Distance: 6 miles RT
Elevation gain = 1500 ft.
Directions to Old Zoo Picnic Area: Take I-5 and exit at Los Feliz. Continue west to Griffith Park Drive and turn right (north). We will meet at the Old Zoo picnic area which is on Griffith Park Dr., where it makes a major curve from being E/W to more N/S. This curve is a bit West of Griffith Park Drive's intersection with Crystal Springs Dr. We will park on the small road/parking lot that extends a couple of hundred yards into the canyon. Restrooms, the multicolored concrete block building, are available.
Alternate Trailhead: Proceed north on Griffith Park Drive from Los Feliz, turn left at the "Merry-go-round" sign and continue to the upper parking lot.
The Hike: A clockwise loop starting either at the at the Old Zoo or the Merry-go-round, climbing Mt. Hollywood, and ultimately returning either via the Eckert or Ed Curl trail. The Eckert trail return is considered the basic hike. Returning via the Ed Curl trail will add 1.5 miles with the same elevation gain.
Starting from the Old Zoo picnic area, we hike a couple of hundred yards of a paved path that leads through the cages and grottos of the Old Zoo to a "hole" in the fence. Immediately turn left on the Old Zoo trail (fire road). We will traverse S/E and join the Fern Canyon trail at point above the Merry-go-round. An upward climb leads us to a crossing of Vista del Valle and a great overlook of downtown LA.
Starting from the Merry-go-round parking lot, we pick up Fern Canyon trail as per above. Both hikes are identical from this point on.
The Hogback trail will get your heart going and leads to the green oasis of Dante's View. Another half mile gets us to the top of 1625 ft. Mt. Hollywood. The Observatory is below, and there is an oblique view of the Hollywood Sign, on the slope of Mt. Lee. Our trail leads North toward Mt. Bell, and a fork. By turning right, the shorter hike heads down toward Vista del Valle and the Eckert trail which leads us back to the hole in the fence and the trailhead.
By continuing straight ahead, the longer version of the hike leads us to Amir's Garden (worth a short visit), then a short descent to the Ed Curl trail which traverses above Griffith Park Dr., and returns you to the hole in the fence.
