Bronson Cave in Griffith Park. Photo: M. Imlay.
Recognize this gaping oriface in the Hollywood Hills? If you don’t, you obviously weren’t a fan of the 1960s Batman television series or numerous other Hollywood productions hearkening back to the Silent Era.
This is one of a handful of man-made excavations at the southwestern corner of Griffith Park known as the Bronson Caves. Featured prominently in the Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke, Bonanza and many other Western TV series, the cavities also boast numerous Sci-Fi credits, including the Star Trek franchise (both TV and movies), the first Invasion of the Body Snatchers movie, and countless trivial flicks like Teenagers From Outer Space. (A more extensive filmography can be found at Wikipedia. See the video below for the caves’ cameo appearance in Batman.)
One urban legend says the caves were originally carved out for the 1922 silent version of Robin Hood starring Douglas Fairbanks. Actually, they were part of a Union Rock Co. quarry that supplied crushed stone for Hollywood street paving from 1903 to the late 1920s.
Reaching the caves is easy. Simply take either Canyon Drive or Bronson Ave. north from Franklin Ave. into Griffith Park. At road’s end, park and take the 1/4-mile trail from the gravel parking lot. Follow the left fork to the caves. Along the way you’ll also get some terrific views of the Hollywood Sign, which overlooks the canyon further up in the hills.
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How deep is the cave?
This reminds me of another geological staple for the thespian crowd: the Vasquez Rocks, which I blogged about here, ages ago.