Despite living in Lakewood for years, it took me *this* long to step foot on Rynerson Park. I really should have known about this park earlier, and it's only after finding myself in a bad mood multiple times over the course of this year that I feel like I've finally discovered the place where I can catch my breath, clear my head, and blow off some steam to get my mind off all the buildup of stressors I've had to endure for who knows how long.
Rynerson Park was named after former mayor Jacqueline Rynerson, one of the Legends of Lakewood who was a big reason why the city is not a part of present day Long Beach. The park was named in 1990, and she was also a big reason for the existence of Lakewood Equestrian Center, situated adjacent to the park due south.
The park is on the west side of Studebaker between Del Amo and Centralia. There is an offshoot off Studebaker that turns into a parking lot, but there is also a good amount of angled parking spots on the side of the main street. If you park on one of those angled parking spots, you can cross a bridge that will take you into the park. I think before, there used to be three bridges, but as of now, there is only one working bridge. On my last visit, I saw the other two bridges reinstated, but still closed. Hopefully they will reopen soon. The park is also south of Home Run Dog Park, and speaking of Home Run, a couple of baseball fields separate the dog park from this park.
Rynerson park is so large and open that surely, there will be a nice spot to have a picnic, toss a frisbee, or even play a pickup game of soccer. And did I mention the horses too? Sometimes, I've seen a girl bring in a horse on the southwest corner of the park, where there's an enclosure that you can only get into by way of the horse trail.
You'll also find some transmission towers in the park, which feel a little out of place, but since there's so much open space in the park, you'll almost forget they exist.
The park is shaped in three interconnected loops, kind of like a Venn diagram, but they definitely don't look like the ones you draw in the classroom. Rather, the point I was trying to make was that you don't necessarily have to take the longest route all around the park. Rather, if you want to walk any of the three loops or even two out of the three loops, you can do just that. Look for a pair of smaller triangular patches of grass, and that will denote the boundary between any two loops. The south loop is the longest, and the middle loop, which encompasses the playground and various fitness equipment, is the shortest.
On any of the loops, you can walk, bike, or even skate. I've seen them all, so when walking, pay careful attention to make sure you're not blocking the path of a bicyclist or skater behind you. I want to say the outermost loop is a mile in length, but I can't be too certain about that. Just expect a full lap to take on the order of 15 to 20 minutes if you walk. A lot of residents stop by this park to stretch their legs doing a myriad of activities, so you'll be sure to do some people watching here!
There are a couple of bathrooms on the west side of the park, but it's been hard for me to predict when they are open and when they are closed. So just keep that in mind. Between the bathrooms is a bridge that leads to the San Gabriel River Trail, which is mostly for cycling, but I have seen some joggers there as well.
I like taking a couple of laps around the park whenever I stop by, and I always enjoy seeing the various activities that others do around the park. You can also reserve a pavilion/shelter there, but you'll need to call Boyar Park to do that. It's always nice to get some fresh air out here, and the trails have been mostly clean the times I've gone. Don Knabe Community Regional Park, which I previously gave 5 stars, used to be my go to, but I've noticed recently the walking trails have gotten filthier since there are so many ducks and geese there. You won't find any ducks or geese at this park, but you'll likely find dogs. Sometimes, they're on leashes; other times, their owners do without. Luckily, I haven't been attacked by any dogs (yet).
Absolutely recommend stopping by Rynerson Park if you get the chance! It's a great way to unwind and relax before a nice dinner, which you could enjoy at nearby Long Beach Towne Center! It's real close to the 605 Freeway, so this would make for a great stop to stretch your legs if you're on a road trip! read more