Los Angeles is one of the most iconic cities in the world, but many people forget that surrounding LA are mountains, ocean, parks and recreation areas for bountiful outdoor activities. Albert E. Torres, former Chief Park Ranger of the Los Angeles Dept. of Recreation & Parks, talks about ways to turn to the outdoors for fun and relaxation, and why Griffith Park in particular offers the perfect dose of nature on your getaway.
I think because within Los Angeles — and Griffith Park is a good example — there's so much diversity to offer everyone. You can spend all day doing one thing or spend all day doing multiple things. You can go for a jog or go for a horseback ride. For people who live in Los Angeles and use the park regularly, it becomes a need. That translates to people who visit from out of town.
I brought visitors from Japan to the Observatory and on the way, the statue of James Dean really ignited an interest and they were very excited. I didn’t expect that to happen, but it was indicative of all the history at Griffith Park. We get people from all over the world who come here.
I think many people are pleasantly surprised. There are a lot of really nice secrets in the area, including outdoor recreation activities. Griffith Park, Elysian Park — many areas that people wouldn’t normally find.
Many people who come don’t come here by car. They get here by bus. There’s a new shuttle that comes into the park called DASH. That’s something brand new for us. You can pick it up in Hollywood and come into the park like that. It’ll be a good thing for Griffith Park.
Trails in particular are accessible to the public. For example, when visitors come to Los Angeles we offer them a very accessible hike to the summit of Mount Hollywood. That particular hike is very popular among the local people. You can take this hike from the Observatory and it goes for 1.4 miles along a trail that we call the “Charlie Turner” trail. You pass a garden area known as Dante’s View and when you get to the summit of Mount Hollywood you can get a 360-degree view of the LA Basin. You’re at an elevation of 1,625 feet. On a clear day you can see Santa Monica Bay, Catalina, Angeles National Forest, the San Fernando Valley.
We have a good balance of activities. Visitors from out of town like to see the highlights like the Los Angeles Zoo and the Autry National Center, but there are all kinds of other things to do here also. For example, the merry-go-round on the weekends is very popular. The pony rides — a very unique concession we’ve had for many years — is also popular. Or just a pleasant walk in the park or in the nearby hills.
Plan something fairly early in the morning. I imagine being at Griffith Park at daybreak, with beautiful weather, and winding up possibly going to one of the venues at Griffith Park for lunch. Then I’d continue with something more passive like a hike. I remind myself once in a while when I partake of the park on my own and realize what a great resource it is for visitors and locals.
