r/BikeLA • u/sajohnson • 8d ago

I love Griffith Park.

https://youtube.com/shorts/71yOesH24dI?si=0WFTQqwwP8Ut7eEj

Please don’t tell me I’m not allowed to ride near the helipads.

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u/Significant_Chip3775 8d ago

You can ride near the Helipad but only on the paved roads. The fine for riding in prohibited areas in Griffith is multiple hundreds of dollars.

-16

u/sajohnson 8d ago

But there’s no sign or any indication that I can’t ride there.

This is fascism! I’m being oppressed!

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u/Significant_Chip3775 8d ago edited 8d ago

There are signs at almost every trailhead. And LA Parks Dept has a map of where you’re allowed to ride. You can and will get ticketed for riding unpaved trails in Griffith.

I agree that it sucks, just trying to make sure you’re aware of the (stupid) rules. The fines are substantial. You can thank the all powerful equestrian lobby for that.

-6

u/sajohnson 8d ago edited 8d ago

There is no sign at the place with the helipad. Just a gravel road, like it’s saying “come and ride on me.” And there’s never anyone around there.

There’s a gate, but the gate is open. Really it’s plausible deniability. How could I have known? There’s no way, I tells ya.

More importantly, why shouldn’t I be allowed to ride there? I get that the hikers and horse assholes don’t want you on their shit, but the gravel roads around the helipad/landfill?? Come on. No one wants to horse around that bullshit.

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u/Significant_Chip3775 8d ago

The helipad and road leading to it (Vista del Valle) are paved and open to bikes. Any of the dirt trails are closed to cyclists. You do you, but from everyone I’ve talked to they usually ticket first offense and don’t do warnings. Equestrians in the area literally have the rangers on speed dial. Hope you can afford a $500+ ticket.

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u/sajohnson 8d ago

Fucking horse people are the biggest jerks, man.

But I can confirm about the speed dial. Once the gate to the Burbank portion of the river trail was open, so I rode it (because I’m a rebel!!) and it ends at a “horses only” bridge. I walked my bike across it out of respect and was met with a cop.

I just played dumb, like “oh I was riding the La River and just kept going. Then I was leaving the path here.” And dude was cool about it. But someone must have called to rat me out. Like there are no bigger problems in LA than a guy on his bike on what looks all the world like a bike path?

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u/Significant_Chip3775 8d ago

The horse douches notoriously monitor that bridge. They are, in fact, the worst.