Amir’s Garden is no mere garden; it’s one of two unique and awesome picnic areas on the east side of Griffith Park. The most surprising place for a picnic is probably the Old Zoo Picnic Area, where you can dine alongside old animal pens. Amir’s Garden is the most pleasant place for a hike-in picnic, with a selection of picnic tables surrounded by a volunteer-supported sanctuary of flowering greenery. It is a 1-mile round trip hike to Amir’s Garden with 275-feet of elevation gain – just enough effort to make you hungry for a peaceful meal in the outdoors.
The hike to Amir’s Garden actually begins near one of Griffith Park’s larger picnic areas, Mineral Well Picnic Area. Find the dirt service road heading west from the intersection of Griffith Park Drive and Mineral Wells Road.
Walk straight through an immediate junction and follow the dirt road on a southwestern climb to Amir’s Garden. After a horseshoe bend in the road, and a quarter mile from the start, you will pass a water tower that is accompanied by broad views stretching beyond Griffith Park toward Glendale, the Verdugo Mountains, and San Gabriel Mountains.
After less than half a mile, the trail arrives at Amir’s Garden where you’ll discover a pocket of tall sycamores arcing over a mountainside of verdant plants including succulents like ice plant and jade. There are a few picnic tables at the entrance of Amir’s Garden and others hidden throughout.
Stroll through a web of footpaths and recharge your batteries in this refreshing Griffith Park retreat. With extra effort, you may continue up North Trail toward Mount Hollywood, Mount Bell and other peaks in Griffith Park. Otherwise, return the way you came for a satisfying 1-mile round trip hike. No fee or permit is required to hike to Amir’s Garden and dogs are welcome.
To get to the trailhead: Take the 5 Freeway to the Los Feliz Boulevard exit. Drive west on Los Feliz Boulevard to the first light and turn north on Crystal Springs Road. After 1.5 miles, turn left on Griffith Park Drive and drive 1.2 miles to the intersection with Mineral Wells Road. Turn left onto Mineral Wells Road and park immediately in the spaces along the road. The trail to Amir’s Garden heads west from the intersection of Mineral Wells Road and Griffith Park Drive.
Trailhead address: Mineral Wells Road & Griffith Park Drive, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Trailhead coordinates: 34.145, -118.29385 (34° 08′ 42″N 118° 17′ 37.86″W)
You may also view a regional map of surrounding Los Angeles trails and campgrounds.
 | Old Zoo Picnic Area This half-mile hike explores the abandoned exhibits and animal cages in the ruins of the old LA Zoo in Griffith Park. |
 | Bee Rock This hive-shaped point on the east side of Griffith Park is reached via a 1.7 to 4-mile round trip hike. |
 | Beacon Hill This 2.75 to 3.9-mile hike in Griffith Park climbs 500 feet to the easternmost summit in the Santa Monica Mountains. |
 | Cedar Grove & Vista View Point Loop This 2.3-mile loop on the southeast side of Griffith Park follows paved and unpaved trails to two park attractions, a quiet grove with a picnic area and a helipad with panoramic views. |
 | Mount Hollywood This 1,625-foot peak is a star of Griffith Park with panoramic views that can be reached from Griffith Observatory on a steep 1.4-mile hike or a scenic 2.65-mile trek and from lower in the park in Western Canyon for a hike of around 4.2 miles. |
 | Glendale Peak This hike is around three miles long and visits a less known summit on the southeast side of Griffith Park with views that deserve more attention. |
 | Glendale Peak - Mount Hollywood Loop This 4.15-mile hike tops two summits in Griffith Park that both have awesome views. |
 | Griffith Observatory via East Observatory Trail This 1.5-mile hike from Vermont Canyon Avenue up to Griffith Park's great observatory delivers excellent views over Los Angeles along the way. |
 | Griffith Observatory via West Observatory Trail This 2.1-mile hike ascends from Western Canyon up ridges to Griffith Observatory, getting sweeping views over Los Angeles and Griffith Park along the way. |
 | Ferndell Trail This relaxing half-mile hike goes through a tropical garden in the lushest little canyon in Griffith Park. Explore farther on a 1.75-mile hike in Western Canyon or venture up to the Griffith Observatory to see more of the park. |
 | Mount Chapel, Mount Bell, and Mount Hollywood This 5.7-mile loop tops three prominent summits on a panoramic tour of Griffith Park. |
 | Mount Lee and the Hollywood Sign via Hollyridge Trail This 3.5-mile hike ascends 750 feet to reach the summit of Mount Lee behind the Hollywood Sign. |
 | Mount Lee and the Hollywood Sign via Brush Canyon Trail This 6.4-mile hike crosses Griffith Park from Canyon Drive to the top of Mount Lee directly behind the landmark Hollywood Sign. |
 | Bronson Cave This short easy hike visits a man-made cave recognizable as the Batcave from the 1960s Batman TV series and hundreds of other locations on TV and film. |
 | Hollywood Sign via Innsdale Drive, Mulholland Highway, and Mount Lee Drive This 4.6-mile round trip hike combines trails and streets to deliver some of the very best views of the Hollywood Sign on the way to the summit of Mount Lee above the sign. |
 | Cahuenga Peak This 3-mile hike on Burbank Peak Trail and Aileen Getty Ridge Trail ascends to Cahuenga Peak and the adjacent Mount Lee, home of the Hollywood Sign. |
 | Lake Hollywood Reservoir Walking Trail This 3.5-mile loop circles a peaceful fence-enclosed reservoir in the hills below the Hollywood Sign. |
 | More trails in the Santa Monica Mountains Explore other destinations in the range. |
I invite you all to watch this trailer about Amir Dialameh (Amir’s Garden) life who dedicated 32 years of his life building this amazing garden for us. The movie will come out soon. Please pass this text to your friends about Amir’s movie. From Ashes to Eden. It is also about park rangers, Kristin Sabo, and all the people who knew Amir.
Amirmovie.com
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I did not know the story behind this garden, thanks for your article.
how many cougars are left?…don’t they visit griffith park? I want to hike amirs garden,without getting eaten! Are the cougar cubs still alive? can we check the location of the cougars before hiking somehow? I love big cats,but not on the same trail…There are cougar posters at Brea canyon park so I dont hike there,Im scared of them jumping on me….They belong in a zoo!.
It is mind blowing to see how much ignorance there is in our society. Who now a days suggests a zoo to protect humans and respect wild life?
That quote by Amir is a little unsettling. Make no mistake, this country WAS NOT built by “volunteers”. It was made a super power by capturing ppl from their native land, raping and torturing them and forcing them to work. Nice garden though.
Are there handicapped accomodations for people who cannot hike the entire distance?
Is there any limitation of number of people in a group?
I saw the show, Visting with Huell Howser about Amir’s Garden and was wondering If the recent fires of 2018-2019 destroyed the trail. I’m glad to see it’s still there. I would like to see it for myself, but I live in Hemet.