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    Five Canyons Open Space

    4.0 (13 reviews)

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    Panoramic views of the bay from the ridge top
    Caroline S.

    300-acres may not seem like much, but this park has a lot to offer! It's dog-friendly and has off-leash trails. It has panoramic ridge-top views overlooking the bay, moss-lined shady trails along a flowing creek, relatively flat trails, and steep trails for a great workout. You can hike through this park to Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area, to Don Castro Regional Recreation Area, and trail improvements will soon link Garin, Dry Creek, and Mission Peak Regional Preserve. This park does not appear on most maps, and is easy to miss. Although you will have to pass through some cattle gates, we did not see any cattle during our hike, and spent about 2 hours hiking throughout the park. Five Canyons has many entrances, but we enjoyed starting in Castro Valley on the Boulder Canyon Drive entrance. There's a trash can and doggy clean-up bags at this entrance. After a steep, paved stretch up, you will come to a gravel trail and soon pass through a cattle gate. There's a bench overlooking the bay area, and you can see from south of Hayward all the way to San Francisco. The Ridge Trail travels down along the lush, green hillside, along a pond and eventually to a cattle trough, where you'll find a trailhead sign. We took Shady Canyon Trail down a steep section, through another cattle gate, and enjoyed a shady walk along the stream. We took Newt Pond Trail back up and retraced our steps to where we started. If you are too tired to finish the hike, there is another trailhead half way up Newt Pond Trail that takes you to South Gold Ridge Drive. An easy few blocks walk will take you back to where you parked on Boulder Canyon Drive. The entire loop hike is a little less than 5 miles.

    Just past the water towers from the trail entry at Boulder Canyon Ct; great view!
    Malika H.

    I actually really enjoyed this trail from the end of Boulder Canyon Ct. There was nobody parked in the court, which was awesome, and I only came across one family and two couples during my two and a half hour hike as far as Garin Regional in Hayward. Keep an eye out for cow droppings as the cows to roam! Hawks overhead looking for prey. Along the Chabot to Garin trail (closer to Garin) I did see a doe and her fawn, very cool, along with the usual lizards flitting along the trail edges, and heard a woodpecker at one point. Gotta love wildlife!

    Paul N.

    It's a small open space preserve with some trails connected from Don Castro to Garin Regional Parks. Parking is in the residential area right at the ends of streets. Watch for dog poop left behind by pet owners along with cattle (if they happen to be grazing at the time) and bicyclists.

    Whisper creek trail
    Mel G.

    Nice cute places to walk around. It's about a 2 mile walk around the whisper creek trail that takes you around the creek and past the fishing area. Very easy trail. I'll be coming back to do the Bay Area ridge trail looks like more miles.

    It was amazing to be their. It was very calming and such a great place!!!

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    Ask the Community - Five Canyons Open Space

    Review Highlights - Five Canyons Open Space

    If you like the hills of Garin but wish it had the green and shade of the Plunge/Greenbelt, this is a great place to go.

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    Greenwood Park

    Greenwood Park

    4.4
    (36 reviews)
    4.5 mi

    This park is absolutely AMAZING!!!!!…read more Lucky for us, my family moved in this area and Greenwood Park is within walking distances. With it's infamous 3 towering flower structure that offers beauty and shade, you can't miss it!! While there are the typical play structures found at typical parks, Greenwood has a number of musical instruments to play with and enjoy. The park has plenty of seating areas and also has BBQ grills. There are restrooms available but I can't speak on the conditions since I haven't actually used them. The park is spacious, clean, and is the perfect spot to relax with a snack or have a full blown paaaartay!! 5/5 stars, my family and I love everything about Greenwood!!

    Probably one of the nicest parks in Hayward. Problem is its just in an unusual hard to find spot…read morethat is almost hidden - unless you are one of the lucky residents nearby. Flowering trees, walkways, little musical instrument for kids, bay friendly rated landscaping, beautiful flower shaped shade artwork, hammock, swings, play structure, small trampoline, basketball hoops... I could go on and on about all the different amenities. There is something for everybody. One beautifully done park... likely from money from the new nearby construction. Big newer homes are on one side and then trailer park homes are on the other side. Its a public park and no matter what you pay for rent or where you live it is here for you to enjoy. The one problem I saw was the basketball hoops. They were like tiny lakes. For whatever reason the concrete contractors messed up. They made little swimming pool instead of flat concrete that doesn't puddle up. I've bounced a ball in a tiny pool of water... and let me tell you - its one way to end the fun. Great little park for all residents of Hayward. Worth a little drive to get to.

