Old LA Zoo Hike | Los Angeles, CA

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! From 1912 to 1966, a zoo was right smack dab in the middle of Griffith Park. While a new zoo has been built just a few miles away, the Old LA Zoo was left behind for hikers to explore the remains of old structures, cages, and dens that once housed animals. A hike through the Old LA Zoo is a must if you are in the Los Angeles area: the sights are unique, the terrain is mostly flat, and the remnants of an old zoo are open for exploration.

This 3-mile loop trail begins in a section of Griffith Park that experiences far less foot traffic than other hikes in the surrounding areas. Just a short distance away from the popular Griffith Observatory, the Old LA Zoo trail picks up on Crystal Drive. On Crystal Drive, you’ll notice large sign that reads “Old LA Zoo” with a small parking lot in front of it. If you can’t find parking here, there is another larger lot nearby. After parking in either lot, follow the unmarked hiking trail directly behind the “Old LA Zoo” sign. This will take you up a short incline and loop you around towards the Old LA Zoo park.

At about 0.5-miles in, you’ll come across a fork in trail. The trail to the right leads to a completely different hike. Instead, follow the fork to the left and head downhill, hiking alongside an iron gate to your right. You’ll find your first set of abandoned structures here. Many are the foundations of what once used to likely hold animals. Continue uphill past the remains of these foundations.

Here is where you will gain most of your elevation. This short ascent up the ridge will also will offer you sweeping views of the city of Glendale in the distance. Below you’ll see the Old LA Zoo park, where you will soon find even more evidence of encounters that used to hold animals.

Along your route, you’ll find several side trails. Avoid this trails and when in doubt, follow the wide fire road to complete your loop.

At 2 miles, this is where the main attractions come into view. You’ll pass by:

Abandoned Buildings : Decked in graffiti inside, and one with cages outside that once used to hold smaller animals or birds.
Small Cages: If you’re feeling adventurous, you can walk inside a few of these cages.
Large Dens : These once housed larger animals such as lions and bears. If this area looks familiar, it may be because it was used as a scene in the movie Anchorman. Now, there are picnic tables in this area where your family can enjoy a meal after your hike.
Merry-Go-Round: It’s not everyday you encounter an abandoned merry-go-round. This is located in the Old LA Zoo picnic area.

When you make your way down to the picnic area, you will complete your loop. Here you can enjoy the scenery, eat lunch, and take in the stunning views of Griffith Park. This part of Griffith Park is not as popular as other parts, so even on a weekend in the middle of summer you won’t find a large gathering of people. To put this into perspective, while hiking this trail on a Saturday in June, we passed by about 10 other hikers.

History

The Old LA Zoo, also known as the Griffith Park Zoo, once was a small-scale zoo but is now a picnic area and hiking trail. The zoo opened it’s doors in 1912 with only 15 animals to boast. By the mid-1920’s, film producer William Nicholas Selig donated animals from his studio to the zoo. As Los Angeles grew as a mecca for entertainment, the Griffith Park Zoo was looked down upon as being ugly and poorly designed, despite the 2 million visitors who flocked here each year. A visit to the Old LA Zoo proves this. The cages are rusted, small, and unsettling to put it mildly. It is a wonder animals survived in these conditions at all.

In 1958 the city of Los Angeles passed a $8 million bond measure to build a new zoo, just a few miles away from the Griffith Park Zoo. Griffith Park Zoo closed in August 1966 and the animals were transferred to the new Los Angeles Zoo. The enclosures and cages were left for ruins.

Old LA Zoo Tips

Tip #1: There are multiple different ways to hike the Old LA Zoo trail and many parts of the trail are unmarked. When in doubt, follow the main fire road and keep an eye out for ruins, gates, and fences along the way.

Tip #2: Be careful what you touch. Many of the cages are rusted and could be potentially harmful.

Tip #3: Wear clothes you don’t mind dirtying as you will need to climb over and under things and get through small spaces.

Tip #4: Pack out what you pack in. This hike experiences a lot of litter. Don’t be one of those people who helps contribute to it.

Tip #5: This may be an obvious tip for most, but do not contribute to the graffiti that already exists here. There are many spots that have been defaced and it continues to worsen as time goes on.

Tip #6: Bring your camera. There are plenty of unique photo opportunities here. When else will you have the opportunity to rummage through an abandoned zoo?