I've always wanted to catch the sunrise at Griffith Observatory—just the idea of capturing those early morning views has been on my list for a while. So when I found myself in LA for the weekend, I figured it was the perfect chance to finally make it happen. My cousin and I set our alarms for the ungodly hour of 5 AM and headed out, half-asleep but excited.
We made it to the entrance (shown above), only to find the gate closed. For a second, we thought we’d completely wasted our early wake-up call. As we were trying to figure out a backup plan, we noticed some cars slipping in through the exit. A little sketchy? Maybe. But we decided to follow suit. Sure enough, we made it to the top and parked right in front of the Observatory—crisis averted.
From there, we set off toward the Charlie Turner Trailhead, only to realize we were far from the only ones up at this hour. Runners and hikers were already making their way up, which made the whole thing feel way less eerie than we expected. The trail was dark but surprisingly peaceful.
After less than a mile of climbing, we finally made it to the spot—a perfect view of Griffith Observatory with the LA skyline stretching out behind it. In hindsight, I should’ve packed way lighter—I didn’t even end up using my wide-angle lens. I really need to get better at only bringing the gear I actually need so I’m not hauling around unnecessary weight.
As I was setting up, I noticed my camera was acting up—the controls kept locking on me. I managed to snap a few shots, but it was clear I’d need to get it checked out. That’s when I realized a button was missing too. Guess all that wear and tear from my last trip to Europe finally caught up with it.
Definitely worth the early wake-up—the peaceful morning, the stunning views, and just taking a moment to soak in the sunrise made it an unforgettable experience. I’d absolutely do this again, maybe even capture the same shot at sunset or under the night sky for a different perspective.
Camera update: After two months and a pricey repair bill, my camera is finally back from Canon! Excited to have it in my hands again and can’t wait to start shooting.
Gear I Packed for this Trip:
Canon R5
RF 24-70 L Lens
RF 70-200 L Lens
RF 15-35 L Lens (Didn't end up using this)
Peakdesign Tripod
WANDRD PRVKE Backpack
Headlamp
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