A pleasant loop through the wildest part of a large urban park, mostly along
a horse trail.
Location: Frank G.
Bonelli Regional Park Region: San Gabriel Valley Distance: 3.4 mi. loop
Difficulty: Moderate When to go: November through June Hours: Sun up to 7 p.m. (Nov. - Feb.); 10 p.m. (Mar. - Oct.) Phone: 909-599-8411 Elevation Gain: 550 ft. Are dogs allowed: Yes, on a leash. Restrooms: At park headquarters. Parking: $6 in the park; free at the park 'n ride on Via Verde Rd.
Trail Information
Full Review: If I was a horse owner in the San Dimas area, I guess
I'd be pretty annoyed that this loop - originally a horse trail - appears on
a web site for hikers. But the fact is, it's just as suited to two-legged
visitors (and mountain bikers, for that matter) as it is to anything with a
saddle. So, with apologies to the horse people, I encourage the rest of you
to give this trail a try.
If you parked at the park 'n ride, enter the park on Via Verde Rd. and look
for the unmarked trailhead directly underneath the welcome sign, on the
right side of the road. As it bends to the left, it takes you past the park
headquarters and to a trail junction across the road from the Picnic Valley
parking lot. If you parked in the lot, this is your starting point. Go left
at that marked junction to follow the Bonelli horse trail toward the 210 Fwy.,
then around a bend to the park side of a hill. At the next junction, keep to
the left. You'll soon come to another intersection, where a sharp left turn
puts you onto a narrow path that skirts a hillside lined with prickly pear
cactus.
Follow the trail as it parallels Via Verde Rd. for nearly a mile. At the
next intersection, take a sharp right turn. You'll start climbing up and
around the back side of the hill, with views of Pomona and Interstate 10.
Keep to the path, passing by a barely noticeable path to the right. The next
right turn is an obvious one. Take it on a short loop that returns you to
the main trail.
A right turn at the next junction takes you back to a familiar intersection,
where you'll go left to pick up the original trail that leads you all the
way back to where you started.
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