Yorba Park
Welcome to Yorba Park on your bicycle trip along the Santa Ana River Trail.
Yorba Regional Park is located in the City of Anaheim right around the border with Yorba Linda. While this is a nice looking sign, as a bicycle rider it is not likely that you will actually see it. The sign is located at the entrance to the park which is at 7600 East La Palma Avenue, in the City of Anaheim and is at the far North side of the park. The Santa Ana River Trail borders the South side of the 166 acre park, that was once part of a Spanish Land Grant, then had cattle and crops grown on it, until the early 1900's. The property was aquired by the county in 1972 to become a regional park, that was opened to the public 4 years later.
If this point will be the beginning of your journey you will want to keep a sharp eye out for this sign and turn into the driveway just past. Once you pay the nominal parking fee you will find an abundant supply of parking available. I would suggest the furthest point to the West of the park. You will find the bicycle trail closer to the parking in that area. Unload, gear up, and get riding!
If you get to Yorba Regional Park from the Santa Ana River Trail you will inevitably see the toilet facilities that are right off of the trail. This area makes a nice potty break and rest stop. In addition to the bathrooms there is a drinking fountain and trash can.
This area makes a nice place to sit in the shade and have a cool sip of water and an energy bar. This is a popular area for people walking their pets and park visitors to frequent.
Besides all of this there are six playgrounds, 400 picnic tables and 200 bbqs and four lakes. As far as sports, there's softball fields, horseshoe pits, fitness courses, fishing and sailing.
Just to the left of the pictured rider there is a small nature trail with the plants identified. Even further to the left is a very popular ball field where you may see soccer, baseball, and softball. Don't get distracted watching the players though. Every once in a while a poorly supervised child thinks it would be really fun to play "chicken" with the riders on the trail. You're leisurely dashing along at about 14 to 20 mph and a child runs out on the trail, the instant they see you they panic and freeze. A word of caution, expect this to happen and you won't be surprised when it does.
There a few turn offs from the Santa Ana River Trail, into Yorba Park. The first turn off is right at the beginning of the park and the free parking right next to the dirt lot. This area is 21.4 miles, 1 hour and 47 minutes from the beach. If you don't turn off here, you can turn off again in a minute, after going .2 miles, which is better if you want to go by the lakes or by the softball fields.
The next turn off from the Santa Ana River Trail, is less than a minute and tenth of a mile away, this trail goes around the same as the second one. The fourth turn off is .7 miles and 4 minutes away, and doesn't have easy access to the lakes like the previous trails have.
The fifth turn off is 2 minutes and .3 miles from the forth. You're 1.3 miles and 7 minutes from the beginning of the Yorba Regional Park turn off. This is the second to last turn off, and the end of Yorba Regional Park. In all it takes 8 minutes to ride from one end to the other of Yorba Regional Park, while on the Santa Ana River Trail.
The last turn off into Yorba Regional Park, from the Santa Ana River Trail, is a quick 174 foot path that will take you 14 seconds to go through, will take you out to La Palma Avenue, and will lead you to Weir Canyon Road/Yorba Linda Boulevard after going east on La Palma Avenue for .2 miles and 1 minute, as opposed to going under the bridge and back around, saves you from going up a steep hill after going under the bridge and back around. Check out the Weir Canyon Road/ Yorba Linda Boulevard page for what that entry point has to offer in terms of food and drink.
This is what the trail looks like when you continue heading up the trail.
This is what the bicycle trail looks like when you continue down the trail.
Another shot of the toilet facilities. There are separate Men and Women's entrances.
Here is the entrance to Yorba Park from 7600 East La Palma Avenue, in the City of Anaheim. This is how the car bound enter the park.
I'll bet you thought that I was kidding talking about the children "playing chicken" on the trail. Well, here's the proof that it happens. Be careful, you have been warned!
Modified 07/23/2012