Located in the heart of Los Angeles in Griffith Park, the hike to Bronson Caves is a great choice for the kiddos. It is only about a quarter mile from a dirt parking lot. It may be a little longer if you end up parking along the street. The slight incline is very doable for little legs or for a momma with a stroller. Once you get to the caves, it may seem more like a short tunnel, but it doesn’t matter what name you give it, the kiddos will enjoy running though it and exploring. My kiddos brought bat ears and capes so they pretended to be bats in the cave and it was hard to get them to leave.
At both the entrance and the exit of the cave, there are rock formations that people have used to create labyrinths. You may also notice that there is a clear view of the Hollywood Sign from the caves. There is even a trailhead nearby that leads to the Hollywood Sign, but I would recommend that as a big kid hike.
If your kiddos still have energy after exploring the cave, there is a playground near the parking area. There are no restrooms in this area but there was a large porta-potty available at the end of the parking lot. Like parking anywhere in Griffith Park, it is a bit easier to find a spot during the week. On the weekends, the lots tend to be more full and you may need to park further down the street.
Fun Fact: This was the site of many movies and tv shows. You may even recognize it as the cave the Batmobile drove out of in the original Batman TV Series.
Nature Activity Suggestions: sketching, bird watching, nature scavenger hunt, climbing, pretending to be bats
Directions to Bronson Caves can be found here.
