Old Los Angeles Zoo

The Vibe: Hauntingly Beautiful Walking into the Old Zoo feels like stumbling onto the set of The Last of Us. While "abandoned" is the common term, it’s actually a public park. The juxtaposition of families having sunny Sunday picnics right in front of rusted, graffiti-covered iron cages is jarring but fascinating. It’s quiet, macabre, and deeply atmospheric. What You’ll See: • The Stone "Caves": These are the most iconic structures—large, man-made grottoes built into the hillside. You can walk inside them and see the perspective the animals (mostly bears and big cats) had while looking out at the public. • The Barred Cages: Smaller, more traditional metal cages sit along the trail. Many are open, allowing you to step inside for a claustrophobic, sobering look at early 20th-century animal care. • Street Art: The ruins are a canvas for local graffiti artists. While some see it as vandalism, it adds a layer of "urban grit" that makes the site a favorite for photographers and music video directors. It is a must-visit for anyone who loves urban exploration, LA history, or quirky photography spots. It’s one of the few places in Los Angeles where history hasn’t been torn down to build a luxury condo, but instead left to be reclaimed by nature.

This now abandoned zoo is cool to visit and free! The old animal cages are interesting to see and you can walk right into them to see the back areas where animals used to hide in peace. Even better for both hiking and biking are two wide well-groomed trails with beautiful views of Glendale. They are named on Google Maps as the Lower and Upper Old Zoo trails.

We love coming to the old zoo. You can see where they used to keep the animals. Some cages are open but most are locked. They're also great hiking trails going up the mountain. As well as a nice playground area with plenty of benches and grass. You can have a lovely picnic and lay out under the trees. There are so many great places to choose from.

Picnic tables in the area which was once a cage. You can see the places where the animals were kept as well as many different cages. Free parking near by with a short walk to the site. All very clean and well kept.

The old LA zoo is very wonderful. Cite, to look at the history of what zoo life used to be, and how far we have come from there that period in time. There is a lot of nature surrounding you. But with that comes the dangers of nature being around you, including things such as coyotes, remember to be safe when you're walking trails.Especially ones that are so close to wilderness areas.

I went to the zoo because I found it on 'hidden gems' in LA. I was a bit disappointed as most of it is fenced off but there is a lovely area next to it where dozens of people were having barbecues. There is quite a bit of information about the old zoo which explains the poor conditions the animals had and makes you happy that animal welfare has come a long way from those times.

It is now covered in graffiti and empty beer cans. Still a good place to go for a walk.

Nice trail. This was my 3rd time going in 2 years. The same graffiti is all over the site. Makes it very unsettling.