Southern California - Riding to CSULB

Hi guys, new to the forum, looks really good. I have a question about riding down (from north) to CSULB. I'll be riding down the Lower San Gabriel Trail that follows the river, does anyone know the closest access point off the trail onto streets / the easiest way to get onto campus? I'm trying to make this my daily commute route, and I simply don't want to ride streets as much as possible.

I just rode that part of the San Gabriel trail Friday. It's a bit of an industrial slog, while there are bike routes and lanes on Studebaker, it looks like. Anyway, get a Metro Bike Map here: (http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/maps/images/la_bike_map.pdf) and see if Bike Metro can give you a route here. (http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/maps/images/la_bike_map.pdf)

At a minimum, I know you can definately get off the SGRT at Eldorado Park (its next to the trail), cut through the park to Studebaker, south on Studebaker, then take a right at Atherton to the school.

Check a map on this, but I believe the SGRT also has a connection at Atherton into a housing tract. If not there, you'll end up going all the way to Westminster Blvd/Ocean Ave. south of the power plants and have to come back up Studebaker Rd.

I'm a CSULB student as well. Thought about commuting there from the Torrance/Redondo Beach area by bike. It's just I've never really found a route I'm comfortable riding going that way. The simplest thing to do would be to take PCH, but there's parts that are like riding on a freeway, and I'm not to fond of having to ride through Wilmington and Harbor City. I have a few friends that live in that area and it can get a bit scary.

Heading south on the San Gabriel River trail you can exit on College Park Dr. This exit off the river trail briefly runs parallel to 7th St/22. Edison Park is on the east side, and is a good landmark to know when to exit. Take College Park west to Studebaker, or weave through the residential neighborhood. Take a left onto East Anaheim and that will run you right into campus. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

I rode it today and exited on College Park Dr. as suggested. Going home I searched for an access onto Atherton, but instead found a slightly rocky and disused, but rather picturesque way onto the opposite side of the SGRT at Via Del Rio St. - which is a side street just off the end of Atherton. It gets onto the west side of the river, and the north is blocked off by rocks and bushes, and looks a bit dangerous, so the only way is to ride south to College Park Dr. Otherwise, yep, I've found a pretty decent way to class.

For any other CSULB students thinking about commuting by bike, be advised the parking and traffic are supposed to be the worst ever this semester - so it's a great idea to pedal there, as well as serving as a warning that there's going to be a bunch of freshmen who are looking more at the buildings and streets than the cyclists or people.

I'm thinking riding west onto campus on Anaheim is the better idea, it looks like it has much less vehicle traffic.

Going south, I have taken the Willow exit then make a left on Studebaker and a right on Atherton. While Willow is a fast street, there is a wide enough shoulder. This is shorter than going down to PCH.