L.A. River Paddles to Start July 19

Last year's pilot paddle program along the stretch of L.A. River brought together a number of key environmental groups: the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Friends of the Los Angeles River among them.

Some of those same players will help to again bring paddlers through the two-mile stretch starting July 19.

Operating under the name Paddle the Los Angeles River, the Corps now has permission to launch an expanded summer of trips along the lush loop in the San Fernando Valley.

According to Michael Mena of the L.A. Conservation Corps, trips will run through Sept. 29 and be offered three times a day, five days a week.

As KCET's Departures notes,  paddlers enjoyed 260 trips; this year, that number will hit 2,000.

Most will be sold to the public through the Paddle the Los Angeles River website, though some will be held back for students.

Mena said they'll also be sold in waves, rather than a single offering, to increase access.

He recommends liking Paddle the Los Angeles River on Facebook to track when the tickets go on sale.

Last year the two-hour tour cost $50 and sold out in 10 minutes.

No word yet on what this year's journey will cost.

George Wolfe, who led the 2008 journey down the L.A. River that helped open access, is still waiting to hear on whether his proposed paddle program will also be permitted this year.

Wolfe is hoping to offer a slightly different spin.

Some had also hoped the Glendale Narrows might open to trips this year. Efforts are still underway, apparently, but not for this season.

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