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GP-eX Segment 11:
 FIVE POINTS – BEACON HILL

EXPLORE THE MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES of Griffith Park on this fun, SE side loop-de-loop that introduces you to the myriad aspects of just one corner of this vast urban wilderness. The route criss-crosses several times at the 5-Points junction, with each loop leading to unique natural, historic and/or man-made attractions.

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TRAILHEAD

Lower Beacon Trail
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PARKING

Merry-Go-Round Lot 1

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LENGTH

6.07 miles

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GAIN

1,194 ft.

Difficulty-Easy

DIFFICULTY

Intermediate

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DIRECTION

Clockwise

View this segment in AllTrails app.

1.Start at the Lower Beacon trailhead (sign #44) and walk SE uphill on the curving fire road, pausing to look to the N and E to see views of the Pote baseball fields and golf course below and the Glendale skyline and Verdugos in the distance. The trail curves around Beacon Hill with the glistening L.A. River and the Golden State Freeway below. Soon the elegant and ultramodern white span of the North Atwater Bridge comes into view on your L, with more classic bridges across Colorado and Los Feliz Blvds. beyond.

griffith-park-explorer-map-11
11A-Lower-Beacon-Trail
11B-Pote-Field
11C-North-Atwater-Bridge
2.The fire road takes a sharp R/N (.97); ignore the small single track on your L. Look ahead to Beacon Hill. Continue on the curvy trail and arrive at the junction for Coolidge Trail (1.3, sign #42). Turn L onto the fire road to Crystal Springs Dr. for a short out-and-back to check off this “official” trail segment. At Crystal Springs (sign #43), turn around and retrace your steps up 100 ft. to the junction with Coolidge again. Then walk straight toward Cadman Trail. The chain link fence at the Marty Tregnan Golf Academy’s driving range on the L protects you from long drives.
Griffith Park Explorer: Marty Tregnan Golf Academy
11D-Fire-Road-to-Crystal-Springs
11E-Tregnan-Driving-Range
3.At the next junction (1.93, sign #41), turn L toward Cadman and continue downhill, staying L at single track you take on your return (2.08). In another 1/10th of a mile arrive at the S entrance to the Cadman Trail (2.18); the residential street begins just S of a chain link fence. Enjoy the quiet beauty of this seldom-visited section of the Park. Turn around and take a deep breath before you begin a 500 ft. continuous uphill climb.
11F-Cadman-Trail

4.Pass the Marty Tregnan Cub House on your R/E on the other side of the fence and turn L at a junction (2.27) before a small grove of “skirted” palms. Duck under a tree trunk that bends over the path (2.36) and turn L to walk up a single track that rejoins the fire road.

Turn R/downhill at a junction (2.4) vs. taking the uphill trail to the L and continue N to the fire road. Turn L on the fire road you walked down a few minutes ago and continue up Cadman. At the next junction (2.54, sign #41) turn L to continue your gradual, uphill ascent. Stay straight at a trail on your L that turns S toward a utility tower. Forest Lawn (Glendale) and Mt. Washington appear in the SE. Soon you arrive back at 5-Points (3.36, sign #4). You criss-cross this busy junction several times before the end of the hike.

11G-Cadman-Skirted-Palms
11H-Turn-Right-Here
11I-Cadman-to-5-Points

5.Turn R toward a metal hitching post and proceed to the steep Upper Beacon Trail. Continue up, up and up to the top at 902 ft. Relish a 360-degree view of Glendale and the L.A. River (E), Downtown L.A. (S), Cedar Grove and the Hogback Trail (W) and Verdugos (N). Retrace your steps, and go slow down the sometimes-slippery trail.

[3 biplanes photo credit: UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library]

Griffith Park Explorer: Beacon Hill Aviation
11J-Beacon-Hill-Climb
11K-Stay-Straight
6.At 5-Points, take a slight L/W (sign #39), not the hard L down Coolidge. This short uphill arrives at the Joe Klass Water Stop (3.96), named for the former head of the Griffith Park Athletic Club, a group of early morning trail runners with an oddball sense of humor. Fill up your water bottles, then continue on the R fork of paved Vista del Valle. Pass a water tank on your R before arriving at the Vista View Point (aka McComb Helipad). True to its name, the vast L.A. basin spreads out before you, a breathtaking view at all times of the day.
11L-Joe-Klass-Water-Stop
11M-Vista-View-Point
11N-Helipad-View
7.Return behind you to paved Vista del Valle to do a quick spur before continuing. Turn L/N on Vista del Valle and walk toward a small green hut. Once you arrive opposite Pumphouse 114 (4.29, sign #36), turn around to retrace your steps. (This short piece of “official trail” is not covered in any other segment.)
11O-Pumphouse-114
8.As you walk S back toward the helipad, take the wide dirt trail on your L (4.33) uphill, passing a tranquil bench under a tree on your R. Take a short rest and snap inspirational photos, before continuing N on the trail. Stunning views of the front range of the San Gabriels, the Verdugos and the Glendale skyline are ahead, along with Mt. Hollywood and Hogback trail as you take this curvy downhill back to 5-Points (4.8, sign #39). It’s all downhill from here! Take a hard L and start your descent toward Fern Canyon Trail.
11P-Trail-Back-to-5-Points
11Q-Restful-Bench

9.Continue on a gradual slope for about a mile until you arrive at wooden steps on your R (5.72, sign #49) which lead to the Fern Canyon Nature Trail. Stay straight on the fire road. Shortly after passing sign #48 on your L, you continue R and then pass sign #47 for the Lower Old Zoo Trail on your L. Stay R again. Arrive at the large map for the Fern Canyon trailhead on your R (sign #46). Continue forward onto the paved road and arrive back at the Lower Beacon trailhead (5.97, sign #44).

11R-Fern-Canyon-Trail
11S-Fern-Canyon-Vista

LEARN MORE

When the Sky Was the Limit: Aviation in Griffith Park
Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields – Griffith Park

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Continue to Segments
2. South Side Stroll
3. Crystal Springs – Atwater Park
4. Anza – Autry – Main
7. Old Zoo – Bee Rock Loop
8. Skyline – Zoo Loop

or return to the Index of GP-eX hikes to explore more of Griffith Park!

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