Garland Park E. Garzas
Veeder Trail to Garzas Canyon Trail
📍 Garland Ranch Regional Park is one of our favorite places to hike. We hike here often. Many may not know about the Garzas Canyon section of the park because it’s kinda separated from the main Garland Ranch Regional Park Visitors Center location. You can hike to this section of the park but it’s about a 4.5 mile hike, one-way to the Garzas Canyon Trailhead. It’s much easier to drive to drive to E. Garzas Road and park at the trailhead, near Boronda Road, to enjoy this section of the park.
Garland Park is located at 700 West Carmel Valley Road. Its nearly 3500 acres of public recreational land offers 50 miles of trails for hiking, running, horseback riding, nature seekers and shows off great views of Carmel Valley and the surrounding Santa Lucia Mountains. The terrain has easy trails in the lower park that transition to strenuous hikes as the trails ascend to the ridge line. A diverse ecology and rich history can also be found at Garland Park.
The East Garzas Section of Garland Park is accessed off of E. Garzas Road in Carmel Valley. The trailhead is east of Boronda Road on E. Garzas Road. A quiet neighborhood borders the park boundary. Roadside parking is available on E. Garzas Road. There is no visitors center, no restrooms and no water at this location. Come prepared to hike. Bring your own water, trail maps or GPS files and please respect the residents of this neighborhood. You can download this trails .GPX file at the link below.
The same park rules apply here as they do at th main park. The park is open during daylight hours, from dawn until dusk and is free to enter. Click the link for more park rules and regulations. Garland Park is a great place to walk your dog or horse, get some exercise and great place to find some serenity if that’s what you seek.
⛰ Garland Park has many trails to offer. This hike, the Veeder Pond Loop, connects a few trails to make a loop trail. The trails are well travelled and well marked. The trailhead is along E. Garzas Road near Boronda Road. The trail wastes little time before you start to climb. You’ll climb nearly 1,450’ in less than 2 miles. It’s a good push! There are a few well placed benches along the trail to offer a seat for a break if one is needed. The views from the top are great, and then back down the steep slope to the canyon. This hike is rated as a “Blue-ish - Black” hike, meaning moderately strenuous to some but difficult to most. This scenic loop trail is about 4.25 miles start to finish and may take you about 2.5 to 3 hours to complete, depending on your fitness.
🥾The “Veeder Loop” is a great year round hike. During the winter and spring the trail is damp, weather is cool and the ferns and moss stand out. The views from the peak are worth the climb and you may get a glimpse of wildlife at a full Veeder Pond. You’ll also get a good look at Los Garzas Creek flowing to the Carmel River. A spring to summer hike will likely bring an assortment of wildflowers, great views from the peak, and maybe even a view above the cool foggy inversion making for an interesting and memorable photo.
The trailhead starts on E. Garzas Road, near Boronda Road. You’ll see a few signs and a path through the wooden fence. The Garzas Canyon Trail quickly divides, one going left, one going right. Take the trail to the right heading uphill. After a short climb you’ll come to your first bench and lookout spot. A nice view of Carmel Valley awaits, but there’s more as you continue up. The next stop will be ay the “Y”, Veeder Trail to your left, Garzas Canyon Trail to your right. Stay left, onto Veeder Trail and continue the climb to Veeder Pond, about a mile and 1000’. The trail has many switchbacks and a few more benches for you to rest and take in the views. It’s a popular trail so you’ll likely see other hikers.
Veeder Trail will eventually open up where it meets the East Ridge Trail. You’ll see Veeder Pond, a depression filled by annual rains with no outlet that provides a great spot to quietly view wildlife or find peace in nature. Just a short hike from Veeder Pond up the East Ridge Trail to the west you’ll reach the peak. Another bench awaits your arrival as does an impressive view of Carmel Valley and the Santa Lucia Range.
Continue on the loop by taking the East Ridge Trail down hill. A fairly steep descent of about 800’ over nearly a mile on good trail can be challenging. Watch your footing as slips and falls can happen. Your descent will offer you views of the Sid Ormsby Fire Tower atop Pinyon Peak in the distance, another great hike in Garland Park. Keep an eye out for the fire tower as well as take in the views of Redwood Canyon, the canyon on your left as your headed down the East Ridge Trail.
The East Ridge Trail meets Redwood Canyon Trail at a “T” intersection. To continue this loop trail stay on the East Ridge Trail to the right. Redwood Canyon Trail is a nice hike during the summer and fall, when the Los Garzas Creek has slowed making river crossings much easier. In Winter and Spring the river flows heavily through the canyon making river crossings wet and dangerous.
Continue to descend on the East Ridge Trail. You’ll notice the vegetation change to vibrant green moss, ferns and you may even see some mushrooms growing along the trail. You’ll also find the Los Garzas Creek. The East Ridge Trail turns into the Los Garzas Creek Trail. Follow the creek, which may be a river in wetter months, down stream. You’ll find a few bridge crossings, pools and some small rapids along the river. You also notice there are many places to stop and bathe in the sounds of the river and forest. It’s a nice trail. Stay along the river. Do not take the Garzas Canyon Trail uphill on the left. This trail climbs out of the canyon and back to Garland Park towards the visitors center, not the Garzas Section where you began.
After one final bridge crossing the trail ascends through a short series of switchbacks where you’ll, once again, tie into the Garzas Canyon Trail near the beginning of Veeder Trail. You’ve completed the loop and will continue down the Garzas Canyon Trail back to the trailhead on E. Garzas Road.
🍔🍺🍷 The Carmel Valley Village nearby and packed with local wineries, tasting rooms and restaurants. There are many to choose from and all of them are great! Some favorites are The Wine House, Cafe Rustica and Bernardus. If you’d like something a little more “rustic” give the Running Iron a try.
Garland Ranch Regional Park East Garzas Section has many great trails to explore, be outside and exercise. It’s a great place to visit year-round and it’s so close to the Carmel Valley Village shops and restaurants that it makes sense to visit some of them too.
We will definitely explore more of Garland Park and I’ll give you the “Dirt” on those trails as well. To see more of our RADVENTURES, follow along on IG @ur_radventures.
