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.

Debs Park - An Urban Jewel for Trail Runners

This morning I headed over to Ernest E. Debs Regional Park for a 3.5 mile run with the pup. It was already hot at 7am, and I was reminded that this run doesn't offer much in the way of shade. Nonetheless, it's one of my favorite local trail runs.

A hiker along the trail at Debs Park.

In a Nutshell

A great park for trail running with numerous options to do different loops, adding to/shortening your run. Trails are a hilly mix of fire roads and singletrack. Views of the San Gabriel Mountains and Downtown LA.

• Trail surface: packed dirt, tiny bit of pavement along the top ridge
• Bathrooms/water: at the main parking lot off of Monterey Road, the Debs Park Audubon Center (open Tues-Sat 9am to 5pm, fantastic facility & programs), and Hermon Park off Via Marisol.
• Dogs: Must be leashed.

My Route

There are three main entrances to Debs Park, but my favorite is from Hermon Park. From here, you get to do the main uphill part of your run first. I parked at Hermon Park near the tennis courts and crossed Via Marisol right next to the entrance to Hermon Park. Directly across the street from the entrance is a dirt fire road. At first glance, it looks like it’s gated off. But if you look closely, you’ll see a singletrack trail heading off to the left that goes around the gate, dropping you onto the dirt road.

Downtown LA

From here, I headed up the hill and around three bends to a narrower unmarked turn off on the left. After about 50 yards, the trail makes another left turn, narrowing further to singletrack and switchbacking uphill. This part is steep, but levels off as it approaches the top. After a short level section, the trail rejoins the fire road and I turned left, crossing over the paved access road and heading downhill on the dirt road. The fire road rounds another bend, ascending again and I crested the hill with a great view of downtown LA opening up in front of me.

Hidden Lake

At the next intersection, I left the fire road once again and took the VERY STEEP dirt trail off to the left. This part is really more hiking than running. The trail does level out and descends slightly, rejoining the paved access road. I turned right onto the pavement and continued until I reached the hidden lake. This is one of the hidden treasures of Debs Park. I paused here a moment to enjoy the shade and the cooler air before taking the unmarked singletrack trail just to the left of the lake. It’s pretty tricky to spot it, but it’s just beyond the sign saying no swimming or boating in the lake.

Views of San Gabriel Mountains

I blasted down this part of the trail to the park-like area with benches, taking a left toward the stairs and parking lot. I skirted the parking lot on the left, staying under the shade of the pines until I reached the paved access road once again. Turning left, I followed it for a few yards and then turned right onto a side trail. From here, I headed roughly north along the singletrack. This is a beautiful rolling section that eventually meets back up with the access road. Instead of going back the same way I came, I stuck to the fire road and descended back to Via Marisol.

If You Go

Debs Park offers an experience of what the basin looked like before it became the megalopolis it is today. According to the Audubon Center at Debs Park: “More than half of the park is covered in walnut-oak woodland, grassland, and coastal sage scrub, a remnant of the native habitats that once rimmed the Los Angeles Basin.” And nature lovers, keep your eyes peeled for birds. Audubon has recorded over 140 species of birds at the park!