Griffith Park & Southern Railroad in Los Angeles, California

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Los Angeles, California · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Outdoor rail parkTrain ridesOpen daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas

The Griffith Park & Southern Railroad has carried families through Griffith Park since 1948, on scale-model trains that cross bridges, roll through an 80-foot tunnel and pass an Old Western Town along about a mile of track.

  • Running since 1948
  • About one mile of track
  • 80-foot tunnel
  • 1/4 and 1/3 scale trains
  • Family run since 1972
  • Holiday Lights Train Ride

Griffith Park & Southern Railroad at a glance

Hours
Daily from 10 am; closes 4 to 5 pm by season and weekday; weekday lunch break
Admission
Ride fares posted at $4 adults, $3 ages 17 and under and seniors over 60; confirm current prices
Train rides
About one mile per ride; tickets sold in person; T-6 simulator listed at $5
Seasonal events
Holiday Lights Train Ride, I-Spy Halloween Train Ride, Easter Train Ride with the Easter Bunny
Plan for
About 30 minutes to 1 hour
Best for
Toddlers and preschoolers
Best ages
Toddlers to age 8

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Griffith Park & Southern Railroad? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Los Angeles.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

From Samuel Borstein's 1948 line to a family-run railroad

Samuel Borstein opened the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad in 1948, after running an earlier train ride elsewhere. Apart from a few years in the 1950s, the little railroad has operated ever since, and its operators now count more than 75 years of trains in Griffith Park.

In 1972, the line passed to the family that still runs it. GP Rah Enterprises, a family-owned company that operates recreation concessions in the park, has run the Griffith Park & Southern since then, added the Travel Town Railroad at Travel Town Museum in 1978, and has worked as a concession partner of the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks since 1999. Together the two lines carry nearly 500,000 riders a year, and the Griffith Park & Southern alone accounts for about 164,000 of them.

The trains are scale models of real locomotives and passenger cars, built at 1/4 and 1/3 size, and the company calls them miniature antiques. In 1994, as a small step toward cleaner Los Angeles air, the family voluntarily converted every locomotive from gasoline to propane. Today the two railroads share five locomotives and 21 passenger coaches, kept ready to run nearly every day of the year.

A mile of bridges, forest and an Old Western Town

From the station on Crystal Springs Drive, the train sets off on about a mile of track. It crosses several bridges, including a 60-foot wood and steel box girder bridge, ducks through an 80-foot tunnel and winds through a stand of trees before passing the Western Old Town, a small set of frontier-style facades. Three locomotives work this line.

Next to the station, the T-6 simulator ride offers a second, very different kind of adventure for all ages. The railroad also rents outdoor party and picnic enclosures with themed facades, a popular choice for birthdays. Its sister line, the Travel Town Railroad, runs two loops around the historic locomotives and cars at Travel Town Museum on Zoo Drive.

Don’t miss

  1. The 80-foot tunnelThe darkest few seconds of the ride, and usually the loudest cheers.
  2. The 60-foot box girder bridgeA wood and steel bridge that carries the train over the route, one of several crossings on the line.
  3. The Western Old TownA row of frontier-style buildings the train passes on its loop through the park.
  4. The propane-powered locomotivesScale-model engines that the family converted from gasoline to propane in 1994.
  5. The Holiday Lights Train RideA seasonal evening ride with decorated track, starting the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Small trains, big tunnel, short attention spans welcome

This is a ride built for young children: low cost tickets, a mile-long loop that ends before anyone gets restless, and a tunnel, bridges and a pretend western town to point at along the way. The T-6 simulator nearby adds something for older siblings. Seasonal rides make repeat visits easy, with an Easter train and Easter Bunny visits in spring, an I-Spy Halloween ride in autumn and holiday lights in winter.

On weekdays the trains close for about 45 minutes at lunch, sometime between noon and 1 pm depending on crowds, so plan naps and snacks around it. Animals are not allowed on the train, except service animals.

Plan your visit: tips for Griffith Park & Southern Railroad

  • Ride tickets are sold in person at each location.
  • On weekdays, avoid arriving right around noon, when the trains break for lunch.
  • Groups buying 20 or more tickets get a value rate.
  • The railroad is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and closes early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
  • Reserve a party and picnic enclosure ahead for birthdays.

The railroad's biggest season is winter, when the Holiday Lights Train Ride opens on the Friday after Thanksgiving and regular hours change around it. In autumn, the I-Spy Halloween Train Ride adds a decorated track, nostalgic carnival games and photos. For more seasonal ideas, see our lists of Christmas train rides in California and Halloween train rides in California.

A family business inside a city park

The Griffith Park & Southern Railroad is a concession owned and operated by GP Rah Enterprises, LLC, a family business that has run it since 1972, working with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. Visitors support it simply by riding, booking a party area or coming back for the seasonal events. The company also posts job openings on its website and takes donation requests from community groups.

A full rail day in Griffith Park

The same family runs the miniature train at Travel Town Museum, where you can also explore full-size locomotives and cars for free. Close by on Zoo Drive, the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum gives Sunday rides behind live steam engines, and the Lomita Railroad Museum is about 24 miles south. Browse every train museum in California for more.

Every train museum in California

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

This little train winds past trees and a tiny western town, and I can picture small riders twisting around in their seats so they do not miss a thing. Rally does the same in our book, pressing his nose to an arched window to watch the ocean and say hello to a white bird. Kids find their own white bird on every ride, I think. Our coloring pages include Rally at that window if yours want to draw theirs.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Griffith Park & Southern Railroad?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Griffith Park & Southern Railroad: 20 questions from riders

Where is the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad?

