Yippie ki yay! There's a new weekly farmers market launching at the end of the month at The Autry National Center in Griffith Park. more ›

Today, L.A.'s Griffith Park will be graced with the final blossoming cherry tree of a newly planted "Friendship Grove" in the park. A century after Japan gifted the U.S. with thousands of flowering cherry trees to be planted in our nation's capital in 1912, City Councilman Tom LaBonge will plant the last of ten freshly implanted cherry trees in the park. more ›

Actress and dancer Zina Bethune was the kind of person who not only braked for animals but tried to help them across the street—even at the end when her life was on the line. For that, PETA is giving Bethune a posthumous "Compassionate Action Award." more ›

A woman who pulled over and got out of her car to help an ailing animal in Griffith Park this weekend was killed in a hit-and-run, reports KTLA. Zina Freeley, 66, who went by her maiden name Zina Bethune, was struck by two different vehicles on Forest Lawn Drive shortly after midnight Sunday. more ›

Cinema and television-obsessed, mark Griffith Park as your number one go-to spot to spy a production shoot. The iconic site boasts the number one spot as 2011's top offlot L.A. shooting location. The park reportedly housed 346 permitted days for its main address last year. more ›

L.A. zoogoers, prepare to shell out a couple more bucks to see the caged animals. New fees will increase admission prices from $14 to $16 for adults, $11 to $13 for seniors and $9 to $11 for young people, ages 2 to 12. Students, do not fret. When part of a group, you will continue to have free admission. more ›

We met Paranormal EXP, one of LA's foremost ghost hunter squads, outside the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. Coming off the recent taping of an episode of Paranormal Challenge for the Travel Channel (airing August 26th) and a win at STU CON, Clare, Jason, and Marcus were happy to talk about some of their recent adventures as we wandered the empty cages and picnic benches on an all-too bright Sunday afternoon. more ›

Has the absence of Mad Men and its regular mid-century goodness (though technically, it was 1964 in season four) been getting you down? Lucky for you, today's video lunch menu is going vintage. YouTube user Gerlock11’s treasure trove of vintage video footage gives a glimpse into the past with 1950s home movies of trips to Griffith Park & Observatory, Malibu (with sea lions!), Santa Monica's Ocean Park Pier, Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland, among other popular L.A. tourist spots. more ›

Residents of the Eastside now have more green space in which to frolic -- Elysian Park has been expanded by five acres, and the new area is now open to the public. In a statement, Councilman Eric Garcetti announced that the addition of landscaped acreage would include two game courts, a playground, lawn areas, picnic tables, a walking path, an outdoor classroom area, and parking spaces. more ›

Last month we awwwww-ed over the City's Most Adorable Mystery, i.e. the bear at the Fern Dell entrance to Griffith Park's ever-evolving fashion statement and his unknown dresser. This morning a reader sent us this shot of the bear, who is dressed in some red-and-white heart-covered crocheted shortalls in honor of Valentine's Day. Like a big, smoochy gift to all Angelenos, this bear is a whole lot more charming than those cheesy street vendors' scary hot pink bears and plastic wrapped gift baskets and goodies. more ›

So here's some news.. Moby apparently lives in the wilds of Griffith Park, and until yesterday, did not lock his doors. However, according to a blog post entitled, "this morning i woke up and there was a complete stranger sitting in my living room. robbie," he appears to have revised his security procedures. Taking a cue from West Coast Sound we will quote Moby's post in its entirety. It's that good. more ›

You've seen the bear every time you've used the Fern Dell entrance to Griffith Park, but have you seen his new look? Someone has knit the bear a sweater, says CurbedLA, which the statue is now rather jauntily sporting, despite our recent heat wave. Just who that someone is remains a delightful mystery, though. The statue, by the way, was a gift from our sister city, Berlin. Anyone been by there lately? Is the sweater still there? And if so, how long do you think it will stay on the bear? (Photo by evolo:photo) more ›

It won't take you out of town but it will take you in a circle and that's essentially the same thing (and for a fraction of the cost of Hawaii). Griffith Park's Travel Town of miniature trains has been in operation since the mid 1970s and in addition to the 1/4th and 1/3rd scale models of five locomotives and 21 passenger coaches, there's also a Buck Rogers-esque retro futuristic simulator on the premises. According to the official site, the railroads carry nearly 600,000 passengers every year, and weather-permitting, the trains operate 364 days a year, closing only for Christmas. more ›

Now here's a real treat. Photographer Mike Meadows, who is known for his fabulous work of the Los Angeles Fire Department in action, yesterday caught some amazing photos of the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park, as first pointed out by KNBC's Robert Kovacik. more ›

