Parks, Recreation and Marine

Information 

(49.6 acres) 

Park Hours:  
Dawn to Dusk

Nature Trail:
Dawn to Dusk  

AGENTS OF DISCOVERY – DeForest Wetlands

Agents of Discovery is an educational mobile gaming platform that uses augmented reality to get youth active outdoors. Missions are free to play and, once downloaded, do not require WiFi or a data connection. Learn about the environment and local wildlife through fun challenges!

Download the Agents of Discovery app on your phone and enjoy our mission at DeForest Wetlands while visiting the wetlands trails!

Amenities 

• Basketball Court 
• Community Center 
• DeForest Wetlands 
• Futsol Courts 
• Pickleball Courts
• Playground 
• Softball Field 
• Sand Volleyball Court 
• Restrooms 

Programs 

• Camp Fire After School Program 
• Agents of Discovery App Game 
• Camp Fire Day Camp 
• Conservation Corps of Long Beach Deforest Park Environmental Education Center

History 

The City owned portion of the park is 15 acres and was improved in 1976 from land acquired as excess property from the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. The park is improved with a small meeting room and staff office, four lighted tennis courts, a handball/racquetball court structure, two playgrounds, two baseball diamonds and two restrooms.  

The remaining 34.91 acres is used as the DeForest Nature trail, which the City uses through a Los Angeles County Flood Control District permit. This is a County detention basis, used to hold floodwaters until the Los Angeles River can accommodate the additional flows. The use permit to use the area was the result of a vigorous grass root community campaign to create the nature area.  

A trail was created through the basin and donated plants installed by volunteer labor. By 2000, the area was overgrown with non-native plants and dry weather runoff from the storm drain system had created trash and vector control problems. A feasibility study was undertaken to see if the basin could be restored as a natural wetland habitat while retaining its flood control function. When the restoration was found feasible in 2004, plans were developed and an Environmental Impact Report certified in 2006. The restored wetlands opened on June 30, 2018 with 34 acres of land opened for public use after the conversion of large areas of overgrown vegetation with exotic species and other areas of completely denuded land devoid of habitat, into a river parkway with freshwater wetlands, wildlife habitat, recreational trails, native plants, and interpretive signage, while retaining flood control and management properties.  Public use includes passive recreational activities, such as bird watching, walking, horseback riding, and educational tours and programs.  

Come visit our DeForest Wetlands site, located adjacent to DeForest Park. At this site, visitors can use their phones to download the free nature discovery app, Agents of Discovery, to play our DeForest Wetlands mission, and for a limited time players can also try the new Smokey the Bear 3.0 mission.

Map To The Park