10 Best Griffith Park Hikes (For All Levels!)

Hollywood Sign from Lake Park

Looking for some of the best Griffith Park hikes? We got you covered. Los Angeles is not just the City of Angels – it’s also the city of amazing views and hiking trails. 

Some of the best hiking that you can do in LA can be found at the famous Griffith Park. For all of you who have never seen Griffith Park in all its glory, it is located in the neighborhood of Los Feliz and spans 4,310 acres. 

Griffith Park trails are scattered throughout the massive municipal park and vary in terms of difficulty level and length. This article will provide a synopsis of some of the best Griffith Park hiking trails so you can plan your trip to Griffith Park accordingly. 

Griffith Park Hiking Trails

Brush Canyon Trail

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This Griffith Park hike is 5.2 miles in length (to Tyrolean Tanks out and back) and is one of the routes you can take to the famous Hollywood sign. Once you reach Tyrolean Tanks you can take in one of the best viewpoints in Los Angeles and if you continue a little further you will find yourself with the backside view of the Hollywood sign.

This 3-hour hike (to Tyrolean Tanks out and back) is a pretty popular trail because it’s a great walk, has a well-maintained dirt road, and has plenty of garbage cans and benches dotted along the way ideal for taking breaks and taking in the views. Near the beginning of the hike, you can find picnic tables and barbeque spots if you want to plan a meal around your visit. 

Not only can you hike to the Hollywood sign, but you can also take a short detour to see the Bronson Canyon Batcave, a TV-shoot location for the 1960s Batman TV show.

The Brush Canyon Trail starts at the end of Canyon Drive and is accessed at Franklin Avenue. There is a parking lot within Griffith Park that is close to the beginning of the trail. If it’s full, there’s an overflow lot as well.

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

You will lose shade near the beginning of this hike, so be prepared on a hot day to have plenty of water, sunscreen, and clothing that will protect you from the sun and heat. It is advised that on hot days to try and plan this hike around earlier in the morning or closer to dusk.

This trail is about “medium” in difficulty – there is an easier way to get to the Hollywood sign, but there is also a “harder” way to get to the “Hollywood” sign. 

Mount Hollywood

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Another one of the best Griffith Park hikes is one of the prominent peaks of the park! Hiking to Mount Hollywood’s peak soaring at 1,625 feet in the air will not only offer you a nice bit of outdoor recreational exercise but panoramic views from the top with views of the Hollywood sign, Griffith Observatory, the surrounding San Gabriel Mountains, and of course views of Downtown Los Angeles and the skyline.

Despite its name, you cannot hike to the Hollywood sign via Mount Hollywood, the sign is actually located on Mount Lee. But don’t let the names here confuse you, you’ll still get nice Hollywood Sign views along this trail.

There are two ways to hike to Mount Hollywood, which you should plan around 3 hours total for – if you start at Western Canyon, this trail is 3 – 4.8 miles round-trip. If you start at the Griffith Observatory, the hike to Mount Hollywood is 1.4 – 3.2 miles round trip being a little shorter than the first option.

Starting the hike from Griffith Observatory you will want to head to the Charlie Turner trailhead. You can find this near the back of the Griffith Observatory parking area, where you can also park if you’re lucky enough to snag a parking spot at. Look for the George Harrison memorial tree.

Keep in mind all the parking around Griffith Observatory is paid. If you can’t find parking at the lot you can also park along the road which may require you to park 5-10 minutes away from the trailhead and main parking area for Griffith Observatory.

To avoid parking woes, you can just opt to enjoy a bit longer hike by starting at Western Canyon Trail. Walk through a picnic area and after about .3 miles you’ll follow left onto the West Trail which will take you to Mount Hollywood.

This Griffith Park hike is moderate to difficult, but on an easy-to-walk-on wide, dirt trail that has a steady and gradual include. You can expect to see great views of the city and Griffith Observatory. On a clear day, you can even see the Pacific Ocean!

Take a break at the scenic viewpoints along the way including Dante’s View which has a nice area to take a rest on a bench and enjoy views.

