Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area

The inspiration

The park exists because of the dam: after major floods on the San Gabriel River in 1938, the US Army Corps of Engineers began building a flood-control dam in Irwindale in 1941, finishing the project in 1949¹ . Since the reservoir sits empty most of the year, Los Angeles County resolved to turn the dry basin behind it into a public recreation space, and most of today's amenities were built between 1976 and 1984 .

Who's behind it

The park's nature center is run by volunteers from the San Gabriel Mountains Regional Conservancy, who also lead walks and educational programs .

What to order

• Swim beach: a sand beach with palm trees and lifeguard towers appears midway around the lake, with swimming in the summer .²
• Fishing and boating: the lake offers year-round fishing and non-motorized watercraft, with largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and carp in the water .
• Nature center visit: a short interpretive trail runs through an indigenous garden explaining the alluvial flood plain ecology of the area .²
• Bike trail: the San Gabriel River bike trail passes through the recreation area and traces the rim of the flood basin .²

Why you should try it

For anyone staying in the San Gabriel Valley, this 836-acre park offers an unusually large stretch of lake, trails, and protected habitat tucked behind a working flood-control dam .