Griffith Park is Los Angeles's vast urban wilderness, offering hiking trails, observatory views, and open-air cultural landmarks across the eastern Santa Monica Mountains.
Griffith Park traces its origins to 1896, when Griffith J. Griffith donated the land to the city of Los Angeles with the stated intention of making it a place of recreation for all people. That democratic spirit still shapes the park today, drawing hikers, equestrians, cyclists, and casual strollers in roughly equal measure. The park sits in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains and covers terrain that ranges from flat, easy paths along the Los Feliz edge to steep, rocky scrambles near the summit of Mount Hollywood.
The Griffith Observatory, opened in 1935, remains one of the most visited landmarks in the entire city, offering free admission to its public galleries and a rooftop deck with unobstructed views toward downtown and the coast. Below the observatory, the Greek Theatre hosts outdoor concerts through the warmer months in a natural bowl setting that has welcomed performers for decades. The park also holds the Los Angeles Zoo, the Autry Museum of the American West, pony rides, two golf courses, and a network of more than 53 miles of trails.
Travel Town Museum near the northern edge preserves a collection of vintage locomotives that children and train enthusiasts explore up close. Picnic areas beneath the oaks along Crystal Springs Drive fill on weekends with extended families, and the old merry-go-round near the park center still operates on weekends, its hand-painted horses unchanged since the 1920s.
For all its size, Griffith Park retains a genuinely wild character, with mule deer, coyotes, and red-tailed hawks visible on quieter trails. It stands as one of the most layered and rewarding public spaces in the American West.
Visit during early morning on weekdays to enjoy the trails with far fewer crowds and cooler temperatures before the midday heat sets in.
Hike the Mount Hollywood Trail for a panoramic view of Los Angeles that takes in the Hollywood Sign, the downtown skyline, and on clear days, the Pacific Ocean.
Bring plenty of water and sun protection, as most trails are exposed with little shade once you leave the canyon floors.
Catch a free public star-gazing session at the Griffith Observatory on Friday or Saturday evenings, when the telescopes are open to visitors at no charge.
Ride the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad on weekend mornings, a low-key local tradition that draws families and rail enthusiasts to a corner of the park most visitors never find.