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Bee Rock (Griffith Park) Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Bee Rock (Griffith Park)

L › R R › L A › Z

	B. a Good Chap S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Honey Pot S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Beedazzled S 5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Birds and Bees S 5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Imbeecilic Roof S 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
	Imbeecile S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Beewildered S 5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Unknown S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Gabee S 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
	Pumpbee (Gabee extension) S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Zombee (formerly R.I.B.) S 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Cardi Bee S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Beeats Me S 5.2 3 8 II 8 D 2c

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Elevation:	949 ft	289 m
GPS:	34.13437, -118.29307 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	33,068 total · 289/month
Shared By:	James Tolins on Dec 19, 2015 · Updates
Admins:	jt512, Nicole Wiesenthal, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Raptor nesting closure Details

This area is closed from February 1st (02/01) through June 30th (06/30) every year for raptor nesting. Climbing during this time can result in confiscated gear and a fine of up to 5,000 and/or up to 6 months in jail.

Description

Warning: No climbing allowed Feb 01-Jun 30 due to protected falcon nesting and extreme fire danger.

Climbing in Griffith Park? On the north side of Griffith Park there is a view point known as Bee Rock. Below this, on the SSE side of the formation is a cliff that ranges between 40-90 feet tall. The rock is rhyolite, an extrusive igneous rock,nbut there are some surprisingly solid sections, especially on the harder climbs. At the time of this posting there are 9 climbs from 5,10b - 5.12b. It's a work in progress and there are still some loose holds (a helmet wouldn't be a bad idea), but feel free to go check it out. The ratings are just my guesses, so feel free to weight in. Bee Rock was first discovered and climbed on by members of the Sierra Rockclimbing Section in 1936.g

It gets sun pretty much all day in the winter, so it's best on cooler or cloudy days. In the spring and early summer it starts to go into the shade between 3 and 4 allowing for several hours of shaded climbing.

Getting There

Park at the Old LA Zoo Picnic Area in Griffith Park.

To get to the parking area, enter Griffith Park from Los Feliz Boulevard and drive onto Crystal Springs Drive. Drive approximately one mile and turn left at a three-way stop onto Griffith Park Drive. The junction is near a golf course and a large and popular picnic area so it’s fairly easy to find. Bee Rock was discovered and was a climbing venue for the Angeles Chapter Rock Climbing Section members of the Sierra Club beginning in 1938.
After about 1000 feet on Griffith Park Drive look for a wood sign on the right side of the road notifying drivers of the exit for the Old LA Zoo Picnic Area.

Turn left off Griffith Park Drive for the exit for the Old LA Zoo Picnic Area. Pass the initial turnout parking lot and follow the road up to a fire road gate. Park in any street-legal spaces near the fire road gate.
From the parking lot hike through the fire road gate and follow the road until you reach a fence that blocks the concrete road. Pass through the door in the fence that is on the right-hand side. After passing through the fence, go left on the dirt fire road. (Don't be confused by the hiking sign that states "Right - 0.8 miles to Bee Rock." The sign is for a hike that leads to the top of the formation.)

After turning left on the dirt fire road, hike about 50 yards and take a right onto a discreet dirt climber’s trail that leads up an inconspicuous ravine. As of November 2022, a metal post that is used to mark access closures can be found at the start of the trailhead. (A photo with orange netting, a teal closure sign in the foreground, and Bee Rock in the background can be seen in the photos section on MP to give you better guidance on what to look for). Follow this loose rocky trail up the hill until you reach the base of the rock formation.

The hike takes roughly 25 minutes.

These are the GPS coordinates for getting to the proper parking area.

34°08'05.4"N 118°17'15.7"W
34.134844, -118.287696

Current GPS coordinates cause both Apple Maps and Google Maps to provide incorrect driving instructions.

13 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Bee Rock (Griffith Park)

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.

5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b 28 ● Gabee Sport
5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 9 ● Beewildered Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 23 ● Imbeecile Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b 6 ● Unknown Sport
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c 6 ● Cardi Bee Sport
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a 6 ● Beedazzled Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a 18 ● Zombee (formerly R.I.B.) Sport
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a 10 ● Imbeecilic Roof Sport