This post is dedicated to the Trilogy RVers group who made it possible for me to visit this local spot.

Living in LA, the land of cement and traffic, it’s easy to fall into an attitude that you must drive a long way to get into nature. Fortunately, it’s not true. I recently visited Bonelli County Park, also known as Puddingstone reservoir. For many this is the home of Raging Waters and a visit to the water slide park is as far as their experience takes them. Our experience was purposefully away from the water slides, instead, with a group of friends we went camping on the bluffs overlooking the lake.

From the grass and oak covered bluffs, the overlook of the lake toward the San Gabriel mountains to the east in the distance look decidedly other-than-Los Angeles. The bluff is high enough to obscure the surrounding freeways and the dam is only small part of the landscape. Even though the LA County Fairgrounds are nearby, they are below the bluff and obscured from view. The only hint of the busyness of the area is the La Verne Airport, also known as Brackett Field. 

The area surrounding the lake is very accommodating with day use picnic areas, fishing, had boat launch facilities, and hiking paths that go all around the lake. Our weekday visit saved us from the noise of power boats that are allowed on the small lake and are common on the weekends. As a small sailboat and paddle lake, I found it had much to offer.

I began my paddle journey at the launch ramp. Paddling west across the lake I met up with a variety of birds who greeted or ignored me as I kept up my consistent stroke. Egrets and Great Blue Herons were the biggest birds on the lake. A variety of ducks and Canadian Geese paddled and flew past me or foraged next to the shore. Other shore birds, either passing by or permanent filled out the comings and goings on the lake as I went from marshy and grassy areas to the center of the lake and across to the stream that feeds fresh water from the surrounding hill. I saw a couple birds of prey including an owl and red tail hawks. The highlight of the bird watching was a resident osprey who kept his eyes on me until he thought I was no longer a threat. High in the tree, no doubt near a nest, he gave me the “stink eye” for about twenty minutes.

We spent a couple of days at the park and lake. I had a chance to hike, bicycle, paddle my kayak, and spend some time with friends. Who would have thought such a pleasant wilderness place was here in the middle of suburbia?

Frank G. Bonelli park is located at the intersection of I10, CA57 and CA210 in Pomona. It is close to the LA Fairgrounds and Cal Poly Pomona (my alma mater). Day use and overnight use at Bonelli Bluffs RV camp are available.