Rattlesnake Park

Rattlesnake Park is one of the small spaces that makes more sense once you stop treating the river parks as separate destinations and start treating them as parts of a route.

It is tucked into a fork in the path, with shade, a few benches, planting, and a view of the river.

This is a small pocket park embedded in the LA River path and the industrial-residential landscape around Frogtown. It creates a place to sit where there might otherwise have been hot, unused pavement.

Continue uphill to find the Great Heron Gates, which mark an entrance to the river path. From the path, the bridge to Atwater Village becomes a landmark rather than merely road infrastructure.

Rattlesnake Park took some searching. The path forked, with one part going down alongside the river and another heading uphill toward the bridge. It turned out the park was uphill, tucked into that fork.

One person could spend an hour there simply sitting and watching the water, even on a hot day.

The planted area and nearby river corridor contribute shade and habitat, though I did not make a complete plant inventory at this stop.

The river view and Great Heron Gates point attention toward the birds and other wildlife using the corridor.

The Great Heron Gates, path fork, bridges, river, and layered industrial surroundings are the strongest photographic subjects.

The park is a manageable stop with seating and shade. Keep children close while navigating the path fork and nearby river infrastructure.

Look uphill at the fork in the path. We initially approached from the wrong direction, which made the park harder to find.