Bronson Cave Trail hike Griffith Park Los Angeles California bat cave hiking Hollywood

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.

Bronson Cave Hike
Bronson Cave

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.

Bronson Cave Hike
Looking back down the trail

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!

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)

Trail Map
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Elevation Profile
Click or hover over any spot on this elevation profile to see the distance from the start and elevation above sea level at that location, which will be highlighted on the map.

You may also view a regional map of surrounding Los Angeles trails and campgrounds.

Photos

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These photos were taken in November of 2011. Click to enlarge.
Nearby Trails
Hollywood Sign Trail 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.
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This 3.5-mile hike ascends 750 feet to reach the summit of Mount Lee behind the Hollywood Sign.
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Ferndell Trail 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.
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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.
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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.
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Tagged with · Caves · Free Trails · Hollywood · Dog-Friendly Trails · Griffith Park · Santa Monica Mountains
Distance: 0.65 miles · Elevation change: 50 feet

12 Comments on Bronson Cave in Griffith Park

  1. Harper wrote:

    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.

    Harper's ratings for this hike: Harper gives a rating of 5Harper gives a rating of 5Harper gives a rating of 5Harper gives a rating of 5Harper gives a rating of 5
  2. […] 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 […]

  3. howard phelps wrote:

    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?

  4. Bethany wrote:

    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

  5. Matthew Hieber wrote:

    Who is shooting a movie in griffith park tonight?

  6. […] 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 […]

  7. John Hazlett wrote:

    I went there several times in 1971 & 72. I enjoyed it immensely, and still remember their coolness compared to the summer heat.

  8. […] Batcaves – Not far from the entrance to Bronson Canyon, a short walk ends at one of Hollywood’s most […]

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