Santa Ana River Trail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Ana River Trail |
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A photo of the trail in Huntington Beach, looking upstream
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| Length | 30 miles (48 km) |
| Location | Orange and Riverside counties, California, United States |
| Designation | National Recreation Trail |
| Trailheads | Huntington State Beach 33°37′54″N 117°57′31″W / 33.63158029171084°N 117.95868708027068°W (southwest)  SR 71 in Corona33°53′12″N 117°38′42″W / 33.886770392951405°N 117.64502468394377°W (northeast) |
The Santa Ana River Trail is a special path in southern California. It's made for many different activities like biking and walking. This trail follows the Santa Ana River. It starts at the Pacific Ocean in Huntington Beach. From there, it goes about 30 miles (48 km) inland to the border of Orange and Riverside counties.
There are plans to make the trail even longer. It might eventually reach Big Bear Lake. If completed, it will be the longest multi-use trail in Southern California. It could be around 100 miles (160 km) long! Back in 1989, a newspaper called it "a veritable freeway for bicycles."
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Exploring the Santa Ana River Trail
This amazing path is paved with asphalt. It's usually about 12 feet (3.7 m) wide. This means there's enough space for two bike lanes. So, cyclists can ride side-by-side in many parts. Next to the bike path, there's often another trail. This one is for hiking and horseback riding.
Many places where the trail crosses streets are super safe. They have bridges or tunnels. This means you don't have to worry about cars. It's important for cyclists to always let walkers and runners go first. They are considered pedestrians by law. As of 2006, about 70 miles (110 km) of the path were finished. When it's all done, the trail will connect three counties. It will pass through 17 cities. It will also touch two national forests.
History of the Trail
The Santa Ana River Trail has been around for a while. In 1977, it got a special title. It was named a National Recreation Trail. This means it's recognized as an important path for fun and exercise.
In 2005, there were very heavy rains. These rains caused a lot of damage to the path. It cost a lot of money to fix it. The state had to spend about $1 million on repairs. This was part of a bigger clean-up in Southern California.
Fun Events on the Trail
Since 1985, a cool event happens on the trail every year. It's called the "Riverside to Surfside" bicycling event. It used to be known as "Smog to Surf." In this event, cyclists ride the trail. They start from cities like Riverside, Corona, or Anaheim. Their goal is to reach Huntington Beach by the ocean. It sounds like a great adventure!
Keeping the Trail Safe
Over the years, people have worked to keep the trail safe. In 1990, there were some safety worries. This was because some areas had groups of people staying there. More police started patrolling in 2009. This helped to make the trail safer.
From 2016 to 2017, there were many temporary camps. These were along a 6.5-mile part of the trail. This section was near Angel Stadium. Some riders felt uncomfortable because of this. At the end of 2017, the trail was closed. Authorities worked with social services. They helped the people camping there find other places to stay. By April 2018, the trail was clear. It was reopened for everyone to enjoy again.
Images for kids
