South El Monte has 16 acres of parks, 0.8 for every 1,000 residents
75% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 0.5 miles of mapped trail cross South El Monte, 0.2 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 26% of U.S. towns · #720 of 847 in California. What drives it
How much outdoors does South El Monte have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, South El Monte is ahead of 26% of U.S. towns, #720 of 847 in California. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Shiveley Park, with 0.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Mary Van Dyke Park
16 conserved acres
1% of South El Monte’s land. Who manages South El Monte’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiveley Park Local Park | Town or city | 6 | Restricted |
| New Temple Park Local Park | Town or city | 6 | Restricted |
| Mary Van Dyke Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
| South El Monte Senior Center Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 1 | Restricted |
| Whittier Narrows Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 1 | Open |
| Civic Center Community Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Closed |
1 places to go in South El Monte
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
2 named trails
1.8 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
The best walking months in South El Monte: April to June
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.1 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.3 | 9.9 |
| High (°F) | 69 | 70 | 72 | 75 | 77 | 82 | 88 | 89 | 88 | 82 | 75 | 68 |
| Rain (in) | 3.7 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 2.4 |
August is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 3.8 inches fall in February, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in South El Monte →
South El Monte and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Questions about parks and trails in South El Monte
Where can I hike in South El Monte?
The longest trail networks: Shiveley Park, 0.2 miles; Mary Van Dyke Park, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of South El Monte is conserved land?
1% of its land, against a typical 4% for a California town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on South El Monte’s trails?
Shiveley Park and Mary Van Dyke Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in South El Monte?
1.8 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.4 of painted or protected lanes, 0.2 of off-road paths and 0.2 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near South El Monte?
16,234 acres of parks and open public land lie inside South El Monte or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 18 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does South El Monte have?
Ahead of 26% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #720 of 847 in California. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from South El Monte neighbors.
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →