“Canyon is an unincorporated community located near the border of Contra Costa and Alameda counties in California. It is situated between the cities of Oakland and Moraga in the San Francisco Bay Area. The community is named for its location in the upper canyon of San Leandro Creek, along the eastern slope of the Berkeley Hills. Canyon lies at an elevation of 1138 feet (347 m).
“The community is mainly traversed by Pinehurst Road and Canyon Road. The homes of the community are nestled amongst the steep, narrow private roads and footpaths that extend from the redwood groves and ferns along the creek, through the mixed live oak, bay, and madrone forests on the steep hillsides, up to the chaparral and knobcone pines that grow along the ridge.”
Canyon, California
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canyon,_California
I visited Canyon in early May 2016, and here I present some images of this captivating community.
Claremont Chert, East Ridge Crest
Upper San Leandro Reservoir
Canyon, Glimpses #2
Canyon, Glimpses #1
“Canyon, Glimpses #1” and “Canyon, Glimpses #2” are taken from the book Canyon: Glimpses of a Place, assembled and edited by Eric Peterson and Esperanza Pratt Surls, which includes photos by: Eric Peterson, Esperanza Pratt Surls, Roy Gilbert, Louise Pratt, Elena Tyrrell, Eve Livingston, Egl Batchelor, Evan Johnson, Gina Gaiser, Jeanne Lorenz, Forrest Gilbert and Aeriel Guy. This book was produced to raise funds for the Canyon School’s Eighth Grade Class Trip to Costa Rica, in May 2016 (and there’s always following years’ trips to pay for). This 60 page book has 148 photographs (127 in color, 21 in black & white). Copies may still be available ($20, plus shipping and postage) at the Canyon School [P.O. Box 187, Pinehurst Road, Canyon, CA 94516, Phone: (925) 376-4671, Fax: (925) 376-2343]. It’s nice.
Canyon School, from Railroad Grade
Canyon – water system, and relic truck
Northwest along the Railroad Grade, #1
Canyon, residence #1
Canyon, garden #1
Northwest along the Railroad Grade, #2
Canyon, residence #2
Canyon, garden #2
Christopher Stanley Martin, remembered
Canyon – Adults at Play
How can you not?
Canyon – Relics
Canyon, retired road warriors
Canyon, a vine embraces the wheel
Canyon School, creekside
Canyon School
Canyon – swings with sprinkler
Canyon School geodesic dome, #1
Canyon School geodesic dome, #2
Canyon – Pinehurst Road, southeast
John van der Zee’s book about Canyon, #1
John van der Zee’s book about Canyon, #2
John van der Zee’s book about Canyon, #3
John van der Zee’s book about Canyon, #4
Canyon: The Story of the Last Rustic Community in Metropolitan America
John van der Zee
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., New York
Copyright 1971, 1972 by John van der Zee
ISBN 0-15-115400-7
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 70-174516
John van der Zee’s book about Canyon reminds me that the hopes and ideals I had — 45 years ago — about community, ecology, efficiency, and “right living” in balance with nature, have yet to be recognized, let alone realized, in our America of mindless and wasteful consumption, the economic bullying called gentrification, the sacrifice of human dignity and lives over the obsession to accumulate money, and the denial of responsibility for climate change. Canyon, I’m sure, is objectively far from perfect, but the spirit animating it is undeniably enchanting.
manuelgarciajr 
Canyon type ideals in the American Southwest: Garbage Warrior
Seen from abroad, these photos of the American-utopia-now are touching: that touted city-on-the-hill tumbled down among the carcasses of its most prized consumer durables.
About Canyon
https://canyon.k12.ca.us/about-canyon/
Road to Nowhere – Canyon