Frank G Bonelli Regional Park

Every six months, we are required to renew our smoke school certification as part of Visible Emissions credentials. This is my first time here, and I had a hard time determining opacity of smoke, with all the lush green trees and forrest-​like environment. From a recreational standpoint, this park is remarkable, with convenient restrooms, ample parking and several long hiking trails for the children or animals. But if you want contrast, this day was very difficult for me, as it was cold, cloudy, and difficulty seeing the color and contrast. Well, in any event, I ended up passing at the next location the following week. If you’re looking for a fun recreational park, I would highly recommend this park. In fact, 30 years ago, I helped out here as part of the Health Inspector ‘s 10K challenge!

This park is so beautiful! We came here for the CA beer festival but also walked around a bit and really enjoyed this park. I love the pretty lake and the fact that there were ppl doing water activities on it. I am not sure if there is a place to swim because there were many signs saying not to get into the water.
There is ample parking, picnic tables and bbq pits. The restrooms are not amazing but clean enough for a public park.

I love this park. Very spacious lots of trails. Everyone says they are paying 10. There is never a guard there at the shack during the week I just drive in. Never been on the weekend. I take my two dogs to the lake swimming, they love it. Just not sure about walking the trails with coyotes out there, I dont want my dogs eaten. Other than that nice park,

Great place. Restrooms are always clean and plenty of easy hiking trails. $ 10 will get you many picnic spots with excellent views.

$ 10 entrance fee. Dog-​friendly. Inside the park there is a small loop road you can turn off at different locations. My dog and I walked a good portion of the main loop trail. I found the trail markers to be all but missing with clear signage a major oversight. Part of the park was completely shut down and locked for the season — an area with a «beach» and lifeguard stand. However, the loop trail spit you out here in this area. So you could either double back or hop over the locked gate. Pretty silly I thought. The remainder of the park reminded me of a summer camp location. We ran into a couple of other dog walkers and bikers along the trail. Once I realized the loop trail would take probably 4 hours or more to complete, I doubled back only to run into a group of bikers stopped in middle of the trail drinking beers and smoking weed. So… kid friendly!

Definitely not for boating, place is lame, lifeguards seem to be waiting to catch you slippping as you go around in the small circle allowed for wakeboarding. Kids not allowed to swim off the boat.. only in the beach area… and even then they were not allowed to bring any floaties… place is lame way over policed, not a very fun place.

$ 10 parking fee. There is a beach area, a fishing area, playgrounds, ducks, a lake, and so much more. This place is great & really big! The dogs enjoy coming here and chasing ducks.

Frank G. Bonelli was a career politician from the late 40s to the 60s, who is perhaps best known for forwarding legislation to reapportion California’s State Senate seats between southern and Northern California. He lost in both 1960 and 1962.
But he did support the creation of 250 acre Puddingstone reservoir as an LA county board of Supervisors member, and the surrounding park bears his name.
Back in the 80s when I used to fish here with my family, the lake was pretty much the main attraction. There were footpaths and deer trails through the hills, and not much else. As the park grew (and adjacent Raging Waters was added) the park grew into its current manifestation as a family-​oriented urban park between major metropolitan areas.
The growth of real estate development in the area has also taken away a bit of the natural feeling too, but it is still a pretty park– picnic facilities, playgrounds, horse trails, trail running, mountain biking, fishing, waterskiing, and birdwatching are just a few of the activities to be enjoyed.
In summer months, the boat dock is lively, concession stands are open, and the park charges 10 bucks for entry to cars. There is a swim beach, a trail that circumnavigated the lake (unmarked in a few places… Best to go with someone once or twice), some great hill climbs on the back trails, horse stables, hot tubs… Lots to do here. There is also a long term RV park on the north east shore, near the secret back entrance and Daggett field small craft airport.
These days, I only visit the park to run or bike… And I don’t pay the entry fee because I park outside and run/​ride in.
This is a shallow lake with a heavily pressured bass and panfish population. Im not sure if the Dept. Of Fish and Wildlife still stocks trout and catfish here, but there always seem to be anglers – some subsistence fishing– despite recent signs being posted urging people not to consume fish from the lake. Toxins will kill you, but starvation kills faster… A concept the Department hasn’t seemed to grasp in all its years.
If you’re a trail runner like me, watch out for mangy coyotes and rattlesnakes– both pretty common in the park. Years ago, a small child was dragged into the underbrush by a mountain lion, but they have not been seen in the area for a long time. Still a few bobcats there, however, along with mule deer, turkey vultures, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and a huge number of rabbits and squirrels. Lots of wading birds and waterfowl for birdwatchers and bread feeders.
This is definitely a nice spot to BBQ with your friends and family… But on summer weekends, best to arrive early. See you there!

