Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park
Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park
Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park recognizes the Anza crossing of Santa Ana River.

The Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park is located near where Anza crossed the Santa Ana River its narrowest point in surrounding area in present-day Riverside, California. The colonizing expedition found this narrow river crossing a quite difficult ford due to deep, fast moving water. They had to improvise a bridge using parts remaining from the earlier Anza exploratory expedition. A cow and a horse were lost in this river which Anza described as "...very crystalline and beautiful." A few cottonwoods were found along the river.

Courtesy of US National Park Service. Meredith Kaplan, Superintendent of Anza National Historic Trail.
Source: US National Park Service