Griffith Park Trails to the Griffith Observatory

Parking at the Griffith Observatory is a famous headache, and the fix is simple: don't drive up. Several trails reach the building on foot, and the walk makes the view feel like something you earned.

Where: Griffith Observatory, 2800 E Observatory Rd Distance: about 2.5 to 4 miles round trip, depending on where you start Effort: easy to moderate, with a steady climb on every route

Picking a route

The Charlie Turner Trail climbs from the Los Feliz side and has the best shade early. The route from Fern Dell is longer and greener at the start. A third option begins at the Greek Theatre lot and follows the hillside west. All three join the ridge below the building, and the last stretch is a short push up the slope.

What you see

The Hollywood Sign sits across the canyon to the northwest. Downtown stands to the southeast, and the Pacific is visible on a clear afternoon. As the sun drops the light turns orange, and the city starts to glow.

Late in the day the trails are busy. People come up to see the sunset, and they head back down in the dark with phone lights. If you plan to do that, bring a real flashlight, because the paths are dirt and the edges are uneven.

At the building

The Observatory has free public areas, including the lawn and the terraces. Exhibits and the telescope inside have their own schedule, and some programs need tickets. The plaza gets crowded on weekends, so a weekday visit has more room to breathe.

Before you go

Check before you go: building hours, trail closures and parking rules change, so look at the current notices on the Griffith Observatory official site first.

More outdoor ideas are on the Outdoor events page.