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

There is little shade on this hiking trail, so be prepared on a hot day to have plenty of water, sunscreen, and clothing that will protect you from the sun and heat. It is advised that on hot days to try and plan this hike around earlier in the morning or closer to dusk.

Parking for this hiking trail in Griffith Park can be challenging and add length to your overall hike if you have to park far away. You can park at the Greek Theater for free and take a shuttle up. Just note that this lot is only free before 1 PM on days that there are performances at the Greek Theater.

Another option is to take the DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus from the Vermont/Sunset Metro Red Line Station. You can either find street parking or find parking at a public parking lot between Melbourne and Russell off of Vermont.

Hollyridge Trail 

Hollywood Sign Los Angeles

This is another Griffith Park hiking trail that happens to be the most popular way to see the Hollywood Sign up close and one of the most popular things to do in Los Angeles.

Before, there was a way you could ‘cheat’ to the Hollywood sign via the Hollyridge Trail where you only had an easy .3 mile hike to the sign from Sunset Ranch. Due to local outcry from the crowds of people coming up here to quickly access the famous LA landmark, this trail is now a bit longer as you have to start back at Canyon Drive and go up the old-fashioned way – by walking.

From Brush Canyon, you’ll walk around 1.2 miles until you reach a three-way junction which you’ll want to take the left option on Mullholland Trail. This is where you will eventually meet up where the ‘cheat’ to the Hollywood Sign was at Sunset Ranch and continue your way to the Hollywood Sign via the Hollyridge Trail.

The total hike is around 3.5 – 4 miles in length out and back. This trail is moderate and can take anywhere from 1.5-2 hours depending on your walking pace.

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

You will lose shade near the beginning of this hike, so be prepared on a hot day to have plenty of water, sunscreen, and clothing that will protect you from the sun and heat. It is advised that on hot days to try and plan this hike around earlier in the morning or closer to dusk.

At the Brush Canyon trailhead, there are two parking areas, the main one being at 2927 Canyon Drive. There’s also a smaller lot that is just a little further up the road and closer to the trailhead, it’s worth driving past the first lot to see if you can snag a closer spot first.

These gates are closed to both pedestrians and cars promptly at sunset, so plan accordingly so you don’t get your car stuck in this area overnight along with a ticket fine to pay.

Griffith Observatory to the Hollywood Sign

Hollywood sign from behind

If you want to take the “long way” to the Hollywood Sign taking in the adventure along the way, this Griffith Park hiking trail is the one for you.

This trail is 8.8 miles long, round-trip. To start this hike, take the Charlie Turner trailhead toward Mount Hollywood (if you want to add the summit of Mount Hollywood to this hike, it’s an additional .4 miles). You can find this near the back of the Griffith Observatory parking area next to the George Harrison memorial tree.

You’ll be following along the Mount Hollywood Hiking Trail or Charlie Turner Trail, which is a wide dirt road that has inclines as well as views of the Los Angeles skyline and Griffith Observatory along the way.

This Griffith Park hiking trail is difficult as it’s long and it has two different ~500 feet ascents along the way. This is best done when prepared for hours of outdoor exposure and fitness levels that are able to hike this distance.

Pack food and enjoy the benches with city views at Dante’s View.

To park, you will want to try Griffith Observatory’s parking lot or along West Observatory Road and Western Canyon Road. You will have to pay for parking by the hour to park near the observatory.

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

This is a tough hike because of the length, prepare in advance and make sure to have enough water, food, and protection from the sun.

Parking for this hiking trail in Griffith Park can be challenging and add length to your overall hike if you have to park far away. You can park at the Greek Theater for free and take a shuttle up. Just note that this lot is only free before 1 PM on days that there are performances at the Greek Theater.

Another option is to take the DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus from the Vermont/Sunset Metro Red Line Station. You can either find street parking or find parking at a public parking lot between Melbourne and Russell off of Vermont.

You can take a ‘shorter’ version of this hike by parking at the intersection of West Observatory Road and Western Canyon Road. Here you can start the trail at Mount Hollywood Drive, bypassing Mount Hollywood completely for a 7-mile round trip hike.

