Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve

This area is a great example of productive ways of using effluent (sewer) water. The treated water is used to water the parks, golf course and the settling ponds recharge the aquifer. The wildlife reserve is very well planned and the plant choices support wildlife, are mostly native and create a wonderful habitat. The smells of those desert plants was amazing! So many birds, trails and varying habitats. Very well planned. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because of all of the graffiti and vandalism. I’m from out of state and approaching retirement. A facility like this needs volunteers to maintain it and keep it safe and clean for others. I decided that I want to find a gem like this in my state where I can donate my time to make it a better experience for all. I would recommend this place to anyone, and especially bird and nature enthusiasts.

It's a 5 star space with trash and garbage issues. Tons of everything really. Open space in spades. Picnic tables, even picnic table clusters. Grills. Bathrooms. Ponds with trails. Wildlife everywhere. And sadly, trash in far too many places. It's a wonderful location to get some exercise. Walk/run your dogs and so on but I did hate to see such contempt for self respect and citizenship with the trash in too many places.

The park itself is very nice. If I felt safe there, I would give it 5 stars. There are some beautiful views. Hard to believe you’re in the middle of the city. There were some sketchy characters in some of the more dense parts of the trail. I wouldn’t completely feel safe as a loan female. Some parts of the trail had a strong odor from decomposing vegetation. But the lake/pond and the birds around were nice.

So much L I F E here! It’s a beautiful place to take a nature walk, have a picnic, observe butterflies, dragonflies, birds. Great nature oasis in the middle of the valley in the city. I have been several times in a month or so because I love it so much. There’s multiple zones and tons of parking lots on one big property. These are photos of the lake area but theres big open fields and the amphitheater as well as the Japanese gardens too and so on. ✨

Great for birding! Easy trails and wonderful for exercising and getting your steps in. Could use a little more TLC from the city, but they try, especially with the planting of many new trees.

It’s nice here. Plenty of places to be and to explore. Wear bug spray during warmer months.

Very cool area to walk around to see many varying species of bird life. Unfortunately, like most things people are free to travel and trash the place as they’d like. Be careful where you walk. There is both wildlife and human waste.

This wildlife reserve is a beautiful place to come and relax in the valley. There is a peaceful lake/ pond with tons of water fowl flying and swimming around perfect for birding. Seems to be fish in the pond as well but no fishing is allowed. There is a path around the lake that runs around the park and near the other recreational areas including archery and cookout areas. You can stop at points on the path to read about the reserve and how and y it was created. Which is actually interesting. Most of the reserve is underwater during periods of its existence and they have stones to mark the maximum heights that the water gets to. It’s pretty cool to think about that whole area underwater. As with many places there are a fair amount of homeless people floating around but we’re friendly to me and pointed me in the direction of the nearby model airplane and drone field nearby once he saw my drone.

This place is completely different from lake balboa across the street. Completely different vibe.... It's more quieter and with way more greenery. On the opposite side of woodley, you have the archery park and cricket park. This is more of a nature hike if you call it. There's paths that take you around the lake. Which is small and more wildlife. A lot of the trees have started to grow back from a fire that happened a while back. There's still loads of remnants of the burned up trees and shrubs but plenty of new growth. You could take a hike around the lake. Path also goes through a tunnel that will take you to the other side of Burbank with more trails. Nothing major, it's more of an easier trail. Along the lake, there's rest spots that overlooks the water with signs that tells about the wildlife that calls the place home. Every now and then, you'll see some sort of wildlife popping in and out of the water and from the shrubs. If it's a quieter place that your looking for. This place will definitely be nice for you. You could also walk along the top of the embankment that's along the freeway which will connect you back to the park. There's plenty of parking in the park area.

Really love this place - for walking, running or relaxing. Today had the unpleasant experience of someone from across Woodley buzzing their model plane over the area. Very sad.

