Fern Dell Nature Center

Beautiful and relaxing park area. Very serene in the midst of busy Los Angeles. Gives off a rainforest vibe as you walk through and see tiny waterfalls, little lobsters and tad poles swimming in the quiet streams. Eventually we ran into a picnic area and a little playground. Nice for an evening walk.
There are plenty of signs as a reminder that the park is closed from sunset to sunrise.

First, I’d describe Fern Dell as a trail. It goes in parallel with the main road from Griffith Park, so it’s not as quiet as I’d like it to be.
Otherwise, coming from Western Ave, it’s easy to find, marked, on the left side of the street. Parking is free (till sunset) alongside of the road, on both sides. I went on a weekend, so it was pretty full, we found a lot further up, past Trail Café, and since we don’t mind walking, it’s all good.
The trail took us 10 minutes maximum to walk through. I’m sure this place was very nice at some point in time, it still has some charm, but unfortunately, people trashed it a bit by doing graffiti, not picking up after themselves, so that’s sad. The place is shady, has nice greenery, but the ponds are murky, though. There were a bit too many people around, even a teenage couple smoking pot and having a radio on for everyone to hear (not my ideal stroll to enjoy nature).
I still tried to enjoy it and imagine its better days.
Across from the trail, there’s a playground for kids, picnic tables, restrooms (pretty dirty). Past the restrooms there are signs for short hikes you can take if you want to exercise more. The hikes up to the Observatory are short (less than 1 mile), but you can get some god cardio and have beautiful views of the city and the Hollywood sign. And it’s just fun to hike up to the Observatory.
Near Fern Dell that’s the cute Trail Café in case you need a snack or lunch.
If you’re in the area, check it out. Fern Dell is a cute spot. I expected a bit more, a longer trail and more peace around.

This is a little hidden oasis that im glad i found. it is very shaded, soothing from the sound of the water flowing and cute little bridges.

This is a thin strip of green oasis through a man made creek with many footbridges. It’s small, but it’s cute despite the traffic noise from the street that runs along this tiny park. There are ferns and it is a dell (not the computer variety), but I didn’t see a nature center.

This is a hidden secret of Griffith Park. Upon first moving to L.A. a good friend of mine took me here. Sharing with me the peaceful balling brooks, densely growing ferns and foliage among the trees and a lovely walk that winds around and around until you pass under a small bridge.
This is a little piece of paradise located in a metropolis. Where green spaces and quiet places are sought after a hard day at work or after the struggle through the traffic madness. Bring you pooch, your children or just yourself. Parking is plentiful, free street parking and while you’re here catch a sunset above at the Observatory.

I dont leave too far from here so i try and explore the trails as much as i can, it’s usually a nice quiet walk.

I liked the walk, feels very tropical. The only thing that brought it down was the lack of water and the stench. I came after a recent rainstorm. There was very little fish. My dog was happy walking in the trails and over the bridges but there was barely any water. No waterfalls, no running water. There was some crayfish and some koi, plus there was 2 big fish!

