Rose Bowl Trail Running Loop

No I’m not talking about the conga line of cyclists and pedestrians around the inner paved circle of the Rose Bowl area. There is a lovely trail that encircles the Rose Bowl and even connects with the Arroyo Seco Trail.

In a Nutshell

• Trail Surface: Mostly soft dirt, with a few stretches of pavement
• Bathrooms/water: South end of the Rose Bowl complex near the soccer fields, you can find a scattering of drinking fountains and a sometimes unlocked public bathroom.
• Dogs: Must be leashed

Routes

The trail along West Drive

Park along the far western side of the Rose Bowl loop, on the dirt near the intersection of West Drive and Seco Street. You can also park in the lot near Brookside Park and head to this trail from there (see maps below). You’ll see the faint dirt trail on the outer edge, paralleling West Drive. Parts of the trail are edged with logs. You can take this trail all the way around the loop (and beyond!). 

Big Loop ~ 4.5 miles

For the Big Loop, when the trail gets to the northern end of the paved loop, continue straight, up a short steep hill and cross Parkview Avenue at the crosswalk. Directly accross the street, you'll see the trail continue along the west side of the golf course. Keep following it north until you pass underneath the I-210 bridge. Just past the bridge, look for the ropes course and cross the Arroyo (best done in dry seasons). After you cross the river, follow the trail to the right (south) and continue back under the 210 bridge and alongside the golf course again. (Note: look for a future post to cover an extension option going north!) Bear left as the trail approaches Rosemont Avenue and you'll go down a steep incline to the street. Cross at the crosswalk and you can pick up the trail above the east side of Rosemont Ave. Follow this nice single track high above the street. It will eventually dump you out at closed paved road. Cross and pick up the trail again that will take you across Washington Blvd and back to the trail alongside Rosemont Ave. Take this all the way to the intersection of Rose Bowl Drive. You can cross to the inner paved loop here as the trail peters out. Follow the loop around the southern end of the Rose Bowl complex and back to your starting point.

Little Loop ~ 3 miles

Trail high above Rosemont Ave.

The Little Loop has a bit more pavement running than the Big Loop but is more than a mile shorter. Instead of continuing onto Parkview Avenue when you get to the top of the paved loop, take a right and follow the paved loop until you get to Rosemont Avenue. Cross Rosemont just after the loop starts turning south again, and you can pick up the trail above the eastern side of the road. From here, it's pretty much the same directions as the Big Loop back to your starting point.




Connector Trail to Lower Arroyo Seco Trail 

Looking to extend your run? You can connect with the Lower Arroyo Seco Trail from the Rose Bowl Loop. From the southern end of the Rose Bowl loop, cross Seco Street at the crosswalk near the river channel. You'll see the dirt trail heading south and paralleling N Arrow Blvd. Follow the dirt trail south. After you pass under the Holly Street bridge you'll see a kiosk with a map marking the trailhead. (Note: this trailhead was the turn around point for the Arroyo Seco trail run I posted on 7/28/13).

If You Go

During football games and other big events, the Rose Bowl area is a zoo and often closed down to through traffic. So best to check the schedule before heading out on a run and avoid football days.

Arroyo Seco Trail - Linking South Pas to Pasadena and Beyond

This is a great 'go to' run. With so many different variations, coupled with an easy grade and multiple access points, this is the perfect trail for anything from a quick after work run to marathon training.

In a Nutshell

• Trail Surface: Hard packed dirt, some sand & loose rocks
• Difficulty: Easy - mostly flat
• Bathrooms/water: Both can be found at the Casting Pond off Arroyo Drive and Lower Arroyo Park
• Dogs: Must be leashed

Routes

The beauty of this trail is that it links urban communities with open space and provides a really cool running experience. If you want to, you can run from Debs park in South Pasadena to the Angeles National Forest/San Gabriel Mountains by following this trail system.

There are innumerable variations of trail routes within this system. Indeed the Arroyo Seco Trail is much like an arterial, with on ramps and exits. You can join up with the trail in a dozen or more so places throughout South Pasadena, Pasadena, and Altadena.

For this post, I’ve included access points in South Pasadena and Pasadena, with two different route lengths. Look for a future post that focuses on the Rose Bowl and Altadena areas.

4 Mile Route

Colorado Street Bridge from Arroyo Seco Trail

 

Starting and ending at the Casting Pond, this is a nice easy and flat route that goes up one side of the Arroyo Seco channel and back on the other and passes under the famous Colorado Street Bridge as well as the freeway.

6 Mile Route

Arroyo Seco Channel and Adjacent Trail

This route starts in South Pasadena in the parking lot at Marmion Way and Arroyo Verde Street. There’s a small park here and access to the Arroyo Seco Bike Path as well as the trail heading north. From the north side of the parking lot, pass between the horse trailers and chickens and go underneath the Marmion Way Bridge. The trail starts immediate to the right after the bridge. From here, it passes through the South Pasadena Nature Park and then along a trail next to the golf course. It passes underneath Highway 110, and by the Lower Arroyo Park, past the equestrian stables and then up the steep switchbacks to Arroyo Drive. The route then follows the road for a bit of sidewalk running, but after a block or so, the sidewalk turns into a dirt trail that parallels the road. The route continues on along Arroyo Drive to W California Blvd, and then heads down the dirt ramp back into the Arroyo. Continuing on the Arroyo Seco Trail to the Casting Pond area, it then crosses the channel to the west side and heads back south, continuing on the west side of the channel all the way to the San Paqual Street bridge. Here, the route joins the street to go across the bridge rejoins the Arroyo Seco Trail once again on the east side of the channel. From here, it retraces the route back to South Pasadena.

If You Go

It’s worth noting that most of this trail is open to horses. You’ll likely notice the horse dung, but some sections are narrow so keep your eye out and remember to yield.