Help Shape the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument: Your Input Needed at Upcoming Public Meetings!

Bike Train riders at El Encanto Wilderness Park.

The United States Forest Service will be conducting a series of public meetings next week to gather input for the management plan for the newly designated San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. 

As a member of the San Gabriel Mountains Forever campaign, BikeSGV has been actively involved as a voice for people who bike and use public transit in the San Gabriel Mountains. We strongly support the development of public transit links from the San Gabriel Valley to the national forest, which is currently only accessible by private automobile. A "Transit-to-Trails" shuttle service could be piloted on weekends and holidays to provide SGV residents access to park sites, trail heads, camp sites, and other amenities along Highway 39/Azusa Canyon.

Why should you care about these issues? The San Gabriel Mountains cover 70% of LA County's open space! Many low-income communities in the San Gabriel Valley are park-poor and suffer from health disparities because of this. Improving access to the San Gabriel Mountains is a relatively simple, tangible way we can address this problem, introduce residents to the beauty of our natural environment, and educate the public about their continued importance for our health and well-being. As part of our Bike Train route, we ride up the San Gabriel River and stop at El Encanto River Wilderness Park at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. To improve access to and within the mountains for people on bikes, it is vital that we engage in the ongoing management process.

Your voice and opinion is very important to ensuring the needs of the local community will be reflected in the USFS' final management plan. Please join us at one of the upcoming meetings or provide comment online here.

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Bike Train riders on the San Gabriel River bike trail.

Upcoming USFS Public "Open House" Meetings

GLENDALE
June 22, 4-8 p.m.
Pacific Community Center 
501 S. Pacific Avenue
Glendale, CA 

GLENDORA
June 24, 4-8 p.m. 
Glendora Public Library 
140 S. Glendora Avenue
Glendora, CA

DOWNTOWN LA
June 25, 3-8 p.m. 
Pico House 
424 N. Main Street 
Los Angeles, CA 

If you can't make it to the meetings, submit a comment online here.