Mention Glen Canyon to most folks in the Bay Area and they say they’ve never heard of it. I hadn’t either until a few years ago when my husband and I moved to the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco.

Nestled between the neighborhoods of Glen Park, Miraloma Park and Diamond Heights, Glen Canyon Park offers a real canyon, impressive rocky outcroppings, red-tailed hawks, and an urban refuge for humans and frolicking dogs alike.

Whether you’re in the mood for an easy stroll on flat ground or a heart-rate boosting climb up and down hills, Glen Canyon’s your ticket. Comprising over 70 acres, this park provides plenty of room for you and your dog to explore. Hiking trails trace the canyon floor, run along both sides of Islais Creek and zig zag up the hillsides. In the evenings you’ll find neighborhood residents and their dogs, eager to play. In the spring, folks bring their binoculars to marvel at baby owls in their nests.

Though this is officially an on-leash park, the vast majority of the dogs that visit roam freely off-leash. Most dogs I’ve seen here are well-behaved with good dog-dog social and play skills.

Beside the fact I can always count on my dog getting a good workout here, my favorite thing about Glen Canyon is its serenity. Even on weekends when the park is most heavily used, it never feels crowded. Whether you’re walking through tall stands of eucalyptus, watching hawks wheel and soar overhead, or sitting atop a high boulder, in no time, peacefulness will wash over you.
 
And your dog will get to pretend he’s an honest-to-goodness mountain dog as he scampers up and down the hills!
 
The main park entrance is on Elk Street at Chenery, where there’s lots of street parking. Doggy water fountains are next to the tennis courts near the Elk entrance. Do keep your dogs out of planting areas and tennis courts, and off of athletic fields. Most of all, have fun.

Photo Credit: Mdoeff, LisaM, ejbSF

Posted: November 15, 2008