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The 1.2-mile trail which runs between Rancho Road and Edwards Street, fondly known by the locals in Huntington Beach as Monarch Nature Trail, has become the city’s newest open space recreation area. Located on the former Navy railroad right of way in North Huntington Beach, the corridor which goes through Westminster was built during World War II (circa 1944) and was used to supply the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station. The rail line transported munitions to the base during Desert Storm in 1990. It was mostly idle after that and in 2010, when the weapons station stopped using its internal rail system to move munitions, the line was abandoned and the tracks were deleted.
Local resident Dan Jamieson, who co-founded the Monarch Trail with neighbors whose homes back up to the property, organizes a monthly clean up event along the trail on the first Saturday of each month from 9am to 11am.
“It’s been a long time coming, and we’re thrilled it’s finally come to fruition,” he said. “We now can enhance the property and look forward to the public enjoying this treasure.”
Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns said he’s been eyeing this property for years for the city to acquire. “I brought the idea first to City Manager Travis Hopkins and then we got City Attorney Mike Vigliotta involved,” he said. “Within three weeks of the idea being brought to the City Manager, the City Attorney had the property signed over. It will officially be put to community use quickly. “
Westminster resident Eric Ochoa lives near the trail and said he’ll be using it again. “My friend, Chris, told me to explore it and I rode my e-bike through the Monarch trail. True to the name, I saw two beautiful Monarch butterflies,” he said.
Learn more on the trail at: https://zippyandpeep.wixsite.com/monarchnaturetrail. E-mail monarchnaturetrail@hotmail.com with questions.