The wonderful thing about living in a large city such as Los Angeles is that it is not only ever-​revolving; but there are endless nooks and crannies that even those native to the area have not yet experienced. Griffith Park is a perfect example: it is popular with both residents and tourists but there are lesser-​traversed spots within its confines. The Fern Dell Nature Center certainly fits this bill.
To set aside confusion, the Fern Dell Nature Center isn’t a ‘nature center’ or a botanical garden. It is simply a small path/​side area near the park entrance at Los Feliz Blvd/​Fern Dell right when Western turns into Los Feliz (look for the bear Griffith Park statue… Fern Dell is to the left of it). Call it more of a semi-​landscaped, foliage-​heavy alcove.
Yet, even though Fern Dell isn’t necessarily anything «fancy»; it does transport you to a lush, leafy environment. Fern Dell consists of a flat, wide, dirt path which curls around a small creek/​stream featuring tiny waterfalls fit for fairies, gigantic fern leaves that look like lily pads for mammoth-​sized frogs, and small wooden bridges which could house trolls living underneath them. Fern Dell isn’t as bright green and vibrant as one would hope (this can chalked up to California’s terrible water drought); but it certainly has a fairy tale or «Alice in Wonderland» essence. Hummingbirds zip by and squirrels hop from branch to branch. Meanwhile, your mind clears along the walk as Fern Dell is actually pretty quiet in comparison to many other parts of Griffith.
If you continue along the path, Fern Dell opens up to picnic areas with charcoal grills, grassy knolls for sitting, and leads to the other, more popular areas of Griffith.
The only gripe? Fern Dell is a bit «dirty» meaning there is some trash laying around, unkempt areas, etc. It is always sad when visitors desecrate natural wonders. But alas; it isn’t too bad to deter a visit from Fern Dell. Parking is relatively simple as well with street parking available immediately upon turning into the park (prohibited from sunset to sunrise).
Basically, Fern Dell is a charming little spot in Griffith that will excite the imaginations of children but is peaceful enough for parents to take a nice stroll. Plus, it is free so there is really no reason to complain. If you are looking for a lesser-​known LA spot as either a resident or tourist; Fern Dell is great nook to check out.

The most amazing place for kids to run around, play, look for bugs, collect leaves, be kids! I take my kids once or twice a week. It’s always a joyous experience ;)

This lil hidden oasis is a gem stone. I love to hike and be outdoors kind of gal. And when I found this place I thought I could take my kids and see if they would like to take the adventure with me. To my surprise they loved it. Even my 12 yr old that hates anything that has to do with the outdoors. It wasn’t to hard for them to hike. It was more like a nice stroll. They got to see a lot of cool stuff on our way to the observatory. This is the spot to go. I will definitely come back again.

You have got to love it. When you walk around it’s hard to believe this place even exists.
The water is recirculated and filtered like the small water fountains you’d put in your yard. We discussed this much until I came across a maintenance worker and asked. The entire place was created by Park workers.

Great hike! Brought a 2, 3, 5, 6 yr old and they were able to hike up to the observatory. Definitely come before it’s too hot. Shade in fern dell but after the playground and trails café there’s no shade. Bring the dogs. Must be leashed. I was able to bring the stroller for the. 2 yr old… But it was a lil tough.

Great hiking trail up to the Griffith Observatory. I’d say the hike is about medium to strenuous for all ages. It’s also a great way to experience the sun going down.

This is a great easy hike that goes up to Griffith Observatory. Find parking on the side of the road and trek up the dirt paths past koi ponds, playgrounds, and lush vegetation. I’m a pretty avid hiker and found the difficulty of this hike more «stroll» than «climb» but it wasn’t a deal breaker at all!
In fact, my hiking partner and myself, after deciding that we wanted something a bit more challenging, took a small detour off the beaten path and were able to make our way to the trail that took us all the way up to Griffith Observatory!
Come here with kids, with a picnic, or with your pets (so many cute dogs!) If you want something more challenging, the hike up to Griffith is just around the corner!

I found out about Fern Dell on TMZ.
(I confess. I like celebrity gossip. Go ahead, judge me.)
An adorable little girl was asked if she knew about any great date places.
«I know! I know! Fern Dell!»
Her mom explained that Fern Dell was her daughter’s favorite place to go.
The few pictures they showed were lovely!
So I Unilocaled Fern Dell only to find out that it’s part of Griffith Park.
And that it’s a little hidden oasis that’s an easy 1-​mile stroll from the entrance and back. Not taxing at all for us mobility-​challenged folks.
It’s a dog-​friendly place too! (As long as you pick up the doodies)
I can see why that little girl is so enchanted by Fern Dell.
This is a happy place.
Made me wish I could have my own little Hobbit house right under the Morning Glory covered trees next to the bubbling stream.
Note: Don’t come here with a hungry hubby who’ll try to rush you through.
O_​o

