Hiking Griffith Observatory Trails for the Best Sunset Views
GRIFFITH PARK - LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
With more than 53 miles of trails, Griffith Park has a hike for everyone. Yesterday we set out to find the best views of Griffith Observatory at sunset and we were treated to incredible light as the sun set over the LA Basin. You could see from Downtown Los Angeles to Century City and Santa Monica beyond. You could even make out Palos Verdes and Catalina on the horizon.
GRIFFITH PARK TRAILS
There are so many trails and so many starting points within Griffith Park that it is easy to get lost. I haven't even began to scratch the surface of the many gems that there are but this one is one of my favorites. Off of Los Feliz Blvd. is Fern Dell Dr., which turns into Western Canyon Rd. and is what I consider the back entrance to Griffith Observatory and where we found a parking spot to start our hike. We continued up towards the observatory and decided to take the Mt. Hollywood Trail as it looked like it would provide the best views that we were looking for.
MT. HOLLYWOOD TRAIL | GRIFFITH PARK
Starting out from W. Observatory Rd., the trail was steep but we quickly found a few spots to take in some beautiful views directly over Griffith Observatory. We didn't have a lot of time to find the perfect spot to watch the sunset over Los Angeles but with views spanning from the Inland Empire to the Pacific Ocean, it was easy to figure out where we needed to be. My goal was to get a shot of Griffith Observatory with Downtown Los Angeles directly behind it. We were able to find the perfect place and with just enough time to spare. I took the photo that I was looking for and then there was a nice bench for Amanda and I to sit on and just enjoy the sunset, something that you have to remember to do as a photographer.
THE HIKE BACK TO GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY
As the sun was setting, we realized that we only had three more sunsets in 2017. I took a few more twilight shots as we made our way back down the trails. Once we got back to where we were parked along Western Canyon Rd., I noticed that there was a nice view of the observatory with Downtown Los Angeles in what looked like a little valley so I took a couple more shots. They turned out to be some of my favorite. Hope you enjoy the photos below. Have you hiked the Griffith Park trails? What are some of your favorite spots? Leave me a comment down below or over on Instagram.