Trail Review: Fern Dell to Griffith Observatory via the Observatory Trail
Trailhead: 2333 Fern Dell Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Parking: free parking along Fern Dell Drive and in a parking lot just north of the trailhead.
Distance: 1.8 miles loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Griffith Park is a treasure trove of short (and long) hikes right in the heart of Los Angeles. You may not be escaping the city as much as you would by heading to some of the other mountain ranges in the area, but it's still a great place to go to get outdoors and see some nature.
Fern Dell is a particularly green area of the park and is a launching off point for a number of hiking trails. One trail I did recently is the Observatory Trail which takes you from Fern Dell to the Griffith Observatory. This hike is a loop; although, you could just stick to the east or west trail and make it an out & back.
Depending on where you can find parking in Fern Dell (It's a popular area, especially on the weekends), you may end up walking past the Fern Dell Nature Trail which is a nice, little walk along a stream and is really cute. Even if you don't have to go past it, I'd still recommend taking a walk along it. It could be a nice warm up or cool down from the hike!
The trailhead starts in the area across from The Trails Café, next to the children's playground. I started by heading up the Eastern Observatory Trail (which is technically the south most trail at this point). The Western Observatory Trail also starts here. There will be some signage in the middle of the two trailheads that'll point to each.
Heading up the East Observatory Trail, the path is wide and pretty straightforward. The incline is consistent so it will get the heart pumping. Pretty early on you'll start to get good views of the Observatory looming over the trail. It'll slowly get closer and closer as you venture on, and is a good way to track your progress.
As the trail turns north briefly, you should be able to look left and see some of Los Angeles and Century City in the distance. You'll also catch glimpses of the Hollywood Sign along the way.
After 0.6 miles, you'll hit an intersection where the East and West trails meet again. The trail to the right, continuing the incline, will lead you to the Observatory. This is probably the steepest part of the trail but it's not super long. You'll quickly come out to a lookout point just below the Observatory that has a lone bench and a nice, big view of L.A. (There are usually at least a handful of people here taking photos).
Continuing up the hill, this last leg gets a bit steep as well as you approach the base of the observatory. It's a pretty short section though so you'll be through it in no time and you'll have made it to the top!
At the observatory, feel free to walk around the grounds and even visit the observatory itself if it's open (it's free!). You can get great views of the Hollywood sign, Downtown LA, even the San Gabriel Mountains from various locations around the building. There's even a James Dean bust by one of the lookout points.
Once you're all done checking out the Griffith Observatory and it's surrounding areas, head back down the way you came, except once you hit the intersection where the East and West Observatory Trails meet, take the West Observatory Trail this time. It's the quieter of the two trails so it won't feel as crowded. There will be a spot or two with some great direct views of the Hollywood Sign, and on the switchbacks, as you briefly face back toward the Observatory, you'll get a few more angles on the dome as well.
Before you know it, you'll be back down by the kid's playground and the Trails Cafe. If you want a cool down, I suggest walking the Fern Dell Nature Trail to the south!
Bottom Line: A short, little workout hike that brings you from Fern Dell to the Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park.
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