Address: Parking lot entrances at 2999 Rosanna St. and 2944 Gleneden St. Park is also accessed from L.A. River Bikeway and 2960 Marsh St.
Park features: Restrooms, Dogs On Leash, Mountain Biking, City Views, Picnic Tables, Parking Lot, Filming Location, Drinking Water, ADA Accessible, Wedding Venue
Marsh Park is a 3.9-acre park adjacent to the Los Angeles River in the Elysian Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles. Part of the Los Angeles River Greenway, the park is located adjacent to the nine-mile section of the 51-mile Los Angeles River known as the Glendale Narrows that has a natural “soft bottom,” instead of a concrete floor. This allows native river plants and animals to thrive as if the river were in its natural state. The park provides river access, and a stellar view of the Verdugo Hills, as well as picnic grounds, grassy areas, and nature-themed children's play equipment. The park also includes restrooms, a distinctive, open-air pavilion that can accommodate more than 200 people, a loop trail with 13 outdoor fitness equipment stations, and two outdoor classrooms. Plenty of parking is available, as well as electric vehicle charging stations. Smartly designed with innovative "green" features, the park is engineered to clean water that flows from city streets before it enters the river. Bioswales, which are earthen drainage ditches lined with river rock and native plants, course through the park. Polluted water is naturally cleansed as it seeps slowly into the ground through sand, rocks, and clay. Parts of the park have been lowered to assist in collecting and filtering water and to replenish the natural underground water storage system known as the aquifer. In the arid climate of Los Angeles this is especially important. The park is planted with native marshland and upland plants, which assist with water infiltration and encourage birds, mammals, and insects such as butterflies to inhabit the area. Over 100 California native trees shade the park, and custom art fencing depict birds returning to a restored riverfront.
Getting around
Marsh Park is a 4-acre riverside pocket park in the Elysian Valley (Frogtown), built by the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority as a gateway to the soft-bottom Glendale Narrows section of the Los Angeles River. It is a picnic, kayak-launch and event venue rather than a hiking destination — but it sits directly on the L.A. River Bikeway. For the connected riverside route, see the Los Angeles River West Bank Trail, which runs north from here past Griffith Park.
Location
Parking lot entrances at 2999 Rosanna St. and 2944 Gleneden St. Park is also accessed from L.A. River Bikeway and 2960 Marsh St.
Approximate coordinates: 34.101, -118.2615
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Photos
Photo credits: SMMC Archives (1-3)
Related documents
Nearby parks
Park description restored from the 2017 lamountains.com archive (Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy). Trail statistics courtesy of AllTrails. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
