Weekday DASH bus service to Griffith Observatory starts next week

The long-running weekend DASH bus to the Griffith Observatory is about to get an upgrade to seven-day-a-week service. An announcement from the city’s recreation and parks department says service will begin next week, on March 21. The DASH bus will even run on Mondays, when the Observatory is closed.

Weekday Griffith Observatory DASH service is part of a larger plan to control traffic within the park that would include charging for parking in the Observatory’s lot and keeping Mount Hollywood Drive—a popular route for hikers, cyclists, and people on horseback—closed to cars. (Mt. Hollywood was briefly and disastrously opened in 2015.)

This Griffith Park traffic plan survived despite the objections of some Beachwood Canyon residents who worried that paid parking at the Observatory, technically the “official” spot for viewing the Hollywood sign, would push more sign-seeking tourists into their neighborhood streets.

The new bus service comes as the city closes Beachwood Canyon access to the Hollywood sign. With one popular point of entry to the park closed, Vermont’s bound to get busier, so there will likely be full DASH buses heading up the hill, especially on the weekends.

Jenna Chandler

The Griffith Observatory DASH will run from noon to 10 p.m. during the week and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends, with buses coming every 20 minutes.

It will pick up at the Metro Red Line’s Vermont/Sunset station, and offer stops at the Greek Theatre and at Mount Hollywood Drive in addition to the Observatory.

Paid parking at the Observatory lot will kick off on March 21 as well. The cost will be $4 an hour, Rose Watson of the city’s department of recreation and parks, tells Curbed.

• City will close Beachwood Canyon access to Hollywood Sign [Curbed LA]
• Parks committee doubles down on blocking cars on Griffith Park road [Curbed LA]
• You’ll have to pay to park at Griffith Observatory now [Curbed LA]