Poly Canyon Hike, SLO

Poly Canyon Hike is a fantastic hike on the Cal Poly campus that takes you through a shady canyon on a wide dirt road called Poly Canyon Road, and then to wonderful open spaces and hills (shadeless). There are several options depending on when you turn back: One mile out-and-back which will be shady, four mile out-and-back which will be fairly flat on a wide road, or five mile lollipop loop that is a little steeper and has some narrow sections. There are also two detours you can explore: the architecture students' creations on a hillside, and a swing on a mountaintop.

To the right of the Cal Poly Plant Conservatory is Poly Canyon Road, where the hike starts, with a low gate that keeps cars out. There is abundant shade in the morning for the first mile, even until late morning, because of the high canyon walls! You are high up, with incredible views of Bishop Peak and its rocky outcroppings. You also see the student housing buildings, tall and elongated, in the valley. What a lovely bucolic setting! Eucalyptus and sycamore trees add to the beauty, as does the creek below. I like these trees so much better than oak trees.
Watch out for poison oak if you have kids or pets. It is in huge clumps all along the path, but the path is wide so there's no reason an adult should come into contact with it. 
About one mile in, you come to a cream-colored barn. The hike continues through a cow gate on the left side of the barn.
Something else you can do at the end of the first mile, is take a short detour up the steep hillside path to the Cal Poly Architecture students' creations! It's fun to explore them. My kids wished the creations were more colorful, but enjoyed the fun geometric shapes! 
To do the lollipop loop hike, past the cream-colored barn, come on a cool day because there is no shade. The views of the mountains of all shapes and sizes, and the feeling of wide open spaces is exhilarating- it makes me so happy. It is a wide dirt path. Take a left turn once you see a huge grey rock, otherwise you'll go straight endlessly on the wrong path! Once you take the left turn, the path becomes narrow. This 5 mile lollipop loop hike is a fairly flat hike, 15% grade and below.
To keep the hike even easier on your knees, below 10% incline, turn around after two miles. Most people do this, making it an out-and-back hike that is entirely on a wide path. I love this hike!
To get to the swing at the top of the mountain is a little detour. It is steep (22% incline).
After your hike, check out the Cal Poly Plant Conservatory (open M-F 9-5). You are allowed to walk inside its humid (smelly) rooms and observe the plants. On the lovely patio outside, there are many flowers in pots, including wisteria growing around columns.
After, you can have a coffee at Scout Coffee on campus near the Cal Poly Welcome Center. It is a twelve minute walk away.
Another fairly flat walk is the Islay Park Greenway and the extension of it that leads to EA French Park.

Directions

Poly Canyon Hike starts on Poly Canyon Road, oo the right of the Cal Poly Plant Conservatory.
On weekends, park in the H4 staff parking lot for free. 
On weekdays, park for $10 (pay at the machine, remembering your license plate number) in any of the "general parking" spaces in the Grand Ave parking structure and walk to the trailhead. If this lot is full (which is often), park in the visitor parking lot, on the left before the Grand Ave parking. When you walk out of that parking lot and pay at the machine, Scout Coffee is on your left.

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