1. Frank G Bonelli Regional Park

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San Dimas, CA

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Frank G Bonelli Regional Park

3.9 (333 reviews)
Closed • 6:00 am - 8:00 pm

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Green Heron, I believe.
Jeanette P.

What an oasis of natural wildlife beauty snuggled into a suburban area! I'm talking about Puddingstone Reservoir in Bonelli Regional Park. The greater park has camping, biking/walking trails, fishing, and day use sections for all day outdoor enjoyment. For me, I come for being on the water. I've kayaked here several times now. When entering from Via Verde, you'll need to stop at the gate: left for Raging Waters, straight on for Bonelli. If kayaking, your craft will be inspected for dryness so as to not bring in any disruptive, invasive, minuscule hitch hikers. You'll need to show you have pfds. There is a $9 up charge to the day use fee of $15 for non motorized water craft. A senior discount is offered. Other fees (and reservations) are needed for RV camping. I follow the road along to Sailboat Cove where I launch from. The parking lot has car spots as well as pull-through spots for trailers. The ramp is graded concrete, with room for 2 launches at a time. There are two docks. For non-motorized craft, most folks launch from the shoreline. Once you're on the lake, disengage from the larger world and enter the peaceful world of nature. The transition is practically magical! The soft lapping of the wakes from boaters across the lake is so relaxing as you're encompassed by birdsong. Bring your list if you're a birder, as there are so many varieties of waterfowl here to be seen and heard. There are fish, too, as this place is also a popular fishing hole for anglers. For me, down low and quiet, looking into the green yet clear water, I can see schools of small fish. My favorite section is to the right, where there's a passageway to a small cove at the outer limit of the lake. At some times during the year, there's more algae and this space appears to be a fish nursery, it is so filled with schools of small fish protected by the plant growth. There's a swim beach further out and to the right, a dock for fishing about mid-lake by day use/camping, rentals during the season for watercraft, and a motorized boating area over by one of the dams for zooming about. Overall, this is a haven for suburbanites to get away from it all for a while. Joggers, bikers, dog walkers, campers, anglers, kayakers, swimmers (when swim beach is open), family get togethers, bbq-ers and picnickers - this is the place for you!

Picnic table by the shore
RoseMary F.

Frank G. Bonelli, is a former member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1958 to 1972. This Regional park is named after him and is more than 1800 acres with the following amenities: - Man-made Lake for swimming, boating, kayaking, and fishing. - Numerous hiking trails that vary from easy to more difficult to navigate. - Children's playground with swings, "jungle" gym slides and equipment. - Most picnic areas have concrete tables and benches and a BBQ grill and are available on first-come first-served basis. - Large picnic areas for groups of 20 to 200 can be reserved online from the County's website. Prices vary based on size. There is an entry fee of $12 per car, $8 for senior citizens. The park is open Wednesday through Sunday (closed on Christmas day). Bring the family and enjoy the area, dogs on a leash are permitted. Sincerely, Rosemary

Victor D.

I came here for the first time and it is a very beautiful place. There was plenty of parking. There is a man made beach, and a lot of different areas to go at if that isn't your thing. I did a hike on the bonelli trail which I would not recommend. But if you are just spending the day sitting a relaxing it can be peaceful if there aren't any jet skis on the water.

Bathrooms in Sailboat Cove parking area
Wendy M.

Confirmed. Unfortunately Parking is now $15 YEAR ROUND . Also currently closed Monday and Tuesday. (Just spoke to park rep 10.27.25).

BEETLE
Rubi A.

Use to be my favorite park Not after a FESTATION of Cantharis livida (beetle) flying in my hair, on tables , blankets food, clothes & our hidden Easter eggs . we just recently have a new born baby added to our family . Couldn't ENJOY the day or the new born trying to keep these nasty Flying beetles off of her . Easter Eve at the Bonelli Park was very uncomfortable. Also to find out these flying beetles snuck into our items as we brought them home . i've been to plenty of parks in my lifetime and never had this unsanitary bug infestation like this......NEED TO CONSIDER SPRAYING !!!!

View of the lake
Allen-Nor A.

Beautiful views, peaceful walks, friendly neighbors, and green grass everywhere. Cant ask for more when you wanna get away last minute and take alittle family trip close by and make great memories. Thanks Bonelli

This was taken around 6:30pm
Vicky W.

First time here with my church friends, it a cloudy day but we really enjoyed this spacious park. Lots of picnic tables and trash cans nearby, it's convenient and keeping our natural environment clean. After food, we walked around the lake and had so much fun with the ducks and stunning views. Highly recommended for family time and friends if you love nature.

Hill view low incline
Michaela V.

Stunning views and great place for animal lovers and beginner hikers like me! Saw plenty of seniors and kiddos navigating the trail fairly easily too! Lots of wheelchair friend picnic spots and flat paths. Beautiful scenic water views and clear skies. High tide hit but still safe and other seating options available. Look closely and move slowly! Plenty of critters like bugs, birds, and froggies. Great to walk big dogs and plenty of room to guide them away from others if needed.

