This past weekend was what could be considered a quintessential Los Angeles summer weekend. From the blistering afternoon heat to rather predictable freeway traffic, this typifies what one might experience in Los Angeles, whether they live locally or are paying a visit to the area. Our choice of activities too were representative of a few options for entertainment here in the Greater LA area -after all, where can one go for a concert, a hike, good food, and more all in the same weekend? But for this post I’ll focus on our jaunts in the section of the city of Los Angeles famously known as Hollywood.
We’ll All Be Here Forever…in LA Traffic
We kicked off the weekend with the second night of Noah Kahan’s “We’ll All Be Here Forever” performance at the Hollywood Bowl. There are few things that are so classically LA than summer concerts at the Bowl. This historic 17,500-seat amphitheater has been an icon since its founding in 1922. With its distinctive bandshells built at the base of the Hollywood Hills and the famous Hollywood sign in the background, the Bowl is considered a premiere outdoor music venue- one of the best in the United States- and known around the globe.
The Hollywood Bowl is the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and has hosted a number of famously talented musicians throughout its hundred-year history- from the jazz greats of the 1950s, the Beatles and the Supremes in the 60s, to Tom Petty, Linkin Park, Coldplay, and more in the 2000s. For me though, it is not just the famous performers that make the Bowl a special place. My favorite memories of the Bowl are made up of sitting in the cheap seats with friends and family. I loved attending summer concerts while growing up. I recall picnicking in the back while singing along to “The Sound of Music” or Disney tunes and watching the fireworks burst over the Hollywood sign. Growing up in the Greater LA area, the Hollywood Bowl was a place where we kids could get a bit of culture, learn some music appreciation, and hang out while eating cheese sandwiches and galletas as the setting sun glowed over Southern California. After turning 21, this evolved into fancier sandwiches and wine while enjoying the music of Maestro of the Movies John Williams, Sarah MacLachlan, and Florence and the Machine. And I was able to share in this magic this past Friday, when I and my girls along with Emily’s high school friend, sang along to the folk-pop stylings of Noah Kahan.
The sold-out concert was a continuation of the Stick Season tour and it was amazing. The Bowl was packed with fans singing along to favorites from Kahan’s 2022 album “Stick Season” as well one of my personal favorites, ‘False Confidence’ from his 2019 album “Busyhead,” after which his mental health initiative is named. There was also a minor change when compared to the Spotify set list; Kahan performed the unreleased ‘The Great Divide,’ a song touching on religious trauma that deeply resonated with me. Indeed, this whole concert was therapeutic, as we yelled along to our favorites, and leaned into the themes of generational trauma, emotional health, and Zoloft. I am glad to have shared this therapy session* with the kids.
Bronson Canyon and the Hollywoodland Sign
Inspired by the hills under which we sat the night prior, and happening to find Bronson Caves on Google Maps as I followed our route back to the LA Zoo parking lot from the Bowl, I woke up early-ish on Saturday morning and headed back to Griffith Park.
Griffith Park is a large, 4310-acre municipal park located in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. The land was gifted in 1896 by Griffith J. Griffith and his wife, Christina, with the express purpose of use as a public park with access to all. Though Griffith’s life and legacy was marred by his brutal attempt on his wife’s life, this dream of an attractive park that anyone could enjoy regardless of race or station was a worthy one. Today, Griffith Park is a popular space enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, with sites of cultural and historical significance, as well as many opportunities for recreation.
The park also boasts 53 miles of hiking trails, and this is what brought me to the park on this early Saturday morning. I decided to hike up to both Bronson Caves and the famed Hollywood sign, a historic landmark and Los Angeles icon that celebrated its 100th birthday last year. To get there, I entered on the south side off Canyon Drive. While the entrance on Los Feliz was already starting to get crowded with parked cars, this portion of the park was quieter. There is a small lot before the start of the Brush Canyon Trail, as well as some parking along the road. I easily parked in the dirt lot, and after applying liberal amounts of sunscreen, I headed up the road toward the trailhead.
I passed by the spur for Bronson Caves. The sign noted that it was a 0.2 mile hike from the road, so I decided to hit the caves on the return trip. My new goal was to hike up to the Hollywood Sign viewpoint via the Hollyridge Trail. I passed through the gate onto the wide dirt trail.
The trail followed what seemed to be a small stream. This portion of the trail, while ascending, was pleasantly shaded, and in the morning, it wasn’t too warm. This quickly ended as I continued another quarter-mile or so up the ascent. The trail was definitely exposed, and I was glad I brought my sunhat. The first mile had a moderate incline, but soon enough, I reached the junction with the Mulholland Trail from Griffith Observatory. At this point I could see that the trail flattened out for the 0.8 miles to the viewpoint.
I continued onto the Mulholland Trail. The next half-mile went quickly as it was relatively flat, and I could had a nice view of the sign to show that I was going in the right direction. I reached the turnoff to the Hollyridge Trail, and decided to continue on toward Tyrolean Tank. I thought the view might be nicer from the tank, and I wanted to get a bit more distance in my hike.