***Bring pepper spray or some friends. Females, do not enter alone.*** I was approached by a sexual predator last week and regret not taking my pepper spray with me. He approached me from behind and made a lewd gesture with his tongue and fingers. I did not respond and walked away quickly. I heard from people that this is where people meet strangers for sex because there are hidden areas and corners throughout the park. It's a nice, quiet hidden pocket of nature in the Valley and sad to say that I will not be back because no one is patrolling this park. I think if you bring a friend or pepper spray and stay on the main path, you should be fine. Watch your surroundings. Do not stray into the hidden paths of the park or go underneath the bridge alone over to the other side of the park towards the dam as I realized that this park is not safe. You've been warned. The area is beautiful, but I feel that it is not safe for women to wander off and explore solo. I recommend sticking to walking outside the wildlife reserve where you can see other people or head over to Beilenson Park (Lake Balboa).

Way overgrown, trash, graffiti, rando single men sitting alone smoking along the path. But, the lake was pretty at sunset and at one point it was a bunch of couples holding hands. Sort of an emotional roller coaster for a single gal walking alone. And one cute dog in a vest!

The actual preserve is pretty cool. However, in typical fashion, there's trash everywhere. Some has been blown in from the park. Some is still in a bag obviously intentionally being left there. Watch where you're walking because not only is there human waste, but also bear and other animals on the trails.

Well it's too dark at night at least the area of parking I was in was so dark I got scared and left I don't know how lit up the rest is at night I wish someone would say something about that

Bird Island is what I call this place, as there's this man made lake inside the trail with this chunk of land in the middle where all the birds congregate. I love how secluded this area is compared to Balboa Park. The trail that loops around is very short and relaxing. It's a great place to take pictures, especially as the sun is setting. Great place for a quick get together or mini picnic too!

Check this place out if you're around this area. So different from the rest of the park. It's pretty big lots of trails and it's flat. Good for walking or running. Lots of people around and pets. Spring time is beautiful lots of flowers and plants and the creek is full of water. I'm going to walk here many more times and enjoy the weather

This is a hidden gem amidst the vicious jungle of Los Angeles. I come here to escape the city and reconnect with nature and wildlife. Peaceful, tranquil, and natural. You will see water fowl, Canada geese, coots, mallards, pelicans, cormorants, and lots of other birds. Bring binoculars and be very quiet. The best way to see birds is to listen for them. You might also see jackrabbits, raccoons, possums, gophers, and squirrels. I have seen hawks, and I hope eventually to see an eagle and an owl. The marshes and water are beautiful. Sunset and sunrise there are unspeakably lovely. There are early morning bird walks led by the Audubon society. I personally like to go about 45 minutes before sunset and watch the birds settle down for the night. In this harsh world, nature is my best friend.

This was my first time here and I actually liked part of it but what bothers me these days is the homeless people ruining what should be pristine park. I walked around the archery area and found trash thrown about and not from picnickers but trash from homeless people. The city or local residents have to step in and help keep their park clean or it will end up looking like Skid Row in downtown LA.

As I have been stuck in my apartment for close to a year, I got tired of the same old neighborhood walk. I decided to check out this preserve since it was down the street. What was supposed to be a 7 minute drive turned into a 30 minute drive because Google maps IS NOT YOUR FRIEND! Google maps takes you to a parking lot near the Japanese Garden & then it's a 25 min walk to the preserve... After a lot of confusion, I finally put in the Woodly Park Cricket Complex since it was much closer & that worked. I found a parking lot there & a quick walk through a park led right to the preserve! The preserve itself was alright- as other yelpers said there is trash & it's not the best kept it seems. But the birds & other wildlife there are beautiful! We saw pelicans, cormorants, geese, cranes & an osprey. I very much needed a quiet nature spot & this place somewhat covers that..but.. People SUCK. Like really suck. I saw people feeding the birds CHEESE BALLS. Don't do this. People blaring terrible auto tuned music as they walked around. So many MASKLESS people walking around, often bumping up right next to us, & just all over. Because of this, we left pretty early, unfortunately. I'd recommend coming early in the morning or on a weekday as opposed to a Sunday afternoon. Could be lovely in the right circumstances!

