The Peninsula and South Bay form an urban wilderness like no other. San Francisco is home to many popular tourist attractions, but the city also offers the spectacular 11-mile Coastal Trail and the Agave Trail on Alcatraz Island. The San Mateo and Santa Cruz shorelines boast scenic beaches with massive reefs pocketed with tidepools. South of Half Moon Bay, the coast belongs to the gray whales and elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Reserve and Wilder Ranch State Park. The Santa Cruz Mountains offer miles of parklands, including four state parks. As Skyline Ridge runs along the spine of the northern Santa Cruz Mountains, nearly 40 trailheads provide access to more than 300 miles of trails. And around San Jose, two huge parks protect a large portion of the sunbaked hills.
2 ALCATRAZ ISLAND’S AGAVE TRAIL
4 THREE TRAILS TO SWEENEY RIDGE
10 BEAR GULCH AND ALAMBIQUE LOOP
13 BLACK MOUNTAIN AND STEVENS CREEK LOOP
15 PETERS CREEK AND LONG RIDGE LOOP
16 SARATOGA GAP AND RIDGE TRAIL LOOP
18 HERITAGE GROVE AND HIKER’S HUT LOOP
21 BERRY CREEK, SILVER, AND GOLDEN FALLS
22 LOCH TRAIL AND HIGHLANDS LOOP
24 OBSERVATION DECK AND BIG ROCK HOLE LOOP
26 LOMA PRIETA GRADE AND BRIDGE CREEK LOOP
30 FLAT FROG, MIDDLE RIDGE, AND FISH TRAIL LOOP
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco
Distance: 3.5 miles round-trip
Duration: 2 hours
Elevation Change: 250 feet
Effort: Easy
Users: Hikers, cyclists (part of Coastal Trail), leashed dogs
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: A map is available at www.nps.gov/goga or by contacting the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Fort Mason, Bldg. 201, San Francisco, 415/561-4700).
Contact: GGNRA Presidio Visitor Center, 415/561-4323
A hike along the edge of one of San Francisco’s wealthiest neighborhoods delivers an unbeatable Golden Gate view.
What is the wildest place in San Francisco? Some might argue for the South of Market nightclubs, but I vote for the Land’s End Coastal Trail. It’s hard to believe you can find a city trail that feels so natural and remote, but here it is. The path delivers million-dollar views of crashing surf, offshore outcrops, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Marin Headlands. Wildlife and wildflowers abound.
Coastal Trail begins near Ocean Beach and winds its way north and east along the ocean bluffs to China and Baker Beaches. (It also runs south along Ocean Beach to Sloat Boulevard, but this section is paved and heavily used by tourists, in-line skaters, cyclists, and beach bums of all kinds. Although it’s an enjoyable stroll, it’s not a nature experience.) In its entirety, Coastal Trail is 11 miles long, although not all of it is contiguous, and some of it follows city streets. This 3.5-mile round-trip follows its “wildest” section from the Merrie Way parking lot above the Cliff House to 32nd Avenue and El Camino del Mar. Take a hike here, and for a brief while you may forget you’re in a major metropolitan area.
The ocean views from the parking lot make a satisfying first impression. As you lace up your hiking boots, watch for a Golden Gate-bound freighter or the spout of a gray whale and lend an ear to the chorus of barking sea lions. Then take the trail from the north end of the lot that dips into a canopy of cypress trees. Immediately you spot a couple of spur paths on the left; these lead a few hundred feet to ocean overlooks—perfect spots for sunset-watching. Take the right fork to connect to the wide main trail, which is the remains of the roadbed for Adolph Sutro’s 1888 steam train.
Sutro was a San Francisco entrepreneur who wanted to make his Cliff House restaurant and adjoining bathhouse more accessible to working-class folks. He built the railroad and charged people only a nickel to ride. Unfortunately, numerous landslides made maintaining the railway too expensive, and in 1925 he shut it down.
Today the former rail trail supplies postcard views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands, Pacific Ocean, and San Francisco Bay. The path is lined with windswept cypress trees that have taken on strange, stiff forms, as if they’ve been hair-sprayed into shape. If you look closely at the ocean waters below the trail, you might spot the remains of several Golden Gate shipwrecks. Point Lobos and Mile Rock, two submerged rocks, have taken many casualties off Land’s End. Today both rocks are marked with buoy signals.
In 0.5 mile, you see a right fork, where a gated road heads uphill to the Legion of Honor art museum (100 34th Ave., 415/750-3600, http://legionofhonor.famsf.org, 9:30am-5:15pm Tues.-Sun. year-round, $10). Continue straight on the main path. In another 50 yards is a narrow trail on the left marked with a leashed dog symbol. Follow this stair-stepped path steeply downhill for 0.25 mile to Mile Rock Beach, named for the red-and-white fog signal in the middle of the bay. The small beach, strewn with driftwood and rounded rocks, is popular with sunbathers. On summer weekends, be prepared for an anatomy lesson: Not everyone wears clothes here. From Mile Rock Beach, you can take side trails east and west along the bluffs, but use caution: The soil is continually eroding, and the paths are not maintained.
