Temescal Creek Park Entrance

Were there really coho and sockeye salmon in Temescal Creek? Yes, salmon ran up the year-round larger creeks of Temescal, Sausal, Strawberry, and Codornices Creek. With each of these creeks completely or partially culverted (put in pipes), natural creek beds that would allow for the passage of fish as well as areas appropriate for egg laying are long gone. Dirty stormwater, often containing fish-killing chloramine, now drives water down the creek, making it functionally inhospitable for aquatic life. Also long gone are the grizzly bears that hunted for salmon here and fertilized large swatches of land with their salmon-filled poop.

The park itself was restored in 2013 and is placed directly over Temescal Creek which now runs underneath it.