I love this community park. It's a great spot for walking, roller skating, reading and just minding…read moreyour own business lol Recently, I've been noticing that the bridge here has become a very popular spot for photo sessions and it's wonderful to see this. However, I recently became disappointed when I saw blue confetti and a balloon left behind on the bridge after what looked like a gender reveal photo session. I wish people were more mindful and respectful of public spaces. An animal or toddler could easily ingest this balloon that was left behind and could cause serious harm.

I came here to take some newborn photos with a mother and it was actually very peaceful. I parked…read moreon the street because I thought there was paid parking. There was not that many people which was good. The weather was nice and perfect for the shoot. I would have liked to see more nature type things like maybe flowers or facts about nature. Other than that this place is very nice for photos or taking the kids to play!

I guess I didn't really explore this park as much I should have during my first visit, as my memory…read moredid not recall how big the park actually is. And perhaps I was just bothered by how inconspicuous the park entrance is: it's a gate that does not immediately look like the entrance to a park, which is how I missed it the first time I visited over a decade ago. During my recent second visit, I came back with a better appreciation for parks and birds. I did not expect to find any birding lifers here, but I in fact found four in one day. I heard the Green Heron before I saw it, and photographed it without realizing what it was. I just thought it was another Black-Crowned Night Heron, but boy was I delighted to find out later when I was reviewing my photos that it was a Green Heron lifer. The park appears to know it's a great spot for birding as there is signage indicating possible seasonal bird encounters. Perhaps I should stop talking about birds, but I can't help it. Also, "Peck" Road? Birds are the point. It's a large park with a delightful amount of nature to get immersed in. I can't wait to come back for a third visit!

A friend of mine introduced me to this hidden gem a year ago for birding. I recently returned and…read morefell in love with it all over again. This place is a birder's paradise, with its large lakes and blooming flowers, inviting many bird species. I've counted over 20 different species in just a few hours of walking a whole loop. My only complaint is that it was closed the one day I made the long drive out, on a day that it wasn't supposed to be closed. But thankfully there is a cut out on the gate to the side so you can still walk in. You'll just have to park on the street instead of drive in and park inside. So this is just something to watch out for - random closings.

One of my favorite parks in the area--…read more I originally heard of this park after a recommendation on where to host a baby shower/ park picnic. We ended up renting a large picnic shelter and it is actually in high demand during the summer time (rented out in June for an August date). Despite a very warm day (mid-high 90s) the shelter kept us relatively cool. The kids loved the space-themed playground and the large shelter can host up to 180 or so people whereas the smaller shelter can host up to 50 or so people. (+): experience with renting out the shelter- benches were clean, employees were nice (+): amenities of the park- tennis courts, large walking area, multiple parking lots, basketball courts Overall, I would come here again and also consider renting out the park shelters.

Live Oak Park is one of the most popular parks among residents locally and visitors that reside in…read moreother cities. They have a designated walkway for people who are running/walking, basketball courts, tennis courts, pickleball courts, playground, and spaceship in the middle. It's newly renovated which makes the quality a lot smoother than before. Restrooms are available as well near the courts and also near the playground area. Parking is plentiful in parking lot but can fill up quick. Street parking is also available for free. There's 8 pickleball courts, which fills up quick these days. You can queue up with your paddles when it's full. The pickleball community here is great, on the weekends there's people who manage it voluntarily which is nice for newcomers. Overall, a great renovated park, very clean, friendly people, and spacious.

i remember coming to this park during my high school years with friends from arroyo high school or…read moreemhs :') it's very spacious and safe, surrounded by a suburban neighborhood and right on the outskirts of the main peck road. really peaceful for walks or pokémon go in the early AMs hehe

This was a pretty decent park. Has a half mile sort of trail that you can run and walk. Walked my…read moredog here and they even had dog poop bags for use if you don't bring your own. Not sure when the gym is open since it was closed when I arrived but overall the park was pretty clean and was nice.

This park is super nice and chill! You always see lots of people here with their pets, friends, and…read morechildren, and there are so many different sports being played. It's a HUGE park and they have just about everything! There's a good-sized playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball and softball fields, a swimming pool, and lots of open space. I love bringing Mika here whenever I get the time! Another thing I really like is how much shade there is because they have lots and lots of trees throughout the park. It's also kept really clean, and they have dog poop bags available all around the park, which is super convenient when bringing your dog. Overall, it's a nice park to walk around and spend some time outdoors!

SoCal weather really said "pick a personality" and then refused to commit, so I took advantage of…read moreits good mood and clocked in at Arcadia Park like a picnic professional. Big, beautiful shady trees?!?!?! Check!!!!! Perfect blanket-sprawling real estate?!?!?!? Also check!!!!! It's the kind of spot that makes you forget the weather might flip on you in 20 minutes, so you eat, lounge, and live your best picnic life while the sun is also feeling fabulous!!

Pretty cool park! Feels new. There's a small + large dog park area too. It's next to the freeway so…read morea bit noisy.