Went 5÷24÷2015 for family event. We stayed in the Puddingstone street area. I checked the weather before I left home, it said it would be a sunny 72 but no way! It was very cold so I suggest you bring blankets, covers etc. check the weather before you leave the house and the news also for reassurance. But then again it’s not summer time yet. The 10 bucks for parking was a bit steep in my opinion because what are we paying for? Parks should be free to access but hey I guess it would be more crowded if there wasn’t a fee. It wasn’t that exciting. Nothing to do unless you’re going to rent a boat or bring games to play.
HUGE CONS: Ducks poop EVERYWHERE! idk who cleans the park but when I arrived very early to the park, around 6am there was already a tremendous amount on the pathways and grass!
THE BATHROOMS ARE FILTHY!!! For the park to be in such a nice area and for the park to be receiving 10 bucks a car they should afford to get the bathroom remodeled! And cleaned every couple of hours. I saw NO cleaning crew at all. It was terrible. Plenty of tissue tho but really gross, first thing in the morning the bathroom shouldn’t be gross like that especially if it’s not completely a public park (ie: $ 10 fee)
Aside from the poop and bathrooms it was ok, nothing to brag about. I live about 45 mins away, but I wouldn’t break my neck to come back here.

Great Fishing location. Variety of different species fish.
Plenty of wild life, birds, ducks, coyotes, rabbits, squirrels etc. Also a bicyclist paradise with lots of trails on and off the paths. Parking is easy. Close to shores and piers. Lots of benches to sit and eat.
Family friendly and the staff are very helpful and nice. The best place to take pictures and have a picnic. Scenery and hiking trails are abundant. Snakes do bask on the trails so be careful.

I live in walking distance of Bonelli Park; in fact, it’s right up a main street, Puddingstone Dr. (about ¼ mi.), from the entry to our town houses.
It is a WONDERFUL place to have in your backyard. We have lived here 28 years; we rode our bikes around the park, picnicked, fed the ducks, walked the dog, fished, hiked all over, took the kids (and grandkids!) to the playgrounds and took hundreds and hundreds of photos here. As an avid amateur photographer, I couldn’t have asked for more.
During the summer, it will usually be crowded on weekends; it’s worth trying to go early in the day or during the week. From about November to March, entry to the park is free to those driving in, but DO check the dates. Pedestrians never pay to enter.

Like many parks, this is a great place to get some fresh air and sun. Activities can vary from mountain biking, hiking, trail running, picnicking, and more. I always come here for some trail running or hiking trails. Without a doubt, weekends can get pack so if you are looking for some peace and quiet it’s best to visit this park during the week. Do watch out for skunks during the evening hours. They won’t bother you unless you get too close. I’ve noticed that they don’t usually react hastily to our presence.
Warning though, if you come across raccoons that is where you should exercise carefulness. They also come out during the evening over by the trees close to the stream. It’s next to a trail by the trailer park. Once it gets dark many come out. I was being followed by 3 once and they are large in size. Raccoons are very aggressive animals especially when they are gathered in groups.

1. Lots of playgrounds for the kids you may have
2. Easy parking around the park
3. Hot tub rental area — kinda iffy on that one
4. Lake is nice, but there are a lot of ducks and the water looks almost. toxic
5. You can go fishing, but you can’t eat the fish
6. Great trails — if anything, they get five stars just for the trails
7. Dog friendly — but keep your dogs on a leash and for GOD’S SAKE PICK UP YOUR DOG’S POO. It’s so rude to not do that.
8. Beach area is available, but again, the water. yikes
Entrance: $ 10

Beautiful park
However, watching the officers on horses purposely ride this horses through picnics of ethnic people was disturbing. I can’t believe racism still exists. I watched them stomp through at least 2 bbqs and the horses were swishing their tails over people’s food and small children eating while the officers rudely talked down to the vistors. Wow… just wow. It didn’t happen to us because we’re white. I won’t go back or recommend this place to anyone. Very sad.

You can do pretty much anything at Bonelli Park — run, hike, bike, fish, swim, even camp! They hold a lot of events here including the Holiday Half Marathon and the IVHC dog walk. My one complaint as a runner though is that some bikers ride very fast on the narrow trails and I’ve seen some near misses.
I know the $ 10 parking fee may seem steep, but I feel like you can really see your dollars at work. The park is spotless and the restrooms are clean and well stocked. I can’t really think of a lot of «free» parks that can say the same.
Definitely worth checking out if you want a little more nature in your life!

