by Nate Rogers
FROM: L.A. Times

Cresting an overlook on the Condor Trail in Griffith Park, Casey Schreiner wants us to stop to listen to the chimpanzees. “They’re a little bit chattier now than they were when I was writing the book,” he says, as the hollering echoes up from the Los Angeles Zoo in the canyon below. “It may be because they haven’t had visitors in a while.”

Schreiner has been hiking in Griffith regularly since he moved to L.A. 17 years ago, but in the last two years, he’s become a certified expert — the author of “Discovering Griffith Park: A Local’s Guide,” the first detailed guidebook ever put together for one of the country’s largest city parks.

With chunks of history integrated among a selection of 33 recommended hikes, the book, released in the spring, serves as something of an all-purpose Griffith Park companion. And what a valuable companion it’s proved to be: During the COVID-19 pandemic, hiking has remained one of the few leisure activities fully permitted in the city, as long as you bring a mask and keep your distance. (Attractions like the zoo, however, remain closed indefinitely.)

It’s the next best thing to trailing along with Schreiner himself, as he explains why he’s fond of this particular hike, which he calls “the Oak Canyon Loop.” “You see the Verdugo Mountains, you see the San Gabriels back there, you see the freeway infrastructure, you see the river and you see the park,” he says. “It just gives you an idea of how woven into the fabric of the city this park is.” Read Rest of Review Here