I had a good experience at Barnes Park. I visited on a Tuesday (around 2:45PM). It's a very…read morehidden park that neighbors the freeway. Did I feel safe? For the most part, yes. I disliked how this park's "walking path" was nestled by the freeway, so it always felt like there could be something hidden in the shrubs. What utilities? There's basketball courts, gates dog park areas, many pet waste disposal bags, newly furbished playgrounds, wet park areas when it gets too hot, public park exercise equipment area with shade, plenty of public picnic tables, mounted grilling stations, and a cement walking path. There's also a restroom. They usually have a big grassy area; however, it was completely fenced off for "maintenance and turf establishment." What are the negatives? There's no tennis courts and there's currently no real grassy area. Also, its location is bad since you'll constantly hear the freeway noises. And I disliked how ugly and weary the concrete walking path looked. Overall, Barnes Park is not bad. At the very least, the playground area looks very well-maintained. In addition, this place felt very accommodating for dog owners. All in all, it's simply okay. 4.3 out of 5

I had a pleasant experience at Irwindale Park. I visited on a Saturday (around 4:21PM). This is…read morean aesthetically pleasing park with many utilities and winding sidewalks & greenery. This park felt like a comfortable adventure. Did I feel safe? Yes. I primarily saw groups upon groups of families. Many were holding celebrations and gatherings. The location felt clean & well-maintained, and it's one of the few parks that had security cameras from up above. What utilities? There's a large, fun playground area. It has nets to climb, a plastic rock wall, and plenty of slides. There's a park exercising machine area nestled by the playground, and there's a basketball hoop. There's also a volleyball area, baseball field, and concrete cornhole boards for tossed beanbags. There's a restroom, dog waste plastic bag station, water fountains, and many public picnic tables for gatherings. I especially liked how these concrete tables had cover and an installed grill station. What are the negatives? There's no clear walking trail. However, visitors can wander freely since there's a spiderweb of concrete pathways. It also lacks multiple basketball courts, tennis courts, or other familiar areas. Overall, Irwindale Park is scenic, beautiful, and clean. It's a wonderful destination for a family to lounge and relax. The area is well-maintained, and I felt happy as I observed an Irwindale Squirrel pose in front of me for the camera. I enjoyed my visit. 4.7 out of 5

I love it Safe…read more Clean And have so many trees where you can relax and enjoy the sunshine while you're here

It's nice to put a little park in El Monte for the community especially for a preschool right next…read moreto it. However, you can't directly go into the park from the school which is to make it safe with fences bordering the school and park. There are three ways to enter the park via the surrounding streets or if you're riding your bike or running on the track on the dam, there's another entrance from the dam. Though the park is pretty clean with a small play area for kids, the park itself is hidden as there are no signs to guide you to the park. It's not much of a problem though as you'll be curious to enter the walkway to the park since you see a gate open on Bisby Ave. There's a small walking trail that takes you around the park with information about the Rio Hondo River and different flowers that can serve as an education for kids to learn about or even adults to know more about the city of El Monte. If you need to go to a place to relax if you're in the city, you ought to drop by here because the environment of the trees and grass will help calm you down besides the noise from the planes from time to time since there is a airport located across the dam.

This hidden gem is right next to the El Monte Airport and Rio Vista School. What's neat about this…read moreplace is that you wouldn't know it was there if you weren't looking for it. There are three access points (gates) that get you into the park but you have to be a local or resident to even know the park exists! There's no parking lot and no big signs leading you into the park. You really kind of have to walk into it. I think that's the whole charm of the park. It's great to know that the city of El Monte created a space just for it's residents to enjoy recreational activities. The small park has an open grassy space and walk way that circles the park. There is a big playground with swing sets, slides, and jungle gym for the little ones. All around the area, there are local plants, trees, flowers, and bushes with signs explaining the different species etc. There are also signs and boards that people can read about the history of the area and a sign showing a map of the Emerald Necklace that circles the surrounding cities. Very interesting if you ask me! Also in the park, there are tables and benches all around for barbeques and picnics. If you have to use the restroom, no worries! They got those too. One great bonus to this park is that there is an entrance to the Rio Hondo/San Gabriel River/Sante Fe Dam bike trail. You can enter it and head north towards Monrovia or head south to go to Whittier Narrows. How cool is that?

Peaceful here could use more water but perfect for fishing or just relaxing will be back soonread more

Probably my favorite part of Crystal Lake is the drive up Highway 39 to get here. It's about 25…read moremiles north of Azusa into the San Gabriel Mountains, and the only way to get there is a beautiful winding mountain road. The lake itself got its name in 1887 from a judge in Pasadena who always raved about the crystal clear waters that were prime for fishing. It really had its heyday in the 1920s through the 1950s. That's when all the construction that you see around the lake happened. Sadly, after the 1960s, it basically started to decay and was not kept up. You can find an article from 1990 that the LA Times published complaining about the condition of the place that you still see today. You'll see graffiti, trash, broken stairs, tons of algae, all sorts of stuff that you wouldn't see many decades ago. I would love to see this place cleaned up and have some national park-level structuring to it. Swimming is prohibited, but you can fish and it's a short walk around the perimeter of the lake. There is also a small café close by for groceries and food, and there are many different campsite options available from cabin to ground. I would love to see this place get the treatment it deserves someday, and I would suggest to all Southern Californians, it really is a beautiful place to visit, and even after driving 15 minutes up the road, you feel like you are in a totally different place and for once I was happy to have no cell phone service. Make sure to download your maps!

Somehow this park is both a San Gabriel Valley institution and one of its best kept secrets. It's…read moredefinitely worth checking out if you have kids, or want to pretend you're a kid on TikTok. This park has some really amazing concrete play sets in the shapes of sea life and fantasy creatures. I mean, it's hard to pass up the chance to climb on an octopus or slide out of a whale's mouth. These structures are pretty good size and the size of the slides- or the climb to them- might intimidate very young kids. The good news is there is also a more traditional playground in the front of the park- so you have some options. Don't be thrown off that you don't see this playground when you first pull up. YOU MUST WALK DOWN A SHORT PATH TO IT, so don't think you are in the wrong place. Definitely worth the drive to check out. Have fun! Let your kids have fun too. Stop hogging the slides Mom.

We found the Laguna de San Gabriel beyond the ballfield at Vincent Lugo Park, just by the covered…read morepicnic tables. Colorful and cool looking.