I’ve been coming here pretty much my whole life, and as a kid this was one of my favorite places because there is a large lake which is a nice and different view away from the city life. However, the four stars is due to the fact that they no longer have rentals. When I came when I was younger, there used to be kayaks, paddle boats, and bicycles available for rent. They were so much fun and this lake was such a great place for those activities without having to drive an hour or two to the beach. Without those rentals there simply isn’t much to do there anymore.
However, this is still a great place to visit if you don’t mind the $ 10 parking fee. There aren’t very many lakes as large as this one near where I live so it’s always nice to come and see such a large body of water surrounded by cities, especially since we’re in this drought. A great place for families or large groups, with large grass areas and spaces to have a nice barbeque.

I live very close by and have enjoyed the many merits of this park over the years.
First of all, it is HUGE. You can hike, fish, picnic, do some boating, and bike all around this place. The water views of the lake are everywhere and it is a great place to watch the sunset.
If you do go and watch the sunset, however, bring your good flashlight because the trails up to the most of the vista points get very dark QUICKLY. You can easily lose your bearings, and I don’t want to frighten you away, but on several occasions I have seen some pretty large coyotes come out at dusk.
There are strategically placed clean restrooms and plenty of parking.
There is even camping, if you like that sort of thing.

Since parking is the main complaint — let’s face it, who wants to pay $ 10?! — let’s get it out of the way: no charge in winter months (November-​February) and during the rest of the year, one can usually get in for free after 6 p.m. Especially if you try the Northern Shore entrance by the Raging Waters water park.
The park itself is truly a great find. Mostly because it is pretty vast and combines so many things folks enjoy in the park: hiking, biking, boating, swimming, fishing, and more. I particularly like the fact that there are so many separate areas you can be at, and the park doesn’t feels crowded. I have never been here for a holiday weekend, because I like to think of it as a place of serenity and peace, but I’m sure it gets chaotic on Memorial Day or July 4!
Just yesterday night we did an hour hike and then a group yoga under the stars, and enjoyed every minute of it. There were a number of people biking, but other than that it was just our group and racoons enjoying the full moon :) More detailed information on their website here:
. And enjoy your stay!

I come here for mountain biking every chance I get and I truly enjoy the ride that Bonelli offers to those in need of speed!
It’s quite nice in the evening hours for mountain biking, but if your one that’s in need of company all throughout the trail I suggest going for the early morning special, you’ll get a variety of bikers and hikers.
I rate Bonelli as fairly easy, but I’ll just let you be the judge on that one.

This review is strictly for the hiking. Small note on the park: I see it’s a nice huge (emphasis-​huge) park w/​lots of things to do. The beautiful scenic lake that you can also go walking through out park and plush green landscapes, go fishing or boating, paddling, etc. There’s also a small portion of it that’s a beach, but closed in the winter (this in effect after Labor day I believe).
The hiking. Wow, talk about a nice quiet place to go hiking. I’m not sure how the weekends are, as we usually try to stay away from the crowds. But weekdays I can honestly assure it’s a nice quiet hike. Few mountain bikes, few or more horses. This would be nice for dog owners to take their pets to, not just the trails, but all of it! It’s very clean, only thing or complaint is the horse poop. There’s an abundance of it on certain parts of the trail, especially the connector to the Antonovich trial.
The trial is about a 6 mile loop. If you want to add couple miles, you can continue on Antonovich opposite side of San Dimas Ave and you’ll end up in a nice shaded area of Walnut Creek Park.
The only issue we have with the trails is that there’s not enough trail markers/​signs and they tend to be very confusing. There was one spot where we saw a sign on the floor as if someone’s vehicle had hit it. I assume only service vehicles & those patrolling it are allowed, but just surprised no one’s tried restoring or putting it back up. The other confusing factor is some of the signs say Bonelli trail, but you don’t see that on the trail map they give you. Overall the signage is confusing, period. But with your very own instincts, you can quickly figure out how the trails run. just confusing to the newcomer. They aren’t in an area of deep wilderness, its just mostly hillside nestled between the freeways and the park, lake, parking lots, Raging waters, etc.
You get some nice slow inclines. Some parts shady, most of it you’ll have the sun glare and you’ll need plenty of water, sunscreen, cap & definitely a must… a really good comfortable pair of shoes (most hikers know this) but that mostly applies to folks who come here to picnic or other recreational activities, this is not a casual flat or flip flop trail, it can be smooth, to bumpy/​rocky & then most parts the dirt’s really soft like sand & very dusty — can be rough on your feet going up or down hill.
Next time we might just bring some fishing poles :)