The S. Mark Taper Vista Lodge, nature trail and amphitheater facility on the west side of the river make up the sum of the natural beauty of Lakewood's Monte Verde Park. It just might be considered a “jewel” of Lakewood park facilities.

It features the S. Mark Taper Foundation Vista Lodge, (above) a 3,000 square-foot reinterpretation of a classic mountain lodge with exposed beams, "great room" with a fireplace and a wall of windows that provides a panoramic view of the park and covered patio. Beyond this is a landscaped amphitheater and fire ring.

A quarter-mile-long nature trail loops around the perimeter of the park, creating a voyage through several ecosystems representing elements of the native California landscape: an oak grove, a dry creek and a fern dell. The site also offers a landscaped amphitheater and fire ring.