Adventure No. 4: Elysian Park & Angels Point

Elysian Park doesn’t need too much of an introduction. It’s the oldest – and
second largest – park in Los Angeles. Should be enough, right?

Practically everybody and their mother from the valleys of San Gabriel and
San Fernando has graced these grounds. It has a lot of history – and a lot of
controversy, due to the uprooting of communities for a baseball stadium and a
freeway.

Folks still seem to be somewhat divided on this hillside haven. If you want a
giggle, then Google the Elysian Park Yelp page. There are tales of forgotten
restrooms, prowling prowlers, graffiti, used condoms, and generally shady
debauchery. Then, there are reviews that are all smiles and rainbows. Hiking
trails, scenic views, and walking the dog on a Sunday; the hidden gem of Los
Angeles.

A few years back, before we were residents and parents living in the City of
Angels, we went to Elysian for a kind of hippie hoedown with friends involving
guitars, tambourines, and a peace pipe. The logistics remain unclear, and so
do my recollections. Hence, the park was a foggy memory that needed to be
revisited.

Elysian is pretty massive in size and there’s quite a bit to take in, so with
this entry we’ll be focusing on Angels Point: a very apt name for a beautiful
overlook.

How it went:

Riv and I have been marooned of late due to a couple of unexpected curveballs
thrown our way.

The first: a tale as old as time, car problems, something that rears its not-so-
funny head a few times a year.

And second: it’s been the hottest summer in recorded history. You don’t just
drive your four month old around in a death trap when it’s 108 degrees outside!
So, it was a waiting game. Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait long, because
we’ve been a very good family this year – and a good family gets a new ride! A
Jeep!

The day we went was fairly clear. Partial blue skies with a bit of haze. It was
hot in the early afternoon, but it started cooling off when a sweet pre-fall
breeze came blowing through town. Just had to get Riv suited up for adventure
time.

She’s been really maturing lately. When I get home from work, she always
seems a little different. It’s a trip to watch, day by day.

Here’s an example: Since it’s been so hot, we’ll just have her in her chonies
until it’s time to go out. Whenever she sees me with her clothes for getting
dressed, she starts cracking up. She correlates that with going out. Either that,
or I’m going crazy. Which could easily be true.

Once River was dressed and fed, we hopped in our new-to-us Jeep and headed
for the hills. Taking streets of course. Freeways in the afternoon are a definite
no-go.

We come from the Highland Park area, so we took Fletcher to Riverside to
Stadium Way to Angels Point Road to the top of the hill through a quick and
winding canyon drive. At the top of the hill is Angels Point. Plenty of parking!

I got River in her Baby Bjorn and we walked down a dirt path to the first thing
we saw, which was a public art sculpture that also acts as a gazebo. Beauty
was not in the eye of this beholder. If you’ve seen the movie Toys starring
Robin Williams and love the art direction/set design, and then you get a bunch
of gangsters to tag all over it, then this is your bag. It’s a bit out of place. But,
what you can get from this vista is an amazing view of downtown Los Angeles,
Hollywood, Koreatown, and, in the distant eastern haze, the San Gabriel
Mountains.

We took it in for a bit. You could hear mariachi music coming from down in the
canyons, but no real buzz from the city. Peaceful … until some hombre came
out from the bushes puffin’ smoke. It didn’t really bother me, but we took it as
our cue to continue our journey.

Down below the art structure is a small park with about 20 picnic tables and
matching trashcans. There were some sweethearts at a table getting an early
supper, and down at the end, in the grass, was a woman sprawled out on a
Mexican blanket catching some z’s. It was quiet, but not eerie.

Over by the sleeping woman you could get a great view of Dodger Stadium and
what was once Chavez Ravine.

Adjacent to this grassy eating sanctuary was some kind of desert garden-
esque walking path area. It was neat. No one was using it. We took a stroll.
Eucalyptus trees were overhead. There were a couple of Porta-Potties off
to the side, but they were out of the way and didn’t detract from the super
California vibes we were getting.

Between the Toys gazebo and the eating area was a dusty down hill trail … we
ventured further.

The trail was short and winding. California shrubs tangled along the slopes, and
wafts of sage picked up on dusty gusts channeling through the canyons.

The trail spits you out into a mini park on the corner of Academy Road, a
block down from the Police Academy, and 100 feet across the street from the
Dodger Stadium parking lot. The mini park has a climbing apparatus, a slide,
benches, a picnic table, and a trashcan. It’s very well kept, cut grass and all.
Aesthetically, it looks a bit like something out of the 1980s suburbs.

No one was around. There were no cars or cadets making their way down
Academy Road. It was mellow, but we were hot and sweaty from our hillside
escapades and it was time to get back to the Jeep and head home before the
witching hour.

Pro and Cons:

We’d go back again for sure. It was a nice exercise with plenty to look at for
my little muñeca. It’s also a great L.A. experience because of its unique mix
of southern California chaparral and raw urban undertones. There were picnic
tables for eats, grass for blankets, benches for the sitting, trashcans for dirty
diapers – and if you couldn’t wait, Porta-Potties for you know what.

Sure, we saw Bob Marley Reincarnate coming out of the bushes, and, yes, there
was maybe a little too much “street art” here and there (even some on Mother
Nature), but what do you expect? Yosemite?

If you’re looking for your tiptoe through the daffodils to be scored by the
Mormon Tabernacle Choir, then this is not your trip. But if you’re willing to get
a little down and dirty while scoring on some surreal vista, then it just might
be your spot.

Good Luck and Peace