When you plop an undeveloped mountain area into the middle of urban sprawl, you get some pretty fantastic views and a great place to get away from it all. With Griffith Park's 53-mile network of hiking trails, fire roads and bridle paths, it's no wonder hiking is one of the most popular things to do there.
All Griffith Park hiking trails close at dusk. Open fires and smoking are not allowed anywhere in the park. If you remember the disastrous fires of 1961 or 2007, you'll know why.
These resources may help you find a nice Griffith Park hike that meets all your requirements:
- Guidespot lists four of the best Griffith park hikes, including the hike from Griffith Park Observatory, widely said to be the most rewarding trail in the park. They also include a hike to the Hollywood Sign.
- Examiner.com has a detailed description of a longer, 6-mile round trip hike to the Hollywood Sign, with enough photos to make you understand why you'd want to do it.
- LA Trails has a nice topo map that marks out Griffith Park hiking trails by their type and includes an A to Z list with lengths and elevation change for each hike.
- At Yelp.com, you can see what other hikers think of some of the Griffith Park hikes.
- If you want to take Poochy along, try this collection of dog-friendly Griffith Park hikes.