Inside the park
Rish C.

Bonelli is a great park to come to for hiking, walking, running, cycling, etc.! I've been coming here since I was a kid and even ran here in high school for my cross country practices and races. There's honestly so much bonelli has to offer including multiple playgrounds, a trailer park campsite, and the swim beach that's open during the summer. I personally love running here since there are so many different trails. There's honestly other parts of the park that I have yet to explore so im always just coming back!

Samantha C.

The perfect place to visit to get fresh air, to go for a bike ride, a hike, a walk, have a picnic, fish, camp, just enjoy some peaceful time by the lake, and more depending on the season. I have been coming here pretty much all my life. But even more so the past few years. There is a fee for parking during the summer season May 1 - September 30. And only on the weekends and holidays during the winter season October 1st- April 30th. During the summer, when I go, I will sometimes park at the Park and Ride instead and walk into the park. It is very peaceful to be there, I either go to bike, hike on the trails, or walk around by the lake. There are a few bathrooms around the park, and are usually pretty clean and maintained. Plenty of parking in the park. Definitely more crowded during the summer and weekends. But, I tend to go in the off season during weekdays! I love bringing my camera to take pictures here, whether it's while I'm on the trail or by the lake. Plenty of birds to take photos of, flowers and trees depending on the seasons. Often people are there having their family photos taken as well.

Free Freesia :( she's happy here
Ashley H.

I throughly enjoy this park. Has a beautiful 3 mile loop and multiple playgrounds along the way, followed by a beautiful view of the water. Perfect for families on an evening stroll w the dogs or even on a quiet run. However once the sun goes down, there's not much light and I believe it closes at 8pm, you got to start making your way back to the car. There's a dog living there, and I've seen many people try to lure her to come back home with them. Seems like this pup is living her best life outside, and being fed by everyone around. However, they're "trapping her so she can go to her new family" sounds pretty heartbreaking to me. If you want to save a dog, go to the shelter, please! We aren't playing Pokémon over here with Miss Freesia. She has a good temperament, I don't think she needs a savior. Free-sia, bc let that dog be free!

Pier out onto Puddinstone Reservoir
Hannah S.

As an avid birder, I can't believe it's taken me so long to visit Bonelli but I finally did and the amount of species I saw on my brief morning walk was astounding!! I've had so many birder friends hounding me to visit and I'm so glad I finally did - definitely a fantastic spot for birding, but also for fishing, kayaking and boating, or even just for relaxing by the reservoir! The lake in the heart of the park is 250-acre Puddingstone Reservoir and is a very important habitat for the birds and other wildlife in the area. The park is very well maintained and has tons of picnic tables and other areas to relax and enjoy the fresh air. The picnic tables by the lake are out in the open but the ones by the main parking lot are covered. The numerous trees provide some shade but I recommend sunscreen. There's a nice pier that gets you a little closer to the birds further out in the water - this is a fantastic place to watch the many Grebes that visit during their migrations - their mating dances are quite a splendid sight to see! There are lots of ground squirrels here as well and I saw a woman going around throwing lots of peanuts while I was there - it's cute to watch them eat but I'm not entirely sure this is good for them bc they become dependent :/ The park is very large with campgrounds and lots of different recreational areas. I visited the main part of the park by the nice beach but it seemed closed, perhaps for the winter? There were many people fishing by the parking area. It also has a large playground and there are plenty of clean bathrooms everywhere. Theres also a visitor center but it was closed when I arrived. During my visit I walked as much of the lake perimeter as I could and it was an easy stroll with so many birding opportunities! I saw 26 species in less than 2 hours - a fantastic morning! I'll definitely be back again in spring to try and catch some shots of the Grebes spectacular mating dance in all its glory!

Paddle boarding

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11 months ago

Great place for family picnic. The lake is so big and good for fishing. But the parking is so expensive

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8 months ago

I love coming to this park to relax and hike, fish, and spend time with the family. Now charging $15 day use. I'll miss coming here.

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Page 1 of 9

Ask the Community - Frank G Bonelli Regional Park

Where is the best place to fish here?

You'll usually see a lot of people fishing around the pier. This is near restroom number 13. Though… 

Hi there, are E bikes allowed?

Yes, you can bring bring an e-bike, no entrance fee charged.

Can you see fireworks from the park?

All the way to the top, good luck finding parking and you have to paid to get in .

I am interested in taking photos of my dogs at the park during sunrise or sunset, but I have concerns about the presence of coyotes. Has anyone ever come across coyotes while visiting the park?

Yes, there are coyotes. Keep small pets close to you.

Can you swim during this time ? (asking Aril 17th, 2023)

Yes they held their first LA Tri Series right before April 17 and lake was opened for swimming.

Can you swim year round?

No, the swim beach is open Summer months only.

