Azusa, California
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Azusa is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 44,712.
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Geography
Azusa is located at 34°7'50" North, 117°54'25" West (34.130657, -117.906869)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.1 km² (8.9 mi²). 23.1 km² (8.9 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 44,712 people, 12,549 households, and 9,298 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,939.7/km² (5,023.7/mi²). There are 13,013 housing units at an average density of 564.5/km² (1,462.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 52.35% White, 3.78% Black or African American, 1.31% Native American, 6.14% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 30.52% from other races, and 5.73% from two or more races. 63.79% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 12,549 households out of which 43.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% are married couples living together, 17.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% are non-families. 18.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.41 and the average family size is 3.90.
In the city the population is spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 15.5% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 15.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 27 years. For every 100 females there are 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $39,191, and the median income for a family is $40,918. Males have a median income of $30,845 versus $26,565 for females. The per capita income for the city is $13,412. 18.8% of the population and 15.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.9% of those under the age of 18 and 10.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Recreation
The City of Azusa, California provide a number of recreational facilities however the most widely used recreation site is Crystal Lake that's actually located in the Los Angeles forest 25 miles generally North of Azusa. Highway 39 -- Azusa Blvd. -- which runs through the middle of Azusa becomes a two-lane highway at the base of the San Gabriel foothills which then winds through canyons to Crystal Lake located some 25 miles away -- with an altitude gain of some 4000 feet.
Recreational bicycle riders are very common on Highway 39 which parallels the San Gabrief River, passing by a number of dams and locks maintained by the local water districts. (Bike riders must share the road with motorized vehicles which often drive unsafely.)
The highway passes East Fork Road on the right after approximately 10 or 11 miles.
At around the 26 mile marker there is an extensive off road vehicle access center run by the Forest Service. (This is a fees area which is closed on Sundays.) Starting at around mile marker 28 is where parking usually begins however a California Adventure Pass must be purchased to legally park along the canyon highway (though few people purchase them.) The first series of parking areas have immediate access to the river and as such the area is typically very crowded and polluted.
Higher up along mile marker 31 thrrough 33 there's more difficult access to the river, requiring a bit of a hike resulting in few humans and generally less litter the higher up one travels (actual litter appears to end at around the 33 mile marker.) Numerous burned-out cabins line the river at this point; the Williams Fire came through here as well as the Curve Fire, both of which took place in the late 1990's.
At around the 31 mile marker, the river splits into two with the higher volume of water splitting off generally toward the North and the lower volume of water splitting off toward the North East. The water from the river at around mile marker 31 is clear and drinkable -- this reviewer has drunk from the San Gabriel River numerous times over the past 20 years with no ill effect.
Bicyclists who like to bike and/or camp at night can do so along the river however the ground is typically rocks but with small areas of sand and dirt that can be made comfortable. There are no lights so it can get very dark at night. There is no fire allowed so cold camps are required except when Coleman gas stoves are specifically allowed by signs on the way up the canyon.
Riding a bike without a light on the highway at night is something that a number of people who frequent the canyons above Azusa do and along highway 39 it's fairly common to have bikers carefully coming down the mountain at high speeds in the dark without lights.
This review does not recommend camping at night during the local hunting season (mid October through November) since people randomly shoot firearms into the hills at night, not suspecting that people camp and hike along the highway or in the hills.
External links
- Azusa official website (http://www.ci.azusa.ca.us/)
- Azusa Chamber of Commerce (http://www.azusachamber.org/)