Trail
The Wisdom Tree Trail is a 3 mile out-and-back that includes a trek past Cahuenga Peak over to The Hollywood Sign. The 800′ gain is the first 3/4 mile and it is steep, hot, and crowded while the scramble to the Hollywood Sign requires actual climbing giving this a difficulty rating of 8/10. Views of Lake Hollywood and Warner Brothers Studios are phenomenal.
The Parking – Lake Hollywood road from the Lake Hollywood reservoir straight uphill to Wonderview Drive has 8 zillion parking spots so try and park as close to the top as possible. On the weekend it fills up, especially later in the day. But don’t quit on it! You will find something.
The Best Thing – At the base of the Wisdom Tree is usually – less often recently – a metal ammo box with journals and pens where you can write a poem or read other people’s poems. Who is in charge of this? That’s a good question.
The Route – From your parked car hike up to the top and turn right onto the neighborhood street Wonderview Drive. Eight houses later you will arrive at a Jurrasic Park sized fence and gate. It’s open all day and locked all night. Don’t be intimidated but don’t hang out and watch the sunset!
After you pass through the gate the road will turn from asphalt to dirt and in 50 yards there will be access to a reservoir to the left. Don’t bother, keep heading forward and you will see an old fence to the left that blocks the road used by the high power electric line people. Don’t bother, keep heading forward and you will see a plaque from The Trust for Public Land donating Cahuenga Peak. The trail begins just to the left of the plaque.
FYI, Cahuenga Peak is a mound between the Wisdom Tree and The Hollywood Sign that we will walk over but honestly, it’ kinda meh. Sorry Trust for Public Land.
Back to the trail. You now head up a busy, well worn, rocky single track hiking trail. It may only be ¾ of a mile up to the ridge, but there is no shade and the elevation gain is significant. And did I mention? It’s busy.
At the top of the ridge you will see the tree to your left. So walk over there and look at the flags and cairns and journals and people… there is usually a lot going on. The view of Warner Brothers studios and Burbank are pretty great as is the view of Lake Hollywood and downtown Hollywood. Okay, enough of that. Turn around and head back along the trail along the ridge.
Pass the trail you came up on and head towards The Hollywood Sign. Before the halfway point of Cahuenga Peak you will pass a scrubby, rain-washed trail to your left. Remember that for later. When you arrive at Cahuenga peak there will be a clearing with a metal geographical disk marking the official summit hammered into the ground. Like I said before, Meh.
The remaining ¼ mile is downhill and has some significant drops requiring hand holds and root grabbing. You will need to have two hands to finish this part of the hike! Finally, you will emerge onto Mount Lee Drive where you are 200 yards from the top of The Hollywood Sign.
Turn right along this asphalt road and you will see the back of the Hollywood Sign to your right behind a long run of chain link fence. It’s not great. Pass that is a utility yard filled with antennae. Also not great. Loop up before that to your left and you are at the Hollywood Sign overlook. Again, not great. But technically, you have hiked up to the Hollywood Sign.
Now head back where you came from and if you just head straight back down to your car, this is a 3.5 mile trail. However, remember that scrubby, rain-washed trail I mention near Cahuenga Peak, you can take that to your right and you are in for an additional 1.5 miles of adventure!
This overgrown trail heads down for 1 mile towards Forest Lawn Drive and finally intersects with the Power Line access road. Turn left on that and you have about ½ along this uphill route that is surprisingly interesting and remote. Ultimately you will arrive at the intersection you were at earlier just before the Trust for Public Lands plaque. From here, downhill to your car. 5 Miles. Boom.