Bench at Carson’s Crossing in Rancho Penasquitos Open Space, San Diego

Installed November 26, 2025

The Rancho Penasquitos Open Space has lot of miles-long trails, from Black Mountain Road on the east side to I-5 on the west end. A stream goes down the center of the park, and there are four bridges across it which connect parallel trails. Some of the trails are used by the Ranger trucks, bikes, and hikers. The narrower ones are meant just for hikers. I’ve loved walking on all of the trails, but recent health problems prevented me from enjoying the hikes; there are no places to sit down! I consulted with the San Diego City Park Ranger Washington, and she agreed to my design of a bridge placed at Carson’s Crossing, about a 1-mile hike from my home. The site has a nice semi-secluded area, perfect as a place to sit and watch the stream (and its occasional ducks) in peace and quiet. Most people who are hiking another mile to the waterfall pass right by without stopping to rest. On weekends, there are more people passing through the Crossing, and I hoped that others would enjoy a nice bench. The ranger required a bench that would not get washed away during a high-water event, so I designed it to wrap around some trees. She also wanted one that would blend in with the other landscape, and not use any finish that would require maintenance. With consulting help from Marty and his son Troy, I think we came up with a good design that should last for years.

I started the final design in the summer of 2025 and assembled the complete bench at my home. With more help from Marty and Troy, as well as his other son Taylor and wife Lyn, we disassembled the bench and re-installed it in the Crossing. Happily, it fit perfectly, no need for additional sawing! The trees act as a back support, if you sit at the right place.

The bench has gotten a lot of use by many visitors, and it has been a pleasure to meet and talk with some of them. One couple exclaimed “There is a bench here! Now I can bring my parents!” Others use the bench for resting or reading. I enjoy watching the ducks swim across the stream, and see how the Sun reflects off the water. Thank you to Marty, Lyn, Troy, Taylor, and the City Park Rangers.

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Web page last updated January 30, 2026.