Laguna Lake Playground, Dock, and Loop Trail, SLO
Laguna Lake Park is a peaceful place where you can be alone in nature. It's dry in some areas and green in others, and the beauty is more mild than magnificent. There are picnic tables and a playground with rope climbies galore, swings, a triangle swing, and small slides. This area is beautiful at sunset. The dry yellow hills around San Luis Obispo and the blue lake (reflecting the sky) are pretty, as are the varieties of trees bordering the lake. Kids like to see the geese run around from afar. Many people jog the road that runs along the lake on summer evenings. You can walk out on a dock and take in the view. Dog owners enjoy bringing their dogs to run free at this park, and there is also a dog park with a playground for dogs and separate large/small dog areas. At the northern end, there is a trailhead to a 1.4 mile loop trail. Here you can walk along a paved path through long dry grasses, with no shade (it's lovely at sunset), then along a parallel path back, then between two rows of tall beautiful trees on a dirt path back to the trailhead. The feeling of openness is nice, as are the views of the morros all in a row, though the long grasses can give you bad allergies in spring.The loop trail is flat, which is nice if you have sensitive knees. There is another trail that has an incline, the Laguna Ridge Trail, which goes to the top of the hill, 380ft up, with up to a 31% incline. We have not tried it yet.
There is a colorful outdoor shopping plaza with large stores such as World Market nearby called Madonna Plaza. Check out the attractive public areas and cafes at SLO Ranch Farms and Marketplace. Also nice is the pretty Irish Hills neighborhood, with De Vaul Park and a hike up steep Irish Hills.
Nearby is Downtown San Luis Obispo which has a lot of atmosphere. You can walk around the mission to get your fill of California history.
Make sure you see the coast while you're here because it's one of the prettiest in California- check out the Shell Beach Panoramic Walk.
Yellow flowers and geese by the lake.
Patchy light from the clouds, making pretty colors on the mountains.
Shady path under a row of trees.
Dock on the lake.
The lake made me think of Florida, minus the alligators.
Reeds at the lake's edge. Where are the alligators?
Row of trees beside the playground.
Swings with a view.
The playground has lots of rope climbies.
People having picnics at the tables near the playground.
A triangle swing on the playground.
The lake, once the sun came out.
Swings and slide, with mountains behind.
Blue picnic tables in rows.
The end of the loop trail is a row of beautiful trees.
The loop trail has tall grasses running along it. Beware if you have allergies!
The morros are all lined up in a row!
Beware of San Luis Obispo if you have allergies!
The narrow path, with mountains in the distance.
Shade and the blue lake.
Weeping willow trees and a palm tree on the opposite side of the lake.
Wild grasses.
Yellow field in the distance.
A woman walks her dog, along a narrow trail.
Eucalyptus tree and green grass.
The lake at sunset.
Path past green lawn, with the playground on the left.
Bench by the playground. A brother and sister play on the see saw.
A parent sits by the playground with views of the lake.
Trees making shade along the path.
Laguna Lake Park is located at 504 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo CA 93405.
Exit Highway 101 on Highway 227 and head west along Madonna Rd. Turn right on Dalidio St and it takes you into the park. Parking is free.
Bobby
Tue, 19 Apr 2011
The park is nice as long as you don't go there after dark. It's a meeting place for drug deals. Oh I did forget to mention that by city law, you can't feed the geese or the ducks any longer.
Last Updated: Thu, 07 Aug 2025 16:00:34 GMT
Text and Image copyright: © 2006-2025 LotsaFunMaps.com.
Copying prohibited. Contact the editor |
Facebook |
Pinterest |
Instagram
Blog |
The Official Mug |
Privacy Settings |
About Us
