PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

After months of closure due to last year’s devastating fires, Griffith Park is now happily open to the public. While there is still some evidence of fire damage, the greenery is coming back and Griffith’s hills are on the mend. The recent rainy season in L.A. is feeding that new growth, and with it comes the hope in 2008 for a full park recovery.

The largest municipal park and urban wilderness area in the United States, Griffith offers gorgeous views with California oak trees, wild sage, and 53 miles of hiking trails over chaparral covered hills.
While some of these trails are still restricted to hikers, there are still plenty of paths from which to choose.

An ideal hike this time of year takes you straight to the newly renovated Griffith Observatory. Advance reservations are no longer required, but parking is limited, so hiking there is ideal. From Western Avenue, enter Griffith Park off Los Feliz Blvd, turning left at the first traffic light onto Fern Dell Drive. Go north and park in the large parking lot on your left. From here cross the street and take a small foot-bridge over the Dell. The trailhead is behind the playground slide. You’ll see two trails. Take the one the left that slopes upward. It’s a nice wide trail, but it’s uphill, so offers a nice workout even at a leisurely pace. Whenever the trail splits bear right and keep hiking up until you reach the Observatory. The rangers at Griffith advise to please respect the closed/roped off paths as they are still in the recovery process, or are not legitimate trails.

Once you reach the Observatory, you might want to visit the Café at the End of the Universe for a nice hot cup of tea, and an incredible panoramic view that goes all the way to the Pacific. Then maybe take in a Planetarium show or film. For Griffith Observatory show schedules and hours, check out: http://www.griffithobs.org/vshuttle.html

Believe it or not, this time of year in LA, winter hikes can offer majestic views of foggy banks cascading over rocks, crisp clean air and no bugs. If you and your companion dress for the weather, you have a pretty romantic date in the making!