Located off the Fremont Ave exit of the 10 freeway, I've stopped by here a few times evenings after…read morework during these scorchin' summer days. While there's plenty of street parking, free lot parking is available right as you enter on Hellman with additional spots up the hill. Among the available physical activities include swimming, tennis, basketball, and ping pong. Local soccer and cheer teams can also be seen on the lawns conditioning for their upcoming season. That said, you may find taking a leisurely stroll or lying down on the grass just as rewarding. A handful of canopies make for great BBQ/picnic spots, and the hilly portions of the park tend to provide a cool and gentle breeze. For me, it's a fine spot to slow down and watch the sunset. As night falls, the lamps come on along the walkway and provide a touch of class.

We always have a reunion with our friends once a year and this is the park we choose for…read moreconvenience and cleanliness. My friend gets a permit to block off the picnic tables in an area near the playground. The trees provide some shade in the summer but it can get hot as the big patio area is not fully blocked off from the sun.

This trail was an absolute CF. I've been on better primitive trails. It is one way in and one way…read moreout no other options. There are NO maps and little trail indicators. You'd be better off walking barefoot on a coral reef. You cannot actually enjoy the trail because you have to always look down so that you don't trip and break your neck. I do not recommend, do so at your own risk.

I've pretty much always lived near a sewer line/bike path. Growing up in Hawaiian Gardens it was…read morenear the 605. When I lived on the outskirts of Cypress it was still right there next to me across the street. Now that I live in Whittier I've discovered this wonderful path that goes all the way from Baldwin Park at one end to the beach at the other. This path spans about 30 miles and it is both scenic, horrifying, and polarizing when it comes to how the conditions for the ride goes. When you go east towards the Santa Fe Dam the winds are with you and the riding isn't too difficult. But when you go west towards Long Beach the winds are hitting you in the face like palm strikes. It is a bit of a doozy but if you want that workout it is a great one. The surroundings can go from beautiful rivers that lead to the ocean to dry river banks filled with trash and homeless settlements. It can even have something in between where nature has taken back the area and lush fields of grass and trees occupy the space. It goes near highways and homes and really gives you a journey you never expected. I love finding new things every time I ride, from the houses that are built right next to it to the horse trails running parallel. If you want to stay socially distanced but still want to explore in a manner away from populated streets and spaces I highly recommend getting on a bike and going down this wonderful riverway.

This place is the jackpot if you like birding and bridges!! Bare with me bc I'm about to share a…read morebutt load of pics! I think this hike may have been the most pics I've ever taken in one sitting (well over 350 - but I'm not sharing that many ok lol)!! This is a very easy hike - it can be as long or as short as you want it to be. We did about 6 miles. And it's almost completely flat - AllTrails says 160 feet but my AllTrails recording logged 230 feet - either way it's minimal. There are some optional stairs that have neat views as well. A lot of the trail is rocky and bumpy, and there was a ton of mud bc of all the rain - but still easy. And there's a little trail construction going on but it's easy to maneuver around. It's also a very busy trail. We arrived right before 8am and there was a moderate crowd - not too bad. But by 9am it was pretty packed. Luckily the trail is very wide so it's easy to keep your distance and not feel like you have someone on your heels constantly. There are some really great features on this hike - all sorts of surprises in all sorts of nooks and crannies! There's a huge archery range - who knew?? It's well marked so it easy to stay out of the way and safe. There weren't any archers when we started but tons had assembled when we were leaving! I'll be coming back to watch them next time bc it's such a neat range! There's a "casting pond" which was so totally random and I'd never seen or heard of anything like it before!! It's a huge, shallow "pond" of sorts, with these rings scattered around - I'm guessing it's for people to practice their casting techniques for fishing. The water was super clean too! And the birding - omg don't get me started on the birding wow!! I'm an avid birder and this place was heaven for me! I even managed to catch one of my life-list birds here!! Huge day for me (my fellow birders will understand lol)!! A female Red Shafted Northern Flicker!! Not to mention the Yellow Rumped Warbler, California Scrub Jays, tons of Lesser Goldfinches, Mallards, and House Finches, and even an Oak Titmouse!! It was a smorgasbord of birdies!! Totally unexpected for such an "urban" hike. And then there's the bridges...soooo many bridges concentrated in one area - like 5-6 bridges!! And they're all beautiful - especially with the mountainous backdrops! You can even walk under most of them. The most famous is the Colorado Street Bridge - aka "Suicide Bridge" - kinda cryptic but everyone seems to call it that so you desensitize. You can also walk on this one, which I highly recommend bc it's a true beauty, from above and below. There are numerous trail options along this huge route - looks like it links up to the rose bowl loop too. It's easy to find and has a dirt parking lot - it definitely filled up fast (was full by 10am) but again, it was a Saturday morning. I'll definitely be back anytime I'm needing to do some serious birding!

I've been on a little running kick in 2021 and on a search for more interesting routes near my…read morehouse, I discovered the Lower Arroyo Seco. I've always preferred running on a trail versus cement, so I was so happy to find a soft trail to run on that's not too far from home. I've been twice now and it appears that the trail is an out and back, although there are some river crossings (I think that's what you would consider them) so perhaps you can veer off and make things a little more interesting. I love looking up at the Colorado Street Bridge and getting a change of scenery--Pasadena really is a special place. While you're definitely out in nature, you're also spending a lot of time looking at a wire link fence and the cement river bed. Still, I like that this place is flat (running in the mountain trails near Pasadena seems, well, challenging) and I actually like that there are a fair number of people around since I've grown increasingly fearful of snakes and wildlife as I've gotten older. I've only come on weekdays so it's really not too busy, but do be sure to bring and wear your mask as you will see other people there. There's a parking lot onsite but also a few entries from the street (Arroyo) if you're on foot. I've always run here from my house so I haven't tried the parking situation, but this is a pretty quiet neighborhood and it seems like you could park on the street and walk down if the parking lot was full (although, you might just want to opt for some other sort of excursion if it's that packed during COVID times).