I had the hardest time finding this place. The first day after walking around lost in the park, I gave up. The next day I finally found it, but only because I went on Google Maps satellite view and figured out what I did wrong. Turn into the parking lot that also has the sign for the Japanese Garden, but at the fork turn right, not straight into the Japanese Garden. Follow the straight road that runs alongside the water reclamation center. It will bring you to the furthest, last parking lot. Park close to the bathroom building. Once you're on foot, walk past the bathroom building and head towards the wooden post fencing. If you're heading back towards the Japanese Garden and the water reclamation center you're going the wrong way (that's where I went wrong). Once you're at the wooden post fence, walk beyond it and follow the dirt path. This part is creepy because you can't see the water and you're just surrounded by tall brush with little animals suddenly moving around underneath. Just keep going and eventually you'll see a little bridge that goes over the creek, and beyond that a wide open circular space with a sign talking about the reserve, and beyond that you'll finally see the water. This place was a lot of work to get to for a first timer, but it was worth the search in the end. I read all the previous reviews about condoms and litter, but I must have come on a day (Tuesday) when it had just been cleaned because the only thing I saw was an empty water bottle by the water's edge. Otherwise, you're surrounded by plants, wild birds, beautiful views of the water, and the little animals I mentioned earlier rustling around in the underbrush. It's totally worth the search. Just trying to get to this place is an adventure in itself.

This place is truly hard to find. A friend & I met up here & both of us were directed through our GPS to different parking lots. It is secluded and an easy walk. As others have mentioned, there is a lot of burnt shrubs & trees. And as in other places, the homeless debris is everywhere. Discarded clothes & tents, beer cans etc in the water. Very sad. Saw interesting birds. Enjoyed the visit on the whole.

Unfortunately, this park isn't so well kept anymore and it was damaged from fires. I came walking with a friend on the path around the body of water. There were a lot of burnt shrubs and trees and zero shade, making the walk extremely hot. We did see a couple of cool birds but I was not impressed. Definitely don't go when it's scorching hot.

--Atmosphere-- To get a little refuge from all the valley bustle, check out the reserve where a nice walk can be done or hike of sorts while admiring some beauty. You'll be surrounded by plants, trees, grass, shrubs, and various wildlife. There's also a lake that can be seen while walking through the dirt paths and streams. The area offers critical habitat to certain diversities of wildlife. A couple things to take note of: No bicycles or dogs/pets allowed, swimming, or barbecueing and the like. ---History-- The Sepulveda Basin is located adjacent to Sepulveda Dam, Victory Blvd, and the LA River. The dam was built in 1938 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to control seasonal floods from the LA River. In the present time, the Department of Recreating and Parks for the City of Los Angeles leases most of the basin from the Corps. It's used for agriculture, recreational purposes and as a wildlife refuge. In 1979, 48 acres of habitat was designed as the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area, then an additional 60 acres was added in 1988, and in 1992 an artificial lake was filled with reclaimed water, and in recent years the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers added pathways, veiw areas, and educational facilities. Today, the restored 250 acres of the basin provides home for more than 200 species of animals and many species of native plants. The typical ecological communities in this area include riparian, woodland habitat, lake and shoreline habitat, oak savannah habitat and coastal sage scrub lands. ---Directions-- The reserve is located off Woodley Ave, and if you're driving WEST turn right at the sign "Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, Japanese Garden, and Sepulveda Wildlife Reserve". To get to the reserve, keep right at the fork, and follow the sign for the Wildlife Area Wildlife Reserve. You'll drive a bit down about a mile or less, driving past a cricket field until you reach the end of the road and a parking lot. --More Info--- https://sepulvedabasinwildlife.org/ ---Something to check out near by-- The Japanese Garden where you first entered off Woodley Ave. For a price of $7 or so, you can check out a wonderful oasis.

Mixed feelings about the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Preserve. There's diverse wildlife but there's a lot of filth and graffiti. I'm also confused about the dog policy. Seems like dogs are not allowed but there's a conflicting advisory that asks that dogs be leashed. If I overlooked all that, it's a huge place to walk around and be lost in one's thoughts for hours.

