Santa Monica Hiking Club

This is a hike to the picnic tables on Mt. Hollywood. Distance is 5 miles round trip. Elevation gain 1200 feet. Pace is medium to slow. Duration is about 2.5 hours. Meet at the Staircase on the north end of Merry-Go-Round parking lot-2. We will leave at 7:30PM. It will take a little over an hour to get to the peak of Mt.Hollywood. We will spend 15-20 minutes enjoying the fabulous view of the city, then hike back down the same way we came up. We will be back to the parking lot by 10:15PM. The fine print: Wildlife (snakes, bobcats, mountain lions etc) seen in the park, be aware of your surroundings and stay alert at all times. Bring Along: Hiking boots and at least 1 Liter Water. Layered clothing in case it's cold. Long pants in case it's hot, to prevent being bitten by insects. Mosquito and tick spray are recommended. Flashlight. This hike is to Mt. Hollywood, about 5 miles/1200 feet. Directions From Interstate 5 North Bound Exit "Griffith Park exit" Make a right at the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp. Go about 0.7 mile to the next stop sign (4 way stop) and make a left turn. (There is a sign in the median stating "Merry-Go-Round Parking" with an arrow) Continue up the road. The road forces you to make a sharp right hand turn into a parking lot. Go through the parking lot. You'll hit a small dark road (it's lit if it's daylight savings time) for a short period of time, followed by a brightly lit parking lot. We will meet at the far end of this lighted parking lot (parking lot 2). From Interstate 5 South Bound Go West on Los Feliz. Make a right on Riverside Dr./Crystal Springs Dr. into Griffith Park. Go two stop signs and make a left turn. Continue up the road. The road forces you to make a sharp right hand turn into a parking lot. Go through the parking lot. You'll hit a small dark road (it's lit if it's daylight savings time) for a short period of time, followed by a brightly lit lot. We will meet at the far end of this lighted parking lot. From 134 Freeway: (Note, if you are not familiar with Griffith Park Drive, this is a dark single lane route. You are better off taking I5 directions) Exit Forest Lawn. (If coming from Westbound go straight, from Eastbound, Go Right). Make a left on Zoo Drive. Make a right hand turn on Griffith Park Drive. Road weaves through Griffith Park. Continue on road until you hit Crystal Springs Drive. Make a right hand turn on Crystal Springs Drive. There's no street sign at the next stop sign. Look for the sign in the median stating "Merry-Go-Round Parking" with an arrow, follow the arrow. Continue up the road. The road forces you to make a sharp right hand turn into a parking lot, this is Lot 1. Go through the parking lot. You'll hit a small dark road (it's lit if it's daylight savings time) which will take you to a lighted parking lot. We will meet at the far end of this lighted parking lot (parking lot 2). Where to meet: See above. If you know the park well, it is Merry Go Round Lot #2, at the stairs on the north end of the parking lot. If you'd like a visual, here is a map. Put these coordinates in google maps for exact directions from your location:[masked],[masked]