The Los Angeles River #1 - West San Fernando Valley

Welcome back my fellow Canine Angelenos! 

It's time for our next adventure, and this week I'm going to cover a subject that will come up often in this blog: El Río de Nuestra Señora La Reina de Los Ángeles de Porciúncula.

That's quite a mouthful isn't it?

In 1769, Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola (apparently a man of many words) came up with that long name for what we know today as the Los Angeles River; the under appreciated and often neglected waterway that runs almost 52 miles from Canoga Park to Long Beach.

Today I'm going to cover just a short section of it, but over time I plan to cover every place a dog can get its paws wet in the river; or at least get a good look and a sniff at it.



There's only one place to start a great adventure like this and that's at the beginning...

The L.A. River begins, unceremoniously, behind the stadium at Canoga Park High School.

The Headwaters of the Los Angeles River.

Calabasas Creek and Bell Creek converge just West of Owensmouth Ave. and just South of Bassett St. in Canoga Park (Thomas Guide 530/A6), an area better known for the Topanga Shopping Mall than for being the headwaters of the longest paved waterway in the world.

You can easily see the Headwaters from the the Owensmouth Ave. bridge. You can't park on the bridge but there is plenty of street parking available on Owensmouth or Bassett St.

On the Owensmouth Ave. bridge...I can't wait to start exploring!

Currently there's not much to do here, but a Headwaters landscaping project is currently under construction just west of the bridge that will have a walkway, benches and some signage.

 ***UPDATE 1***

FROM HEADWATERS TO THE MASON AVE. BRIDGE IS NOW ACCESSIBLE AND IT IS GORGEOUS! CHECK OUT MY POST WITH THE LATEST DETAILS FROM MY VISIT IN JULY 2014

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Looking West from the Headwaters

 

 ***UPDATE 2***

FROM THE MASON AVE. BRIDGE TO THE VAN ALDEN AVE. FOOTBRIDGE IS NOW ACCESSIBLE! CHECK OUT MY POST WITH THE LATEST DETAILS FROM MY VISIT IN AUGUST 2014 

After taking a couple of pictures, hop back in your vehicle and head East on Vanowen St. You'll soon leave Canoga Park and enter Winnetka where you'll drive over the river on the first of many East/West river crossing points, the locally controversial Vanowen/Mason bridge. 

This bridge has been under construction for quite some time now and the locals are getting anxious about it. The signs on site say construction was to be completed by November 2013, but its still not done as of March 2014. The work is interfering with traffic and is definitely not pretty to look at, but its part of the overall river landscaping project and I'm sure everyone's patience will eventually be rewarded.

SIDE TRIP:
After a few more minutes of driving you'll enter Reseda and, at the intersection of Vanowen and Wilbur Ave., you'll come across LAPD SWAT Officer Randal D. Simmons Park. Its a nice little spot with lots of grass to roll in and trees to...well you know. The are some picnic benches and a playground there too so your whole pack can enjoy the place. Its listed as West Valley Park on many maps but was renamed in 2010 to honor officer Simmons, the first LAPD SWAT officer to die in the line of duty.

a.k.a West Valley Park

After traveling on Vanowen for almost 4 miles from Headwaters, you'll come to Reseda Bl., where you should take a right and head South. You'll quickly come to your next river crossing at Kittridge St. and to your left will be our next stop, Reseda Park. There is street parking on Reseda Bl., but I recommend you take your next left onto Victory Bl. and park in the lot by the park's swimming pool, which you'll soon see on your left.

The river cuts Reseda Park into two sections which are connected by a footbridge in the Northeast section of the park.

Heading West, the river divides Reseda Park into two sections

Footbridge connecting the two sections of the park

This park has a lot to do for both canines and humans. There is plenty of grass and trees are everywhere, but there's also a pool, basketball courts, baseball fields, a playground, and a duck pond full of geese, egrets, coots, and of course...ducks.

No swimming! Bummer...

After strolling around the pond, return to your car and head East on Victory Bl. You'll soon cross the river again just West of Lindley Ave. and very soon after that you'll come to White Oak Ave. You're now at the Northwest corner of the vast Sepulveda Basin, which is the location of our final stop on this journey, the Sepulveda Basin Off-Leash Dog Park.

Hi there! Shall we roll in some mud?

This place has it all: separate sections for big dogs, little dogs, timid dogs... and plenty of grass and trees to keep any pooch happy. There's water and dishes all over the place and you can always find a tennis ball left behind by previous visitors. The river runs along the entire south side of the park as it begins its journey into the basin.

River entering the basin under the White Oak Ave. bridge

Well that's it for this adventure. We don't actually get to go in the river on this trip but don't worry, I'll get to that in a future blog. I've also saved the Sepulveda Basin for its own blog because its really big and full of great places to explore.


See you at the park!

Chloe Canine-Angeleno





Much of the information I've shared in this blog came from the following sources:

Down By The Los Angeles River by Joe Linton (Wilderness Press)
Friends of the Los Angeles River
City of Los Angeles Dept. of Recreation & Parks

All photographs were taken by my pack leader, Jim Gross

Everything else was discovered by getting my paws dirty and the extensive use of my nose.