This is one of my favorite in the city places to go to get away from it all, walk, and take pictures. It's peaceful and at times of the year get great colors and wildlife. It's a great spot to take pictures. However, I wish the city would do more to patrol the area and keep it clean and free from visitors using the park inappropriately ( e.g. Parking on grass, music blaring, trash everywhere, etc. )

This place may not look like much from outside, but when you enter, it's a amazing safe animal haven in the valley. I always love to come here whenever I have the chance because I love to see all the animals that come and go here. I've seen pelicans, ospreys, egrets, turtles, and bullfrogs. I recommend coming to this place in the morning due to the amount of people that come in the afternoon and evening disrupting the peaceful vibe of the place. I hope to see more species come to this wonderful place I call home. I also recommend to bring binoculars to closely see and identify the birds

Wonderful spot for a nature walk- you forget you're in the city. Various trails- clean public restrooms- free parking- quiet and peaceful. Hawks, rabbits, geese, ducks....lake in middle of grounds. So much to explore.

My favorite spot for photographing birds in LA. Due to COVID, I have not been to the Preserve until today. I was surprised to see that a fire had destroyed most of the vegetation on the east side of the lake. That should spur new growth and it will be fascinating to see how the preserve develops.

I recently discovered that the bike path around Lake Balboa park is 8 miles and that the middle path behind the golf course - a path along the basin - is 1.3 miles by itself. I love this walk because it's relaxing and there is so much beauty in nature that we hardly ever stop to enjoy the view. Well I enjoy it daily. It's a great walk.

Beautiful area to walk through and free parking in adjacent park. Really nice. Except for people with dogs that don't read the no dog signs or do and foot care. You will find it hard to believe this exists just off the freeway exits in the middle of the city.

Great to have such an accessible wildlife spot so close to LA. A great variety of birds. They seem to be most active in the early morning or late evening. The fires have really had an impact on the area, but hopefully the foliage will bounce back soon. The lake is just a nice spot to stroll and unwind.

Nice bike path here. Winds over 5 miles in a loop so you can park and end up back where you started for a great workout!

My sister and I spent several hours together here last week. Us and a couple sets of binoculars. We had so much fun nerding out while birding. The weather was perfect and we had a very relaxed, enjoyable, and peaceful time. We wandered the north and south basin. We saw so many pelicans, Canadian geese, hawks, doves, flycatchers, hummingbirds, snowy egrets, rabbits, squirrels, and so many other species of birds that we had no idea what they were. There are over 200 found here. The north side was a bit creepy at times. I think we felt a bit safer the two of us gals on the south side. All in all a very successful trip. She'd been wanting to come here for quite sometime and I'm glad she told me. I was happy to bring her. Be sure to bring a bottle of water and some sunscreen, we even had a snack. If you don't have a pair of binoculars, I could see this being an entirely different experience. So do, bring a pair if you're interested in spotting the wildlife that's not so easy to see with the naked eye.

This is a hidden gem tucked away in the bustling San Fernando Valley. I've visited the adjacent park and Cricket grounds a number of times but never ventured over toward the nature trail. There's a path that circles the lake in the center. You see Canadian geese, ducks, cranes and other birds. The waters are also teeming with fish. It's so peaceful and really pulls you out of the city for just a moment. You'll see little, wild rabbits darting hither and fro into the brush. I even saw a snake rustling over some leaves. Unfortunately, dogs aren't allowed here, though I've seen many there. I suppose it disrupts the wildlife balance. Though humans probably disrupt it more... Most people enjoy the nature walk for what it is; a nice stroll through nature. Unfortunately there are a lot of losers that show up here, vandalizing/tagging signs and informational boards, teens trying to smoke weed on the sly (everyone knows what you're doing ::eyeroll::), ignorant people throwing their fast food wrappers into a bush...I can't believe how ridiculous and environmentally unfriendly people can be. There are signs that plain-clothed officers patrolled the area. I wish they'd do it more.

Sepulveda Basin is a place to get away from it all without getting away from it all. It's either a watershed, water storage basin, a wildlife refuge, or sumpin'. But it's open to the public, and a good place to take a breather. A short drive from the Burbank Blvd. exit on 405. To be sure, it doesn't feel remote. The freeway noise is always there. But it's a place to step away from the gaudiness of The Valley. It's not a full-service park, but it's not meant to be one. You can jog on the unpaved paths. You can rest at the pond. You can stroll hand-in-hand with the one you love. You can do many things on the huge lawn at the entrance: kids party, pickup football game, cheer practice. Lots of (unshaded) parking. Water fountains are available, but bring several full bottles when you're on the trails. If you like the outdoors but have trouble on the hills, then the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Preserve is just right. Enjoy.

