I highly recommend taking a photo of the trail located at each trailhead. While it isn't a long hike, it can get confusing and Google Maps doesn't have a good trail so far. Maybe Alltrails but I am not an avid hiker to use that lol Be prepared for multiple elevation changes (minor and major) and spectacular views of the peninsula. Easiest (and fastest) way to get to the top/ labyrinth is via the trailhead on Loma Rd! read more

Eaton Park - Trailhead on Loma Rd (closest to labyrinth) is between two homes - Parks Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Relatively quick hike. I have been here twice and both times it was not too crowded. I like how you can choose one way to go up and a different way to go back down vs having to go back the same way. The view on top is calming and there are at least three benches so you can soak in the view. read more

Eaton Park - Parks Near Me - San Carlos, California

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I hadn't been here in several decades since I was a kid. It seems much smaller now and not much of a hike up the hill to the top. The view of the peninsula and the bay is very nice. Parking is pretty limited at the Eaton Ave trailhead. read more

Eaton Park - Parks Near Me - San Carlos, California

"Small, Hilly Park with Cute Bridges + Lots of Steps + Low Branches to Whack you in the Head" There are several entrances to this park, along neighborhood developments. I parked on Appian Way, which had ample, free parking. There is a steep staircase going up to the main trail. These steps reminded me of the start of the Dipsea trail in Mill Valley. Throughout the park, there are a series of steps. There are also lots of cute little pedestrian bridges, especially on the trail called "Four Bridges." Imaginative name. Due to all of the steps, this is probably not a great running park. I did not see any other runners the entire time I was here. Maybe they got hit in the head by a branch, and learned their lesson. I printed off a map before I arrived, which was good, because there are no maps at the trailheads. I wish they would have maps at the trailhead, like East Bay Parks does. I thought the trails were mostly well marked; however, there were several places where the branches could easily hit someone in the head. This was surprising. So be careful. I don't think I was hit in the head more than once or twice. So overall, a good visit. Not one of my favorite parks, but okay. Keep in mind there is no water or facilities in this park, nor at the neighboring park, Big Canyon Park. However, there are facilities and water at Crestview Park, nearby. read more

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Such a beautiful place and tranquil on the weekdays. My doggie and I were looking for a new place to get our steps in and this was perfect. Pros: Some good steep hills and switchbacks. Decent workout for my maltese mix. Gorgeous vistas of the Bay and the canyons, with benches in all the prime spots. Good shade in parts with sunny spots Dogs allowed! Keep em on a leash and pick up -- it is really clean and I'd love to see it stay that way. Garbage cans around - able to get rid of pet waste responsibly Nice quiet spots to stop and reflect, benches in all the right places Connects to a couple other parks, excited to try these out. Easy parking at the multiple entrances. I came in through the Loma Rd entrance which enters through an alley behind a very nice house and goes behind their fenced backyard. The Brittan ave side connects to Big Canyon after you cross a road, and that connects to Crestview. Close to the 280 for access, and near other parks like Edgewood and Pulgas Ridge. Cons: Short trail system. I felt like either you were going down / up steep switchbacks or getting dumped out of the park onto the road. Wind was brutal at summit points. Some areas very close to residential so not as "natural" feeling, and might not be the greatest for loud kids since some of these trails run VERY close to people's homes and yards. While most parts are pretty tame and it's pretty free of tree roots, some trails are rugged, pebbly or the terrain is not smooth and may be a steep hill. If you are walking with small children, exert caution. read more

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Came here for a short Sunday hike with our face masks. The trail is a little narrow in some areas so it's a good thing that everyone we passed by was wearing their face masks. A nice easy hike with lots of shade from the trees. It's about a 2 mile hike but you can make it longer by going on the different trails. When you're on the trail, you no longer feel like you're in the suburbs. You get a nice view of the peninsula when you get to the top. There is also a few benches and a brick labyrinth. read more

Eaton Park - Parks Near Me - San Carlos, California

Tl;dr Great little hiking spot in the neighborhood for those looking to get exercise for an hour, while still getting some good views. Plenty of street parking between Eaton and Big Canyon Park. A loop around the entire area is about 1.7 miles and takes about an hour (Eaton to 4 Bridges to Vista to Eaton). There are areas of steady incline so I would rate the hike as mild to moderate (probably more of the latter). There's plenty of shade for the majority of the trails, which is nice. You do get great views of the Bay as well. Trails are a bit narrow so you may need to stop to let people pass by. For those interested, you can include Big Canyon Park to your itinerary for a longer hike. read more

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Love this park. Looks like there are couples of entry points. We took the one from Loma Road. You park on the street and enter the park by crossing and going through a space between 2 properties. It has a small sign of Eaton Park. Once you are in, you can see the park is behind the house backyard. You will see a round brick formation and a nice view. There are 2 entry ways to start the hike. The hike is medium with up and down trails. You need to pay attention to the sign. Looks like you can not go in a loop to come back to this side. Most of the paths are dirt road and not that narrow. Some paths have stairs and small bridges. One path it is called 4 bridges. 3 bridges anre next to each one and another one is not in far distance. Some of the paths are shaded, so it is not too hot in the summer. It is pretty dry a long the path with plants turned brown and dry. There are many birds and lizards. I saw hummingbirds and other birds. It is not a huge park, but it is good for short hiking. You might need to bring water to get hydrated. Based on the signs a long the hiking trails look like there are 3 entries point from different streets. read more

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another lovely park in san carlos! i've been here twice and enjoy the variations in trails getting to the top/summit. there are many signs, so hard to get lost, but you might end up taking a slightly different route to get to your destination each time since there are so many branch offs. my usual route is 2-3 miles roundtrip. the summit actually has a labyrinth for visitors to enjoy, meditate. and if you're not into labyrinths, you can sit on one of the benches and just enjoy the views of san carlos, belmont, san mateo and surrounding areas. on a clear day, you'll be able to see sf! there are no water fountains or restrooms, so plan ahead of time. there is quite a bit of shade here, so it's quite pleasant even in the warmer months. i recommend parking on brittan avenue, free street parking, and walking to the park's main entrance. just don't forget your emergency brake on this hilly road! read more

Eaton Park - view from the top - Parks Near Me - San Carlos, California

Eaton is a smaller county park located in Redwood City. It can only be accessed by residential streets. I generally park at Tramanto Drive in Redwood City to start the 4 Bridge Trail. I usually take the 4 Bridges Trail to Eaton Trail to connect Eaton Park to Big Canyon Park. I love that you can walk from Eaton Park to big Canyon by taking the trail system. If you get really adventurous, you can actually take Eaton Park to Big Canyon to Crestview Park. I do that by taking 4 Bridges Trail to Eaton Trail, crossing Brittan Ave to get to Harold Drake Trail to Tank Trail, crossing the street and ending at Crestview park. If you do this as an out and back hike, it's 2.1 miles. If you want a longer walk, I suggest taking more trails at Big Canyon Park. Eaton Park is really beautiful and has lots of amazing covered trails. read more

Eaton Park - Map of Eaton Park Hikes. - Parks Near Me - San Carlos, California

This neighborhood park is a hidden gem. Literally, it is hidden behind residential homes. All the trails are interconnected, so you will eventually find your way back regardless of which path you take. There are multiple switchbacks and steps, but still a relatively easy hike. Paths are partially to mostly shaded, so it's a cool walk. The view of the bay is expansive -- you can see both the San Mateo Bridge and Dumbarton Bridge, and everything in between. Cellular signal even works here, so you can follow the trails on the AllTrails app if you are anal enough to want to follow an exact path. read more

We came here after our Big Canyon hike, which was across the road. Lovely park with plenty of shade too. As you reach the top, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see a labyrinth and a few benches to enjoy the gorgeous views. Noticed some benches and bridges along this hike. Pretty quiet and empty, with only 2 to 3 other hikers along the way. Worth visiting fir the labyrinth and views. read more

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This is a great park but as of March 2019 there's ticks that are carrying what's called tick paralysis. I didn't realize this was a thing but if you get a tick attached to you it can cause physical paralysis this happened to my dog, as soon as the tick was removed he was better. Watch out for them if you go up there look out for ticks and if your dog is showing some pain and tiredness make sure to look very closely for ticks because they can die from it. The ticks are very very small. read more

Beautiful view! Beautiful houses and beautiful trail! Good for dogs and kids. Its not a hard hike and it feels safe. I would definitely would love to do it again. read more

Don't' want to travel too far, but need a quick escape from civilization? ...maybe just to breathe in the smell of earth, grass, loam, bay trees, or just get a bit of fresh air? Eaton Park might be your uber-local solution. Eaton is a very small but surprisingly nice park, consisting of a few wooded hills tucked into a San Carlos suburban neighborhood. On my first visit here I was quite impressed. It's much better maintained than water dog park, which....let's face it...is a bit scrappy. Lots of reviewers complain of poison oak at Eaton, but I saw only a little bit. Water Dog, Big Canyon and Edgewood Park have more, being more exposed. Besides; there's a simple solution: stay on the trail, people! It's a smallish park, to be sure; less than a mile across, but there are enough meandering trails to make a decent 2-mile hike. There's a surprisingly nice variety here too: shady mini-canyons, grassy meadows, open vistas, bay with pine, or mixed oak. (No redwoods to speak of, but this is the foothills, after all.) There are are also a generous quantity of California buckeye (a beautiful tree). And weirdly - so much nicer than the suburban park across the street, Big Canyon. But that's another review (http://www.yelp.com/biz/big-canyon-park-san-carlos?hrid=8KyFbMykzN5oXl--EoFQKQ&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)) The most surprising thing for me, though, was the great selection of views from the top of the ridge within the park. Depending on where I stood, I could see down the peninsula, or the port of RWC, or downtown San Carlos, or even San Francisco in the distance. There are four entrances to the park, but the main entrance is on Brittan Ave., about 1.75 miles west of downtown San Carlos. Several reviewers have complained that it's hard to find, but I had no trouble. Just park at the main entrance of Big Canyon Park (on Brittan), and then walk across the street. There's multiple signs and an obvious trail leading uphill. Hiking Spot Checklist: -- Parking: Street-side only -- Bathrooms: No -- Potable water: No -- Maps provided: No -- Highlights: Nice for a suburban park; views at the very top My Peninsula Hike Collection is here: (https://www.yelp.com/collection/qBI6U6Lz9LJQjnGjFW6ubg) read more

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Who rates this park less than 5 stars? Um, spiders are awesome and I haven't seen much poison oak as of late. This park is a treasure as it's tucked into my neighborhood, maintained entirely by volunteers (I think), and connects to Big Canyon. There are trails all over the place and the views at the top are gorgeous. Yes, the trails are a bit narrow in places, but if my klutzy self with two dogs in tow hasn't fallen yet (knock on wood), you'll be fine. Compared to Edgewood, this is like my own private trail system. read more

I found this trail on yelp a few years ago, and it's my favorite go-to hike that's close to home (with 30-60 minute options - I'm a short-distance hiker!). Lots of shade (some open areas but not a ton), varying ups and downs, great views (especially if you go to the top). Main viewing area has been updated recently - the labyrinth was fixed up by volunteers (thank you!), and a couple of very sturdy benches were installed. It can be a moderate to strenuous trail (depending on which paths you take) - my kid has been hiking this trail since she was 3.5 or so (main caution is watching out for falls while going downhill - a hiking stick is useful for kids). This trail would not be good for someone with bad knees. Not too crowded, so it feels more peaceful. I was worried about spiders based on an older review, but I've never seen any (bad eyes?). Several entrances: my usual is to start at the end of Eaton Ave - start of trail is very steep but becomes more manageable soon; couple of options to go up to main viewing area so I vary it depending on how much time/energy I want to spend (30 min vs. 45). Entrance on Brittan Ave (across from Big Canyon park entrance) - if going downhill (east) on Brittan, be careful with your street parking (blind curve around the trail entrance, and people speeeeed on that road); start of trail is steep climb up several flights of stairs; the trail from this entrance is quite loud on weekday mornings with commuters (I feel for Brittan Ave residents - it sounds like a highway!), so bring earphones. I have discovered another entrance further east on a small street off Brittan and will try that out since parking seems safer (no speeding thru traffic). Very grateful to have this gem of a hiking trail hidden in the suburbs so it's a quick escape to nature that I can work into a busy schedule. read more

Tiny park with an amazing view. It's closer to home than Edgewood, but not nearly as nice so I don't come here often. Coming up from the Eaton Ave entrance, if you take the left fork in the trail you end up on a 'trail' that goes straight up the hill with no switchbacks. Great for an intense workout with an awesome view the entire way up, but probably somewhat dangerous if it's rained recently. read more

This is more of a nature walk trail than a hike but there is some elevation. The paths are narrow so it's hard to pass other people but the trails weren't crowded on the weekend. Everyone was wearing masks and socially distancing! read more

Nature's stair-climber machine; is the most accurate description I could think of for the entire park as I experienced it today. During my first visit, I think I may have covered most of the trails. It's not a big park, but it's mighty. Expect some buns of steel if you frequent here often and push yourself up and down those steep inclines! You can see most of the Bay area from the hilltop views, and feel like you're in the shade most of the other parts of the trails from a well-groomed but thick brush. There is easy access from either Eaton, Brittain or Loma Road, take your pick. If you start from Loma, you will more than likely being going down hill from there. I would NOT go here, if you or your trail buddy are looking for a leisurely walk. This is a challenging trail! Like I mentioned... short in distance but challenging! Happy trails... read more

I really love this little urban park tucked into a neighborhood. It is wonderful for a 45 to 60 minute hike. It has several loop trails with some undulation and gorgeous bay views. There is also a labyrinth. Multiple entrances exist giving a different perspective on the park. For a longer hike continue across Brittan Avenue to Big Canyon Park and beyond that to Crestview Park (which has the only bathrooms). I'm always impressed how quickly I feel surrounded by nature and far from the bay area development when I hike here. read more

Can anybody identify the species of tarantulas I found here? I came across two within seconds of one another. They were about palm sized, black, with silver tipped toes. (Refer to uploaded photo.) I am entertaining the idea that they may not be native and were introduced as loose pets. Not a recommended trail for those with arachnophobia. Do mind the abundance of poison oak as pointed out by one reviewer. Be weary if your shoes lack traction as the declines/inclines are topped with loose gravel. read more

Eaton Park - Saw two of these a few feet from each other. - Parks Near Me - San Carlos, California

Great place to take a walk, especially on a hotter day. Lots of trees, some shade, and the climb is short and not too strenuous. I only saw one trail (the climb up), so this may be more of a walk rather than a longer hike. The only downside is that the path is pretty narrow, so it's not ideal to bring dogs here if your dog is reactive. read more

A short hike but beautiful views from atop overlooking the peninsula and even across the water to the east bay. I'll be back in the summer with a tank top on to work on that golden tan of mine...or rosey burn. read more

Beautiful scenic park with entrances on Eaton, Britain, and LaLoma. Not a huge hike, but awesome place to dog walk, BMX, or have a brief (2-3 mile) hike. Crazy gorgeous panoramic views from the top of this trail- to the left Oracle, SFO, San Francisco; to the right, Woodside, Menlo Park, San Jose. To the front- San Carlos, Belmond, Redwood City, to the back, San Carlos, Woodside, 280! read more

Very very small area and TONS of poison oak. I cannot put enough emphasis on the amount of poison oak. Edgewood Park is so close and so much better. read more

I agree it's not as big as Edgewood, however it's a great park. Edgewood gets packed with folk at the weekend, and when I dropped by Eaton today there were only a few folk there. There's enough variety of trails and terrain to keep all but the most extreme hikers happy. Great view, esp for watching the Caltrain plod it's way between Redwood City and San Carlos. Trails are a little steep, but I'd say fine for anyone over the age of 5. I am basing this on a time of year when there's no poison oak showing though. read more