Sara Park

This is a small, multi-purpose city park with hiking trails, picnic areas, softball and baseball fields, tennis courts, a BMX bike track, an area designated for radio-controlled planes, a shooting range, a rodeo arena, and an asphalt racetrack. Just your typical small city park, right?

SARA is an acronym for Special Activities Recreation Area. That is important to know, because the area’s top hiking trail is known locally as “SARA’s Crack.” Sorry, but that is what they call it. (Well, the Parks and Rec people call it Crack in the Wall, which apparently is too mundane for Locals.)

Anyway, the 2.5-mile trail (one way) winds through a slot canyon for 40 or 50 yards. Slot canyons are narrow passages through high rock walls. In some places, a person with average reach can touch both walls at once. It is a moderate-to-easy hike, asking you to scramble down about a six-foot, sloping rock wall at one point. The reward at the end of the trail is to emerge lakeside overlooking a small, picturesque cove. There are two paths ending at the same place. One goes through the slot and the second winds up and around a hillside, so it requires hiking up a moderate incline. The higher-elevation hike gives some great views of the lake.

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