1 min
Overview
You’ve likely seen Amir’s Garden in Griffith Park before but not known what it was – a strangely forested ridge amidst the otherwise dry Southern California landscape. Today, the five acre plot of land stands as a peaceful, shaded oasis amidst Griffith Park – a favorite of hikers and equestrians alike – but the garden itself arose from a dangerous and often deadly occurrence – wildfires. In 1970, a brush fire swept through the area, leaving desolation and denuded slopes in its path. Iranian immigrant Amir Dialameh was a West Hollywood wine merchant and hiker, who had taken to the trails in Griffith Park after moving to the States (and hiking all over the world). The Mineral Wells area was one of his favorites, and after the fire he petitioned the city to repair a section of the burnt land and plant a garden to provide shade and rest for hikers. The City eventually gave him permission to revegetate the area as a firebreak (but said no equipment or workers would be available to him). Amir signed on, and in 1971 he began his work – digging out over 200 charred tree stumps with his own pick and shovel. Over the next 12 years, Amir planted 60 varieties of trees and shrubs on the land, cut hiking trails into the hillside, and hand-watered all of his plantings. According to the Amir’s Garden history page, His goal was to make, “an attractive rest stop for hikers,” because outdoor recreation was as important to him as breathing. “There are so many problems, so many pressures,” Dialameh once said of city life. “All people do is complain. They need to get away from that.” Amir passed away in 2003, but hikers can visit the work he started and hardworking volunteers continue to maintain today. All it takes is a short trip up a fire road from the Mineral Wells area to experience the beauty a little hard work and volunteerism can do for a city. Begin at the fire road that sits at the southern intersection of Mineral Wells Road and Griffith Park Drive. The main fire road parallels the paved road for a bit, but you’ll start hi
Trail Stats
1.5 km
83 m
249 m
164 m
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