wellness
Long Beach Locals Reveal Secret Early-Morning Nature Walk Routes
Residents in Long Beach have carved out early-morning routes through quiet green spaces that deliver solid workouts away from the main tourist paths.
How we reported this
Long Beach residents logged more than 4,200 visits to unmarked trails in the Los Cerritos Wetlands during the first half of 2026, according to city trail-counter data released last month.
The spike comes as summer temperatures climb and locals look for shaded routes that combine light cardio with bird-watching without the crowds at Shoreline Village or the beach bike path.
Two overlooked routes
One stretch begins at the north end of Studebaker Road just past the intersection with 2nd Street, where a narrow dirt path threads through the Los Cerritos Wetlands restoration area. Walkers follow the levee for roughly 1.8 miles before it loops back toward the parking lot at the Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewardship Center. Another option sits inside DeForest Park along Carson Street, where an unofficial connector trail runs behind the baseball fields and drops into a eucalyptus grove that stays cool even on July afternoons.
Both spots sit within a 10-minute drive of Bixby Knolls and remain empty on weekdays before 8 a.m.
Numbers and access details
City records show the wetlands path added 0.6 miles of new boardwalk in March 2026, part of a $1.2 million restoration grant. Parking at the Studebaker Road lot stays free, while the DeForest Park lot charges $3 for two hours on weekends. The Long Beach Parks and Recreation summer walking program opens registration July 15 for guided sessions that meet at the wetlands entrance every Tuesday at 6:45 a.m.
Locals recommend downloading the free Long Beach Trails app for updated closure notices and carrying water, since the wetlands stretch has no fountains past the first quarter-mile. Early arrivals also avoid the afternoon heat that builds along the exposed sections near the river channel.