(From 2022) Was here last year and had the day off highly…read morerecommended place for a walk/hike and water I'm commonly the "person" (one of them) witnessed at the top of the waterfall most of the images during my trip this last time were shared on various "check ins" here One thing I noticed is that this time there wasn't as many face masks on the ground so it appears that the volunteers are doing an excellent job at removing all of the random trash

Eaton Canyon is a popular destination, especially in the spring when wildflowers bloom…read more Not much water right now. Go after a rain and you will see a wonderful waterfall.

On the southwestern part of the city, this petite park comes with a large, Moorish-inspired arch…read more If you're looking for a simple photo op with some nice flowers and walking paths, this is your spot. Massive amounts of traffic may pour through Fremont and Valley on a daily basis, but this park does its best in adding a bit of serenity to the chaos.

Very nice little spot if you can get to it, too small to be called a park…read more There isn't much to write about this unless you know about the history of this tiny spot as it relates to Alhambra which at the time I do not know.

Wonderful trail in Whittier with a couple of different options (easy/hard) and free parking. This…read morearea is hilly, so you can choose a real work-out or take a more leisurely stroll. Perfect spot for a family hike and to learn about nature. Free admission. Take water and sunscreen. Great views of the whole LA basin if you make it to the top!

I always enjoy a great hike! The path stretches about 3.3 miles round trip with a gentle 300+ ft…read moreelevation gain just enough to feel like a workout, but still very beginner friendly. The highlight for me is the canopy of beautiful sycamore trees that offers plenty of shade, especially in the warmer months. During the fall, the changing leaves are stunning and make the whole trail feel like something out of a postcard. The trail is clean and quiet, with restrooms available near the entrance and easy parking (a mix of onsite and street parking). It's also well-marked, so you don't have to worry about getting lost. Sycamore Canyon is open from 9 AM to 6 PM in summer and 9 AM to 5 PM during the rest of the year. Just make sure to bring water, as there aren't any drinking fountains along the trail. All in all, this trail is a perfect mix of accessibility and natural beauty. Whether you're hiking solo, with a friend, or just need a mental reset, Sycamore Canyon delivers every time. Highly recommended! You will enjoy and have fun at the same time.

A very small triangle-shaped park near the beautiful and historic San Gabriel Mission. Situated…read moreright next to the Saint Gabriel mission museum, this park offers nicely manicured lawns, shady trees, and a few sitting areas. An excellent area to have a picnic since it is close to many restaurants that only offer takeouts during this COVID-19 period. The surrounding buildings, trees, and a nice little fountain make up a relaxing ambience. Many free street parking spots close by.

This is a very well-maintained park, but the location is really hampered by the large amount of…read moretraffic going by. There's a lot of grass but you feel like you're sitting in the middle of a traffic island. The historic mission is there and there are a few benches and a fountain. Sometimes people like to take their wedding pictures here on the weekend. It's best for the late evenings when the traffic has died down; it's very open so you don't need to worry about being out of sight. There's one very large tree that is decorated during the holidays.

Amazing Hike but it's not for beginner hikers here!! Steep but rewarding!!!…read more I would say this is moderate to advanced-level hiking. This is our first time hiking at Bailey Canyon to Jones Peak. Bailey Canyon trail is located at the Bailey Canyon Park in Sierra Madre. We parked our car at the parking lot at around 8 in the morning. The parking lot is so small so make sure to get there early. (We got lucky and found a parking space). We were planning to hike to the "Old Foundation" because it was our first time to hike there so we didn't want to overdo it. This trail is considered a challenging route because it's a very steep and narrow climb all the way. We started from Bailey Canyon Park and passed the small reservoir before hiking uphill into the foothills. We saw the map and the "Old Foundation" should take about 2.2 miles but we hiked more than 2.8 miles and still didn't see the sign. We almost gave up and wanted to take our return route. Glad we saw and asked other hikers when they came back down and they told us that we passed the "Old Foundation" for a while and we had almost arrived at the Peak (Jones Peak) in less than 15 minutes. We were very surprised that we were close to the Peak so we got motivated again. The views were breathtaking and absolutely beautiful. The weather was so perfect. When we arrived at the Jones Peak, we saw the beautiful and colorful rocks in heart shape and gorgeous panoramic breathtaking views. We finally got to Jones Peak at 3375 feet!!!! The map said it's about a 5.7-mile out-and-back trail near Sierra Madre and it takes an average of 4 h 2 min to complete. I checked my Strava app (I forgot to wear my Apple Watch that day) and it shows that I hiked 6.7 miles and we finished our hike around noon so it took us about 4 hours. We were so proud of ourselves. Make sure that you bring plenty of water, and you can also bring trekking poles if you have them. They'll help on the steep slopes. (We didn't use trekking poles this time but I'll probably prepare it for next time)

This a nice, less crowded hike in the area. Although signs says beware of the Sun we found plenty…read moreof shady areas in the early part if the trail- plus a lovely,small stream. Also, the variety of plants, flowers, and beautiful vegetation made it more pleasing. Nice views, too. Worth checking out.