You’ve seen it in “Rebel Without a Cause” and hundreds of other movies, TV shows, and commercials. The Griffith Park Observatory is an iconic landmark in Los Angeles and a visual gateway to the universe.
The hike from Ferndell Glen
My sister was in town so we decided to hike up to the Griffith Park Observatory from the Ferndell trail at the lower end of Western Canyon. It is about 2 miles roundtrip, which isn’t bad, except that it’s almost 580 feet straight up.
Take a Guided Hike to the Observatory HERE
We took our time, stopped frequently for photo opportunities, (or an excuse to catch our breath), and enjoyed the scenery.
Find more things to do and where to stay near Griffith Park, here.
The trail starts across the street from The Trail’s, which is a tiny outdoor cafe near the playground. It forks off to the left and right but both directions end up at the Observatory. We went left to get a good view of the Hollywood Sign. On another occasion, with my daughter, we went to the right. Both are lovely.
The trail on the right has more shade but not as much of a view of the city and surrounding hills. Make sure to bring a water bottle, especially on a warm day.
We saw plenty of little dogs on the trail, so we figured if they could make it, so could we.
Watch my short video of our hike!
Click on the player below.
We were glad to get there before buses arrived filled with students.
The History of the Griffith Park Observatory
Griffith J. Griffith funded and opened the Griffith Park Observatory in 1935 on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood. One of its main attractions is the Samuel Oschin Planetarium where you can view spectacular light shows. All of the exhibits, except for the Planetarium show, are free to the public.
It was built right after the devastating Long Beach earthquake of 1933 so the architects made sure to design it to be earthquake-proof. Even after all these years, it’s one of the safest places to be in Los Angeles during a quake.
Art and Science
Artist Hugo Ballin (1879 – 1956) painted the colorful murals and ceilings you see as you enter the original building. Eight panels represent the “advancement of science from remote periods to present times” They depict how science and engineering have changed throughout the course of history and include aeronautics, navigation, civil engineering, metallurgy, electricity, time, geology, biology, mathematics, physics, and astronomy.
The ceiling illustrates the myths of how our ancestors viewed the sky with classical figures and Gods, zodiac signs, the four seasons, the Star of Bethlehem, the moon, and comets.
Ballin also painted murals for the Burbank City Hall, and County USC Medical Center. He worked in the film industry as an art director.
The Renovation
The Observatory was temporarily closed in 2002 for a massive renovation and reopened in 2006. If you visit the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater on the lower level you can view a 24-minute film that tells the history of the Observatory’ and its restoration.
The film is narrated by Mr. Spock himself. I was amazed that the entire original building was hydraulically lifted off its foundation to dig out space to build the two lower levels that now house exhibits there.
The Planetarium was also fitted with a Zeiss star projector, digital projection system, comfortable seats, state-of-the-art dome, a high-tech sound system, and lighting. Each show is well worth the price of admission.
You can have a conversation with Albert Einstein in the lower exhibit area.
Visiting the Griffith Park Observatory
The best time to visit the Observatory is on a weekday (Tuesday – Friday) if you want to leisurely view the exhibits as weekends are crowded It’s also a popular gathering place at night because that’s when its 12” Zeiss telescope is open to look at the stars.
Parking is limited so you may want to hike up as we did, catch the Dash bus from Western Ave, Uber, or take your chances finding one of the limited parking spaces up at the Observatory and pay a fee.
Griffith Park Observatory is located at 2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, CA 90027
This is awesome! We recently traveled to LA as a family and I fantasized about the Griffith and the Getty. Sadly I got vetoed on both counts. We hit the usual fan favorites – Universal, Malibu (stayed in a VRBO on the beach) Santa Monica, Hollywood….we did a lot in two days but I would have loved to do more.
Glad you had a great time in LA, Bryce! There’s so much to do here it’s impossible to do it all in 2 days. Hope you get a chance to come back soon! I also love the Getty both on the Sepulveda Pass and at the beach. They’re wonderful places to visit!
Wow! I had no clue you could hike to the observatory. Loved your video and the post. It made me want to go there the next time I’m in LA… which isn’t often, and I’m usually overcome with gratitude that I’ve survived the freeway, so I have a tendency to stay put.