Griffith Park Bike Route

This Griffith Park Bike route is 19 miles. Starting at the bike rental shipping container between the Ranger Station/ Visitor’s Center and the softball field this route passes The LA Zoo, Travel Town, The Observatory, The Greek Theater, Bee Rock, and all golf courses. The 800’ elevation gain over 3 miles above Travel Town puts the difficulty up to 7 out of 10.

The Parking – When you’re driving in on Crystal Springs Road from Los Feliz, turn right just before you get to the Carousel parking. This leads to the Crystal Spring Picnic Area but you start looking for parking right away. If you are bringing your own bike, hell you can start anywhere you like, but I’m starting us all at the bike rental container. Because I’m a blue-collar man of the people… and I don’t own a bike.

The Best Thing – Riding on Mt. Hollywood Drive before you get to The Griffith Observatory there is a bench right where the trail from Bronson Caves comes in. The view of the observatory with downtown LA behind it? Mwaaah!  Unless, of course, smog.

The Route – Roll your bike out to Crystal Springs Road and head towards the zoo. “Which way is the zoo?” you ask. Boy, this is going to take a while. You begin pedaling with Interstate 5 on your right and the Carousel on your left. Let’s go! Start pedaling!

This is road riding so stay to the right and don’t expect the bike lane to be well marked. It comes and goes. But the speed limit is slow so it’s not as scary as say, riding on Los Feliz Blvd. That road has White-bicycle-memorial-with-your-name-on-it written all over it.

In 1 mile you will pass the zoo on your left and The Autry Museum on your right. Keep going and at mile 3 you will pass Travel Town on your left. Continue straight. Don’t turn right on to Forest Lawn Drive. Here is where the white pipe gate tells cars to suck it. It’s bicycle time!

And get ready for 3 ½ miles of steady climbing. Almost 900’ of elevation gain. Heading uphill for less than a mile you will turn right at the first intersection. You are now leaving Griffith Park Drive and heading up Mt. Hollywood Drive. There will be no signs. No Signs! Just trust me on the names here.

At mile 5 you will pass the top of Toyon Canyon to your left. This is 2 miles into your climb so you’re more than half way up! Another mile and a half – just past the Haunted Picnic Table – you will top out at the intersection with Vista Del Valle Drive coming in on your left. Continue straight noting that we will be returning up Vista Del Valle to close this loop.

We are now 6.5 miles in and the next 2 miles are mostly downhill. When you hit The Griffith Observatory you are back on a live road again. And just like the cars in front of you and behind you, you’re cruising through the tunnel. It’s super fun.

When you pass The Greek Theater turn left onto Commonwealth Drive. The Roosevelt Golf Course to your right has a decent snack bar. You are at around 8 ½ miles in so you’ve earned a break. Grab an overpriced Gatorade or a small box of wine. Whatever your thing is.

Continuing on Commonwealth just past the tennis courts that you will see to your left the white pipe gate stops the cars once again and in about ½ mile we turn left on Vista Del Valle Drive. There will be another white pipe gate because…. Super double bike safety? Not sure.  But again, No Signs. Just trust me. It’s Vista Del Valle.

Now 1 mile of steady uphill, passing the Joe Klass water stop on your right you will top out at the helipad with it’s sweeping 270 degree view. You can see smog from Century City all the way to downtown LA. From here you have 2 miles of crumbling asphalt overlooking beautiful (?) downtown Glendale.

At mile 12 you will pass Bee Rock on your right and Vista Del Valle gives you one last uphill climb. It’s under a mile and tops out at the intersection with Mt. Hollywood Drive I mentioned earlier.

Now it’s back downhill the way we came up. It’s a fast and furious 2 ½ miles. Try not to fly off the road and into a tree but also…have a blast. At the bottom we hit Griffith Park Drive and turn right. We came in from the left, but we are going back past the golf courses.

FYI we are at about mile 15 ½ right now and we’ll see Toyon Canyon to your right. This is where the live car traffic joins you again and bike lane markings on this road are crap but it’s fine. It’s a slight downhill for 2 miles so you are going to feel like you’re getting your second wind. You’re not. It’s just a very easy section. Sorry for the reality sandwich.

At mile 18 you hit the intersection with Crystal Springs Road. Turn right. Couple hundred feet, turn left. 19 miles. Boom. (Hell yes I rounded up generously. My website, my rules!)