On Friday 6-20-25 we will hike the Reservoir Canyon Loop just South of Cuesta Grade. We will meet in the parking lot at 8:30 AM. This is a very popular hike through cozy winding trails of lush foliage at the start. Normally the Spring growth forms a virtual tunnel of poison oak, but on 5-30-25 Russ hiked the beginning and found that it had all been trimmed back a day or two before providing plenty of clearance. Some of the streams are dry but the picturesque waterfall shown below is running.
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We are going to divide the hike into two parts. The first part is in the SOFT hardness category with 3.2 miles and a 511 eleven foot elevation change. It is a straight IN-N-OUT to the tree swing and metal sculpture display at Point #3 on the map below. The more adventurous may continues to the top of the ridge overlooking the Edna Valley at Point #2. We will visit the stone seating crescent, turn right and pass by Point #1 and back to the Starting Point at Reservoir Canyon Falls. That hike will be 5.5 miles with an elevation change of 1404 feet. It is in the low end of the Hard catagory. See below for How to Get There.
TO GET THERE: On Hwy 101 from SLO, drive 1.1 miles North of Monterey Street to Reservoir Canyon Road which is the 2nd road on the right after you leave SLO. It will come up fast. Turn right and drive 0.4 miles past homes and ranches to the parking lot. Both the turn off and parking lot are pictured below. Note that there is a left-hand turn out to Reservoir Canyon Road for persons headed South on Hwy 101.
