Sunrise Yoga Los Angeles: Best Park Spots

More than 400 participants joined organized sunrise yoga at Griffith Park on July 5, according to sign-in sheets collected by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.

The increase comes as summer temperatures push outdoor activity earlier in the day, with many locals seeking free or low-cost alternatives to indoor studios along the Santa Monica to Malibu corridor.

Two established locations draw consistent crowds

Griffith Park opens its gates at 5 a.m. daily, allowing access to the trails near the observatory where mats line up along the lower slopes facing east. Runners finishing beach loops from Santa Monica often continue north to join the same sessions. Palisades Park in Santa Monica offers a flat stretch of grass directly above the Pacific, where groups meet near the chess tables at the north end for 45-minute flows that finish before 7 a.m. traffic builds on Ocean Avenue.

Both sites sit within the city’s network of 450 parks maintained by the Department of Recreation and Parks. No reservations are required for individual practice, though organized classes of ten or more need a free permit issued at least 48 hours in advance.

Numbers and logistics

Park staff recorded a 25 percent rise in early-morning yoga permits issued between January and June 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Drop-in classes at these locations typically cost $15 when led by instructors affiliated with the city’s wellness outreach program. Sunrise on July 10 occurs at 5:51 a.m., giving participants roughly 40 minutes of usable light before full daylight.

Visitors should arrive with headlamps or phone lights for the first 15 minutes, carry at least one liter of water, and park in the lots at the base of Griffith Park or along Palisades Park Drive. City rules prohibit amplified music before 8 a.m., so most sessions use only voice cues.

Those new to the routine can check the Department of Recreation and Parks website for updated sunrise times and permit links. Arriving 20 minutes early allows time to find level ground and avoid the steeper sections that remain shaded until later in the morning.