Distance (round-trip)
3.8 mi
Time
2 hrs
Elevation Gain
574 ft
Season
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Weather
–
3.8 mi
2 hrs
574 ft
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
–
A just-under four mile loop through a seldom-used section of Griffith Park. This hike will take you up to the fenced promontory of Bee Rock for tremendous views of Glendale and the San Gabriels, then back down through the ruins of the old Los Angeles Zoo before ending up at an historic carousel.
From 1912 to 1966, the original Los Angeles Zoo was housed in Griffith Park, just a few miles south of where the current zoo stands. Its grounds are fairly small and many of the buildings are gone, but there are enough remaining structures to make this a worthwhile (and very unique) hike. I mean, how many other trails do you know of that let you climb around old lion dens AND finish the hike with a ride on a carousel built in 1926?
After you park in the lot for the carousel, head southwest and continue hiking past the gate. I counted at least four other trailheads in this area – none of them marked. If you want to just get going on the trail, hike on the paved road past this caged water debris basin and look for the broad, short fire road that hits a three-way junction within a stones’ throw of the paved road (and proceed in this write up to the paragraph beginning with ***). If you want to follow my route, which, was admittedly a little confused at the get-go, turn up the fire road pictured here and look for the small trail ascending off the main path (look for stairs).
After you walk through the amphitheater, climb up the steps and hang a sharp right onto the fire road. Continue walking about a tenth of a mile until you get to this junction:
Since that whole area is potentially really confusing, here’s an overhead of the two routes from the parking area:
The road makes a small quick ascent here – about 120 feet in 0.2 miles – then makes a long, gradual descent. Almost immediately, you’ll have some great views northeast into Glendale – and if it’s a clear day you’ll be able to see the San Gabriels, too. At this point, you’ll also probably be able to hear the carousel music.
Soon, the road opens up a bit and you’ll be able to make out Bee Rock – it’s pretty hard to miss, actually. If you look closely, you’ll be able to see a small chain link fence at the very top of this rock formation. This is your view-point goal for this hike, but you’ve still got a little ways to go to get there.
This is the start of the first major ascent on the trail – and there isn’t much shade here other than the occasional glancing shadow from the brush. If you’re doing this hike in the mid-day, get ready to sweat.
Just past the 1.3 mile mark, the fire road makes a sharp left turn and abruptly ends – but the trail keeps going. Look for a small single-track that jumps off the road and into the brush – then follow!
Just before the 1.4 mile mark, you’ll come to a fork in the trail – and both routes look well-traveled. Either route will get you to the top, but the path to the right is the “official” trail, so stick to that one. Continue your ascent for another tenth of a mile, working your way up some tight switchbacks and enjoying the views of approaching Bee Rock.
It’s unfortunate that the entire view is blocked by a chain link fence – but once you step out to the end of the Rock you’ll understand why. The rock is pretty slick and it’s a looong way down. If you REALLY want to risk your life, there are some holes in the fence you can get through, but the view’s pretty good looking through the chain links, too …
If you do decide to try to climb through the holes in the fence, some previous hikers have left some graffiti making your decision pretty clear:
When you’re done soaking in the views, turn around and follow the ridge all the way past the Bee Rock Trail until it hits the Vista del Valle Road. Take a right onto this broad paved road and follow it until you reach the 2 mile mark.
At the end of the trail, you’ll see a large sign with Bill Eckert’s name on it. When you get here, hang a sharp right to continue descending, then look to your left for a break in the chain link fence. Walk through this fence then continue straight across the paved road to continue into the zoo grounds.
You’ll stay on this old paved road through the zoo and walk by a number of old exhibits and animal cages. The wide green picnic area should be on your left. Most of the buildings you’ll see were built in the 30s by WPA workers, but by 1965 zoos had progressed beyond these basic metal cages and the animals were moved to the more modern grounds of the current L.A. Zoo. But it’s still fun to wander around the ground to see where tigers, macaws, and monkeys once lived:
Eventually as you wander the grounds, you’ll come across this fork in the paved path:
Backtrack to the upper path and walk along the few remaining ruined buildings on your way back to the trailhead. Then, maybe reward yourself with a quick ride on the historic carousel near the parking area … there aren’t many trails in L.A. where that’s a possibility!
The fire roads in Griffith Park are well-maintained, but the single-track sections on this trail can get overgrown. Almost nothing is signed and there are dozens of use-trails and unofficial routes crossing the main path. Pay attention to your surroundings and read all the directions twice.
From the Mullholland Fountain (at Crystal Springs and Los Feliz), head north on Crystal Springs into Griffith Park, passing Travel Town and the Pony Rides. Around 1.4 miles in, you'll see signs for the Park Center and Merry-go-Round. Take a left onto the road toward the Merry-go-Round and park in the large lot. No passes or fees are required. Transit accessible.
13 Comments
My childhood friend and next-door neighbor on Cabot Street in the 1950's was the son of a zookeeper at the old Zoo. He would bring home orphaned baby bears and tigers to hand feed off hours. This was way before the 24 hour vet care most zoos have now. The loudest were the little bears, they screamed louder than the trains in the shop across the LA River...
Yeah, Griffith Park does not have a reputation as a well-signed hiking area :) Glad you enjoyed the trail, though!
We had an awesome time exploring this hike, it's a total hidden gem! We wish we would have read your directions prior to leaving because we got totally lost trying to find it, but it added to the adventure :) You can check out our post with some additional photos on it here, we hope you enjoy! http://mrandmrsadventure.com/2014/10/21/halloween-in-griffith-park-bee-rock-hike-los-angeles-haunted-hayride/
Before we went to the Zoo we headed up the mountain I think we got turned around at this part:
"After taking the last few concrete steps up to the 1.5 mile mark, you’ll come out on top of a sharp ridge surrounded by chain link fence. Turn to your left and follow the trail along the ridge to the end of the formation – which is the top of Bee Rock!"
We were up on the trail and the only option was either take a trail that looked like it headed down, or a pretty steep climb.
Anyways we had a great time :) Thanks for sharing the trail, it was a perfect way to spend memorial day.
D'oh! Looks like you guys looped around in the zoo - but it still seems like a great trip (with great photos!)
My wife and I went on memorial day. We loved the hike, we didn't make it up to the top though, I think we got turned around at some point because we couldn't find the concrete stairs up to the top.
Here are the photos we took: http://heymyke.com/adventure-griffith-park
They actually filmed a bunch of scenes from Dexter in L.A. Some at LMU!
With recent wildfire damage and ongoing waves of COVID-19 infections and restrictions, National Forest, National Park, and other public land closures, restrictions, or social distancing guidelines may be in-effect.
If infection rates are on the rise, please do your best to remain local for your hikes. If you do travel, please be mindful of small gateway communities and avoid as much interaction as you can. Also remember to be extra prepared with supplies so you don't have to stop somewhere outside your local community for gas, food, or anything else.
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