Fern Gully

Ferndell Nature Walk in Griffith Park

As Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Ian Malcolm character famously said: Life finds a way. He may have been talking about a scary dinosaur takeover, but as California continues to face its worst drought in years, an abundance of tropical plant life tucked away in Griffith Park proves his point. This 1-mile (round-trip) Ferndell Nature Walk features a shaded dirt path, a running creek with miniature waterfalls, and lavish greenery that you have to see to believe. Start out on Fern Dell Drive and Black Oak Drive, where a gated entrance leads you into what feels like a lush Jurassic getaway. Over fifty species of ferns line the creek, including one with giant dino-sized leaves, something a stegosaurus would love to nibble at (or chomp on). Although the path runs right alongside the road, the sound of cars melts away with the bubbling of the creek. Bridges and benches along the way make good photo ops in front of tiny waterfalls. Photo bomb-asaurus!

BONUS: Trails Café sits at the halfway point of this easy stroll. Enjoy a slice of their famous seasonal fruit pie.

Ferndell Nature Walk starts at the intersection of Fern Dell Dr. and Black Oak Dr. and runs for half a mile up to Trails Café. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View