Los Angeles River

Los Angeles | California

What We’re Doing
Acquiring and transforming land along the Los Angeles River corridor to create a network of public parks and natural areas along a 51-mile stretch of the river.

Our Goal
Ensure that every person in Los Angeles has a quality outdoor space within a 10-minute walk of home.

Support Our Work in California

Los Angeles River by the Numbers

properties acquired

acres of land preserved

Angelenos served

acres of reimagined post-industrial space

A Revived River Story 20 Years in the Making

The Los Angeles River was encased in concrete for over a century in an effort to prevent extreme flooding—until Trust for Public Land helped transform 51 miles of the cement riverbank into green spaces for 9 million Angelenos to enjoy.

For over two decades, TPL and partners have worked to transform the Los Angeles River into a strand of parks that welcome the local community back to the riverbank.

The Los Angeles River originates in the hills west of the San Fernando Valley, extending to the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach. The river runs through some of California’s most densely populated communities, which lack easy access to parks.

Historically a seasonal waterway that fills in winter and runs dry during arid summers, the Los Angeles River has sustained multiple communities throughout time. It first served the Tongva peoples and then the initial Spanish settlements. It later powered the city’s industry in the 19th and 20th centuries.

In the early 1900s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers encased the river in concrete following devastating floods. Although this prevented future flooding, it also degraded natural scenery and habitats and cut Angelenos off from the river and each other.

Thanks to invested residents and groups like TPL, the river is once again cherished as a natural and cultural resource. Its transformation helped sustain and revitalize neighborhoods lining its banks and provide safe access to green space.

About This Project