Friends of Maple Canyon

Friends of Maple Canyon

Just a short walk from Balboa Park, Hillcrest or downtown — Maple Canyon is the jewel in the heart of Bankers Hill. A signed trailhead on Third Avenue (just north of the footbridge) leads hikers into the canyon which wends under two historic bridges at Quince Street (built in 1905) and First Avenue (1931). Kate Sessions was responsible for early plantings in this urban treasure located in Park West.

Thanks for helping to keep the canyon clean

Thanks to volunteers from I Love a Clean San Diego and Friends of Maple Canyon dumpsters full of trash have been removed from this beautiful canyon two blocks west of Balboa Park Volunteers have cleaned up several homeless encampments and chopped down invasive bamboo-like plants (arundo) from the north end of this lovely urban canyon.

Thank you sooo much to everyone who pitch in and make a difference. Maple Canyon is now safer as well as cleaner!

Please carry out any trash you find to help keep this canyon clean and safe for all San Diegans to enjoy. For canyon information, call Eric Bowlby SD Canyonlands at (619) 284-9399.

First Avenue (Peoples) Bridge was completely assembled on the floor of its fabrication plant in Ohio before being dismantled and shipped to San Diego.

The best way to enter the canyon is from a steep trail just north of the Quince Street pedestrian bridge on Third Avenue (trail marker can be found in the stand of eucalyptus trees).

You may also enter the canyon off Reynard Way at Maple Street or down a dusty & steep trail descending just west of the First Street bridge or another at the end of Brant (pictured above). It’s a beautiful place for a stroll. Enjoy!!

Thanks, Elinor! Longtime Maple Canyon resident, Elinor Meadows who lived in the large shingled house north of the Quince Street Bridge, saved the structure from permanent closure in the 1980s.