The Great Spirit Path is a public art installation integrated into the landscape of Mitchell Park in central Menlo Park. The trail follows a mile-long route through the park, passing a series of stone sculptures with carved imagery derived from Native American pictographic traditions, each keyed to verses of a longer poem inscribed along the path. The combination of the walking rhythm, the carved stones, and the text creates an experience closer to a meditation garden than a conventional public artwork.
Mitchell Park itself is a large community park with sports fields, playgrounds, and a skate park, making the Great Spirit Path unusual in context — a contemplative installation in an otherwise active recreational space. The contrast works: the trail provides a reason to slow down and walk through a park that might otherwise be traversed quickly. The park is within easy cycling distance of downtown Menlo Park.