One key component of Adams Park is a large picnic and recreational garden area that was sculpted to create a canyon-like space. The neighborhood has deemed this area “the Canyon.” Once inside this area of the park, there is near total sense of privacy from the surrounding residential neighborhood Entering the west side of the park off Delowe Drive, a brief stroll through greenspace leads to an
84 foot stone stairway and down to a 330 foot stone walkway nestled across a terraced hillside. There is a wonderful view from the walkway down to the lake a short distance away to the right and to the Canyon floor another 20 feet below. The Venetian Avenue entrance on the north side of Adams Park has a rustic feel created by woodlands and the first of the small log picnic pavilions and stone grills. This is yet another way down to the tree-covered Canyon “floor” to the main picnic area. As the land begins a gentle slope downward, there are two additional small log picnic shelters and stone grills. Through the trees to the left of the log shelters, a trickling stream (a tributary of south Utoy Creek) enters the park through the first of six stone culverts and runs along a hillside, some of which is exposed granite dotted with outcrops of trees. Just as it reaches the bottom of the hillside, the stream winds around boulders placed there to create a cascading effect (typical in Monroe landscapes), including a massive disc shaped boulder tilted upright atop other boulders. The Canyon floor, home to the big Craftsman style picnic pavilion with its fireplace and built-in grills, is the center of what looks to be Monroe’s re-creation of a national park campground (minus the bears!) but located right here in the city. It is impossible to stand there, cozily surrounded by hillsides, trees, and a meandering stream, and not marvel at the talents of the visionary who designed it, and the WPA workers who built it.