An Intro to Griffith Park

Once upon a time D.W. Griffith…..no that’s not right.

Once upon a time, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith built California’s largest municipal park. Scratch that, it is not right either. …

Once upon a time, Colonel Griffith J. Griffth built the second largest municipal park in California.

Let’s start over.

Once upon a time, Colonel Griffith J.Griffith built the second largest municipal park in California. I fact-checked that and it is also incorrect. Unfortunately, Griffith never really got the chance to build it. He “accidentally” shot his wife while on vacation in Santa Monica and was jailed, ostracized by society, and not even his own money could solve that problem.

Hmmm… The more I think I know about Griffith Park, the less I really know about Griffith Park.

Then why should you take advice from on things to do, from someone who knows so little? The truth is that this mother of all everything spaces is somewhat impossible to know, even for Angelenos.

I never knew how big the park was until I watched it burn. 

In 2007, Los Angeles sat close to the local news after a fire broke out in the park burning 100 acres, then 500 acres, and stopped at 817. I had no idea the park was that big that over 800 acres could burn a look relatively unscathed.

With a staggering 4,500 acres of parkland, miles of hiking trails, three museums, and a world-renowned concert venue, Griffith Park is truly the mother of all everything spaces.

Not only can it be everything, but it can also be everywhere. Griffith Park is the setting for so many films and television shows like Rebel Without a Cause that used the Griffith Observatory as James Dean’s high school or Bronson Caves that served as the entry to the Batcave.

In this series of posts, I treat Griffith Park like its own city. Where you can exercise for free, where you can hear live music, but first I feature the shining beacon of the park, The Griffith Observatory.

To learn more about Griffith Park and to get some amazing aerial views of most of the 4,500 acres, check out Lost LA’s episode on the park here.

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