Griffith's Golden

With over 4,200 acres and hundreds of trails, Griffith Park is the gold standard. Opt for the lesser-hiked northwestern end of the park and visit the 2.25-mile Skyline and Oak Canyon loop from Travel Town. Park in the small dirt lot or the large paved Travel Town parking lot at the intersection of Zoo Drive and Griffith Park Drive. Then walk south on Griffith Park Drive. (While it’s closed to cars here, be mindful of speeding bikers coming down the hill.)

Find the Skyline Trail on your left and start the climb. As you ascend, you will immediately gain sprawling views of the 134 Freeway and the surrounding neighborhoods, including the iconic Walt Disney Animation Studios building. As the trail bends, the vistas expand and now include the hulking Verdugo Mountains over the Burbank skyline (ah, the trail name makes sense!). You can also catch sight of planes taking off from Bob Hope airport, so grab a shady spot under an oak, pine, or eucalyptus and enjoy it before moving on.

At the half-mile mark, take a left at the junction to continue your ascent. You head right for the short Migdal spur trail that goes to a viewpoint and ends after 850 feet. As you walk along the ridge, when you’re not enjoying the Verdugo view, look right and admire the chaparral-covered hills and their own trails, a great reminder of just how much you can explore in Griffith Park. You can also catch a glimpse of the manicured greens of neighboring Forest Lawn.

At the 0.8-mile mark, the journey takes you to the right, down the hill. At the bottom, cross the paved road and take the dirt path ascending to the right. Another junction shortly after to the left continues on the Toyon Trail, while to the right is the Oak Canyon Trail. Continue right and descend back towards the road, where you’ll likely see tired bikers grinding up the hill (they may be headed to the Observatory, which is nearly 5 miles away). As you continue on the Oak Canyon Trail, you get the best shade of your hike with a surprise oak grove that features some truly gnarly towering specimens. You may also encounter equestrians here because it generally seems to be a more popular trail for those on horseback than on foot.

You’ll soon be back to your starting point. If it’s after 10 a.m., a great follow-up is the Travel Town Museum. The charming grounds feature historic train cars, model trains, unique exhibits that focus on the region, and a miniature train that circles the grounds. It’s also the perfect spot for a post-hike picnic. All aboard!

BONUS BAKERY: After your hike, go just a few miles west to find the gold standard in Los Angeles French bakeries - Lou the French on the Block. Named after Parisian founder Chef Laurent, this tiny little shop has long lines form before it even opens (open only Friday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.). Everything, and we mean everything, is delicious. The menu offers viennoiseries (croissants), patisseries (such as fruit and pine nut tartelettes, amandines, and Danishes) and a savory quiche du jour, along with coffee and tea. Our favorite is the almond croissant, which may be the best croissant in town; its buttery, flaky, crispy outside layers are perfectly balanced with the airy inside and that delectable signature almond flavoring. We recommend starting your day at Lou’s to get a coffee and croissant to give you the pre-hike energy you need. They even have sandwiches (available after 9 a.m.), which are perfect to take on your hike for a picnic. C'est délicieux!

To get to the Travel Town parking lot, take the CA-134 to the Forest Lawn Dr. exit and exit south. Take the first left onto Zoo Dr. and find the paved lot across Griffith Park Dr. (it’s hard to miss). If you arrive before Travel Town has opened its lot, find a spot at the adjacent dirt lot. Dog-friendly!