By Aleta Walther
With so many sporting amenities, San Gorgonio is one of the most popular city parks in San Clemente. Often referred to as San G., San Gorgonio was one of the top vote getters in the City of San Clemente’s essay contest, Which San Clemente City Park is Your Favorite?
“San Gorgonio Park is really a great park,” wrote Rosa Marie Vasques, 13. “The three things I like about San Gorgonio are the basketball (courts) because they are clean and my family likes to play there; …the soccer field because it is really pretty and is really clean; … the baseball field, there are three, mini-baseball fields.”
San Gorgonio is perched above Interstate 5 at 2916 Via San Gorgonio and offer’s area residents an array of sporting activities, including:
- lighted basketball courts
- lighted baseball and softball fields
- lighted multi-purpose and soccer fields
- unlighted tennis courts
- walking, jogging loop
For more leisurely minded visitors, San Gorgonio Park offers a grassy picnic area with barbecues, tables and benches, a children’s playground with swings, a jungle gym with slides and climbing towers, restrooms and drinking fountains and majestic views of the ocean and distant Saddleback Mountains. There is plenty of parking.
“Every time we visit the park, my family, friends and I climb a massive tree located between the basketball courts, the picnic area’s playground,” wrote Makenzie Sheriff, sixth grade. “It’s fun to dangle your feet from the highest branches to get a view of the ocean.”
Indeed San Gorgonio Park is a popular picnic park. Area families descended upon the park on Easter Sunday leaving little grassy area untouched. The parking lot was full and cars lined up both sides of Via San Gorgonio, from Avenida Vaquero to Calle Vista Torito. Easter egg hunts had children of all ages scavenging throughout the grass, bushes and trees.
“My favorite thing to do at San Gorgonio Park is to play on the swing sets,” wrote Kathryn Ross, 11. “I also like that there is a beautiful picnic area and fun trees to climb around on.”
Park amenities are generally available without charge or reservation on a first-come, first-served basis. If you wish to reserve any part of the park for a wedding, birthday party or other event with 50 or more people or bring equipment to the park such as a bounce house, a permit is required. For more park information, call 949.361.8264.
“San Gorgonio is my favorite park because it has a ‘ginormous’ twister slide,” Rachel Hops, 12 wrote in her essay.
This is the eighth in a weekly series highlighting San Clemente’s parks. The article is provided by the city through its Beaches, Parks and Recreation Department.
