Leaving the City Behind on a Maze of Wild Trails

“My secrets to a healthy and happy life?” muses Amir Dialameh as he tends a garden named after him in the airy heights of Griffith Park. “Being out in nature at least five days a week, staying away from doctors and lawyers, and hiking, lots of hiking.”

Dialameh, a native of Iran, began volunteering to maintain a two-acre spot in 1971 following a severe fire that ravaged the brushy slopes above the Mineral Wells Picnic Area in Griffith Park.

Dialameh hikes in the park and works the garden nearly every day. It’s looking more beautiful than ever despite a 1997 blaze that destroyed some of his favorite large pepper and pine trees.

Amir’s Garden, nine miles into this long 13-mile hike around Griffith Park, is a perfect midafternoon rest stop. And if Dialameh is around, be sure to say hello.

Many veteran Griffith Park hikers have devised their own ‘round-the-park routes, and, with more than 50 miles of trail weaving through the park, the scenic options are numerous. One of my favorites is a counterclockwise circuit that begins and ends at Fern Dell. This grand circle of Griffith provides views of most of the park’s popular attractions: Mt. Hollywood, the Observatory, the Greek Theater and the L.A. Zoo.

The cafe at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum (open Tuesdays through Sundays), located at about the midpoint of this hike, is a good place to stop for lunch.

This is not a hike for the directionally challenged or the first-time Griffith Park hiker. Few of Griffith Park’s trails are marked; none of the many junctions are signed.

Having issued this warning, let me add that hikers who like to improvise a bit can fashion their own route and see a lot of the park in one day. A hike around the park in a single day will leave you impressed at how much of Griffith J. Griffith’s 1896 gift to the city is still preserved in its wild state.

Directions to trail head: From U.S. 101 near Hollywood, take Western Avenue north to its end at Los Feliz Boulevard. Curve right onto Los Feliz, then almost immediately make a left on Fern Dell Drive. Travel north about 0.4 mile to the main parking area on the left side of the road.

The hike: Join unsigned Mt. Hollywood Trail as it travels the bottom of Western Canyon for 0.5 mile, then curves upward and eastward to a vista point and meeting with the road leading to the Observatory. Cross the road and resume climbing on the trail, which soon crosses over the top of the Mt. Hollywood Drive tunnel.

As you head toward Mt. Hollywood, you’ll likely be joined by lots of hikers walking up from the Observatory. Bear right at a major junction to Dante’s View, a beautifully landscaped garden overlooking the city.

From the garden, 2.5 miles from the start, leave the wide trail and join the narrow, unsigned Hogback Trail, which roller-coasters a mile down a narrow ridge. Toward the end of the trail, just as it widens, a signed connector trail invites hikers to scale Glendale Peak. Henry’s Trail leads 0.2 mile to the summit, which offers grand city views.

Hogback Trail ends at Vista del Valle Drive, which you should follow to the right (south) for 200 feet to pick up unsigned Fern Canyon Trail on the left side of the road. Descend 0.25 mile east with this path to a five-way junction, and continue left with Fern Canyon Trail as it descends a mile into the canyon. Fork right and walk the bridle trail alongside the merry-go-round access road. Shortly before reaching Crystal Springs Drive, the trail crosses over to the left side of the road.

Just across the drive is the Griffith Park Ranger Station, which welcomes the hiker with water and restrooms. Now, with five miles under your boots, walk an easy mile north on Crystal Springs Trail, a wide path extending alongside the east side of Crystal Springs Drive. This popular exercise trail doubles as the Griffith Park “Walk of Lights” during the holiday season.

When you reach the zoo parking lots, the path bends right (east) for 0.2 mile to the Gene Autry Museum, the suggested lunch stop for those who aren’t brown-bagging it.

From the museum, continue north on the trail that closely parallels the Golden State Freeway. The trail enters an underpass below the park’s freeway offramp, then curves westward around the zoo parking lot. Next you pass through two more equestrian and pedestrian underpasses.

Emerging from the second underpass, you join unsigned Skyline Trail as it begins a westward ascent. The trail climbs one mile along the back side of the zoo to unsigned Condor Trail, which branches left. Join Condor Trail for a steep, mile-long descent to the Mineral Wells Picnic Area. Pick up Mineral Wells Trail, which extends along the right side of Griffith Park Drive, and descend 0.25 mile to a junction with an unsigned trail. Turn right and ascend 0.5 mile to Amir’s Garden. After relaxing at the tranquil oasis, resume your ascent.

You’ll soon get a closer view than you’d like of the ghastly looking Toyon Canyon Land Reclamation Project. Judging by the number of bulldozers and dump trucks that are always working in Toyon Canyon, efforts to rehabilitate the onetime dump site have been considerable. Aesthetically, however . . . let’s just say the workers haven’t been getting any landscaping lessons from Dialameh.

After hiking a bit more than 0.5 mile from Amir’s Garden, you’ll ignore the right-forking trail leading toward Toyon Canyon and join Mt. Hollywood Trail, which crosses Vista del Valle Drive, then climbs south over the shoulder of 1,582-foot Mt. Bell. At a major junction, continue straight to climb Mt. Hollywood, the park’s high point. After enjoying the views, take the path descending the west side of the mountain to Captain’s Roost, a small picnic area with a water fountain.

From the Roost, a short descent brings you to the same four-way junction above the car tunnel that you encountered early in your hike. If you’ve had enough directional changes for one day, retrace your steps two miles to the trail head.

Those determined to make the full circle will head straight for the Observatory. To return to Fern Dell, join the pathway descending from the left (east) side of the Observatory. At the first junction bear right; at the second, bear left to return to Fern Dell in about a mile.

For more of John McKinney’s hiking tips and trails, visit https://www.thetrailmaster.com.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Mt. Hollywood, Hogback, Fern Canyon Crystal Springs, Skyline, Condor and other Trails

WHERE: Griffith Park

DISTANCE: 13-mile loop with numerous 400-to 80-foot elevation gains.

TERRAIN: Brushy, surprisingly wild Hollywood Hills.

HIGHLIGHTS: Grand tour of the park’s peaks and canyons; spectacular clear-day metropolitan views.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Moderately strenuous to strenuous.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Griffith Park Ranger Station, tel. (323) 913-4688.