Griffith Park - Los Angeles, CA

Griffith Park is the largest municipal park in the city with the second largest population in the United States. Located on the northern stretches of the city overlooking the vast basin of downtown Los Angeles and its miles of surrounding and outlying development, the park commands an extremely valuable tract of real estate within Southern California that the entire public can enjoy for its numerous advantages. The park is over 4,310 acres, which establishes itself as one of the largest urban parks in the country. It lies on hilly and rugged terrain, which not only adds to its wild and unkempt character, but also its famous views of downtown Los Angeles and the massive overwhelmingly flat areas that surround it in every direction.

Located at the eastern end of the scenic Santa Monica Mountains, the park was officially created in 1896, and his since morphed into one of the most visited parks in the United States. It is one of the main tourist attractions in one of the most heavily visited cities in America. Furthermore, the park is heavily used by residents as valuable hiking and recreation destination as they take advantage of the rugged terrain and the numerous trails, paths, attractions, and amenities that are present throughout the park. It is also one of the most recognizable parks to the general American public whether they have been there or not due to it incredible proximity to Hollywood, of which it is just uphill and to the east. The park is a one of the most common filming locations for films and television shows in a city and region in which the film and entertainment industries dominate. Due to its close proximity to the capital of production studios, and the varied terrain that is present throughout its boundaries, Griffith Park is naturally a favored filming and production location. It represents areas throughout the world that are not supposed to be in Los Angeles. It is a testament to the varied terrain and topography within the park. The preservation of this land as open space is also a key positive economic development indicator for the city of Los Angeles and its surrounding region. The open space that it affords allows the city to continue to dominate its claim as the film and television capital of the world.

The park itself also plays an important role in the quality of life for residents of Los Angeles. It allows for an oasis of natural beauty within the crowded metropolis of urban Los Angeles. The park is located well inland from the coastal open space of which the city is often equated. Therefore, the park allows easy access to natural open space for residents who do not live within a just a few miles of the Pacific Ocean. In the nightmare that is the Los Angeles traffic and freeway system, this is a huge advantage. As Los Angeles is a heavily paved metropolis, the park allows residents and visitors to experience a natural Southern California ecosystem without leaving city limits. Typical of the region, the park ranges in altitude from 384 to 1,625 feet above sea level, which make it a premier urban hiking destination. Due to the arid climate, many native plant species such as coastal sage scrub and oak woodlands thrive in the numerous deep canyons and steep hillsides that wind throughout the park. This landscaping patten allows the city to reduce its cost in regards to maintenance to this civic treasure.

Besides its many natural treasures, Griffith Park is also a cultural destination for the city. The Los Angeles Zoo, the premier areas for viewing wildlife in the metropolitan area, is locate within its boundaries. Also, the famous Greek Theatre is located within the park. The 5,700 seat theater is an extremely popular destination for concerts and related performances for acts from around the world. Finally, the park is home to the Griffith Observatory, perhaps its most famous landmark. Sitting on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood, the observatory commands an impressive views of the Los Angeles metropolitan region, everywhere from the Pacific Ocean to downtown, and to both the south and east of the downtown skyline. Opened to the public in 1935, the Observatory has since been a top attraction for both residents and visitors alike.

Despite its reputation as a recreation lover's paradise, the city of Los Angeles actually suffers from a dearth of public parkland. There are huge swaths of urban development throughout much of the city without much in the way of land set aside for public recreation. Griffith Park helps to make up for this shortfall by providing a giant open space. However, Los Angeles could do much more for its citizenry in regards to open space. But the city must be applauded for setting aside an area that would be one of the most highly desired real estate in the region for public use. Where else can you experience a hiking path such as this within one of the largest cities in the country: