Tecolote Canyon
Tecolote Canyon is a sentimental favorite of mine, as I grew up near it. The word Tecolote means “owl”, but you don’t see many owls there these days. The park is about 900 acres and about six miles of hiking trails.
Tecolote Canyon is a park owned by the city, and work is being done to bring it back to its original natural state. It’s quite a challenge. Much of the canyon has homes overlooking it, and many have ice plant growing to help in case of a fire.
You have to watch out for rattlesnakes and poison oak when hiking Tecolote Canyon. Those aren’t the only hazards, but there are the ones most commonly faced. You can see other wildlife in there. Coyotes can be quite a problem for homeowners along Tecolote Canyon as well.
You can see plenty of more harmless wildlife as well. There are quail, hummingbirds, sparrows, jays, hawks and other birds. You can see raccoons, possums, rabbits, squirrels, skunks and other wild animals. There are a variety of snakes and lizards, some harmless, some not.
You can go hiking in Tecolote Canyon. Parts are quite lovely. The area I grew up near had a stream running through it… a very, very small creek, of the sort that children can easily cross. However, even in dry weather the creek kept running.
If you enjoy hiking, there are regular nature walks scheduled at Tecolote Canyon. You can go on these walks most Saturdays and some Sundays. You can check the schedule for hikes that might be of interest to you.
Tecolote Canyon is not all about hiking. There’s a Tecolote Canyon Golf Course as well. It has some interesting challenges, being in a canyon.
There are several public entrances to Tecolote Canyon:
- North Clairemont Recreation Center
- Mount Etna Park
- Brundage Avenue
- Marlesta Drive
- Boyd
- Osler (near Linda Vista Recreation Center)
- Kelly Street Park
- Via Las Cumbres
- Tecolote Canyon Nature Center