Week 169: Angels Point Elysian Park

March 31, 2019

North Park, Angel's Point Trails, 4.45 miles
We recommend using the Modern Hiker version, 2.8 miles


Elysian Park is the oldest (1886) and second largest park in Los Angeles—rich with history, landmarks, and trails, and, thanks to Grace Simons, an undeveloped treasure in the middle of the city. The hike Barbara and I followed today looped NE up from the trailhead at Stadium Way and Elysian Park Drive (left on the unpaved trail into the hills instead of right on the paved road.) The first part of the hike combines city and nature—views of the SF valley on one side, nature surprises (like a dinosaur-shaped rock) on the other. As the trail curved around to the SE, it rose, and suddenly the hillside path felt more like walking the ledge of a skyscraper in mid-city! The noisy 5 freeway buzzed below us, framed by blue-sky-and-clear views of the city out to the San Gabriels. The northern trail alone is worth a hike. At the end of the path we headed south on Angel's Point Road into Elysian Park for a glimpse of Bishop Canyon and our destination: Angel's Point. At that point we wandered off course, but our detour introduced something we had never seen before: a Frisbee Golf Course! 27-holes in the middle of Elysian Park—the aim: toss a frisbee at a strange-looking, chain merry-go-round thing (seriously, the 4th fastest growing sport in the US.) Backtracking, we found our way to Bishop Canyon, an old landfill closed in the 1960s then transformed in the 1990s into a pretty green parkland with soccer & baseball fields, picnic tables, and children's play areas, and a stunning, close-up view of Dodger Stadium and DTLA. Angel's Point Road led us straight to our final destination—Angel's Point. This 1993 overlook and sculpture designed by Peter Shire, is an installation in honor of Grace Simons (1901-1985) and her husband Frank Glass, devoted protectors of Elysian Park. Simons, a journalist, moved to Echo Park in 1939. In 1965, Grace and her neighbors formed the Citizen Committee to Save Elysian Park—at the time threatened by plans for a convention center and rumors of oil wells, condos, even an airport—a prime example of how grassroots activism makes a difference in the community. The hikers, picnickers, tourists, amateur ballplayers, frisbee-golfers, and nature enthusiasts have Grace to thank for Elysian Park's nature playground in mid-city. A lovely side-note, Angel's Point sculptor Peter Shire's mother was a friend of Grace Simon. Because Barbara and I wandered off course, adding 1.5 miles to our hike, we recommend following the hike published in Modern Hiker. Same sights, shorter distance, better directions. 













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