Ferndell Trail

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One of the best family-friendly and easier hiking trails in Griffith Park is the Ferndell Trail. Unlike the rest of the terrain found on the other Griffith Park hikes (and in Los Angeles) mentioned which are a bit dry and have less shade, Ferndell is a lush, green oasis that provides an ample amount of cool forest shade from the sun alongside a creek.

This is one of the more relaxing trails in the Western Canyon of Griffith Park. The trail itself also has a peculiar name being called the Ferndell Nature Museum, which the trail itself and the plant and animal species that live here are the museum.

The entire trail is only a quarter of a mile but beyond hiking below the lush, forest canopy, it also provides places where you can play around and even look for crayfish in the creek and if you’re looking for a treat or pick me up, you can stop at The Trails Cafe (2333 Fern Dell Dr).

Ferndell is located at the intersection of Black Oak Drive and Fern Dell Drive, one block from the bottom of Fern Dell Drive in Griffith Park. There is street parking on Fern Dell Drive for those who bring their vehicles.

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

If you want to hike more, you can walk around 1 mile ascending 500 feet elevation to Griffith Observatory. Unlike Ferndell though, you will not have shade so be sure to pack water and plan around to avoid the heat of the day. This will be more challenging compared to walking around the trails of Ferndell.

Beacon Hill

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Another great option for Griffith Park hiking trails can be found in the southeast pocket of the park. This is where you can find, Beacon Hill, the easternmost mountain aka ‘hill’ in the Santa Monica Mountain Range.

There are two options to complete the summit to Beacon Hill, via the 2.7 miles out and back hike or if you want to do a loop there’s a 3.9-mile trail that takes you this way. Both of these options are easy and range from taking 1.5-2 hours depending on the way you go.

You can park and start your hike at the Merry Go Round Lot One. You can find the Lower Beacon Trail heat at the left of the gate to the parking lot. 

From this hike you are rewarded with less crowded trails along with views of the Los Angeles skyline, the Silver Lake Reservoir, and on a clear day the Santa Monica Bay.

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

The junctions on this hike aren’t marked well. You’ll want to follow the Fern Canyon Trail to the Upper Beacon Trail. You can turn around and come the same way back if you want to do the out and back trip, or if you want to finish this hike via the loop trail you’ll follow the Coolidge Trail down to connect at the Lower Beacon Trail to complete the loop.

Skyline Trail

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If you’re looking for a Griffith Park hike that also includes another activity (besides visiting Griffith Observatory) this is a great choice. The Skyline Trail is an intermediate-difficulty trail and is 2.2 miles and about 1 hour of hiking point to point.

The Skyline Trailhead starts near the edge of the Los Angeles Zoo parking lot. Once you park, you can walk along the Skyline Connector (a connector rail) where you’ll start your ascent up switchbacks. You’ll be rewarded with views of major studios like Disney as well as Glendale and Pasadena.

As you continue on the Skyline Trail you’ll eventually end at Griffith Park Drive right by the Travel Town Museum. Check out the museum and take a break before heading back the same way or walking along Zoo Drive for 2 miles back to the Zoo Parking lot (or grab rideshare if you’re too tired).

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

Start this Griffith Park hiking trail at either point. 

Hogback Loop Trail

This Griffith Park hiking trail is hard, and not for those who just want to take a light stroll to catch some pretty views. This trail is 9.5 miles long total round trip with some steep inclines.

There are beautiful wildflowers along the trail and you can also go through the tunnel close to Griffith Observatory as well as hit up popular Griffith Park views like Dantes View.

You can enter the trailhead off of Commonwealth Avenue, where you will also find parking if it is early enough in the morning. Most of the trail is paved or wide dirt roads.

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

Be sure to have proper hiking footwear for this trail as there are parts that are steep with loose gravel and sand and you’ll want the best footwear for these conditions.

On recent online forums, visitors complained that there were a few sections that were hard to determine where the trail was and required a bit of scrambling on rocks. Many people suggest doing this Griffith Park hike counterclockwise as it’s less challenging and dangerous this way as you will climb a sandy, loose gravel include vs going down it.

