Cynthia Robertson

San Diego Experience

Maple Canyon a Jewel of Nature in Urban Setting

Pleasant Hiking Experience in Uptown San Diego
By Cynthia Robertson
Posted on Apr 07 2008
Last updated Apr 14 2008

San Diego County is blessed with many finger canyons lacing throughout the urban areas. Maple Canyon, one of those fingers, starts at the bottom of the hill in the Midtown area of San Diego surrounded by development on all sides. Native sage-scrub and chaparral vegetation share space with eucalyptus, pepper and palm trees. Bright orange and yellow nasturtiums and other spring wildflowers nod in the breeze at the hiker. Growing in the canyon is also a somewhat disliked stand of giant cane, which many different environmental groups have tried to tear out.

The canyon, which is a marvel regardless of the invasive plants, is now a dedicated city park. Beginning at the end of Maple Street, two blocks east of Reynard Way, Maple Canyon Open Space Park leads the hiker up a wide, smooth path. Traveling up the canyon floor, the hiker will come upon a surprising architectural beauty—the 104-foot-high First Avenue bridge, built under the Improvement Act of 1911. Under the bridge is a fine spot to meditate on the interlacing of urban life with nature.

Birds flit from tree to flower to tree. The hiker will see the fly-catching Black Phoebe and House Finch, whose tiny body trembles as he belts out a rapturous song.

After another half mile, the equally historic Quince Street footbridge stretches out over the canyon. On the left is a steep path, connecting to 3^rd Avenue and onto the footbridge.

Built in 1905, this trestle connected the Bankers Hill neighborhood to the streetcar that ran along Fourth Avenue. Bankers Hill became good development potential when the streetcar first began this route in 1892.

Walking the footbridge over the canyon offers a glimpse of San Diego’s elegant skyline with the jet planes soaring in to land at Lindbergh Field.

The whole canyon-city experience is unique to San Diego. San Diego Canyons Campaign, a conservation campaign of the Sierra Club, San Diego Chapter, helps to preserve the canyons. Together, the members work to protect, restore and preserve the city’s urban canyons. Like the beaches and the mountains, canyon lands are integral to San Diego’s unique character. The Sierra Club Canyons Campaign offers free guided tours of these green oases such as Maple Canyon. Topics include native plants, water quality, endangered species, geology and human history of the canyon or creek.

In “San Diego: An Introduction to the Region,” Philip Pryde remarks that although the internal circulation of traffic is interrupted by the series of canyons, the city is blessed with the feeling of openness because of these natural green spaces. Canyons are also vital to our air and water quality.

About the author: Cynthia Robertson is a freelance writer based in San Diego.
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