I have been looking forward to riding the Santa Ana River Trail for years. It is another one of Orange County’s Mountain to Sea Trails (San Bernardino Mountains to Huntington Beach) and is about 100 miles one-way. Saturday was the perfect distance riding day, overcast and not very windy. With lunch packed, water loaded and tires inflated, we parked at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa, hopped on the river trail and rode east.
After 8 miles of endless cement, garbage, wire (barbed, razor, power and chain-linked), uninspired graffiti, gang tags and trailer parks, I could not endure it any longer and had to turn around. The Santa Ana leg was incredibly boring and somewhat depressing (note: the trail may become more interesting once past Santa Ana). Heading back towards the coast, past Fairview Park, the trail ends at Huntington Beach and there is a northward multipurpose bike/pedestrian path. We ended up eating lunch at the beach, watching the surfers for a bit and then heading back to the car.
Wildlife spottings: a stray pit bull, American Crow, pigeons, vultures, finches and sea gulls. Closer to Huntington, the river is soft-bottom and there were some waders; blue herons, great egrets, godwits and avocets. I did not stop and bird watch since the water treatment plant is on the other side of the trail and sort of stunk. On the bright side, I have now ridden the Santa Ana River Trail through Santa Ana, have seen what it has to offer and will never need to ride this section again.
After 8 miles of endless cement, garbage, wire (barbed, razor, power and chain-linked), uninspired graffiti, gang tags and trailer parks, I could not endure it any longer and had to turn around. The Santa Ana leg was incredibly boring and somewhat depressing (note: the trail may become more interesting once past Santa Ana). Heading back towards the coast, past Fairview Park, the trail ends at Huntington Beach and there is a northward multipurpose bike/pedestrian path. We ended up eating lunch at the beach, watching the surfers for a bit and then heading back to the car.
Wildlife spottings: a stray pit bull, American Crow, pigeons, vultures, finches and sea gulls. Closer to Huntington, the river is soft-bottom and there were some waders; blue herons, great egrets, godwits and avocets. I did not stop and bird watch since the water treatment plant is on the other side of the trail and sort of stunk. On the bright side, I have now ridden the Santa Ana River Trail through Santa Ana, have seen what it has to offer and will never need to ride this section again.
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