Franklin Canyon Park Outdoor Activity / Park

Beverly Hills, Los Angeles –

Mostly obscured from view near the eastern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains, Franklin Canyon Park is a hidden gem for LA denizens looking to escape the crowds that so often invade the city’s better-known nature retreats.

Unless they remember its cameo in the opening credits of the classic Andy Griffith Show, many longtime residents have never seen nor heard of this 605-acre expanse, home to two reservoirs, several dedicated picnic areas, and trails that extend more than five miles through oak tree- and chaparral-covered hills.

Facilities are relatively scant, though two amphitheaters and a large indoor auditorium intermittently host plays, weddings, and other special events, while a nature center and the William O. Douglas Outdoor Classroom – though open to all – specifically seek to give inner city youths a taste of the world beyond asphalt and smog.

Considering both reservoirs are closed to public use, swimmers are out of luck, but anyone looking for a little water action can check out Heavenly Pond just west of the upper reservoir, where turtles, ducks, and many birds can be found.

As bikers stream through on their way back from a scenic ride along Mulholland Drive and hikers decide which wooded nook might be home to the park’s elusive bobcats, most visitors choose to just relax on the grass in Franklin Canyon Park, relishing the fact that LA feels a million miles away.