Last week I waxed poetic about the Claremont Farmer's Market. But there's another place that's just as quintessentially Claremont -- the Thompson Creek Trail. It's not rugged (far from it) but it's gorgeous -- and there are horses, goats, and the occasional chicken, which always catch me by surprise in the suburbs. It's pretty year round, but especially nice in "winter" when the hills are green and the mountains snow-capped.
Flat, paved 2.8 mile path = perfect for bikers or lazy people like me.
To be honest, I don't encounter a lot of college students at the Thompson Creek Trail. But that's a shame, because I don't think there's a more relaxing place to spend the afternoon in Claremont -- and I include the idyllic Scripps College orange groves in that statement. There are always joggers, families, and canines out and about, enjoying leisurely perambulations or more intensive workouts.
Gratuitous Louie snapshot! Note dog-height drinking fountain. Claremont, I love you.
During reading season, one of my "rewards" for completing part of my daily quota of admission files is a saunter down the trail with a certain Louis N. Smith.
The Thompson Creek is behind the fence at the left in this photo. I don't quite understand the California obsession with making creek beds of concrete. I mean, I know it's meant to prevent flooding, but the "Creek" is usually completely dry -- even in rainy season.
If you're more adventurous (or don't have a white, fluffy dog who turns brown the minute he steps off a paved trail), the Thompson Creek Trail connects to other trails and parks, like the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park, which is great for mountain biking as well as hiking.
With so many glamorous outdoors options in Southern California -- Joshua Tree, Mt. Baldy, Lake Arrowhead, the beach cities -- it's easy for an unpretentious trail in the small town of Claremont to get overlooked. And that's part of why I like it. It's low-key, it's charming, and best of all, no car required.
Beautiful scenery....and Louie's color perfect for the trail! Is Claremont this way everywhere, or Thompson Creek Trail is a specialty?
ReplyDeleteClaremont is beautiful in all it's different areas. There are a lot of undocumented backyard trails (for horses, bicyclists and walkers, from behind homes) intersecting with this trail.
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