Lotusland: 06 – Such Great Heights
When a Walker Goes for a Hike, The Hollywood Sign, Novelty Architecture.
March 12th, 2023
Thai Town → Griffith Park → North Hollywood
[13.59 miles]
Walk Map
The pine needles beneath my feet felt like cushions. I was walking a trail at the foot of Griffith Park. Little did I know, I was about to begin a hike.
Conditions could not have been any better. I woke up this morning to unexpected blue skies covered in a thin veil of cirrostratus clouds that stretched for miles.
You could say Griffith Park is Los Angeles’ Central Park, but to do so would be a disservice. Griffith Park is much larger, more rugged, and untamed. It has nine different hikable peaklets. The tallest being Cahuenga Peak at 1,821 feet. Notable landmarks include the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign, which draw tourists from all over the world. The park is so large, I was able to spend most of the day alone.
I tried to plan every Los Angeles walk in advance. Today’s walk was likely the most improvised, given I didn’t really research the area or the terrain I would cover. After walking to Santa Monica yesterday, I wanted a change of pace. Less cars. More nature. Plus, all these walks start from the same location and I’d yet to head north. I looked at the map and decided I’d walk to North Hollywood via Griffith Park.
Griffith Park has multiple trails. Some are well worn fire roads, others less maintained, rocky, and lead to serious uphill and downhill scrambles. I chose a winding route that led to the back of the Hollywood sign. I’ve stared at the sign from the streets below for the better half of the week and wanted to see its giant letters up close. The paths leading to the sign proved to be the most strenuous ‘walking’ I’ve experienced in the entire series.
The temperature read mid-sixties. I brought a long sleeve shirt and light jacket, but I didn’t need either, opting instead for short sleeves and plenty of sunscreen. I was dripping sweat and nearly drank all my water, realizing I was in for more than I bargained. I welcomed the change of pace.
I’ll admit I am a little biased. One may assume those who walk would also enjoy hiking, but that isn’t the case. Apples and oranges. Not to say I don’t enjoy hiking or being in nature – there is a time and place for everything – it’s that I prefer being around people, density, and infrastructure.
Spending time in Griffith Park was an expected and moving experience. I was completely blown away. At a complete loss for words. A reminder of nature’s beauty, snug in the middle of a massive urban metro. My own prejudice, completely shaken. From the top of a hill, I could see the expanse of urban sprawl, the skyline, roads running all the way to San Pedro, and hazy, distant mountain ranges. Given the rain, the skies were clear, with little smog. Incredible.
I took a break and laid down in the grass overlooking the Griffith Observatory. Ravens lingered in the sky, carelessly floating while searching for their next meal, taking note of the granola in my hand. Small reptiles scampered beneath my feet. The ground was covered in green grass and patches of yellow-hued dirt. Fragrant flowers lined the trails. I couldn’t help but touch them and placed one on the loop of my hip pack. I could hear the distant hum of freeway traffic below. In the distance, congested freeways. To think, yesterday, I was down there walking in those streets.
I continued winding through the hills, often missing the unmarked trails leading me to the bottom of the park, causing me to backtrack. Eventually I’d make it to my destination (were it not for AllTrails maps, I would have been out of luck), but I was really in no rush.
I was unaware of the path ahead. I kept looking at peaks in the distance and saying to myself, wow, that’s a tall one, only to realize I’d soon be standing on the top. I kept taking picture after picture, all of the same view, except from different levels of elevation. I couldn’t help myself.
I debated taking a detour to the best view of the Hollywood Sign, as listed on my map. The diversion would lead me through a winding paved road, only to add an extra thirty minutes to my walk. I debated with myself while standing beside a fence overlooking the Hollywood Reservoir. Plenty of sunlight remained. Below I could see a congregation of tourists. For whom do I do this work? The sensations in my body told me to keep moving to the next peak. The urge to take a picture was serving someone else. Not a result of my own curiosity. Besides, I was more interested in the back of the Hollywood Sign. I kept it moving.
Long ago, I worked as an art handler and always enjoyed seeing the back of a painting. I remember holding a Georgia O’Keefe in my hands, turning it around, and seeing the way the canvas was nailed to the frame. Or the secret notes, smudges of paint, and frayed canvas. My impulse to see the back of the Hollywood Sign was no different. You can’t actually get close to the Hollywood Sign. Currently, it’s fenced off and heavily monitored with cameras. The sign can only be seen from above. The Mount Lee Transmitter – a radio tower – sits at the end of the path and is watched by members of the LAPD. Snapping my picture, I continued on down the path, growing closer to the concrete of North Hollywood, but not before climbing Cahuenga Peak (as I mentioned, the tallest peak in the park). From Cahuenga, I had a 360º view of the entire city. Below was the Los Angeles River, the Burbank Airport and Pasadena, where I'd walked days ago. A haze formed around the mountains, the sun would set in a couple hours, casting massive shadows on the hills. Holy shit. One of the best views I’ve ever seen.
I slowly descended the hills of Griffith Park and eventually met a gated residential street. Through the gate I walked down the quiet sidewalks of Hollywood Hills (although a FedEx delivery man blasted Van Halen from his truck as he drove through the neighborhood. What a badass) and popped back into the huste-bustle of Car City. In dire need of water and rations, I stocked up at a gas station and continued on a street that ran parallel to the 101 (and it was rush hour), eventually reaching Universal City and cross the river. I couldn’t imagine a starker change in landscape. From the peaks and hills of Griffith Park, to the soulless wide streets adjacent to Universal City, home of Universal Pictures.
I continued up Lankershim Boulevard, taking a slight detour to visit a bar called Idle Hour. The bartender promptly ID’d me and asked what I’d like to drink. While a beer sounded nice, I wasn’t there for libations, instead I’d come to take photos. Idle Hour is housed in a building that is shaped like a whiskey barrel. An early example of programmatic architecture – instantly recognizable buildings that resemble the product a business is selling (the Big Duck on Long Island is another example), to lure motorists from the street. Other examples of programmatic architecture still exist in the Los Angeles Metro, like the tamale building, the brown derby (shaped like a hat), and the donut hole. Programmatic architecture was once more common. Many of the buildings have been razed. Yet, those still standing are a testament to Los Angeles’ car culture and a relic of yesterday.
I ended the day walking along car dealerships and comedy clubs. The sidewalks were void of pedestrian activity, save for those getting into their cars. I quietly finished the day and caught the train at the North Hollywood stop. I was back home in thirty minutes looking up at the Griffith Observatory.
Tomorrow is the final stretch of this series. Day seven of seven. All day rain is forecasted, but there’s nothing like a little drama to end a long walk. It’s been a pleasure to traverse the streets of Los Angeles. I am dumbfounded by its complicated beauty. More tomorrow.
Until then,
–Alex
Hey, Alex! I just found your Substack through my recommendations! I also subscribed to your Pedestrian newsletter, but have been enjoying reading your thoughts and experiences through Los Angeles, as well as your photographs. I don't live in LA, but it's one of my favourite cities, and was last there around Christmas, when I did some of the same parts of Griffith Park you did, including one early evening in thick fog at the observatory. I liked this post because it really highlights how you can never really be bored with Los Angeles -- it's a city of so many contrasts and contradictions that once you get bored of one thing, there's quickly something wildly different nearby. I normally do a lot of walking when I visit cities, as I think it's the best way to learn about them, but this past time in LA I did a lot of driving to cover more area. Your posts have got me thinking about planning a return and ditching the car to walk all day and get into the nitty-gritty of the city.