The 4.5 mile Whittier Greenway Trail begins in the northwest corner of Whittier, California, near the 605 Freeway, and closely parallels Whittier Boulevard. When it reaches Painter Avenue, it travels along Lambert Road to Mills Avenue, where the abandoned right-of-way ends. There is an active rail line traveling east from Mills to the city limits, and Whittier hopes to eventually acquire an easement along this line to extend the trail. The cities of La Habra and Brea are interested in continuing the pathway through their communities. This extension would effectively link Los Angeles County's trail system with Orange County's trails, and would be the only such connection in southeast Los Angeles County. Benefits of the Whittier Greenway Trail are alleviating traffic congestion, improving air quality and providing a scenic greenbelt area through the center of Whittier. The trail increases travel safety for those who prefer to bike or walk to their destinations. The Greenway connects with local and regional bus systems, including Metro, Foothill Transit, Montebello Bus Lines and Norwalk Transit.
The Trail is the result of the City's purchase of an abandoned Union Pacific right-of-way, and was constructed using transportation, air quality and parks funds. All of the acquisition and development funds came from Federal, State and County sources, primarily administered through Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority and the California Department of Transportation.
Union Pacific Anaheim Branch InformationThis branch was originally constructed around 1917 by the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, and once was Union Pacific's entry into the citrus-growing region of Orange County. The line passed through what are now residential areas and light industrial/shopping areas. At one point the line extended as far east/south as Anaheim, but it was cut back over the years. East of Whittier, the UP branch paralleled a Pacific Electric branch between Colima Junction and Fullerton Junction. In 1962, the UP added a connection to the PE line and abandoned its route. At the same time, the PE gained the right to use the somewhat-parallel UP between Fullerton Junction and Fullerton, and the PE abandoned that segment of its line. The UP segment between Whittier Junction and Colima Junction was abandoned a few years after the Union Pacific-Southern Pacific merger in 1995, as Union Pacific trains now use the former Pacific Electric line to reach the last remaining segment of Union Pacific track at Fullerton Junction.
Our Walks3/24/2021Elizabeth and I picked up Marty Smith and we drove to Whittier, parked at Palm Park and started our walk to the west.
We started our walk heading west down the trail.
These bird houses were a surprise.
Looking back at Palm Avenue.
On the way to Norwalk Boulevard.
We crossed the bridge over Norwalk Boulevard.
The stroll to Pioneer Boulevard, the west end of the trail.
The possible future extension of the trail.
Marty and Elizabeth at the west end of the trail.
Elizabeth and I switched places.
Ready now to start our walk the opposite way.
The three of us started walking east.
There are mileage markers on this trail, a feature we had not seen on any of the other trails.
Crossing Norwalk Boulevard for the last time.
I took no more pictures until we crossed Palm Avenue.
Approaching Palm Avenue.
Crossing Palm Avenue.
Approaching Court Avenue and Broadway Avenue.
A view looking back from where we had come.
Crossing Broadway Avenue.
The entrance to the next segment of the trail.
On the way to Magnolia Avenue.
Crossing Magnolia Avenue.
On the way to Hadley Street.
Crossing Hadley Street.
Whittier knows about Coronavirus and the damage it can do to people.
On the way to Bailey Street and Gregory Avenue.
We crossed Gregory Avenue and are walking beside Whittier High School.
On the way to Philadelphia Street.
Crossing Philadelphia Street.
We walked past the Whittier Dog Park on the way to Penn Street.
Crossing Penn Street.
We stopped at Citrus station, which highlights Whittier's early agricultural history of citrus growing and shipping.
On the way to Mar Vista Street.
We are ready to cross Mar Vista Street.
On the way to Sycamore Station which is the station that has something to do with railroads. Near the Five Points intersection, Sycamore Station recognizes native California Sycamore trees and describes the history of surface transportation in Whittier, from wagons and trains to the railroad and the early automobiles that traveled along the path of a pre-Whittier Boulevard and the Camino Real. The old railroad "Salt Lake Route" logo is displayed and the unique mid-20th century teenage phenomenon of "cruising Whittier Boulevard" on Friday and Saturday nights is memorialized.
A Pacific Electric information board.
The Salt Lake Route emblem cast in stone and two pieces of track.
Transportation Timeline.
Rails and Roads.
Let's Take A Trip.
Elizabeth and Marty at the sign.
Marty and the author at the sign. From here we walked to the highlight of this trail.
The highlight is the crossing of Whittier Boulevard on the old Union Pacific bridge.
Looking east to where would continue to walk for a short distance.
A view looking back.
The view looking east.
Marty and Elizabeth.
The trash can is where would turn around as it would be easy to remember when we came back in the future.
We walked past the trash can.
Marty and Elizabeth at our turn-around point for this day.
The San Gabriel Mountains on the way back to the car. We knew we would return, but did not know when. On our way home, we took Marty to the Union Pacific wooden station we had previously found in Whittier then drove back to Santa Ana.
7/22/2021On this morning, we picked up Marty and I drove us back to Whittier and parked on Mills Avenue at the east end of the Greenway Trail.
The view looking west to where we would walk.
Looking back to Mills Avenue as we started our walk.
We did have far to go to find the next station.
Oak Station which describes Whittier's founding as a Quaker colony and traces the community's growth from a small agricultural-based community to the thriving urban/suburban community it is today.
We continued to walk west but I had to divert to show you something to south.
The Pacific Electric Fullerton line still exists and is now used by the Union Pacific.
The view looking west down the trail.
There is artwork and exercise equipment that people use along the trail.
The former Pacific Electric line.
On the way to the next crossing.
Getting ready to cross Gunn Avenue.
On the way to Calmada Avenue.
Crossing Calmada Avenue.
On the way to Laurel Avenue.
The mile markers are larger on the eastern end than on the west end of the trail.
The rest of the way to Laurel Avenue.
Crossing Laurel Avenue.
Views as we walked to Painter Avenue.
On the way to Greenleaf Avenue.
On the way to the trash can that was our destination on our first trip.
Elizabeth and Marty have now completed the 4.5 mile Whittier Greenway Trail.
Elizabeth and I having completed the walk along the former Union Pacific Railroad.
Marty and I having completed the walk. We walked back to the car and I drove us back to the apartment on surface streets.
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