How to Bike the Kern River Parkway in Bakersfield, California
The official city walk of Bakersfield, California, the Kern River Parkway involves thirty miles of bike lane that follows the path of the Kern River from Interstate 5 to the Sierra Nevada foothills. The Parkway is paved with two-way traffic lanes, appropriate road signs, and fairly positioned drinking fountains. The Kern River flows from a northeastward direction, along the north boundary of Bakersfield, and out toward the southwest. Since there are many access points, there are many options to dine at a nearby restaurant or relax in one of several parks. For the most part, the Parkway borders the flood plain of the river, and therefore remains in an environmentally protected area.
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Instructions
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Drive out to Interstate 5 and attempt to bike the entire Parkway. That’s sixty miles round trip. Otherwise stay closer to town and begin at California State University Bakersfield.
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Bike the first leg, the distance between I-5 and the college. The Parkway travels through housing developments and strip malls for several miles.
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Continue the trip, from CSUB, across Coffee Road and along the sand bars of the dry riverbed. In most cases the Kern River dissipates here. Agriculture has redirected the water flow via canals throughout the San Joaquin Valley.
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Follow the Parkway toward Lake Truxton, where it borders a duck filled pond before entering a city park with playgrounds and volleyball nets.
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Approach the two next parks, about a mile away, along a narrow stretch of Parkway, with the river on the left and Truxton Extension on the right. The river usually has water here, due to the popularity of both Yokuts and Beach Parks as a place to wade in and cool off from the summer heat. Those wanting a light ride may opt to return to CSUB at this point.
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Stop at either of these two parks. All the city park amenities are here. Yukuts has Frisbee golf and summer concerts, while Beach has horseshoe pits and a skate ramp.
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Ride on toward Manor Avenue. The Kern River marks the city limits of north Bakersfield in this leg, passing by Sam Lynn Ballpark, home of a Minor League Baseball team, as well as a large floodplain which served as a makeshift camp for the Oklahoma migration of the 1930’s. Manor also makes another good stopping point. It’s quite a distance still to Lake Ming
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Continue east beyond Manor as the Parkway traverses below the Bluffs, where expensive houses offer great views of the Sierra foothills. Horses and their riders may share the route here.
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Stop at Ethel’s Corral, home of the giant Indian, and have some authentic pub grub. The Corral is just off the Parkway. After grubbing, make the trip to Hart Park, the largest county park on the trip.
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Take a few minutes to relax before the last leg. Hart Park has ample picnicking areas, a paddle boat pond, and tamed peacocks on the eastern side. After leaving the park, ride past a huge county soccer complex before reaching the California Living Museum.
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Stop and visit California Living Museum, CALM to the locals, and see exhibits of local wildlife. Of note are the snake room, the predator bird aviary, and the California Black Bear habitat, home of two residents who were rescued from a fire.
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Continue the short distance to the Parkway’s terminus and Lake Ming. The small manmade lake offers great fishing and periodically is home to boat drags. Just up the hill from the lake is Rio Bravo Resort, which has a restaurant and lounge.
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- Photo Credit James Barnett
