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Arroyo Seco

Nature & parks
In Los Angeles, California
0.1 mi from Route 66

The Arroyo Seco is a seasonal river, canyon and watershed that runs for close to 25 miles through Los Angeles County, CA, passing less than a mile off the old road. Its Spanish name means dry stream. Gaspar de Portolà gave it that name because its canyon held less water than any other he had seen, and the corridor remains an important cultural area for the region.

What is Arroyo Seco?

The Arroyo is several things at once: a stream that often runs low, the canyon it has carved and the whole area that drains into it. During his expedition, Portolà met Chief Hahamog-na, also spelled Hahamongna, of the Tongva people who lived in the area.

Visiting Arroyo Seco: tips

Think of the Arroyo as a corridor rather than a single spot. Chavez Ravine is about 0.8 miles away, and Heritage Square Museum, an open-air museum of old buildings, is about 1.2 miles off. After a dry summer, expect little or no water in the channel.

Practical info

On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Arroyo Seco

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Philippe's
Los Angeles, CA · 1.5 mi from Arroyo Seco
A downtown Los Angeles restaurant running since 1908 that claims to have invented the French dip sandwich.
Diner & restaurant
Fair Oaks Pharmacy
South Pasadena, CA · 5.0 mi from Arroyo Seco
A 1915 pharmacy with an old-fashioned soda fountain, on the corner where Route 66 ran down Fair Oaks Avenue.
Diner & restaurant
Twohey's
South Pasadena, CA · 5.2 mi from Arroyo Seco
A 1950s-style diner in South Pasadena, founded in 1943 and known for a burger called the Little Stink-O.