Hidden Gem in the San Gabriel Valley

This fall, I took it upon myself to try and be a more active person. I started by walking around my neighborhood, but I live on a main street so it is not the most enjoyable experience. I decided to start driving every day to a park named Santa Fe Dam Regional Park. The park is located in Irwindale, CA, and is well known by the locals. Today, I will tell you about my experiences going there.

This park isn’t new to me. I would come here almost every summer with my family when I was younger. We would spend the days barbecuing and even swimming in their lake. This was also where I would come to have picnics with my friends and even do film projects during high school. I always wanted to come here on daily walks but never did. Starting October 1st, I have come almost every day and I love it. I go at around 8:00 a.m. and it is perfect weather and sunlight to walk. They have a lot of parking and you can even walk into the park without parking your car. I do 4 miles every day and have created my trail. You can either walk in the park or there is a tail behind the park that you can do. The link to the trail can be found here. There are a lot of geese and ducks there, as there is a lake there. You can also fish and canoe here, though I haven’t participated in either of those activities. I have seen some coyotes, though it is pretty rare and they seem to not be interested in people. 

This recreation area is also home to the pretty famous Renaissance Pleasure Faire. It hosts it every year around April and May and I see a lot of famous influencers post. It is always weird seeing the park that is so close to me on TikTok. I have always wanted to go, but never have anyone that is interested in going so maybe I will change that this year. 

Picture taken by Alonso

Some cons that I have of the park are that parking is not free every day. During the summer, you have to pay the admission fee every day. From June 1st to Sep. 31st, you have to pay $13 to get in. From Oct. 1st- May 31st, you only have to pay during the weekend and on holidays. I wish a park like this was more accessible to people as many can not afford to pay that every day just to go on a walk.

Picture taken by Alonso

When I started being more active, I knew that if I had a place with scenery like this, it would be easier. I recommend this park to anyone if they are looking for a place to get some steps in or even to spend a day and barbecue. It is beautiful and sometimes is worth the admission fee. It is pretty far from Fullerton, but if you are ever in the San Gabriel Valley, take some time to visit the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area.