As a child, I rode my horses up and down a dedicated equestrian trail that at one time ran from the Pacific Ocean all way to the San Gabriel mountains. My use of this trail primarily took place between Alondra Boulevard and stopped at Pacific Coast Highway. East of Alondra, we could switch over to the Rio Hondo and ride all the way to Whittier Narrows (a 20 mile ride from my stable), which provided a cool escape from the summer heat. Trying to go further West past PCH wasn't really feasible, but it was possible to switch over to the Compton Channel just past Del Amo Boulevard and ride up to the Dominguez Hills.
This trail system got its start during World War II, when the Long Beach Mounted Police used it to patrol the western-most part of the channel, which is accessible from the ocean. The concern was that Japanese and German submarines could navigate upriver, creating a war time threat.
The LA river was a huge part of my childhood, and having grown up just a few miles from it, I was happy to learn that there is a movement underway to restore as much of it as possible to it's original state. A group of individuals decided to kayak/canoe a 51-mile stretch of the LA river to prove it was navigable. Navigable waterways automatically fall under the Clean Water Protection Act. Due to the acts of these people, the LA river was designated by the EPA as "navigable" and is now under protection. A documentary about the expedition has been produced titled "Rock the Boat", which will be shown in the LA area this coming summer. The TV show "Urban Dirt" recently showcased this documentary, as can be seen in the following video.
