Touring * Fitness * Street * Artistic *

From Interstate 405 (the San Diego Freeway) in Seal Beach, exit south at Seal Beach Boulevard and go 2.5 miles south to the intersection with Highway 1/Pacific Coast Highway. Turn right and enter central Seal Beach. After the 12th Street stoplight, watch for Main Street and Eighth Street. A tiny sign just after Eighth marks the left turn onto Marina Drive. Turn left (if you miss it, there's a light at Fifth Street where you can turn left to rejoin Marina Drive). Follow Marina Drive across the bridge over the San Gabriel River. There is plenty of parking on the other side at the marina and the Seaport Village Shopping Center. The trail is on the Seal Beach side of the river. Map: Los Angeles County Bike Map, available for free by calling (213) 244-6539.

The San Gabriel River Bike Trail just keeps going, and going, and going. Speed, fitness, and endurance skaters will learn just how far they can keep going when they hop on the path, perhaps with a pair of ski poles for a full-body workout, cross-country style. Along this relatively short sampling of the river's 28-mile-long route, the scenery delivers a study in contrasts. It is really quite pleasant near the marina, as far as concrete flood control canals go, with an attempt at landscaping evident next to the trail. But within a mile, you will be staring up at the towering smokestacks of three humongous power plants. Force yourself to skate the rough pavement through here, for you will be rewarded with three much more pleasant miles next to a canalside flower nursery. Cross the bridge to the other side of the river when you reach mile marker 4.0. The right fork is Coyote Creek, described in the Orange County chapter. Continuing northeast on the San Gabriel River, you will skate by the wild lands of the nature study area at El Dorado Park East. Before the Spring Street underpass, an obvious exit ramp allows you to leave the river trail and skate within the immaculate surroundings of El Dorado Park East (see the following listing). Farther up the trail, wildlife sightings in the thickly covered riverbed will add that natural touch to any serious endurance workout. Fitness nuts, if you're ready for more skating after you return to the Long Beach Marina (and you don't mind skating on the street in bike lanes), consider taking the mile-long route across Alamitos Bay to roll on some of the smooth concrete of the beautiful Long Beach Shoreline Trail. You could also drive this connector route, but with the wheels already on your feet and a spirit of adventure in your heart, why not skate it? From your parking spot on Marina Drive, follow the bike lanes on Marina inland up to Second Street. Turn left to skate on Second Street's bike lanes and go across the island of Naples, passing over two bridges, then cross Alamitos Bay heading northwest. Once you reach Alamitos Bay Beach (after the second bridge), take the first left down Shore Avenue to get to Ocean Boulevard. Cross Ocean and turn right to meet one of the wide concrete access paths that head out across the sand to the Shoreline Trail.