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    Greenwood Park
    Sunny day
    Sunny day
    Greenwood Park

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    Hayward Japanese Gardens - Hayward Area Rec. & Park District

    Hayward Japanese Gardens - Hayward Area Rec. & Park District

    4.5
    (399 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    Five stars because it costs no yen…read more As far as Japanese gardens go, this one is my least favorite because it is rectangular, with a visible metal fence perimeter, with ugly trash and graffiti visible from across the creek and no opportunities to feed the koi fish. Three things, though, that make it special is that they have memorial plaques, stray cats, and blowtorched wood for an aged and weather-resistant finish. From 1913-1962, the site was a practice site for farming and raising livestock for Hayward Union High. It became a garden by the late 1970s, and when dedicated in 1980, focusing on botany (with plants donated by local Japanese-American nurseries) rather than religion. Every first Saturday at 1pm there's a free lecture/tour. It's not especially beautiful or big (3.5 acres) or exciting (the few people I saw there were on their phones), but it's a peaceful, clean area. I think informational displays could help people enjoy it more. Or phone chargers. Information like, many of the wooden connections (including the main entry gate) have notches instead of notches to fit together like puzzle pieces. This more authentic approach prevents rust. Or, the garden uses the Shakkei technique: when you can stand at the highest point, the surrounding trees are meant to look like distant mountains, with specific plants blended with the Japanese maples and native Oaks to make the garden feel ten timers larger than its actual 3.5 acres. Or, the hand-selected granite boulders from the Sierra Nevadas are buried one-third into the ground so it looks like they are growing, which is why I don't manicure myself often. .

    I did not know this place existed until my partner found this and brought his family here…read more It's a nice, serene and scenic short walk with plenty of nice photo spots and benches to sit and take in the greenery. I loved seeing all the koi, bansai and various plants they had in the area. It is well worth a visit to come check it out!

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    12/2024
    12/2024
    Koi fish pond
    Koi fish pond
    Hayward Japanese Gardens - Hayward Area Rec. & Park District

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    Kennedy Park

    Kennedy Park

    3.7
    (143 reviews)
    4.1 mi

    Prob would be 5 if the train and rides were open - check their Facebook page for status! I guess it…read morewas closed due to anticipated rain. Easy parking, decent bathrooms, great playground area and lots of seating for picnic/snacks.

    Growing up, we visited Kennedy park often. I remember this place being a very distinct part of my…read morechildhood, but wow has it changed! I came back with my dog, just to relive some childhood memories, and the construction they did really changed it. The new differences I love: - New paved walkways instead of just grassy fields. I think this is much more pleasant for parents pushing strollers. - They have a new tea cup ride? They only had the carousel when I was little! - The okay structure is wow! I wish we had this as a child, but it was lovely to walk around and hear the kids playing and laughing. It brought back some really good memories. I always begged my parents to push me on the round wheel swing. - New infrastructure looks nice and beautiful - They still have the train, it seems only on weekends. - They have a Bocce ball area New changes that I wasn't so fond of: - For the expensive infrastructure, they didn't have those pop bad dispensers, which was surprising. It doesn't affect us much, as we carry a poop bag holder, but I can see it catching folks off guard. - There is no longer an area to greet and feed goats... though, I guess they isn't a bad thing, as my sister got rammed by a goat here as a child. I do miss those goats though. - Lastly, it feels like there is a lot of unused space. So much empty grass! Though, I guess it gets busy in the weekends. Overall, a pleasant new change to a place that's been such an important part of my childhood!

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    Love this little farm themed park!
    Love this little farm themed park!
    Kennedy Park
    Kennedy Park

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    Mt Eden Park

    Mt Eden Park

    4.2
    (9 reviews)
    5.0 mi

    Open once a year in December for holiday lighting! H.A.R.D staff set up Christmas decor, photo…read morebackdrops, games and booths for a family night out (great for kids). Stopped by after work, short self tour of Level 1 of historical house, learned some neat facts. Typically used as H.A.R.D's office so the house upstairs not open to public. Docent told me to check out the other two historic houses Meek Mansion and McConaughey Mansion.

    Shocking nice park for Hayward. I'm sorry. Thats sounds like a slap in the face to Hayward - I…read moredidn't mean it that way. I promise. Very large park with liquor store across the street. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Lets get hammered in the park!!! No, no, thats not a good idea. For we must think of the children. Somebody must think of the children!!! And children you will find here. Play structure and tennis courts. Soccer field and basketball. Now we must be good influence to the next generation. We won't have any of that. Parking lot is tiny - somehow you will find a spot - I think this is a locals mostly park that walk here. Soccer field is nice and short. Some lines drawn on it - shockingly nice for Hayward. Tennis courts are toward the back. You might not even notice them on your first visit. Tons of rose bushes. Very elegant curvy paths cut through all the bushes. The flowers are varied with different colors and types. Very well taken care of but I did notice some aphids on one bush - you can never have perfect roses. Bathrooms and water fountain. I didn't go in the bathrooms but the water fountain had a nice strong stream. HAARD might have some office space here in the form of taking over an old historic house. Not sure the deal with it but very interesting. If I had to guess some wealthy person 100 years ago owned the house and surrounding land and donated it to the city. If you live in Hayward - this is a must see - at least once. See if its for you. And if your gonna booze it up - maybe put it in a water bottle.

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    Appreciation event
    Appreciation event
    Mt Eden Park
    Mt Eden Park

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    Five Canyons Open Space - parks - Updated June 2026

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