The Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area is a county park located in Irwindale, California, USA in the San Gabriel Valley and nestled among the gravel quarries in the area, many of which are currently inactive. The San Gabriels produce more gravel than most other mountains. The park is maintained and operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. The park, located off the San Gabriel River Freeway (Interstate 605), contains a 70-acre (280,000 m²) lake for year round fishing and non motorized watercraft.
The dam is a popular tourist attraction as visitors are afforded a view of the San Gabriel Mountains. Recreational activities at the park include swimming(seasonal), fishing, boating(non-motorized), cycling, birdwatching, and hiking. In 2005, the annual Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California was relocated to the park from its long-established location at the Glen Helen Regional Park (home of the San Manuel Amphitheater) in Devore, California. Prior to that it was located on the Paramount Ranch in Agoura, California from 1966 to 1988.
Fish found in the lake include largemouth bass, bluegills, crappie and carp. Rainbow trout are stocked in the cooler months and channel catfish are stocked in the summer months.
Some of the rare plants and wildlife found in the river fan include the alluvial fan sage scrub, cactus wrens, California gnatcatchers, scissor-tail flycatchers, horned lizards and kangaroo rats.
Read more about Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area: Santa Fe Dam Nature Center
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