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Hidden Canyon Park

3.8 (12 reviews)

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Ellen L.

this park has a beautiful set of trails that really speak for its namesake. i've now hiked these trails twice and can fully understand why they call it "hidden canyon!" many of the trails have some hidden turnoffs to other trails and if you're not looking carefully, you will miss them! i felt like every major crossing had multiple trails to choose, but many of the paths that appeared to be straight, one-way also had a couple of choices. i realized the slower i went, the more options i saw, and more options = more views of the surrounding areas. speaking of which, at the peak of this trail, john brooks trail, i could see all the way up to sf, the san mateo-hayward bridge, and belmont/san carlos neighborhoods. truly a beautiful view worth pausing for. as far as amenities are concerned, there are no water fountains or restrooms on these trails, however, there is a fair amount of shade, perfect for the warmer spring/summer months. i would highly recommend trail/hiking shoes since the paths are somewhat rugged, most of them were quite bumpy. the hidden canyon parking lot has about 10-12 free parking spaces, but overflow parking can be made along carlmont drive. the parking lot has 1 porta-potty, but no water fountains, so come prepared! highly recommend coming here for a moderately difficult hike as you will be rewarded with the gorgeous views of the bay!

View of downtown San Francisco.
Fanny Y.

We parked on Lake Road and entered the park from the trailhead near there. We started on Lake Road Trail and then to Berry Trail, which was quite an incline. At the intersection of Berry Trail and John Brooks Trail, there were a lot of bees. Once at the top of John Brooks Trail, we saw a great view that spanned San Bruno Mountain, downtown San Francisco, and the San Mateo Bridge. The start of the Elevator Trail was when the trail started to descend - it wasn't bad (as in, I didn't trip over anything or lose my balance). Overall, our route was a little over 2 miles. We encountered a couple of mountain bikers. Some parts of the trails were shaded while others weren't. Four stars because I wish the map had trail distances between junctions to better understand how long each portion is.

Sara W.

This is a nice enough little residential park, but it's not worth traveling to if you're considering that. In an attempt to get away from the smoke in the South Bay, we made a trip up here. A lot of the trails take you right around a neighborhood and sometimes in what feels like people's backyards. I saw a note that the trail signs were getting a makeover, but the signs that were currently there were very unhelpful. Some trail signs were pushed over and we didn't realize until we passed them. Luckily the whole park is pretty small so if you miss a trail, you'll probably still find where you're going. There were two active bee hives while we were there. One was roped off but the other was right in a trail. I enjoyed seeing the hives! Some of the trails are pretty strenuous and straight up hill, so you can get a pretty good workout here. The views are so-so.

Jennifer W.

This is a real hidden gem in Belmont. There is a parking lot, as others have described, but I typically enter through the residential area, on Somerset. I was walking around that nice neighborhood (the flat, new part of Belmont) and discovered the trails by accident. A great review below spells out all of the trails for you. The Good: Beautiful, scenic, low-trafficked trails, very convenient for Belmont residents to enjoy nature right in their backyards (the trails do back up to people's homes). The trails go a good distance, about a 4 mile loop, which is a nice walk. There are steep parts but not too bad. It's not completely flat, but not very strenuous either (even for the elderly). The trails connect to Water Dog Lake, and while Water Dog can be fairly crowded on the weekends, it's pretty empty on these trails all the time. And, unlike Water Dog, you probably won't see any kids. The Bad: My dog has come home with 2 ticks. He's very short-haired, so if you have a longer haired dog, it's probably not a great idea. Some parts of the trails are extremely narrow such that you have to walk single file. While you hardly see other hikers here, there are a good amount of bikers. It's harder to move aside in certain very narrow parts, especially when you have a dog on a leash, but not a big deal if you're not hiking with dogs.

Great view of San Mateo bridge and mt Diablo
John H.

I had lived here for several months before realizing Hidden Canyon and really it's own separate space, connected by the John Brooks Trail to adjacent Water Dog Lake Park. In a nutshell, Water Dog is for dogs and families, while Hidden Canyon is more geared towards Mountain Bikers, Trail Runners, and hikers looking for something short and sweet in the 2-6 mile range. The park consists of 4 main trails: Chaparral Trail - 1.5 mile rolling up and down trail that connects Hidden Canyon to Water Dog, where it merges with the John Brooks trail. There are two tight switchbacks that dip in to small creeks. Can be ridden either direction but I like it going toward Water Dog. Finch Trail - Best mountain bike trail in the park. Flat at the top with some nice little jobs, and a series of tight switchbacks at the bottom that are challenging to make it down. Rambler Trail - Starts at the top of the hill and makes a wide swing near the houses, then ends by splashing in to Canyon Creek. I like it going counter-clockwise, since there's a steep spot near the Brooks / Elevator trails that's about impossible to climb. Canyon Creek / Upper Creek Trails - half-mile trails that run parallel to the creek. Canyon Creek is a very narrow, rough trail that runs inches from the creek and is takes concentration when coming down. Upper Creek is a wider smoother trail good for a cruise down or a challenging ascent. Tip #1 - There's several ways to get to Hidden Canyon other than the Parking lot at the end of Carlmont. I like to start at Lake & Lyall, climb the Lake Road Trail through Water Dog, cross over Hallmark Drive, then take a left Saint James Road and work my way to Somerset court. Follow down the alley and you're on the John Brooks Trail near the start of Rambler. You can also access the Rambler trail near the end of Hallmark drive, or drop in to the Upper Creek / Canyon Creek trails at the end of Hastings drive. Tip #2: Between Hastings Drive and Carlmont High School, there's a separate series of trails on private land. This is the primo spot for downhill riders, and on a good day you'll see them out there and get treated to your own private X-Games show.

From the parking lot

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Twin Pines Park - Looking down from the larger playset

Twin Pines Park

4.0(42 reviews)
1.3 mi

Cute park! Great for kids (playground), picnicking (lots of benches available, tree stumps), and…read moreshort walks. Parking lot is easily accessible. It was fun to see students playing here after school. Not a place I would take dogs or if you're looking to walk several miles. But if you're wanting a brief getaway from the everyday scenery, it's a refreshing nook right next to the bustle of Ralston Ave!

Twin Pines Park is a small local neighborhood park in Belmont that is getting a very big upgrade as…read moreof this review (2025/2026). There is so much work being done, the parks is unrecognizable since my first visit in a good way. They added benches and changed the landscape. There is a creek that flows through the middle, it's go running water since CA is officially no longer in a drought as of this review. Reservations a re available. Hours are form sunrise to sunset. "A lovely, intimate park located in a ravine alongside Ralston Ave north of El Camino in hilly Belmont. The park follows a babbling brook and includes lots of picnic areas and shady places to rest. Located just down Ralston before El Camino Real, Twin Pines is a 19-acre park owned by the city of Belmont, which houses the Belmont Historical Society Museum, Belmont Parks and Recreation, and the Senior and Community Center. The park is frequented by visitors picnicking and people attending various events throughout the year, including free afternoon concerts each Sunday in the summer - Hungarian Heritage Foundation The beautiful Twin Pines Park is home to Belmont City Hall and the Parks & Recreation Department. It is truly a treasure hidden in the middle of the city, where you will find a combination of rental facilities, parks, picnic areas, and short trails. Come explore the creek or simply enjoy a nice day outside with the fresh scents of nature! There is plenty of parking available. Open sunrise to sunset. See the expanded map here or here. Reservations: You can reserve picnic areas such as Buckeye, Redwood, or Meadow. Facility rentals accommodate 25-250 people and include the Cottage, Lodge, Manor, and Senior & Community Center. For the future of the park, check out the Twin Pines Park Master Plan and the Twin Pines Park Tree Succession Plan, a recommendation of the Master Plan. Organized activities (parties, professional photo shoots, meetings, retreats, etc) must make a reservation with the Belmont Parks & Recreation Department. Individual, drop-in use is available when there are no scheduled reservations." - https://www.belmont.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/208/509 Park description and information from the official website.

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Twin Pines Park - 07/31/2025

07/31/2025

Twin Pines Park
Twin Pines Park

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Laureola Park - lots of shade on play structures and from canopies

Laureola Park

4.1(19 reviews)
2.3 mi

Needed to kill some time with my kids before the restaurants opened up on Laurel. Laureola Park was…read moreconveniently located just a few minutes away from Downtown San Carlos. The entrance is down a side alley off of Old County Road so it can be easy to miss. However, once you pull in, there is plenty of parking. There is a big grassy area to run around in and then a playground, separated for little and big kids, but with a connecting gate. Not a huge play structure but good enough for the little ones to burn off some energy. There is also a bathroom located onsite and for a public bathroom, it was pleasantly very well maintained and very clean.

Burning some time with the kids while my wife was finishing up work, cool neighborhood park that…read morewasn't crowded and had a large play area, baseball field, basketball court, and well maintained flat field for children and pet activities. The play area has rubberized floor for safety, tents above the structures for some shade from the harsh cali summer sun, and very light touches of a log-cabin/ wood theme. For younger kids the most dangerous and sometimes fun areas are: -The larger slide, getting to the top is a bit sketchy with a small ladder you have to climb off of to the right instead of straight. The slide itself is almost hilariously tall with lots of bumps and tight curves that seem like they are designed to injure your kid, just look at the pictures. -Wave machine, if your kid is into space and nasa you can get them an early start by jumping on one end of this and launching them into orbit.

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Laureola Park - A polymer log play area

A polymer log play area

Laureola Park - Pretty fun two story slide

Pretty fun two story slide

Laureola Park

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Hidden Canyon Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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