Los Angeles River, Major river in Los Angeles County, United States.
The Los Angeles River is a waterway in Los Angeles County, California, flowing roughly 82 kilometers (51 miles) from Canoga Park through several neighborhoods to Long Beach and the Pacific. The riverbed is mostly lined with concrete and runs largely above ground through densely built residential and industrial zones.
Before European settlers arrived, Tongva communities lived along the waterway and relied on its flow. During the 1930s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers transformed the natural bed into a concrete channel to prevent flooding in surrounding residential areas.
Spanish missionaries who arrived in the area during 1769 gave the waterway its name. Today the concrete channel often serves as a filming location, particularly for chase scenes, and walkers recognize the paved bed from well-known productions.
Multiple entry points allow visitors to access recreational paths running beside the channel, offering separate bike lanes and walking routes through urban districts. The paths are best accessed during daylight hours, especially in sections with developed infrastructure and regular maintenance.
Despite the concrete bed, natural water still flows between the banks in some upstream sections. Certain parts of the channel remain wet even in summer, and birds and small animals occasionally appear there.
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