Swinging Single

Hike Poly Canyon to the Serenity Swing

San Luis Obispo's "serenity swing" earns honors for living up to its name and meeting high expectations! The swing hangs from a large, lone oak tree secluded on top of a hill high above Poly Canyon. Reaching it requires hiking up to one of the most (yes) serene settings on the Central Coast. The 3.8-mile (round-trip) route is found behind the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus. The trail begins on a shaded creekside fire road before opening up to Poly Canyon, where a ribbon-like fire road rises through bright green hills dotted with oak trees, and cows. The final push to the summit involves steeper singletrack and a very steep final half-mile. From serenity swing you can see out towards Cuesta Ridge to the east, towering Bishop Peak to the south, and even famous Morro Rock—emerging from the ocean. It's rare to stumble across others at the swing, so you'll most likely be able to enjoy it all to yourself. Even on hot days, the canyon breeze keeps things as cool as the views.

TIP: En route you can make a detour to visit the Poly Canyon Design Village (aka Architecture Graveyard) located on a grassy hillside and featuring geodesic domes and experimental structures by architecture students.

Exit Hwy. 101 at Grand Ave. and head north to the Cal Poly campus entrance. Park for free on weekends. The hike starts at the Poly Canyon fire road at the corner of Village Dr. and Poly Canyon Rd. From the start of the Poly Canyon fire road take the trail about 0.8 mile before seeing the entrance to Poly Canyon Design Village. Veer up to the right and proceed through three marked Cal Poly gates on the fire road before turning left up a steeper singletrack. At around 1.3 miles you'll reach an intersection with a gate on your left and trail to the right, but continue going straight up the very steep final half-mile before reaching the peak and oak tree. Return the way you came. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View