Griffith Park Old Zoo Loop

Next up we have an easier Griffith Park hiking trail. The Griffith Park Old Zoo Loop is popular and relatively easy to navigate the trail. So this is a great hiking trail for beginners or those who just want to take it easy. 

This hike takes you through the former Los Angeles zoo ruins that used to be here in Griffith Park. Your hike will not only be interesting as you pass the former animal enclosures but it also provides the shade of the forest trees here. Since the zoo’s closure (it was operational from 1912 to 1965), the area has been converted into a public picnic area, so bringing a lunch is also recommended.

PS for fans of the movie Anchorman, the bear scenes in the movie were filmed here!

This trail offers views and a chance to hike up to Bee Rock.

There are a few parking spots at the Old Zoo Picnic Area, if that is full you can park at the Merry Go Round Lot and walk over. As mentioned, this is an easy hike and you can choose to do as little as .5 to 1.5 miles.

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

Take advantage of the fact that this is a picnic spot and bring food! You can spend as little or as much time here as this is a great spot for photography if you’re into abandoned or curious about old sites.

Amir’s Garden Trail

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Another picnic area on the east side of Griffith Park worth making a visit (and hike) to on a 1 mile round trip hike. This is one of those Griffith Park hikes you’ll want to make sure you pack a meal for so you can enjoy this spot to its fullest.

This quiet, shaded oasis in Griffith Park was all thanks to a local West Hollywood resident, Amir Dialameh who wanted to repair this area after a bad wildfire. Amir obtained permission in 1971 to help restore the area in which he dug up the burnt tree stumps and planted over 60 varieties of trees and plants which help keep moisture in the area to prevent future wildfires.

The trailhead can be found at the intersection of Mineral Wells Road and Griffith Park Drive. While this trail is on the shorter end, you can add on by searching for the haunted picnic table of Griffith Park

The legend of the picnic table is that a couple was crushed by a tree that fell on them at this picnic table on Halloween in 1976. When the police were investigating they heard eerie sounds and now this is one of the curious landmarks people seek out when hiking in Griffith Park.

Tips for this Griffith Park Hike: 

If you are lucky enough to be able to plan around a few days after a good rain or in the spring you’ll be rewarded with blooming flowers!

Tips for Hiking in Griffith Park

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Some of the Griffith Park hiking trails get confusing as there are several junctions that aren’t marked well while you’re on the trail. Be sure to have an offline version of the trail saved to your phone so you can see where you’re at and easily follow the trail you’re trying to enjoy.

We prefer the All Trails app which has tips and updates on all of these trails as other users explore them and its easy to get an offline trail map to access during your hike this way.

Keep in mind that Griffith Observatory is closed on Mondays and some of the shuttle services that run up to the observatory may not operate on Mondays. This also means it may be easier to get parking at the observatory if you’re able to go this day.

Speaking of, parking can be a challenge over holidays and weekends. We always found that Griffith Park and hikes around Griffith Park are best enjoyed if you have the flexibility of going on a weekday.

If you’re hiking in the summer, try to avoid the mid-day heat and sun by starting early or coming later (keeping in mind where you park and to be sure that they don’t ticket or close the gates after sunset). If you’re going to be in the sun make sure to bring a hat, breathable clothing, sunscreen, and plenty of water.

The Griffith Park hiking trails mentioned in this guide are dog friendly if your dogs are kept on a leash at all times.

This area does have wildlife including rattlesnakes. If you see a snake don’t panic, back away slowly and wait for it to move along on its own. DO NOT AGITATE IT by tossing things towards it, this will significantly increase your chances of a venomous snake bite.

The area is also known for coyotes, while they are more frequently spotted at night it’s becoming more common to have day sightings. If you’re hiking with small children or dogs be sure to keep an eye on them at all times and try to create an aversion if they approach you like loud noises or whistles waving your arms and stomping your feet. 


Looking for more ideas around Los Angeles? Check out these amazing day trips from Los Angeles that also have great hiking options and outdoor activities to enjoy!