Is there a long line to get into bonelli park at the swim beach? Trying to plan so I get a good spot on the beach

There is a line at the two entrances. Get to swim beach by 10 am and you should be able to find parking. After 12 and you'll have to drop off and find parking elsewhere

Is there camping overnight?

Only the 3rd Friday in the summer months.

Does this park have volleyball nets or do we have to take our own?

I have not seen any volleyball nets around the park, but on the beach would be a great placement for one.

Do they have a closing time?

From April - September the hours are sunrise to 9pm And October - March the hours are sunrise to 7pm

How far walk is it from the park entrance to the swim beach? They blocked the swim parking lot when we got there? Wondering how far is the walk?

Maybe like 15 mins walk, I had to park as well by the park because we didn't arrive early to get close parking

Is this open for swimming?

Usually open during summer only -- right now as an example there is "no swimming" signs. And certain areas are not allowing fishing either.

Is this Lake currently open?

Yes it is

Is there bike trail?

Yes, and it goes all around the park. There's maps along the way that show you the trail.

Are there any easily accessible areas for a family photo shoot?

Good news is parking inside the park stretches throughout the park. This means you can grab scenic water photos without having to hoof very far after getting out of your car. And there's many scenic areas to grab great family photos. Since the park… 

If i want to go in for a short hike... where can i park? I don't want to pay the day usage fee. Any suggestions or tips?

It's currently free parking on weekdays (except holidays) until April 30! Unless you go on a weekend or holiday you can park at the nearby park and ride on via verde and walk into bonelli.

Are they currently open (12/29/20)?

They list as open all year round. Even with the CV19 notification, they post the County of LA Parks and Recreation guideline that they will still be open from Sunrise-7PM from Oct-March. The public beach/ swim beach closed tho'. And the… 

Is the hiking trail open right now?

Yes. Hiked the airport to radio tower to stables to bowling pin (microwave relay) to swim beach to dam to airport mid Nov 2020 and all were open. Have fun

Are the restrooms back open to the public now?

Last time I was there, restrooms have been opened

Is the picnic area clean and which picnic areas are the best in the park?

The area is ok .... after a weekend the picnic area needs some cleaning. Best area is away from the playground and beach area ( more shade and much cleaner ).

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Review Highlights - Frank G Bonelli Regional Park

“I have taken my little nieces & nephews here many times for boating, fishing & camping.”

Mentioned in 18 reviews

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Sharkey's isn't just a dive shop to us. It's where something really special started…read more From the very first phone call -- which turned into a 30+ minute conversation just vibing and asking questions...we knew this was our place. Craig, the owner, made everything feel easy and personal from the start. Signing up for classes, scheduling, getting certified... all seamless. No pressure, no ego, just genuine passion for diving and people. Craig even moved class dates around to accommodate our schedules. Who does that? That level of care meant everything to us. The entire team was incredible. Supportive, patient, knowledgeable, and just good humans. We didn't just learn how to dive...we built confidence, memories, and friendships that will last a lifetime. We'll absolutely be continuing our certifications here and buying our gear here. No question. We thought we were signing up for scuba classes. What we found was a dive family.

Craig and his team are absolute pros. I have been diving since 1998 and finally my three sons are…read moreold enough to get SCUBA-certified too. Whether you choose PADI or NAUI, the team at Sharky's make it as painless as possible. Great selection of gear and great pricing whether you are an entry-level diver or the most technical gear-head. Student discounts make it all approachable, especially when purchasing 3 of everything. It's great having a local dive shop that knows what they are doing as well as make you feel like family. What a valuable resource to have this far inland!

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This is the 2nd time me and my 8 year old son have done this 1/2 day pm trip on the Western Pride…read more Both times were excellent and so much fun. He caught a ton of fish, mostly bass and most too small to keep, but he had a blast! He loves the fight! We had a few both trips to take home. We are newbies, but everyone on the crew was super nice and helpful to us. Bobby was exceptional. He helped my son so much and really looked out for him when he got a little sea sick. Another crew member gave him a little lure and talked to him about it, such a sweet guy! We've learned a lot from these trips and we will definitely be back. Thank you!

Boat was too crowded-- had in excess of 50 people. I love the idea that the company fosters--…read moreexposing kids to ocean fishing at a lower price point, but on this trip there were many small children(kids under 12 yo) that wandered aimlessly around the stern of the boat throughout the day. It seemed to me to be risky for them, as the majority of the time the boat was recommending that we use metal jigs with treble hooks to catch bonito and bullet tuna. MANY of the guests were casting these jigs blindly without looking behind them to ensure that nobody was in harms way!! Fortunately, nobody was hurt on this trip but potentially things could have been different. Perhaps limiting the casting of jigs to the bow of the boat exclusively might have been a consideration that could have reduced the risk to the small children(and adult passengers as well). Otherwise... the trip was enjoyable. The boat was kept clean. The crew were attentive to the needs of the passengers(although 2 crew members for 50+ people was not ideal) and the whole experience was positive.

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Frank G Bonelli Regional Park - parks - Updated October 2026

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