skidder

There seems to be enough posts about the Santa Ana River Trail (even with the homeless situation resolved) so thought I'd start a thread for posting information on it. Post anything you see, experience, or anything else that might assist someone riding on it.

This morning ("dawn patrol") rode from PCH up to the 17th street footbridge and back. Fog for first two miles going inland from the coast, then clear inland for a beautiful morning ride. The gnats are out for their springtime morning mating flights. Plenty of them down in the Costa Mesa area below the 405 . . yuck! Glasses and a mask would be good choices if riding early and you don't want to inhale your daily protein allotment.

DrIsotope

At the northern terminus, the trail is just <gone> from E St. to Mt. Vernon Ave in San Bernardino. Repairs slated to be completed in June, but who knows.

With the corona-related closures, Ryan Bonaminio Park and Mt. Rubidoux in Riverside are both closed (probably the most popular start point for people doing out-and-backs on the trial in the Inland Empire.

So the number of cyclists/runners on the SART has dropped dramatically, to the point where nature is trying to reclaim the trail in some places-- after just a month.

With the diminished trail use and what appears to be complete cessation of maintenance, the homeless population along the trail has increased noticeably.

Just east of Van Buren Ave in Riverside, there is a medieval town sized homeless encampment in the river basin. Luckily, the trail this far east sits atop a quite narrow levee, so the tent cities are down in the flood plain.

Garfield Cat

I'm in Huntington Beach and I often rode the SART to Katella and sometimes to Green River. I sure miss the good old days when I would stop at the Katella bathroom facilities and then proceed to Green River. Those were the days when it was pre-homeless. But still at Katella the homeless used it as their facilities. They even washed their clothes in that stainless steel basin and maybe even a quick bath.

Now, no more Katella. At the Beach the first bathroom stop, I would see Mr Beanz and his wife Gina. Does anyone ever see them around the SART or HB?

skidder

Since the Katella restrooms are closed you could try using the ones inside the Amtrak station ( the silver domed building). I've done it before, the staff doesn't seem to mind as long as you don't look like a homeless person (FWIW: I've used the train to take my bicycle somewhere, so bicycles are not unusual inside the station). I haven't been up to the Katella/stadium area in about 6 months.

I'll have a look down at the beach this weekend to see what's open. That first restroom building at the south end of the SART is a popular stop for bicycles, and there were quite a few folks taking a break at it last Saturday morning. Huntington State Beach was allowing persons to cycle/jog/walk along the bikepath, and surf in the ocean, but no stopping, but it all might have changed with Gov Newsom's directive earlier this week.

RandomlyWest

So, of course, OC beaches are closed for the moment. That said, the south end of the SART is not. You can still exit the south end of the SART at the Santa Ana River mouth and do that little short spiraling uphill and connect to PCH. You can also still connect to the northbound SART where PCH crosses it, whether you are biking northbound or southbound on PCH.

skidder

'Hard' closure at Huntington State Beach, as in concrete K-rail across the connector path onto the State Beach recreation path, so not even the restroom building is accessible. A park ranger was there enforcing the closure, too (they are state police officers so they have arrest authority). You can still ride the SART path under PCH and ride that small loop to connect to PCH or go down to Newport Beach.

fastcarbon

I rode from Lakeview to the beach and back two Sundays ago; I won't do it again as it is too dangerous at least on weekends with walkers spread across the trail, what appeared to be new cyclists who couldn't ride a straight line and runners on both sides. This trail is an accident waiting to happen.

TakingMyTime

I'd be interested in hearing about any weekday experiences. I know all the trails are busier than usual with rookies wandering all around especially on the weekends. I'm about at my mileage where I'll be doing some SART rides soon and wonder what the weekdays are like.

DrIsotope

With the beaches and boardwalk closed, I can only imagine that end of the SART just getting even busier.

Now the north end on a weekday? Same as it ever was. Just more dust and weeds.

CAT7RDR

I remember in the mid-1980's I read that one day the SART would be over 100 miles and span from Big Bear to NPB. How's that going?

Found this on a search dated 2018. Think I will dig in and see what the plans are relative to 2020?
Santa Ana River PARKWAY & OPEN SPACE PLAN Coastal Conservancy
https://scc.ca.gov/files/2018/06/SARPOSP_Plan_FINAL.pdf

Jan Feetz

Wild Wild West the past couple of weekends on the SART. Walkers, runners, skate boarders, electrical powered stuff take it over. Now, I wait till late afternoon during the week and weekends to go for a ride.

skidder

Try riding it early in the morning. I do it on weekends at dawn, its minimally occupied and seems everyone on the trail at that time is aware of their surrounds.

But yeah, after about 9am, maybe as late as 10AM in winter, its a disaster. Gets really bad those last few miles before you get to the beach.

Drk

San Bernardino County Parks did have the trail opening as of July 1 on their website. Now it's stating November 1 2020 as the completion date.

DrIsotope

Let's put it this way: the 3 whole miles between Waterman Ave. and California St. (which would relocate the northern terminus) was approved and funded in 2007, and scheduled to be completed in 2011. It remains untouched.

But they are working seemingly 24/7 on 9 miles of light rail to connect downtown San Bernardino to downtown Redlands, to the tune of $250M. Which makes no sense at all, no one is going to ride that train.

They could finish the section above Waterman in probably 10 weeks. The phase from Big Bear down? Never. Will never happen. Not ever.

CAT7RDR

Just think what could be done with the billions for the train to nowhere in the Central Valley. Could have some awesome infrastructure for the whole state.

diphthong

still think we need bullet trains from san diego to seattle, over to boise, down to denver and albuquerque and then back across to tucson, phoenix and san diego
with las vegas, reno/carson city and salt lake city as central hubs. that ship sailed long ago. in the age of nimbyism and airline/auto lobbying, that dream died approx 1983.

sorry for the temp thread hijack.

it will be interesting, in socal, to see what transportation funds get allocated where in the shadow/fallout of/from covid-19.

Lemond1985

Scoops? If this plays out anything like "Soylent Green", those will come in handy.

2seven0

SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!!!
(sorry couldn't resist)

Garfield Cat

Is it my imagination? But there seems to be riders who are on the bike lane going in the opposite direction of traffic. I mean more prevalent than say 5 years ago.

I ride with traffic and suddenly a rider takes up the bike lane and I have to decide which way to avoid the "wrong way rider".

Lemond1985

Newbs?

CAT7RDR

^^^^^^ Riders who only watch GCN and think it is appropriate to ride on the left side?

TakingMyTime

There are a lot of rookies out there right now (everywhere). A lot of lane hogs too.

Jan Feetz

Time to breakout the old kit for the weekends.....hope it still fits.

Genaro

I might be a little guilty of this, but only in that one small stretch where the SART takes you on to the street by La Palma. I always take a wide left if I see a bike heading my way.

TrojanHorse

??
Speaking of extended public works projects, they've been working on that stretch of Sart foreeeeever.