A lakeside hike at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area

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Just off Parking Lot D, the paved path curves along the water with the lake on your left. Rental paddle boats float in a cluster on the water, while waterfowl roam the area. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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A young boy plays along the edge of the water, where some birds have gathered. A skeet-shooting facility is near this area, so don’t be alarmed by the sound of gunfire. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Past this narrow bridge are more public restrooms and a play area. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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The shoreline will lead to a dock that juts out over the water. Varieties of egrets and heron often skim the lake and can be seen best from that location. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Continuing along the walk, you will find this bridge over a small waterfall. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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On the way back, you’ll spot a number of adult exercise machines available for use. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Charlie Vasquez casts a line while bass fishing at one of the numerous catch and release fishing spots. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

By Charles Fleming

Feb. 21, 2014 5:30 PM PT

This is a very pleasant urban oasis in the midst of what is, for many Angelenos, a freeway flyover zone in South El Monte. This section of Whittier Narrows Recreation Area features several lakes, abundant waterfowl, picnic tables, public restrooms and well-tended walking and jogging trails.

INTERACTIVE MAP: Whittier Narrows Recreation Area

1. Start at Parking Lot D, off Santa Anita Avenue, and head north in the county park, following the paved path with the lake on your left. Feel free to gaze at the swans and rental paddle boats.

2. Follow the path around the northern edge of the lake until you reach restroom building No. 9. Here, bend left, walking between two lakes. If you hear the sound of gunfire, don’t be alarmed: There is a skeet-shooting facility just outside the park.

3. Cross a narrow bridge, then bear around to the right and follow the path until you are again walking between two lakes. Pass a play area and public restroom.

4. Turn left at this intersection, and walk toward the water. If you hear the sound of high-pitched motors, don’t be alarmed: There is a dock for remote-controlled boats on the lake just ahead. Walk past this, and curve around the southern part of the water.

5. Stop at a bird-watching dock that juts over the water. If you’re patient, you’ll see many varieties of heron skimming the water or fishing in the shallows.

6. Continue around the eastern edge of the park, staying close to the lake, until you find a bridge over a small waterfall. From here, wind your way back to the left, between the lakes, for a long walk back, or take a short cut to the right to the parking lot.

Fleming is the author of “Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles” and “Secret Stairs East Bay: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Berkeley and Oakland.”

charles.fleming@latimes.com

Whittier Narrows hike details

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty: 2 on a scale of 1 to 5
Details: Ample free parking. Dogs on a leash are OK. Wheelchair accessible.

View larger map on latimes.com

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Charles Fleming

Charles Fleming writes about automobiles and motorcycles for the Los Angeles Times’ Business section. He also writes the urban hiking column LA Walks. A former staff writer for Newsweek, Variety and the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, he is the author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller “High Concept: Don Simpson and the Hollywood Culture of Excess,” the New York Times bestseller “My Lobotomy,” and “Secret Stairs, A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles” and its sequel, “Secret Walks: A Walking Guide to the Hidden Trails of Los Angeles.”

A lakeside hike at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area

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