Trail 3

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Spring · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Close to the city and two of the best coffee shops around!

Mostly good pack, but loose in parts as you approach 1, 2, and 3.

Starting either at Trail 3 parking or Hoffman Falls Parking (also marked Trail 3), descend into the canyon rapidly. You'll cross the falls, then descend (after a short steep quad burner) into the canyon, winding your way across the margins of the canyon until you meet up with Trail 1 and 2. Either turn around and head back, take a hard right onto Trail 2, or left to exit the canyon and back up to the paved road.

This is the only trail in the park where the foliage is sometimes overgrown, especially near the intersection with Trail 2. There is a short and very steep spur that connects this trail to the bottom of Hoffman Canyon (around Mile 0.3), where you can join onto Trail 2 and go into the main canyon, or join Trail 4 and run back up the other side of the valley.

Creek critters (crawfish, frogs, and salamanders) ferns, wildflowers galore (including one of the largest patches of spotted snakeweed I have seen).