HAUNTED HAYRIDE

When is Griffith Park NOT Griffith Park?  The month of October.   This is when TenThirtyOne Productions puts on the Los Angeles version of The Haunted Hay Ride.   An interior area of Griffith Park is transformed from a tranquil respite to a theme park.

Yep, this is scary.   The idea of taking away precious open space from hikers and passive recreational users in order for a private company to gain financial profits horrifies me.  I like to think that Colonel Griffith agrees.  I picture him turning over in his grave, unable to sleep, as he says to himself, "This was not my intention when I bequeathed this land for the citizens of Los Angeles to enjoy!"

The Haunted Hay Ride takes place Thursday through Sunday, but TenThirtyOne leaves the infra-structure in place on the "off days."   Gerry and I visited the site this past Wednesday, cameras in hand, to view and document what we witnessed.  Better documentation, of course, would be provided if we actually paid admission for the "Ride."  But there was no way I would fork over $35 for the Haunted Hay Ride.  In fact, I wouldn't even go if they paid me $35.

This is the fifth year of the event, which has expanded it's footprint each year.  It started out with perhaps 5 acres being taken away from the general public each October.  The current 2015 version occupies approximately 15 acres.

With Gerry in the foreground, you can get an idea of the size of this monstrosity.

The Hayride goes thru this "tunnel

And somewhere along the "Ride" participants see a red school house (?) and a human meat-cutter (?) at Death Row. 

Too bad this structure is on an otherwise lovely open space, with native Oak trees

Death Row...I wish it was death row for the Haunted Hay Ride. 

I misspoke in my opening paragraph of this posting.  The Haunted Hayride is not only October.  It  actually includes the last few weeks of September (for set up) and the first few weeks of November for the tear-down.

This area of the park always looks worse afterwards.  Vehicles, including trailers, tractors, trucks and wagons,  parked "off road" for a month is not good for the land.

Half-a-dozen coaches, wagons or whatever.

Not sure, why Big Red can't park in the parking lot 100 yards below.

The final insult - The Hay Ride vehicle.

Twelve of these Hay Ride vehicles are staged in what is considered to be a wilderness area.

Money talks, and with a loud voice.   $1,350 is what it costs to rent this sucker for your own private Hay Ride for you and your select group of friends.

Isn't this why Universal Studios, Knotts Scary Farm, etc exist?  I kinda get the concept of a Halloween attraction in a theme park.  But why Griffith Park? 

I draw the line when the theme park encroaches Griffith Park.  Let's make the Griffith Park Haunted Hayride R.I.P.

Please contact your council person David Ryu and Council District 4, and let him and his staff know that this is not what you want Griffith Park to be....  If they allow Haunted Hayride in Oct, who knows what other "holidays" will be commercialized in the future?   Think about it.  There is a twelve month calendar.  We have a holiday nearly every month. Do we want private enterprises to take over our park? All the time?   My answer is an emphatic NO !!!!