A hidden urban oasis which is a part of Griffith Park, located near Western Canyon. Feels very much like a secluded lush forest/​jungle with tall California sycamore, pine, palm, ash, and redwood trees, over 50 varieties of fern species among tropical plants, flowers, bridges, streams and ponds along a quarter mile winding trail.
According to another source, an episode of Star Trek was filmed here — «The Bajoran Monastery of the Kai garden scenes in the first season episode „In the Hands of the Prophets“ in 1993 were filmed at Fern Dell.» Here’s a screenshot (
)
Quickest way to find this place would be to spot Trails Café, cross on over to Griffith Park and instead of walking up the trail to go hiking, walk the opposite direction going downhill instead. You’ll notice a gated open entryway to this beautiful retreat.

This is a beautiful paradise.
My friend told me about this place when I told her I love to catch Crawfish as a child.
So I loaded the kids in the car and we headed out. It very easy to get to and very close to the entrance at Griffith park.
Love this place, beautiful foliage, small streams, Dragonflies Dancing all around and tiny little Crawfish everywhere.
Great place for kids, picnicking, or walking the dog. I’m going back with a date next time. It’s romantic too…

It’s hard to believe something this beautiful exists in the middle of LA. This tiny little block of forrest in Griffith Park is absolutely stunning. It feels very woodsy with all the greenery, water streams, vine covered bridges, ponds with fish, and shaded benches. It’s quiet and peaceful, yet you can hear the stream running, birds chirping, dragonflies buzzing around, and leaves/​twigs cracking in the bushes. This truly is a gem in Los Angeles, if there ever was one!
Fern Deil is also really well-​kept despite how many people constantly pass through it. You’ll see the usual graffiti and tagging here and there, but maintenance will come through from time to time to clean that stuff up. The plants and trees are also really well-​maintained. The vines and trees are always trimmed back to keep the path clear and safe. There is little to no trash lying around, and you really get a sense of being removed from the city. Although the freeway is just a half mile away, the trees and vines does a good job of soundproofing the noise from the roads and cars. Even on a hot summer day, Fern Deil stays cool and shadey – thank you majestic trees for your lovely branches and protection from the sun! It gets extremely packed on the weekends, but weekdays on a late afternoon are nice and secluded.
This place is PURE MAGIC. If you need to get away for a few hours without leaving the city, this is a great spot. It stays relatively secluded during the week, but this place is packed on weekends.

Fern Dell should be called Ferngully (like the animated movie about the rain forest). What an amazingly beautiful, quiet, and serene oasis in the middle of a busy city.
I did a search for nature centers and was immediately drawn to this place just from the description. The pictures simply don’t do it justice.
Fern Dell is located to your left as soon as you make the turn from Los Feliz. There’s a large sign that you can’t miss marking the entrance. You can still enter through the middle or back further down the road.
There are so many trees lining the path, I wish I knew all their names. There is a stream flowing through the entire park. There are lots of small koi fish and crawfish in the ponds. Lots of benches to sit down and take in all the beauty. You can walk the entire trail in 20 minutes or less but that isn’t the point. I spent time looking and taking in everything and taking plenty of pictures of course.
This park or trail leads into other trails of Griffith Park. If you want to begin or end here you can. I can’t get to Hawaii as often as I’d like, this will do in a pinch !

Doing another hike in an urban area on my recent Los Angeles trip, I followed Charles Fleming’s route through Fern Dell in Griffith Park.
He has you starting on the paved trail going behind the bear off Los Feliz Boulevard. I meandered around until I got beneath Griffith Observatory and then came back down and crossed the two bridges that go into Fern Dell.
It’s a lovely hike with lots of shade and you feel somewhat cut off from the city. I did cross the street to take a look at the Trails snack shop, but then came back and completed my route leaving by the Ferndell sign and the stone with the plaque telling about its Indian past.
This is just one of many wonderful hikes in Griffith Park. What a treat!~