Barbara and I agree that there is no "best" hike in Griffith Park. Each trail offers a new perspective or piece of history, each has its own personality. But to dazzle outside visitors, forget the cliche "hike to the Hollywood sign." Mount Hollywood, the highest point in Griffith Park at 1640 ft. elevation, offers a 360 view of everything wonderful about LA. There are several ways to hike to the top but this particular hike serves up stories, surprises, or wows at every turn, from local landmarks to landmark views from Catalina to Ventura Boulevard to DLTA and Mt. Wilson. The climb to the top never evens out but it's not a gasper (even on hot days like today.) We started from the parking lot next to the Greek Theater and walked N on Vermont Canyon Road to the trailhead off the entrance to the Griffith Park Bird Sanctuary. The sanctuary was the realization of a dream of neighborhood women in the 1920s who noted the thousands of wintering birds in the area and wanted to foster the habitat. In 1924, after approval from organizations including the Audubon Society, boys from the Agricultural School planted redwoods, live oaks, and holly berries, and boy scouts offered to build bird houses. The trees offer nesting sites for hawks, owls, wren tits, juncos, and song sparrows. There are some picnic tables and a rest stop, but true residents are people shy. Barbara and I started out from the trailhead at the left side of the habitat fencing. The narrow dirt trail rises fast, hits a switchback, and winds up the SE side of the mountain. About a quarter mile in we got our first view of DTLA, and as the path got rockier and rose higher, the view opened up to an east-west panorama with the Greek Theater and eventually the Observatory below, and the Hollywood sign on Mt. Lee to the West. We passed Captain's Roost, the oldest folk garden in Griffith Park, dedicated to the grumpy old man in the captain's hat who tended the lush hillside garden daily during the 1940s. Moving on, Barbara and I were treated to a glorious view of the Observatory nestled amid a view of the basin and, more interesting to us, a clear view of hikers below navigating the multitudes of Griffith Park trails. But nothing compares to the view at the top. We joined the party of hikers gaping, exercising, and photo-taking at the summit. It's no wonder that the top of Mt. Hollywood beckoned developer$. In the 40s, the Griffith Trust planned to build a revolving restaurant up there but WWII and the Korean Conflict interrupted. In the 50s, another group proposed a "Griffith Starland" space museum and restaurant (too pricey), and in the 60s, a Hollywood group proposed an aerial tramway to a star-shaped Hollywood Hall of Fame, nixed by local public opposition. The graded mountain top doesn't need frills to impress. This is perhaps THE most stunning view of Los Angeles Griffith Park has to offer. After taking a moment of awe, we made our way back down the trail, marking landmarks until we got back to the car, hot, tired, and filled with appreciation. Great hike!