The Arroyo Seco offers a plethora of outdoors and recreational opportunities to the urban population of Los Angeles County. Significant portions of the Arroyo Seco watershed are protected open space, ranging from the National Forest to golf courses to passive nature parks. There is almost a continuous stretch of open space in the Arroyo Seco from the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains to its confluence with the Los Angeles River.
Current types of recreation in the Arroyo Seco Watershed are many and varied. A partial list of the types of activities available includes:
Fishing | Architectural interest sites | Hiking |
Archery | Fly Casting | Golf |
Sports Fields | Horseback Riding | Disc Golf |
Bicycling | Gardens - Ornamental & Botanic | Rollerblading |
Bird Watching | Historical sites & neighborhoods | Walking |
Swimming | Dog Walking | Nature Appreciation |
Parks and Recreational Facilities | ||||
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Angeles National Forest |
USFS |
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Angeles
Crest Station |
USFS |
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Annandale
Golf Course / Country Club |
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Arroyo
Seco Golf Course |
South
Pasadena |
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Arroyo
Seco Park |
City
of LA |
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Bear
Canyon Picnic Area |
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Brookside
Golf Course |
Pasadena
|
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Brookside
Park |
Pasadena |
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Camp
Chiquita |
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Camp
Sierra |
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Charles
White Park |
Los
Angeles County |
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Cleland
Avenue Bicentennial Park |
City
of Los Angeles |
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Defenders
Park (portion) |
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Descanso
Gardens |
Los
Angeles County |
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Ernest
E. Debs Park |
City
of Los Angeles |
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Garvanza Park |
City
of Los Angeles |
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General
Farnsworth Park |
Los
Angeles County |
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Gould
Mesa Picnic Area |
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Greayers
Oak Park |
City
of Los Angeles |
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Hahamonga
Watershed Park |
Pasadena |
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Heritage
Square |
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Highland
Park |
City
of Los Angeles |
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Highland
Park Recreation Center |
City
of Los Angeles |
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Highland
Park Senior Center |
City
of Los Angeles |
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Jackie Robinson Park
(portion) |
Pasadena |
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La
Cañada Flintridge Golf Course / Country Club |
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La Pintoresca Park |
Pasadena |
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Loma
Alta Park |
Los
Angeles County |
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Los
Angeles River Center |
City
of Los Angeles |
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Lower
Arroyo Park |
Pasadena |
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Lower
Switzer Campground |
USFS |
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Lummis
Park |
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Millard
Picnic Area |
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Mount
Lowe Campground |
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Mountain
View Cemetery |
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Nino
Picnic Area |
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Oak Grove Park |
Pasadena |
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Oak
Grove Ranger Station |
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Paul
Little Picnic Area |
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Rose
Bowl |
Pasadena |
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Rose Bowl Aquatic Center | Rose Bowl Aquatic Center | |||
San
Pascual Park |
City
of Los Angeles |
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San
Rafael Park |
Pasadena |
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Shelby
Park |
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Sunset
Ridge Station |
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Switzer
Camp |
USFS |
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Switzer
Station |
USFS |
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Switzer
Visitor Information Station |
USFS |
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Sycamore Grove Park |
City
of Los Angeles |
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Upper
Upper
Switzer Campground |
USFS |
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The Arroyo Seco Watershed Restoration Feasibility Study in 2002 developed a recreational and open space plan for the Arroyo Seco Watershed.
This plan seeks to improve recreational opportunities by improving public access, providing new and improved recreational opportunities, and creating a balance between recreation and other conflicting uses.
The plan has four objectives to improve recreational opportunities. They are:
Ideally, trails and open space in the watershed would connect to and between adjacent natural and recreational areas, including the Rim of the Valley Trail, the Los Angeles River Greenway, Elysian Park, the San Rafael Hills, the Ascot Hills, the Monterey Hills, the Montecito Hills, Cultural Attractions throughout the watershed, Elyria Canyon, Rainbow Canyon, and Occidental College in Eagle Rock. A connection to the Los Angeles River Greenway would improve coastal access from the watershed. Pedestrian and bicycle routes would ideally be planned to connect to Gold Line stations.
In recent years, the Arroyo Seco Foundations has proposed a plan to integrate the many parks and open spaces into a continuous stream and habitat corridor. Arroyo River Parks is proposed as a template for integrating the multiple benefits and purposes of the Arroyo Seco into a renewed vibrant corridor.