This small park packs a lot of nature into
a small space. On one short 1.1-mile trail,
you can see giant oaks, groves of eucalyptus,
and dark mixed forest. You can wander
through large meadows, hear the calls of
songbirds and seabirds, and look out toward
Twin Lakes Beach and the ocean. Hikers and
runners like its smooth paths. Dogs on leash
are welcome.
No, it’s not particularly challenging, but
it’s a pleasant walk alone or with your family.
And to top it off , after your little hike, you
can stop by the nearby Simpkins Family
Swim Center. Choose from a refreshing
lap swim or a wade with the kids in a large
warm-water pool.
Schwan Lake Park hides behind Shoreline
Middle School and the swim center. It
doesn’t look promising. Behind the parking
lot, a dusty trail follows a railroad track, with
only a small sign and an information panel
to indicate the park entrance. The trail is
too wide for a single-track, too narrow for
a road. Low shrubs and a few trees suggest
a city lot rather than a proper park, but as
you continue straight on the trail, you find
a pleasant path through lovely old oaks and
walls of ivy. To the right, you’ll see glimpses
of a surprisingly large Schwan Lagoon.
Halfway through a 6/10-mile loop is
a picnic table, a perfect place for a snack
or lunch, with a wide view of the lagoon,
waterfowl, and in the distance, Twin Lakes
Beach. Continuing on the loop, you walk
through a dark forest of interlaced branches,
ivy, and deep grasses, then emerge into a
giant meadow.
You’ve completed the first loop, the top half
of a backward “B.” To find the bottom half
of the “B,” turn right down the main trail a
short distance until you find another trail on
the right to the south. This 5/10-mile loop
circles around through a large meadow back
to the parking lot. Several less well-developed
trails bisect the loop. In the middle of the
meadow, a single tree hosts song birds whose
music is worth the walk.
Top off your hike with a shower and a swim.
Lap swim is available for anyone age 13 and
over, Tuesday through Sunday, weekdays from
6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and weekends from 9 a.m.
to 4 p.m. All ages are welcome to soak in the
large warm-water pool, complete with entry
ramp for wheelchair access. Children and
adults acting like children may enjoy the two-story
corkscrew splash-down slide. In addition
to open swimming, classes are available for
adult fitness, water aerobics, water polo,
lifeguard training, swim lessons, etc.
Bring your own towels, flip-fl ops, and lock.
Lap swimmers should bring goggles. A single
adult ticket is $4.75. Youth (7 to 12) and
seniors (over 60) tickets are $3.75. Discounts
are available for 20-entry, 100-entry, and
annual passes.
I found the Simpkins Center to be an
excellent, well-maintained facility. The
service was friendly, especially after I found
Los Gatos Rec. 16-year veteran Laurie
Boswell working there. I also saw MNN
veteran editor and designer Christina Lopp
Schwabecher with her daughter enjoying the
warm-water pool.
My only problem was returning to lap
swimming after a twenty-year lapse. It wasn’t
pretty. My flip turns looked like a whale
breaching, forgetting my goggles led to red and
teary eyes, and overreaching my stroke gave
me sore muscles restored only by ice packs,
Tiger Balm®, and a special stretching routine
designed by trainer Jenny Yamate of Summit
Fitness. If you are smarter than I am, you won’t
try to swim a mile the first time out.
Want more information? Check the swim
calendars online at www.scparks.com/
parkfac/simpkins.shtml. You can also hear an
automated pool schedule at 831-454-7948.
If you still have questions, call Clark Beattie
at 831-454-7910.