An autopsy is scheduled for today for Sally Menke, the 56-year-old award-winning film editor who died while hiking Monday on rugged terrain in Griffith Park. Menke's body was found north of the 5500 block of Green Oak Drive, with her "loyal Labrador retriever" at her side, the LAPD explain in an emailed release. more ›

Sally Menke, known for her work as Quentin Tarantino's film editor, has been found dead near Griffith Park, reports LA Now. Sally Menke, known for her work as Quentin Tarantino's film editor, has been found dead near Griffith Park, reports LA Now. Menke, in her fifties, was the missing hiker for whom the LAPD searched diligently yesterday evening after friends reported her missing. Her body was found at the bottom of a ravine early this morning in Beachwood Canyon. more ›

Think of this collection of vintage postcards as your personal Hot Tub Time Machine to the ghost of Los Angeles past. The more things change, the more Clifton's looks the same. more ›

If the idea of getting out in nature is appealing, but the summer sun a deterrent, there's a walk in Griffith Park you might find a pleasant way to take a walk and escape the heat. more ›

A one- to two-acre brush fire in Griffith Park is burning uphill near the 5 and 134 freeways, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. No structures are threatened or immediate evacuations have been called for. In a live TV interview, Captain Steve Ruda told KABC-7 that, from what he could see on TV, there appeared to be no winds (good news) and that firefighters "drill in that area all the time." The blaze is about one half mile from the L.A. Zoo. Update: The fire has been contained to less five acres. more ›

It's been done before, but not since the federal government officially declared the L.A. River as navigable, thus under the Clean Water Act. So last week river activists George Wolfe, Joe Linton and others took to a eight-mile portion of the river down the Glendale Narrows between Griffith Park and towards downtown for an inaugural trip. more ›

City Councilman Tom LaBonge, whose district includes the historic Griffith Park, is blaming construction in the area for the cancellation of the annual LA DWP Holiday Light Festival celebration, according to LA Now. more ›

It's Los Angeles' biggest park, yet accessing it is not always easy, especially on its eastern side. For over three miles, there is zero pedestrian access to it, much of it thanks to being lined by the 5 and 134 Freeways. Now as part of their L.A. River plan surrounding the Glendale Narrows Riverwalk, the city of Glendale is looking to connect the narrows to the park. more ›

Thanks to the efforts of thousands of Angelenos (and a handful of big donors like Hugh Hefner and with the Trust for Public Land at the lead), the money battle to secure over 100 acres around Cahuenga Peak for parkland instead of development has been finalized. On Tuesday, the acquisition of the land went through and it's now under the ownership of the city of Los Angeles to be part of Griffith Park. more ›

And it's done! Playboy-owner Hugh Hefner has donated $900,000 to the Save the Peak campaign, triggering a $500,000 match from the Tiffany & Co. Foundation and Aileen Getty, the Trust for Public Land announced this morning. The land will eventually be donated to the city to become part of Griffith Park. more ›

Will the Hollywood Sign get new neighbor in the form of luxury homes or will the land to the left of the "H" be preserved and become part of Griffith Park? That depends on fundraising efforts by the Trust for Public Land, which struck a $12.5 million deal with the land owners to pay up by April 14th. If the money is not in hand by then, the land goes back on the market, with the possibility of being sold to developers who could place homes around Cahuenga Peak. "We're talking to a lot of people," said Tim Ahern of the Trust to KPCC. "We feel good about where we are and we feel good about our chances to do this." For background on this, check out LAist's profile on the project. more ›

Depending on your vantage point, it might appear that Griffith Park is on fire. Heavy smoke is rising into the air, but it's from a fire that's consuming multiple vehicles and a debris pile at "Pick Your Part Auto Recycling" in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. The debris pile is quite large, too, measuring about 50-feet by 75-feet and 20 feet deep. Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott emphasizes that there is no fire currently reported in Griffith Park. more ›

Take a look at the Hollywood Sign and you'll notice it's back to normal. Today, Trust for Public Land officials ended its awareness campaign, which had the sign covered with "SAVE THE PEAK," announcing that almost $2 million has been raised since the beginning of last week (about $1 million was raised since Thursday, when the campaign officially began). more ›

A skull found by a hiker in Griffth Park last night has prompted an investigation by police and coroners, according to various news sources. A hiker found it on a steep trail around 5:25 p.m. Not knowing it was animal or human, the hiker alerted authorities, who later determined it was the latter. It could be up to two years old, KABC-TV reported. The coroner's office will remain the lead investigator in the case to determine if the cause of death was natural, accidental or homicide. more ›