Bronson Cave is one of Hollywood’s favorite filming locations. The man-made tunnel is carved into the rock wall of an old quarry in Griffith Park. Bronson Cave‘s most famous role came in the 1960s, playing the entrance of the Batcave in the Batman TV series. The cave continues to be cast in television shows and movies. Thanks to a very short trail, it is about as easy to see Bronson Cave in real life as it is on screen. The quick 2/3 of a mile round trip hike to Bronson Cave has just 50 feet of elevation change, so it is an easy outing. To the Batcave!
Hiking to Bronson Cave
The hike begins from Canyon Drive on the south side of Griffith Park. Brush Canyon Trail to Mount Lee and the Hollywood Sign begins from the top of Canyon Drive. Backtrack down Canyon Drive to a dirt road heading to the southeast (on the right as you face the end of the road).
After a quarter mile, come to a junction and turn left into a bowl-shaped quarry. Bronson Cave appears ahead of you, a drive-through tunnel carved into a 100-foot tall rock wall. Walk into the cave and have a look around.
Three passageways exit the far end of the 50-foot long tunnel. One is big enough for a Batmobile and the others are crawl-through size. No flashlight is needed to explore the short cave.
Bronson Cave was created by the Union Rock Company, which established Brush Canyon Quarry to extract rock for street construction during the first quarter of the 20th century.
Pose in front of the photogenic east end of the cave. When you’re done exploring the quarry, turn back down the trail. As a bonus, you can gaze up at the Hollywood Sign on the hike back.
Dogs are welcome on leashes. Bikes are not allowed. No fee is charged to enter Griffith Park and no permit is needed to hike to Bronson Cave, so get out and enjoy!
- For other short hikes in Griffith Park, check out Amir’s Garden, Ferndell Trail, and the unusual Old Zoo Picnic Area.
- To hike to more caves around Los Angeles, visit the Grotto, Cave of Munits, and Vanalden Cave.
To get to the trailhead: From Franklin Avenue in Hollywood (north of the 101 Freeway and Hollywood Boulevard), turn north on Canyon Drive (between Bronson Avenue and Van Ness Avenue). Drive 1.4 miles to the end of Canyon Drive at top of Bronson Canyon Park. A small parking area on the left is closer to Brush Canyon Trail and a larger lot a tenth of a mile south of the trailhead on the right may be best for Bronson Cave. The hike to Bronson Cave begins from the fire road on the right toward the end of the road.
Trailhead address: 2950 Canyon Drive, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Trailhead coordinates: 34.124446, -118.31425 (34° 07′ 28.05″N 118° 18′ 51.3″W)
You may also view a regional map of surrounding Los Angeles trails and campgrounds.
 | 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. |
 | 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 Chapel, Mount Bell, and Mount Hollywood This 5.7-mile loop tops three prominent summits on a panoramic tour of Griffith Park. |
 | 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. |
 | 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. |
 | 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. |
 | 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. |
 | 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. |
 | 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. |
 | 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. |
 | 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. |
 | 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. |
 | Amir's Garden This one-mile hike reaches a relaxing garden on the east side of Griffith Park that is a pleasant retreat for hikers. |
 | 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. |
 | Cave of Munits and Castle Peak This action-packed 2.1-mile loop has two great attractions, crossing an impressive cave to climb to a rocky peak with views over the San Fernando Valley. |
 | The Grotto This 3-mile out and back hike visits a talus cave near Sandstone Peak in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. |
 | Vanalden Cave This short hike visits a unique sandstone cave that you can stand inside and above. The hike can be extended to visit a nearby vista point with a panoramic perspective of the Santa Monica Mountains. |
[…] And here’s a little info on the BAT CAVE! […]
On the backside (east side) it is quiet and there were lots of canyon birds singing. We were the only ones there on a weekday morning and it was a great experience. This is an ideal trail for very young kids or older relatives who might not be up for a longer hike, but still want to get out in the park.
[…] Then park in the lot at the end, and take the hiking path to the right. It leads up to the Bat Caves, where they filmed the old 60’s TV show. Kids love playing superhero in the shallow […]
I would like to take a picture of my car coming out of the cave. How do you do this? Do I need a license or permit?
Photoshop it.
Lol
A great walk with an amazing view of the Hollywood sign. A must for any movie/television fanatic. Here’s a short video of our exploration including a map, movie clips and inside look at Bronson Cave! youtube.com/oddityodysseys
Who is shooting a movie in griffith park tonight?
[…] and I went for such a cool hike the other day to the Bronson Cave Trail in Griffith Park. It features a big man-made cave that was the entrance to the Batcave in the 1960s […]
I went there several times in 1971 & 72. I enjoyed it immensely, and still remember their coolness compared to the summer heat.
[…] Bronson Cave Trail […]
[…] Batcaves – Not far from the entrance to Bronson Canyon, a short walk ends at one of Hollywood’s most […]