nestled between the neighborhoods of Mt. Washington and Glassell
Park. Apparently, from the signage, it’s taken care of by the Santa
Monica Mountains Conservancy.
Tania and I discovered it by happenstance just after we had moved
to L.A. by taking an exploratory drive. You really wouldn’t know it
was there unless you stumbled upon it or were told to look for it.
When you come from the suburbs to the city you must locate the
parks. It’s in your blood. I can’t speak for everyone from the burbs,
but parks to us are fair game for hanging out and getting your drink
on. Good times. Sorry, Mom.
But now that we are of the parental persuasion, things have
changed. Parks are sunshine and moonbeams.
That being said, I don’t have a problem if I get a waft of Otto’s
Jacket or stumble across some punker kids glugging down a sixer of
Natty Ice. It feels like home.
Before River was born, we put on a couple of secret shows at Elyria
and had a few sunrise sessions at the top of the hill, but since the
light of my life came into this world, Elyria has been nothing but a
fond memory. It was time to go back.
How it went:
The afternoon had that beautiful hazy glow, which seems like
only L.A. can produce, and River was in her cheery 3-month-old
disposition, i.e., napped, fed, and changed.
So off we went.
To my knowledge there are only few entrances to Elyria. We like to
enter on Wollam St. You can park on the street if there is parking,
or you can park in the dirt lot until sunset when the rangers come
and close the gate. We parked on the street.
Funnily enough, upon entry into the park there was a group of
ballers imbibing a swisher blunt, while up ahead floating above
the trail mouth was a red-tailed hawk. Was this a metaphor? Quite
possibly … so we continued.
There are many different trails in the park, all of the hiking variety.
Some were beaten, and some not so beaten. My suggestion would
be to take the gut instinct trail, which is basically the main trail,
most child-friendly, and takes you to the top of the hill. It’s about
a quarter mile at the most, but with a little baby and other gear
strapped to you it feels like half a mile. At the tippity top of the hill
there is a bluff with a lonely bench out in the open for the sitting,
and a pretty sweet view of: Glassell Park, Atwater, Los Feliz, a
little bit of Glendale, and maybe on a super clear day you’d catch a
view of Burbank. If you keep going up the trail about 25 feet and off
to the left there are two more benches in a little more of a shady
secluded area, but you won't have quite the same view.
We started to watch the sunset. Down below you could see the city
vibrate. Cars gliding up and down Eagle Rock Blvd where there used
to be a trolley. The 2 was clear! How I wished that was the case on
my way to work in the morning. Just taking in the good moments as
they come. That’s what type of place this is.
My little bean was getting tired and a bit fussy, so we made our
trek back to the car for homeward bounding. She started to laugh
and babble from the bouncing up and down in her Baby Bjorn. Her
smile and laugh can cure me of anything. We didn’t see any human
beings (except for the Laker fans upon arrival) going up or coming
down the trails, just some quail crossing the path and a few lizards
basking on rocks. Got back down to the car and “Summer Breeze”
was on. It was perfect.
Pro and Cons:
I really love this spot. It’s quiet, which is a plus for me, and it’s a
bit more on the natural side. It’s a great exercise for you and the
kiddo while taking in some classic California. I really recommend it.
For those of you who are looking to push a stroller or give the babe
a much-needed opportunity to burn off that extra energy with a
slide and a swing, then this might not be what you’re looking for.
Go prepared if you can. Baby carriers are awesome for this! You
might want to bring a diaper backpack instead of a diaper bag.
The trail is short, but as mentioned before it could turn out to be a
moderate hike, so dress light if it’s hot and think about what kind of
shoes you’re wearing.
Also noteworthy is that there are no bathrooms, though Mother
Nature can help you out if no one is looking.
This might not be the park of your wildest dreams, but it could be
the park of your fondest memories. Simple and sweet.
Good luck & peace.
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