GRIFFITH PARK HIKE - THE PEAKS TOUR

I am so incredibly lucky to have a place like Griffith Park within a 15 minute drive from my home. It's a gem of greenery in the middle of my crazy city, Los Angeles, that truly has something for everyone within it's 4200 acres and 50+ miles of trails.  You want flat road to run on, trails to hike, historic sites, or picnic areas? Check! check! check! 

The 11 peaks of Griffith Park create a recognizable ridgeline from several vantage points around LA, with the Hollywood Sign as the crowning exclamation point! Burbank Peak (home of the Wisdom Tree), Cahuenga Peak, Mt Lee (with the Hollywood Sign), Mt Chapel, Mt Bell, Baby Bell, Taco Peak, Mt Hollywood, Hogback Peak, Glendale Peak, and Beacon Hill. 

At the time of this writing Burbank Peak and Cahuenga Peak are closed to avoid crowding 

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on the narrow trails (darn you COVID).  These two are the most challenging portion of the course because they involve single-track trail and steep climbs. This section is less than two miles but can take over an hour to complete if hiking (there's not much running at this section). 

GRIFFITH PARK - 9 PEAKS WITH RETURN ALONG VISTA DEL VALLE
This 13 mile course included 9 of the 11 peaks and involved over 2,200ft climbing. It reached all the peaks within a 6.5 mile stretch that started at the Rangers Station lot (bonus concrete bathrooms at the Visitor's Center) and headed up to Beacon Hill first. Most of this hiking is on fireroad and passes BY the peaks. To truly reach most of the peaks, you'll need to take a quick scramble up and back down (listed below are some things to consider at each peak)

This course ended with Mt Lee/Hollywood Sign. From there, I returned on Vista del Valle, an asphalt service road above the park. There are many other return options, but this has the best views and it's runnable if you want that option. 

There is a bathroom at the beginning of the course only. There are water fountains at the top of Hogback Trail, along Vista del Valle, and at the Joe Klass Water Stop. Sometimes fountains don't work so carry water and fill up as needed. 

NOTES: 

• BEACON HILL - you'll need to make a special trip to and from this peak. It has a nasty little climb as you reach the top but the views are wonderful. 
• GLENDALE PEAK - there's a nice sign pointing you to Henry's Trail and Glendale Peak. This is a little scrambly and narrow in places. It requires leaving the main trail then returning. 
• HOGBACK PEAK - Hogback trail is a steep climb that will have you breathing hard. About 3/4 of the way up and to the left is the peak. On my AllTrails recording, you'll see I made a wrong turn and short detour - I thought I had reached the turn off for the peak but I was early. My detour put me right back on the trail but facing downhill. I went back UP hill and the turn off to the peak was just a little further up. 
• MOUNT HOLLYWOOD - this is a big open space with picnic tables and expansive views. It gets crowded but it's a great opportunity to stop and have a snack. From here, you can see the remaining peaks lined up!
• TACO PEAK - this is a small peak that from a certain angle looks like a taco shell. The key to this section of the course is that you need to follow the single track trail next to the pipes. Don't continue on the fire road. You'll see from my AllTrails recording that I missed this turn and had to go back. 
• MT BELL - there are several single track paths that will take you to the top of Mt Bell - or you can just walk past it on the fire road. 
• BABY BELL - this is a much smaller peak with a short path up to the top. It's less challenging that Mt Bell. 
• MT CHAPEL -  walking up the fireroad to this peak, you'll pass a water tank. Just behind the water tank is a small path to the peak that you can go up and come back down. The next section of this course can be challenging. There are some step areas to climb up and down. If you have hiking poles this is where you'll use them. This trail finally spits you out on the road to Mt Lee.
• MT LEE - the Hollywood Sign. The final stop on the 9 peaks tour (or in future times you might do an out and back to the Wisdom Tree. This is a great spot to stop and have a snack and take in the view. That said, it gets really crowded on weekends.