Ferndell Park is a favorite park destination, especially on a hot summer afternoon; but the verdant hues and patterning are a refreshing reprieve at any time of the year. Stroll under the cool canopy of California sycamores and view more than 50 fern species among select tropical plants and flowers along this winding trail. The park offers a casual nature walk and scenic picnic areas.
The park is comprised of two sections. The lower section is a tropical garden with a variety of ferns, succulents, and other plants growing lushly along a man-made brook shaded by a canopy of trees.
Stroll along a path lined with stone retaining walls and accented with rustic handrails, quaint footbridges, and conveniently placed benches.
The upper section of Ferndell is primarily dusty picnic areas under a canopy of sycamore, alder, oak, and redwood.
This section also has man-made streams that used to be fed with water from the observatory’s cooling system and gurgled its way down through the dell. But when the observatory was renovated, the cooling system was replaced and no longer releases its refreshing stream. So the stone-lined brooks through the picnic areas are dry.
The parks narrow trail is arguably one of the most charming and lush in the area and will take you through stream areas with hanging plants and over and under little bridges and tunnels.
This trail may take about a half an hour, depending on your pace. All dogs should always be kept on-leash unless a sign specifies otherwise. Ticketing for off-leash walking is becoming increasingly common. It is especially important here because lots of families with small children navigate this trail and kids are sometimes frightened by dogs running around corners.
Ferndell Park is conveniently located just off Los Feliz Blvd. near the Western Canyon entrance of Griffith Park park just under the Griffith Observatory.
From the intersection of Los Feliz and Fern Dell Blvd, drive north on Fern Dell about 0.3 mile, cross a narrow bridge (immediately after the bridge, Red Oak Drive comes in from the left), Drive another 100 yards to an open street gate and notice Trails Cafe on the left and parking places long the road on the right.
You can park along the street anywhere up to this point or after this point, but it’s at this point that your route begins. Directly across from Trails Cafe, notice the opening in the fence.
Los Angelinos once enjoyed a sanctuary of gnarled oaks, serene pools, and exotic ferns on Griffith Park’s southwestern edge. But four decades of neglect have left the 20-acre Ferndell retreat a shadow of its former self. The once-exotic Ferndell has deteriorated into a tangled, neglected patch of L.A.’s large urban park. Now a nonprofit group, Friends of Griffith Park has pledged to restore its past glory of its early Hollywood heyday. The volunteer group has launched a campaign to rejuvenate the 95-year-old stream-fed garden spot, restoring its 17 footbridges, ripping out thickets of invasive ivy and bamboo, and beefing up security. Read the full story and check out pictures at the LA Times: Click Here
WHAT: Ferndell Park
WHEN: 6:00 am – 10:00 pm daily
WHERE: Ferndell Park | 5375 Red Oak Drive | Los Angeles, CA 90027
DETAILS:
CONTACT INFO: (323) 666-5046
SOCIAL MEDIA: Yelp
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