The Los Angeles River UPDATE! - The San Fernando Valley Update 2

When I began my exploration of the Los Angeles River earlier this year, there were many places in the San Fernando Valley where access to the river was impossible or very impractical.

However, over the summer, a lot has changed and it seems like every passing month brings our river closer and closer to becoming an asset to Valley life instead of the concrete eyesore it's been for years.

In Update #1 I visited the Headwaters Greenway in Canoga Park and the North side of the Valleyheart Riverwalk Greenway in Studio City - two gorgeous new additions that opened this year.

Today I'm going to show you the latest piece of the 51 mile long puzzle the city is slowly putting together - the beautiful new bike path on the South side of the river that runs from the end of the Headwaters Greenway to the Van Alden footbridge in Reseda. 

Opened in late August, the bike path begins at the Mason Ave. bridge and makes it's way East for 2 miles. Along the way there are plenty of benches, water fountains, nice landscaping, and solar powered lights - but no poop bag dispensers. (I may have to start a Poop Bag Foundation or something to raise money for this issue that's all too common along the river.)

The path meanders along the Southern bank of the river and there is no access to the North side for this entire stretch - I imagine that's a project for another day.

The Mason Ave. bridge is where our journey begins.

As soon as you get on the path there is easy access to the water which, on most days, is barely deep enough to cover your paws.

Just 1/10th of a mile West of Mason brings you to the Van Owen St. bridge, where the river makes it's first of many slight turns to the South.

Access is through one of the pretty gates that are found along the entire length of the river.

A 1/2 mile stroll from Van Owen finds us at the Winnetka Ave. bridge, where you'll find a brand new exercise station similar to those found at many of L.A.'s parks and recreation centers.

Looking West at the beautiful mountains and the Winnetka Ave. Bridge.

Continue West for just over another 1/2 mile and the Corbin bridge appears just before the river takes it second slight bend to the South.

Foe some reason, we were the only ones here on a beautiful weekend morning....

A little more than 1/2 mile past Corbin is the Tampa Ave. bridge, near the busy intersection of Tampa and Victory Bl.

Everything is so new and clean around here - let's keep it that way.

Another 1/4 mile walk and we are at the end of the line, the Van Alden Ave. footbridge.

The Van Alden Ave. footbridge connects the trail with Reseda to the North and Tarzana to the South.

The first 3.09 miles from Headwaters is now complete...

That's the end of the road for now. Since there is no access to the North side of the river, this is an out and back trip of just over 4 miles... a great way to get some exercise whether you're traveling by paw or on a bike.


*Strange footnote:

On the day we visited, under each of the bridges (but nowhere else), there were dozens and dozens of spiders hanging from webs they made between the railings of the fence that separates the bike path from the river.

I've never seen anything like it before. If anyone has any idea why they do this please send me an email. Until then...



See you on the river!


Chloe Canine-Angeleno







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

The Los Angeles Times


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.