I was not disappointed. The extra 0.4 mile did not take very long to complete, and while there was a short uphill toward the tank, this was not very difficult. I came to the clearing, and had an unobstructed view of the Hollywood sign as well as views of Los Angeles below. Even in the summer haze, the city was pretty.
After admiring the sign and taking photos, I started the trek back down. The descent felt much faster than the hike up. I could see that the trail, while relatively quiet earlier in the morning, was getting busier as the morning wore on, even with the day’s extreme heat advisory. I reached the trailhead, and continued another tenth of a mile to the turnoff to the caves. As intended, I followed the short uphill trail to the caves.
To the Batcave!
Bronson Caves is a series of manmade caves carved into the rocky hillside and had been used as a filming location for many movies and television shows. Notably, Bronson Caves was used as the Batcave in the 1960s Batman series. I was glad that this was a short, easy hike, and done as part of a longer adventure. The caves were, disappointingly, fenced off. According to the Griffith Park website, Bronson Caves were temporarily closed in 2021, citing safety concerns. Even so, knowing that bit of TV history, I had to pretend that I was Batman, even if it was in front of the fence. I guess I was a stranded un-caped crusader.
As I finished taking silly selfies in front of the cave, another family of hikers with a small child hiked up the trail. I decided to check out the back of the cave and report back, though I could see through the fence that the other side was also fenced off. Walking to the back, my suspicion was confirmed; there would be no way of entering the caves, at least not without disregarding safety and barriers. There was a weird formation of concentric circles made from rocks. I wasn’t sure what the significance of this was, other than someone was bored or high. It looked cool and artsy, and while not overly superstitious, I decided to take a photo of it rather than walk in it, lest I be abducted by aliens or something. I headed back to the couple and their baby and reported the closure of the caves, but that there was a cool formation they could check out if they wanted to. After bidding them a good day- my stomach was rumbling- I headed back to the car with the intent of stopping for a breakfast burrito and the largest coffee money could buy. It was a fun adventure- even if I couldn’t find the Batmobile.
Some things to consider:
The trail I followed- Brush Canyon to Mullholland to Tyrolean Tank- is rated moderately challenging. While the trail is wide, it is more like a fire road, with very little shade for much of the hike. According to Strava, in 2.4 miles, I gained 923 feet of elevation, most of which was in the first mile of the hike. Plenty of water and sun protection are non-negotiable on this hike.
There are signs at the trailhead reminding hikers that the trail is located in what is considered urban wilderness. Critters such as rattlesnakes and cougars are known to frequent the area. Be aware of your surroundings, keep a respectful distance from wildlife, and follow safety protocols such as staying calm and acting bigger in the case of a mountain lion encounter. Fortunately, I did not run into any potentially dangerous wildlife, but I did spot this cool centipede on the trail.
If you want to hike up to the back of the Hollywood sign, you can follow the route up Mt. Lee drive to the summit. This adds another 0.9 mile to the hike. I decided not to head up there because of the heat advisory in effect, but it is something I would try when the weather cools down.
When visiting Bronson Caves, I could see that someone had moved parts of the fencing, possibly to go into the caves. This is absolutely not recommended. While peeking into the caves would have been fun, it is not worth life and safety. It is also trespassing.
Bronson Canyon is susceptible to falling rocks and mass wasting events. Indeed, I saw evidence of a landslide near the backside of the cave.
As I was eating my Tom’s potato and egg breakfast burrito with unlimited coffee refills, I looked to Reddit to see if there was information regarding the circles. In true Reddit fashion, most of the answers I found were sarcastic and ridiculous, but someone on another blog site mentioned them being ‘spiritual circles.’ Not sure what kind of spirituality, but I’ll facetiously keep with my speculation on alien activity.
In all, this past weekend was a great way to kick off the summer solstice in true So Cal style. Vibing to Noah Kahan and hiking up a new trail is my definition of a perfect weekend, even in the thousand-degree heat. Top it off with a breakfast burrito and some caffeine before heading to Erewhon for bunny food, and you’ve got a true LA adventure, meant to be shared.
References:
For more information on the Hollywood Bowl as well as its history, check out The First 100 Years on Spotify.
Griffith Park, 2021, http://www.laparks.org/griffithpark/.
“Key Events in the History of the Hollywood Sign: A Timeline.” Hollywood Sign, 2023, http://www.hollywoodsign.org/history-timeline.
“Common Desert Centipede (Scolopendra Polymorpha).” iNaturalist, http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/53762-Scolopendra-polymorpha. Accessed 24 June 2024.
*While it can be therapeutic, attending a concert does not constitute therapy. If you are struggling, please reach out to a licensed counselor or therapist. Even coffee with a good friend or trusted clergy can be a start. Be well.
The Cranky Camper 