VALLEY-AREA PARKS ARE GETAWAY SPOTS.

The San Fernando Valley is home to many of Los Angeles' most popular parks, offering residents a variety of settings for family picnics, wedding receptions, fishing trips and even rock-climbing excursions. Anglers cast their lines at local lakes, while couples and families while away afternoons in paddle boats. There are even off-leash parks for dogs, where man's best friend can romp and chase tennis balls.

Following is a sampling of local parks. Others can be found at www.laparks.org.

Griffith Park: 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, at the junction of the Ventura and Golden State freeways. With more than 4,107 acres of natural terrain covered with California oak trees, wild sage and manzanita, Griffith Park is the largest municipal park and urban wilderness area in the United States. The park offers educational and cultural institutions, miles of hiking trails and a landmark merry-go-round. The park is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Trails close at sunset. The park also is home to the Los Angeles Zoo, which is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, closed on Christmas Day. Admission is $9 for adults, $6 for seniors and $4 for children 2-12. The Gene Autry Museum at the park brings the American West to life from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (open until 8 p.m. Thursdays). Travel Town, an outdoor museum of locomotives and rail cars at the park, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends, and also is closed Christmas. [phone].

Hansen Dam Aquatic Center: 11798 Foothill Blvd., Lake View Terrace. Enjoy water recreation, including fishing, boating and swimming, at the 40-acre park site. The center is open year-round, including holidays, but subject to closure during severe weather. Hours are generally from sunrise to sunset. Swim-lake area season begins April 2004. Call [phone] for hours.

Laurel Canyon Dog Park: 8260 Mulholland Drive, Studio City, features three acres of off-leash space for dogs, plus a fenced play area for children. [phone]. Sepulveda Basin Off-Leash Dog Park, 17550 Victory Blvd., Encino, a five-acre site that also includes a half-acre for small dogs. [phone].

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (U1)o(U1)includes 30 parks managed by the National Park Service and the California State Parks agency. Some of the major parks are Franklin Canyon Ranch/Sooky Goldman Nature Center, Cold Creek Canyon/Valley Preserve and Stunt Ranch Reserve Area, Malibu Creek State Park, Zuma/Trancas canyons, Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park. The National Park Service visitor center and headquarters is at 401 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. Call [phone].

Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area: 16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino. Ride on paved and dirt trails around the park and walk in the 225-acre wildlife area. See flora and fauna. Walks and group hikes can be arranged. Hours are from sunrise to sunset.

Stoney Point Park: 10800 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Chatsworth. The park is just south of the Ronald Reagan Freeway. This site is for people who want to rock-climb or hike.

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(color) Looking for crawdads, as these campers are, is just one of the joys of nature available at Valley parks.

Tina Burch