El Dorado Park Nature Trail

Join us for a laid-back loop through El Dorado Park in Long Beach! This easy 2.4-mile trail is mostly flat, shaded in spots, and a great option if you're looking for a relaxed morning outside. Expect a mix of paved and dirt paths, some ducks doing their thing, and a few peaceful corners of nature tucked into the park. We’ll meet in the Nature Center parking lot at 10 am. No fancy gear is needed—just comfy shoes, some water, and maybe a snack.

Note that there is an $8 fee to park on weekends!

Meeting Location:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Current+Location/33.8095,-118.08586

AllTrails Description:
Check out this 2.4-mile loop trail near Los Alamitos, California. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 45 min to complete. This is a very popular area for birding, hiking, and walking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. You'll need to leave pups at home — dogs aren't allowed on this trail.

These trails are hidden gems in the busy city of Long Beach. You would never know that you were not lost in hidden woods, rather than less than 1/2 mile from a busy freeway.

The nature center itself is very good, featuring a little menagerie of local wildlife, and educational things for children. They sell items, and they occasionally have special events like informational hikes looking for butterflies or birds. It is totally worth a stop to check it out before going on the trails.

The hikes are pleasant. On a weekend, you will find many families with children on the trails. They do not permit bicycles or dogs on the nature trails, though they are both allowed in the rest of the park. There is a lot of wildlife to see here too. You will find egrets and herons in the lake, lizards running around in the sun if it's warm, bunnies if you're lucky, possibly a hawk or two soaring on the thermals. It's a great escape from city life, and extremely easy to get to.

Accessibility: There are 4 designated accessible spaces in the paved parking lot off of El Dorado Park Street at the east end of the trail. All of them are van-accessible with striped access aisles. The trail surface is paved concrete, a natural surface (dirt, roots), or a wooden bridge with railings. It is typically at least 4 feet wide. The whole trail is estimated to be in the gentle (3% or less) grade category. All-terrain tires or motorized equipment may be needed for the surface type.