This place is mostly barren grass and much more of a park than a wildlife preserve. There is lots of trash where the stream is and tagging on signs and concrete and metal. You kinda get an idea of what kind of people frequent here from that. There are lots of locals barbecuing and blasting music. But very little actual wildlife. It's a mundane park.

Join with kid's school field trip to the Wildlife Reserve park. It was great for kids to learn how basin works and how it can preserve and impact the wildlife. Great for long hike around the basin and see plenty of birds living in the Basin.

The Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Preserve is situated in the mid-San Fernando Valley north and south of Burbank Blvd. The lay of the land is very easy to find after you have been there once, so this review is for first timers. Park in the lot north of Burbank Blvd., off Woodley Ave. Enter in the same driveway marked for the Japanese Gardens. At the fork, stay right and drive along the park. You can park at any of the lots (archery or main at the end). The entrance to the trail will be marked and all you have to do is follow the only dirt path available. Once you enter, there are a few options. You can walk around the lake and stay on the north side. You can cross any of the bridges that connect the park to its eastern path. Or you can follow the trail to Burbank Blvd, cross the underpass, and wind up on the southern end where the Sepulveda Dam sits. The lake is a nice retreat. Although you can definitely see signs of the city when looking around and hear planes taking off / landing at nearby Van Nuys airport, the dawn and dusk hours are very serene. Kid and family friendly, though ALOT of gnats.

S They've cleaned the area up pretty good. The bathrooms were much cleaner than last time i came which was about a month ago. The park is also patrolled daily if not hourly by the lapd which makes it a safe place. I do have to let people know that it is a common gay cruise and lick up place

Wow, it's hard to believe that I've lived in the San Fernando Valley all my life and I've NEVER been here. I knew of it but never knew where it exactly was. Sheesh, didn't realize how many times I've passed by! LOL So, the only reason I was here was for my Biology class field trip. Man, it sounds like I'm in grade school, but we were there to observe plant and mammal life. There are people running this dirt path and people just taking photos of wetland life. You can't bring your dog here, not even on a leash. There are plenty of animals that I saw...woodpeckers, Canadian geese, herons, ducks, etc. It's a world on it's own and it's here for us to enjoy. I have to come here one day when I can really explore on my own because you really feel like you're in forest with wildlife. Woohoo...ENCHANTED Forest here I come! :) Note: Wear your OFF products here, because there are lots of bugs here. Yesterday those gnats were flying everywhere and I ended up with a mosquito bite on my leg. :-/ Don't say you weren't warned. LOL

Such a beautiful wild park in the middle of urban city. Unfortunately, homeless people and families that picnic over the weekend trash whole area. Looks like nobody enforcing and protecting this hidden gem. People park their cars all over the place. Trash is everywhere. It was not like this before. Very sad.

I was really unimpressed by this place. The photos on Yelp made it seem nice but when I got there, it was really barren, dry, and just not a nice atmosphere to hang out or relax. It does not seem like it's taken care of very well, but then again, it is free so perhaps that's why. We walked around the lake for a short loop. Didn't see any wildlife except a group of people who were fishing in the lake and caught some fish. I definitely do not plan on returning to this spot.

