Franklin Canyon Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Franklin Canyon Park |
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Franklin Lake
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Unincorporated area abutting Beverly Hills Post Office, Beverly Hills, and the city of Los Angeles, California |
| Area | 605 acres (245 ha) |
| Elevation | 630 |
| Created | 1981 |
| Operated by | Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy |
| Open | All year |
Franklin Canyon Park is a fantastic public park in Los Angeles, California. It's located near Benedict Canyon, at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. This huge park covers about 605 acres (that's like 450 football fields!). Some people even say it's right in the middle of Los Angeles. The name 'Franklin Canyon' also refers to the canyon itself and the area around it.
The park has a beautiful 3-acre (1.2 ha) lake, a peaceful duck pond, and more than five miles (8 km) of awesome hiking trails. Many different birds visit the lake and pond because the park is along the Pacific Flyway. This is a major route for birds migrating across North America. Franklin Canyon Park has also been a popular spot for filming movies and TV shows for many years.
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Park History
Franklin Canyon Park started to take shape in 1914. That's when William Mulholland and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power built a reservoir there. A reservoir is like a big lake that stores water for people to use.
Later, the family of oil baron Edward L. Doheny used the canyon as a summer getaway. In the 1930s, the canyon became a popular place for filming movies. A famous scene from the 1934 movie It Happened One Night was filmed here. Even today, about 25 films are shot in the park every year!
During the 1970s, some people wanted to build houses in the canyon. But thanks to the hard work of conservationist Sooky Goldman and Congressman Howard Berman, the canyon was saved. Their efforts led to the creation of Franklin Canyon Park as we know it today.
Amazing Plants and Animals
Franklin Canyon is full of different kinds of plants. You can find chaparral, which are tough shrubs, as well as shady grassy areas and oak woodlands. The park also has sycamore, redwood, and walnut trees. You might even see non-native pine and cedar trees. In spring, many beautiful wildflowers grow here.
The park is home to lots of native wildlife. You might spot frogs, rabbits, squirrels, and different kinds of snakes. Larger animals like cougars, gray foxes, coyotes, and bobcats also live in the park.
If you love birds, this is the place to be! You can see great horned owls and as many as seven different types of hawks. Sometimes, even eagles visit the park. Of course, there are plenty of ducks, including colorful Mandarin and Wood ducks. Because Franklin Canyon is part of the Pacific Flyway, many migrating birds, like Canada geese, stop here too.
Fun Activities in the Park
Franklin Canyon Park offers many fun things to do. Popular activities include hiking on the trails, cycling, having a picnic, and bird watching. The park staff even leads special guided hikes regularly.
Even though there's a famous lake, swimming and fishing are not allowed to protect the wildlife. The park also offers cool natural history programs at the Sooky Goldman Nature Center and the William O. Douglas Outdoor Classroom. These programs teach you about the plants, animals, and history of the park.
Right next to Franklin Park is the main office of TreePeople, a group that works to plant and care for trees. TreePeople also offers organized hikes, workshops on how to care for trees, and fun festivals.
Safety and Rules
To help keep everyone safe in the park, there are rules to follow. For example, some areas have stop signs to control traffic. These rules help protect both people and the wildlife in the park. It's important to drive carefully and follow all signs to ensure a safe visit for everyone.
Franklin Canyon in Movies and TV
Franklin Canyon Park has been a star in many movies and TV shows! Its beautiful scenery makes it a perfect backdrop.
TV Shows
- The fishing spot, Myers Lake, from The Andy Griffith Show is actually Franklin Lake.
- Bonanza
- Lassie
- Star Trek (for alien landscapes!)
- The Brady Bunch
- Matlock
- Quantum Leap
- Dynasty
- NCIS
- Criminal Minds
- Sons Of Anarchy
- True Blood
- Twin Peaks
- Doogie Howser, M.D.
- ER
- Will And Grace
- How I Met Your Mother
- Salute Your Shorts
Movies
- The famous hitchhiking scene from It Happened One Night (1934) was filmed here.
- The lagoon from Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) is Franklin Lake.
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- The duck pond was used in On Golden Pond (1981).
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- Purple Rain (1984)
- Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- Platoon (1986)
- Kindergarten Cop (1990)
- The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- Minority Report (2002)
- National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
Music Videos and Album Covers
The park has also been used for album covers, like:
- Sounds of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel
- Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) by The Rolling Stones