The Griffith Park & Southern Railroad is at 4400 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027, inside Griffith Park. Its sister ride, the Travel Town Railroad, is at a different spot, 5200 Zoo Drive at Travel Town Museum, so double check which one you are heading to before you set your GPS.

What are the Griffith Park train hours?

As of October 2026, the Griffith Park & Southern opens at 10 am daily. Spring and summer it runs until 4:30 pm on weekdays and 5 pm on weekends; fall and winter until 4 pm weekdays and 4:30 pm weekends, with earlier closings from November to mid January. Weekday trains pause about 45 minutes for lunch.

How much are Griffith Park & Southern Railroad tickets?

The railroad's posted fares are $4 for adults and $3 for children 17 and under and seniors over 60, with a $3 value rate for 20 or more tickets and $5 for the T-6 simulator. These prices may not be current as of October 2026, so check griffithparktrainrides.com before you go.

Can you buy Griffith Park train tickets online?

Regular ride tickets are sold in person at each location, according to the railroad's hours and prices page. The website does have a Book Now link, which is used for things like party area rentals and special events. For the holiday lights ride, check the special events page for how tickets are sold that season.

What is the difference between the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad and Travel Town?

Both miniature train rides are run by the same family company, but they are in different places. The Griffith Park & Southern on Crystal Springs Drive runs about a mile over bridges and through a tunnel. The Travel Town Railroad on Zoo Drive circles the free Travel Town Museum twice, so you can see full-size trains too.

How long is the Griffith Park & Southern train ride?

The track is about one mile long. Along the way, the train crosses several bridges, including a 60-foot wood and steel box girder bridge, goes through an 80-foot tunnel, passes through a forest and rolls past the Western Old Town.

Does the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad have a Christmas train?

Yes. The Holiday Lights Train Ride runs each winter, starting the Friday after Thanksgiving, and the railroad's regular hours are modified while it runs. Dates and ticket details are posted on the special events page at griffithparktrainrides.com each fall, and you can join the email list for updates.

Is there a Halloween train ride in Griffith Park?

Yes. The I-Spy Halloween Train Ride runs in autumn with train rides around a decorated track, nostalgic carnival games and photo spots. The railroad posts each year's dates on its special events page, so check there in early fall, or follow its Facebook and Instagram pages.

Does the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad have an Easter event?

Yes. The railroad holds an Easter train ride with visits from the Easter Bunny around Easter weekend; in 2025 it ran April 3 to 5. Dates change each year, so check the special events page at griffithparktrainrides.com in early spring.

Who owns the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad?

The railroad is a concession owned and operated by GP Rah Enterprises, LLC, a family-owned business that has run it since 1972. It also runs the Travel Town Railroad, since 1978, and has partnered with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks since 1999. Samuel Borstein first opened the line in 1948.

How old is the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad?

The railroad first opened in 1948 and has operated continuously ever since, except for a few years in the 1950s. Its operators describe it as more than 75 years of trains in Griffith Park. The current family owners took over in 1972.

What kind of trains run at the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad?

The trains are 1/4 and 1/3 scale models of real locomotives and passenger cars, which the operators call miniature antiques running on modern fuel. All locomotives were converted from gasoline to propane in 1994. Three locomotives work the Griffith Park & Southern line, and five run across both locations.

Is the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad good for toddlers?

Yes, it is one of the easiest train outings in Los Angeles for small children. The ride is short, inexpensive and full of things to point at, including a tunnel, bridges and a little western town. Plan around the weekday lunch break between noon and 1 pm.

Can you have a birthday party at the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad?

Yes. The railroad rents outdoor party and picnic enclosures with themed facades in Griffith Park. Details and reservations are on the Party & Picnic Area Rentals page at griffithparktrainrides.com, or call (818) 881-2586 and leave a voicemail. Book well ahead for weekends.

What is the T-6 simulator at the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad?

The T-6 simulator is a separate simulator ride at the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad, described as a fun adventure for all ages. The posted price is $5 per rider, which may have changed. It is a good add-on for older kids who want something beyond the train.

Are dogs allowed on the Griffith Park train?

No. Animals are not allowed on the train, with the exception of service animals. If your dog is along for a Griffith Park outing, plan for one adult to stay with it while the rest of the family rides.

Is the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad open on holidays?

The railroad runs its regular schedule on federal and bank holidays. It closes early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve and is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Hours also change during the Holiday Lights Train Ride, so check the website in November and December.

How do I contact the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad?

Email info@griffithparktrains.com or leave a voicemail at (818) 881-2586. The website also has a contact form for questions and feedback, and an email sign-up for news about special events, party rentals and discounts. The railroad is also active on Facebook and Instagram.

How long should we spend at the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad?

Plan on about 30 minutes to an hour, including waiting in line, the ride itself and a turn on the simulator. Many families pair it with Travel Town Museum, the Los Angeles Live Steamers on Sundays, or other Griffith Park attractions for a longer day.

What other train attractions are near Griffith Park?

Travel Town Museum, the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum and Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn are all in Griffith Park. Farther afield, the Lomita Railroad Museum is about 24 miles away, the Fullerton Train Museum about 28 miles and the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona about 30 miles.

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Kelsey Cecil
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