WOW, INCREDIBLE, hard to believe that I have lived in the San Fernando Valley all my life and NEVER been here. After moving back into the local area, our family and friends were familiar with the Lake Balboa park however never knew where it exactly was. By chance we discovered this looking for something to do on the weekend with our daughter close to home and FREE, my favorite four letter word. There are various amounts of bird life...woodpeckers, Canadian geese, herons, ducks, etc. and is the largest landing spot for migrant birds. It's a world on its own and it's here for us to enjoy. We discovered are tours provided by the Audubon Society and Sierra Club on the weekends. This is a true gem of Lake Balboa Living

The Basin is still beautiful, but has really suffered for lack of funding from Rec & Parks, which is currently broke thanks to COVID, which has sucked all the funding out of the LA City Budget. Funny how we all take to nature in time of COVID, but no funding allocated to keep the Wildlife Reserve and adjacent Park in decent shape. Homeless encampments burned the place down 3 times (and a death), and the lack of any supervision means that the place is over-run with vendors on the weekends...and I counted 12 birthday bounce houses yesterday, STAY AWAY on the weekends! The reason that we have no supervision is that we lost our shared Park Ranger: Ranger Albert Torres was shared with Griffith Park, and he really kept the Basin in order...but he died helping fight the terrible fires we had last year, and Recs and Parks has no budget to replace him. If you care about this, and the graffitti, broken fences, homeless encampments, and trash, you MUST write your elected officials! This is OUR place, and the City is too busy with crisis management to care about our Basin. No, one cannot let dogs off leash and let them kill the wildlife. No, one can't fish there (it's a WILDLIFE RESERVE), camp there, or fly your drones around. PLEASE respect this jewel, and HELP US PROTECT it by writing your local elected official. Hold them responsible! If you see anyone fishing or chasing wildlife, call Cal Fish & Wildlife 888-334-2258, or LAPD 911 (non urgent, unless someone is building a fire, or selling food with a fire under a tree, or other hazardous things). All these things are violations and the person will be fined. FYI, the property to the south of Burbank belongs to the Army Corps of Engineers and is Federal property. You can hike there but all the same regulations apply.

Please enforce the rules. It breaks my heart when I see people feeding the birds and letting their dogs run around scaring the wildlife. I tried calling the number on the website but no one answers. It's such a lovely place for the birds. Let's protect them.

Advisory - do NOT come here on a weekend. The East Balboa recreation areas, tiny parking areas and drive loop have extremely limited parking and the whole place fills up - serious congestion folks, i park in the pubic transit lot on Victory, MUCH better. It's empty on weekdays..........

I really love this place, it is beautiful and an oasis in an ugly area. However, it is like the wild west. Everyone brings their dogs (which aren't allowed because they disturb the wildlife), feeds the animals, fishes the lake, parks wherever, blares music all the time at all hours, and brings ridiculous grills and set up crazy campsites. It is supposed to be a sanctuary for the birds, but the park rangers don't work here, it's a department of LAPD sooooo yeah. No one gets cited for anything. Also the homeless are a bit of an issue and can be aggressive. I walked over a bridge with my one year old and a man underneath the bridge yelled at us, because that is where he is living you see. And we were making noise walking over the bridge I guess. I spent at least an hour trying to find a number to call because I saw a group of people catching fish and putting them in bags and taking them away...but there is no number I could find. I didn't say anything because I'm with my son and I'm not about to get into a confrontation. It's so sad to me that we have this gorgeous park and there is no regulation to keep it beautiful.

It gets five stars from me just because of its location, it is in the middle of barren, repetitive and unoriginal urban development which the "valley" can be at times. It is a welcome respite from the land of the mini-malls, stuccoed-condos and oil&lubes . Hundreds of egrets and ducks, nice area to walk and play and somewhat wedged in Japanese gardens. It's great when it rains and is a little quiet...

Great park, probably the most cleanest in all of Los Angeles. It's a bit hidden from view which is a big plus if you want to feel the feeling of being in the country. I come here often to get a little bit of stress relief. The park has well maintained bathroom. The park also is patrolled often by the lapd due to lewd activity that occurs. Thank you Los Angeles. :)

My most favorite place to go to enjoy the Lake, Park, Scenery, and Wildlife. But it does bother me to See so many people disregarding the Do Not Feed The Birds Signs. There are several signs expressing the importance of not feeding the birds. And these people stand right next to the signs and feed the birds all kinds of foods !! It's so sad to watch. !!!

