Most parks in Fresno are a bit of a weird thing: They’re usually industrial or infrastructural property. Some of them in particular are overflow storage for water or for water to be recharged back into the ground, which is why some parks have Fresno Water Division signs up. One of the most unique “parks” in Fresno is Hyde Park, which is a large hill/mound that gives off that Windows XP hill background vibe. It caught my attention whilst exploring the relatively new Southwest Fresno Trail.
The hill provides a nice way to get a mini hike in, or to exercise. It’s also relatively serene to be on, especially at the top. The top isn’t viewable from below, so it really provides some isolation from the world below. A myriad of wild animals also occupy the hill, including various birds and voles (if I remember my animals correctly, it’s those rodents that build tunnels underneath the dirt). A fact that surprised me is that Hyde Park was a landfill; it is now a converted landfill in that it has been sealed and repurposed for a different use, which is apparently to be a park.
