Friends of Gonzales Canyon improves trail in Carmel Valley

Thanks to donors to the Friends of Gonzales Canyon, a trail improvement project has been completed around the Torrey Highlands Dog Park behind Torrey Pines, across from the canyon trailhead.

According to Eric Bowlby of San Diego Canyonlands, this project was needed to improve safety and separate trail users from the off-leash dog park area. The contractor that built the fence said “...at least 20 people approached us to ask what we were doing. Once we explained, every person was excited and grateful for the improvements.”

In addition to the Gonzales Canyon donors, the Friends group would also like to thank the city’s Open Space Rangers and Maintenance Assessment District Committee for their work to make the project happen.

The Friends group has received funding from the Coastal Conservancy to continue stakeholder planning workshops this year to develop plans to promote canyon access, restoration, conservation, environment-based education and ecologically sensitive recreation.

The group also hopes to build on a solid year of stewardship of the trails in 2015—there were numerous community clean-up events and lots of help from local Girl Scout Troop 1360, who among other things helped install new trail signage.

The next stewardship event will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon, meeting at the Sword Way trailhead at Winstanley Way. For more information or to sign-up for the event, visit sdcanyonlands.org/events-calendar.