Hike #1406
June 5, 2019
Naples, Long Beach, City/Beach
Hike Leader: Anneliese Grohs
Meet at 9:00 am for start at 9:30 am
Please print your own hike descriptions and maps. This will avoid the inconvenience and save costs to the hike leader.
Directions to Trailhead:
Take the 710 freeway south and exit on West Shoreline Drive. Continue on to East Shoreline Drive. Turn right onto East Ocean Blvd. Continue on E. Ocean Blvd. for 3.1 miles till you get to Bay Shore Ave. Park on E. Ocean Blvd. along either side of the road opposite Bay Shore Ave.
One can also take the 110 freeway to the Vincent Thomas Bridge, drive east over Terminal Island and then continue on E. Ocean Blvd. to Bay Shore Ave.
From the south, turn off Pacific Coast Hwy on East 2nd St. and drive west, crossing over Naples Island. Make a left onto Bay Shore Ave., just past the bridge, to E. Ocean Blvd. There is free parking on either side of E. Ocean Blvd. There are public restrooms here and along the bike path on the beach.
Naples History and Neighborhood:
This hike is on flat, paved walkways. There is no shade, but it has a great variety of architecture of private homes and beautiful gardens along the canals. Most walks are next to water, beach or canal, with many boats to admire.
The idea began in 1904 when the father-and-son team, Arthur Parsons, announced plans for a "Venetian-style" community that featured a series of canals and pedestrian walkways. To accomplish this, they enclosed, dredged, filled in, and stabilized a marshland with concrete bulkheads to create the seaside neighborhood. The first 6 houses were built as speculative homes. Waterfront lots in Naples ranged from $900 to $4,000, which was costly at the time. In 1907, the Parsons partnered with oil-and rail baron Henry Huntington, to incorporate a stop at Naples on the Pacific Electric Railroad's Newport Line.
If you want to spend more time in the area, the art museum or a stroll on 2nd St with many shops and restaurants are interesting. There is also the MOLAA (Museum of Latin American Art) just down the street on Alamitos Ave.
Basic Hike: Yellow Track.
We meet at the corner of E. Ocean Blvd. and Bay Shore Ave. Turn north on Bay Shore Ave. along Alamito Bay Beach, then turn right on E. 2nd St. and cross the bridge into Naples. and go on it to the 2nd St. Bridge. After crossing the bridge, turn right on E. The Toledo. Cross a second bridge then turn immediately right onto Rivo Alto Canal. Turn right on W. Neapolitan Lane and cross a third bridge onto Treasure Island. Circumnavigate Treasure Island clockwise by turning left on E Corso DI Napoli, then left on Geneva Walk, then right on Naples Canal.
Cross back over the W. Neapolitan Lane bridge then immediately turn right on Rivo Alto Canal and follow the walkway to E Neapolitan Ln. then turn right across another bridge. Turn left on Garibaldi Lane, then right on N. Virgil Walk, then left on Corso di Napoli, which eventually becomes Vista Del Golfo. Continue to Naples Plaza Park, turn left through the Park then turn left on E. The Toledo. Continue to the Canal and turn right on Rivo Alto Canal walking in an anticlockwise direction around the outside of the Canal. Turn right back onto E. The Toledo, then left on E. 2nd St., cross the bridge, then left Bay Shore Ave., to the trailhead. There are tables and benches and public restrooms and a playground in this corner.
In the middle of the island off E. The Toledo and circled by Ravenna Dr. is a little park, which would be a nice place for a cookie break on the outgoing trip and lunch on the return trip.
We will have refreshments back at the trailhead near 54th Pl..
Add on options for those wanting a few extra miles can include one or both of the following.
Option 1. Green Track. Yacht Club. From Naples Plaza Park, continue along Corso Di Oro, left on Appian Way, left on Angelo Walk, then right on E. The Toledo. Continue following return directions anticlockwise around the Canal.
Option 2. Red Track. Belmont Shores Peninsula. On the return trip starting from the intersection of Bay Shore Ave. and E. Ocean Blvd., continue east along E. Ocean Blvd. Take the ocean-side beach E. Seaside Walk to the end of the peninsula where there are public restrooms on 72nd Pl.. Return along the north side of the peninsula on E. Bayshore Walk where there are public restrooms on 62nd Pl. On some stretches you need to walk in the sand or on the road.
GPS:
Basic Hike: 3.1 miles RT
Option 1: Additional 0.5 miles one way
Option 2: Additional 2.3 miles RT
Basic plus both options: 5.9 miles RT
2019-05-15