Apparently, we all need helicopters to understand all that LA County has to offer. This neat little trail tucked inside of a park (with a cricket field!) turned out to be a real surprise! There's a cute little lake with ducks and some interesting birds flying around (I saw warblers, cranes, a hawk). Apparently, there are no dogs allowed, but given America's growing problem with illiteracy, you'll see tons. It's not that people are disobeying the law; it's that the sign is absolutely unreadable to them. Poor things! Hey, I'm a canine lover so I'm not going to complain too much. I don't recommend doing this trail alone as it has a disproportionate number of (questionable) men lingering around the corners. Hey, it's a secluded spot in the middle of a bustling city. Imagine the possibilities for mischief! There are little veins of trails intersecting the larger, more official looking one. I attempted to follow one, but it's rough going due to trees, etc. In other words, defy Robert Frost and take the road most traveled by... It'll make all of the difference:)

Need to get out of the city, but are only willing to go as far as the southern edge of the valley? Well, waste no time and get yourself to the Sepulveda Basin! This area is a mixture of active use (athletic fields) and passive use (nature trails and ponds), so has plenty of options for dog walking, jogging, birdwatching - heck, there's even an airport for radio-controlled planes! The basin is a really great resource to have, and best of all it's FREE!

Being an avid outdoorsman, I enjoy everything nature. This is a nice retreat from the usual crowded places in and around lake balboa. Parking is a breeze and never crowded. Hike along the fence into the entrance. Since it's lonely, you can really connect with your surroundings. Hike in a little and take a seat. You can see various bird species flying around or feasting. If you can, take some binoculars or better yet a camera with a zoom lens. The only downside is the amount of graffiti on the displays on the trail. Some of them offer some great information which is useful during your visit. Remember not to feed the wildlife. Signs are posted saying that there are police officers dressed in civilian clothes giving citations, don't push your luck. After your visit, if you haven't had your fill head over to the Japanese Garden right next door.

just came to enjoy the sunny California weather and I am very pleased with this park. The atmosphere is a little better than your average park hosted by LA county. Saturday and Sunday has a tendency of being really busy with all the birthday parties.

I was here on a Sunday for a guided bird walk given by Scott of Wild Wings Backyard Nature Store wildwingsla.com. When we arrived at 8am, the entire park was a mess. People had thrown parties in the area on Saturday and garbage was everythwere - paper, plastic cups, bags etc. the garbage bins overflowing, bathrooms disgusting. Shortly, the cleanup crews arrived and got to work. They really need to have more people working and cleaning up. There should be staff working the weekends every day. But on our walk, we saw a junior cooper's hawk, red tailed hawk, turkey vultures, pelicans, geese, ducks (all kinds, like a muscovy duck, a ring necked duck, mallard ducks, pekin ducks), ospreys, belted kingfishers, woodpeckers, black phoebes, say's phoebe, rabbit, crows, bluebirds, yellow rumped warblers, woodpeckers, spotted towhees, california brown towhees, sparrows, grackles, finches, great blue herons, green herons, egrets, cormorants, grebes, to name a few!! So many birds, it was great!!

Nice big grassy park... in the middle of the city! A green place if you need to get away from the concrete jungle, but the noise still sorrounds the park, even into the nature trails which is unfortunate. I love to be able to get away especially if I can do it without a long trip into nowhere. Came on a Sunday morning and the park was clean and kept up, beside all the bathrooms were out of order... ALL of them near the parking lot at the end of the preserve and being a really big park that is a necessity. I was disappointed to see the graffiti on the informational signs and on the benches, a little litter here and there, and trash in the basin. I believe that we need to help preserve nature and there is plenty of it here. I saw the typical city park animals, rabbits, squirrels, lizards (reptiles), and the variety of birds. Plenty of paths to hike along for all ages. Path is packed DG, and flat. Great park for dogs on leashes, parties, walks, cricket, and so on. There is more here to explore, but time was limited but highly recommend coming on a mild day to enjoy the trails and to be adventurous!

Great place to walk/run. They have a few trails to explore so stop by if you've never been! There's a little lake here where you can sit and enjoy the view. Crazy how this place can make you forget that you're in the valley and close to the 405! Very family friendly and there aren't too many people here on any given time of day so you can stroll along to your heart's content without being bothered too much by crowds or other people.. Pretty peaceful during the day but definitely don't recommend walking alone at night!