This Easy 1.8-Mile Loop Trail Will Lead You Through A Northern California Canyon
By Lysa Allman-Baldwin|Published April 08, 2022
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Lysa Allman-Baldwin
Author
For over 25 years Lysa Allman-Baldwin has fed her wanderlust for “everything the world has to offer” by passionately writing travel and feature articles for numerous global print and online publications. A Digital Nomad, Lysa is also a professional speaker, workshop facilitator, and author.
If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path mental health respite from the hustle and bustle of the San Francisco Bay Area, you will find it at Glen Canyon Park. From breathtaking scenery to inviting hiking trails and exciting recreational opportunities, it just might be what the doctor ordered! Plus, there is a simple, 1.8-mile loop trail within the park that offers a ton of natural beauty, plus vista views and a bout of fresh air. The Glen Canyon Loop in Northern California is both kid-friendly and dog-friendly, as long as your fur friends are on a leash!
Anyone who knows and loves San Francisco appreciates its wealth of awe-inspiring outdoor recreational opportunities. Among them is Glen Canyon Park. Glen Canyon Park is just one of San Francisco’s awe-inspiring outdoor recreational areas.
Located only about a 25-minute drive from downtown (35 minutes if taking public transportation) between the Monterey Heights and Glen Canyon neighborhoods, the history of Glen Canyon Park dates back to the 1850s when it served the local community in various capacities for almost 150 years.
The Park, which dates back to the 1850s, is nestled between the city’s Monterey Heights and Glen Canyon neighborhoods. In 1992, the city took over, recreating it into an official, 66.6-acre public recreation area now encompassing an expansive recreation center, tennis courts, a day camp building, and other entities.
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Within the park lies Glen Canyon, a beautiful off-the-beaten-path resource area featuring natural wildlife and plant habitats, a free-flowing creek, breathtaking sedimentary rock formations, and an extensive network of inviting trails.
This rugged slice of nature is comprised of Franciscan chert and Franciscan greenstone, which just adds to the marbled beauty. The canyon itself rises up 350-feet above the floor!
One of the most popular is the Creek to Peaks Trail. This easy 1.8-mile loop attracts runners, hikers, and nature observers alike as it meanders through the magnificent canyon landscape peppered with naturally forested slopes, along the way regaling visitors with picturesque postcard-worthy views of the city and greater Bay Area beyond.
The Creek to Peaks Trail is an easy 1.8-mile loop popular with runners, hikers, and nature observers alike
Although open year-round, spring is one of the most popular times to visit when the wildflowers are in full bloom, transforming the area into a profusion of easter-egg hues and captivating fragrances.
While here be sure to pack a picnic meal and bring your binoculars to take in the wide variety of bird species that make their home in the canyon.
Aaaah! Can you smell it? Can you feel it? It’s the breath of life surrounding you after a visit to Glen Canyon Park. Have you ever visited this incredible park before? Did you happen to hike the loop trail? Share with us your thoughts in the comments section! Or if you’re looking for more information about the Glen Canyon Loop in Northern California, then you can check out the AllTrails website.
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