GRIFFITH'S OBSERVATORY

GRIFFITH'S OBSERVATORY

I used to hike this park on the daily. The trails offer over 50 miles of an amazing view all within the city. Especially during the time I did 11 years ago during the writers strike. It was a time where I had a lot of self reflection to do on who I was and where I was going. Most of all, it was free and it occupied my time as well as making me pretty healthy and at least 50 pounds lighter.

I tried to go up to the Observatory trail head again the other day and while it hasn't been 11 years since I have been to that trailhead, I would say at most around maybe 2, the place was completely different and it was sad to me. Prior to this you could park for free for several hours along the ridge going up to it. Was traffic nuts? A bit, but now there's pay machines for the parking and you have to pay 8 dollars per hour on this mother fucker.

That shocked the hell out of me. How can you expect someone to come back on a glorious hiking trip in an hour, and if you're paying 16 to 24 dollars for your hiking trip, then I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you but you got issues and you need to find fucking Jesus, yo.

And the other hiking spots parking have also been super limited. Down near the Greek Theater, there used to be a slew of parking when there wasn't a concern that night, and even then you could at least park for free up until a time close to the show. This notion that there is a very limited amount of parking now is just something I can't get behind. It's just so strange to me. Griffith Park was a place for the residents. And the amount they're trying to squeeze out of the already taxed person for parking to visit a great sight and enjoy nature and the observatory, holy fuck, it's goddamn criminal.