Open Space in the Urban Core: Canyons & Trails I Visit in San Diego: Maple Canyon

Maple Canyon

Maple Canyon lies between State Street which turns into Reynard Way on the west in Mission Hills and Fourth Avenue in Hillcrest. But the accessible trail only goes to Third and Redwood where there is a second entrance. There is an entrance at West Maple Street just past State Street and this first half of the trail is the most secluded and quiet where you can feel like you're out in the wilderness, away from the noise and crowds of the urban city that actually surrounds you, and refresh your mind and soul and reconnect with nature. 

Of course, there are some rules that are there to protect the canyon itself and visitors, and to read them please go here  Open Space Canyons and Parklands Rules, but basically they are just common sense stuff like No Littering, No Damaging or Removing Natural Resources, No Fires or Overnight Camping, etc.. While it doesn't say it in the link provided here, some trails do prohibit unleashed dogs and Maple Canyon is one of them, though as I often see in San Diego, few dog owners care about that. Most canyons and other parks are open sunrise to sunset, unless otherwise posted. It may be a good idea not to be in a canyon or on any trail in urban San Diego after dark, especially if you are alone. 

I'm sorry to say this, but good luck finding parking, as most of it is on the street and very hard to find in such a dense area. There are some parking lots and garages, but expect to pay top dollar for them. If you live in San Diego or are just visiting, the best thing to do is walk, ride a bike, or take the #MTS. The #11 bus goes up First Avenue and from there you can walk west down Laurel Street about 6 blocks to State, then one block north on State to West Maple Street, then right (or east) there straight just a few blocks to the canyon's entrance. It should only take about 20 minutes at most. Or you can take the #11 to First Avenue and Quince Street then east on Quince to Third, left (north) on Third to the entrance on you right. The trolley will drop you off at the Middletown Station then it is just a 20 minute walk south on California Street to Laurel Street, left (east) on Laurel a few blocks and under the freeway to State then State left (north) to West Maple and right (east) on West Maple to the trail. 

The Third and Redwood Street entrance.

An open and quiet area on the western side near West Maple Street.

While walking up the trail, I felt so relaxed and at peace amongst the quiet nature, hearing mainly birdsong and the fallen leaves and branches crushing under my feet as this was Fall. The sounds of cars on the nearby roads and freeways, jets landing and taking off at the nearby airport, and of people doing yard work at their homes; lawn mowers, weed whackers, etc. only occasionally pierced the air and woke me up from out of my dream state of being out in the mountains or countryside. Along the way, even in Autumn when most vegetation was losing its color and aura in preparation for Winter, I could still smell the mix of native sage-scrub/chaparral vegetation and the nonnative eucalyptus trees and palm trees.

Below is video of my Maple Canyon exploration. It is sort of long, about a half hour, but you may enjoy it, and you may also jump around to different parts of it. 

To see more of these pics here go to 500px, and see more of my portfolio at 500px, Forteography.com, and ViewBug. To purchase a gift idea or promotional items for your business like coffee mugs, T-shirts, postcards, business cards, and more, go to my Zazzle e-store and REDBUBBLE. And don't forget to click on an AdSense sponsor or other sponsor with no pressure to buy as I get paid per click, and/or partner with me by making a donation. Thank you!

Video: