Madrona Marsh Preserve Hike in Torrance

The Madrona Marsh, in the middle of Torrance, is one of the last vernal wetlands remaining in the South Bay area of Southern California. With a few miles of hiking trails, it is a great spot to get a little open space time right in the middle of the city. I was surprised by how many different species of birds I saw while walking around, especially considering there was a Target right across the street. Here is all the information so you can check out this unique spot.

Details

  • Free
  • ~1 mile
  • Location: 3201 Plaza del Amo, Torrance, CA 90503
  • This information is from my visit in 2017
  • You can see a full itinerary for a visit to Torrance here

Getting There

Madrona Marsh is in the middle of Torrance, and you can’t miss it when you put the above address into your GPS. It will take you right to the parking lot where you can access the marsh from.

After parking, head across the street to the gate, which will be closed but that you can open during operating hours.

Once inside, you will be whisked away to a beautiful open space area in the middle of the city.

I recommend heading right as that is where the wetlands and most of the wildlife are.

There is a path you can take that goes all around the exterior of the marsh, and there are little spurs off it to get closer to the water as well.

It is weird to be walking right next to cars driving along the road, but surprisingly it doesn’t scare the birds and other wildlife in the marsh.

We found one pool that was covered in moss, but as you got closer, you could see little crawfish/lobster type things coming out of the water. It was interesting to see creatures like this in the marsh.

Heading around to the backside, there is a small bridge to cross over the water and out of the wetlands. From there, you will basically be walking through the surrounding dry area, completing the loop.

This part isn’t as impressive, but it is still lovely to walk through in the middle of the city.

I enjoyed my short time at the Madrona Marsh. I love that these types of areas are being preserved in our cities, and I encourage you to check it out if you are visiting Torrance. Let me know what you think below.

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