Best Scenic Walks To Enjoy With Your Dog in Long Beach

Finding scenic places to walk the dog in Long Beach is one of the best spots to enjoy the oceanside. We have highlighted a few places that we think that you and your dog will enjoy and listed a few other trails for you to visit with your dog.

Bluff Park

Used by strollers, joggers, and dog walkers, Bluff Park provides sea breezes and a view of the Pacific Ocean. The city received 11.16 acres in 1919 and purchased 0.30 acres in 1950. On the site is the Long Beach Museum of Art. The museum was originally the Elizabeth Milbank Anderson house and then the Chief Petty Officer's club during World War II. Then, the city added 3.6 acres in 1984. A seven-foot Lone Sailor Memorial was erected in 2004. The bluff above the park is also included in the park. The park is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm.

Shoreline Pedestrian Bike Path

The 4.1-mile concrete Shoreline Pedestrian Bike Path offers a white sand beach with access to the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier and the ocean. It has a 17-foot wide path with a five-foot lane for pedestrians and a six-foot lane dedicated to bikes.

Jack Dunster Marine Reserve

The 2.7-acre Jack Dunster Marine Reserve has a 132-foot floating dock and two floating platforms. The anti-erosion efforts feature terraced retainers with plants. A tidal marsh was also added. The reserve is open 24 hours.

San Gabriel River Parks and Trails

The 4.6 miles of the San Gabriel River Parks and Trails allows multiple uses including dog walking, a portion of a 28-mile bike trail, and a horse trail. There are both paved and unpaved trails. Part of the trails run through urban areas, and yet there is an abundance of wildlife in the park. The trail is part of the national Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. From the northern end, you can see the San Gabriel Mountains. From the southern end, you can view the ocean. It is open daily from 6 am to 7 pm.

Hilltop and Signal Hill Parks

Hilltop and Signal Hill Parks are across the street from each other. The 0.3-mile Hilltop Park trail provides a panoramic view of the city, sculptures, signs relating to Long Beach's history, and shadow frames to look through with explanations of what you are seeing. Signal Hill's trails extend beyond the park with their own panoramic views of the city, the Santa Monica Mountains, and Catalina Island. Located in a residential area, it offers a refuge from daily life within walking distance. Picnic tables are available, so you can pack a lunch. Signal Hill gets its name because it was the sight of smoke signals sent by Native Americans. This is acknowledged by the monument at the center of the park. The parks are open daily from 6 am to 10 pm. Sitting and watching the lights come on around the city can provide an enjoyable evening.

Dominguez Gap Wetlands Project Trails

The 3.4-mile Dominguez Gap Wetlands Project Trails include a two-mile loop with a wetland, wildlife, and wildflowers. You will be sharing the trail with walkers, runners, and horses. The lower marsh trail is also enjoyable. Originally constructed for flood control purposes, the Dominguez Gap basin is also used to replenish groundwater. The wetlands is home to a variety of birds such as goldfinches, red-winged blackbirds, ducks, herons, cormorants, and hawks. Plants and trees include cattails, bulrushes, cottonwood, sycamores, and willows. The wetlands are open 24 hours.

Rosie's Dog Beach

Located on Ocean Boulevard between Roycroft Avenue and Granada Avenue, the four-acre Rosie's Dog Beach is open daily from 6 am to 8 pm. You can park in a metered lot on Bennett Avenue. Although it is not officially designated as a dog beach or fenced, the beach has scoops and bags available. They do suggest that you bring your own bag. The beach also has a Fountain of Woof by the parking lot. Opened in 2003, the opening of the beach developed from a one-day event on June 24, 2001. On that day, Justin Rudd and his bulldog, Rosie, led a dog day on the beach and kept campaigning for opening the beach to dogs until the goal was accomplished. Rosie's Beach is open daily from 6 am to 8 pm.

Other Scenic Dog Walks

Some other places to walk the dog in Long Beach that you should visit include the 11.9-mile Ocean Trails, the 12.1-mile Portuguese Bend Nature Reserve, the 13.1-mile Abalone Cove Shoreline Park Trail, the 5.1-mile Gum Grove Park Trail, and the 12.3-mile Del Cerro Park.