Back on the main trail, you reach a fence at Painted Rock Cliff and a section of trail leading uphill, which is designated for hikers only. Ascend the stairsteps into a grove of eucalyptus and then continue on a narrower trail as it curves along the edge of ocean bluffs, affording more Golden Gate views. Trailside anise grows 10 feet tall, and the coastal scrub is aromatic after winter rains.
The trail winds up at Eagle’s Point, a dramatic ocean overlook near 32nd Avenue and across from Lincoln Park Golf Course. Follow its winding staircase down the bluffs for the best views of the day and then retrace your steps back to your car.
When you return to the Merrie Way parking lot, consider a walk on the abandoned rail trail into Sutro Heights Park. A short path loops around the remains of Sutro’s estate. To access it, walk through the Merrie Way lot and cross Point Lobos Avenue. (It’s about 100 yards uphill.) Be sure to stop at the loop’s far end, just below a rock parapet that was built in 1880 as a viewing platform. From here, you are directly above the Cliff House, looking out toward the Farallon Islands.
Another worthy side trip leads from the west side of the Merrie Way parking lot, down a set of stairs to the concrete ruins of the Sutro Baths. The saltwater bathhouse was a popular San Francisco attraction until 1966, when it burned to the ground. The neighboring Cliff House restaurant (1090 Point Lobos, 415/386-3330, www.cliffhouse.com, open daily) offers a casual bistro atmosphere with spectacular Pacific views, plus a gift shop with historical memorabilia and travel-related books and gifts.
The concrete remains of Sutro Baths can be seen at Land’s End.
In San Francisco, head west on Geary Boulevard to 48th Avenue, where Geary becomes Point Lobos Avenue. Continue on Point Lobos Avenue for half a block to the Merrie Way parking lot on the right, adjacent to the Lands End Lookout Visitor Center (680 Point Lobos Ave., 415/426-5240, 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-6pm Sat.-Sun.) and just above Louis’ Restaurant. The trail leads from the north side of the parking lot.
Public transportation: MUNI Buses #38 and #38L stop at Point Lobos and 48th Avenues. Walk west on Point Lobos for a short distance to the Merrie Way parking lot. For MUNI information, phone 415/701-2311 (or just 311 in San Francisco) or visit www.sfmta.com.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°78079’ W 122°51180’
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco
Best: Bird-Watching
Distance: 1 mile round-trip
Duration: 1 hour
Elevation Change: 100 feet
Effort: Easy
Users: Hikers
Season: Late September-early February
Passes/Fees: The ferry fee is $37 per adult (ages 12-61), which includes a 40-minute audio tour of Alcatraz cell house. Tickets for children and seniors are discounted, and “family ticket” packages for two adults and two children are available. Purchase Alcatraz tickets in advance through Alcatraz Cruises (415/981-7625, www.alcatrazcruises.com). Advance tickets are strongly recommended in the summer months and year-round on weekends and holidays.
Maps: Download a free map at www.nps.gov/alcatraz.
Hours: The Agave Trail is open only late September-early February, when bird nesting season begins. The rest of Alcatraz Island is open year-round except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Contact: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Fort Mason, Bldg. 201, San Francisco, 415/561-4700, www.nps.gov/alcatraz
Stow away to an island in San Francisco Bay and view a part of “The Rock” that most tourists never see.
Everyone who has ever been to San Francisco knows about Alcatraz Island, but very few people know about Alcatraz Island’s Agave Trail.
Agave? Isn’t that the tall, funny-looking plant that’s the key ingredient in tequila? Yes, the very same.
The agaves were planted on Alcatraz Island by prison guards and their families in the 1930s and 1940s. Although Alcatraz was little more than a big, barren rock in the middle of the bay, the people who called it home were determined to grow gardens and make the place hospitable. So while the prisoners paced in their jail cells, the guards and their families formed a gardening association, imported topsoil from Angel Island and exotic plants from around the world, and set out to make the island grow. Their work paid off: The agaves and other ornamental flora flourished, and today they frame the island’s incomparable views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate.
You can visit Alcatraz and its famous prison almost any day of the year, but if you want to walk the short Agave Trail, you must show up between late September and early February. The rest of the year, the trail is closed to protect nesting birds. Colonies of black-crowned night herons and snowy egrets build their nests in trees and bushes around the island each spring. In summer, the prison’s concrete parade ground is filled with the nests and chicks of western gulls, making this one of the largest western gull nesting sites on the West Coast. The birds build more than 450 nests on Alcatraz each year.
The timing of the trail’s open season works out beautifully, because autumn and winter usually produce the clearest, most fog-free days on the bay. Also, the summer tourist crowds are gone, so it’s easier to get a seat on an Alcatraz ferry (except around Thanksgiving and Christmas). At any time of the year, if you have your heart set on visiting on a weekend, book your ticket a couple weeks in advance.
Keep in mind that this trip is more like a walk than a hike. You don’t need your $200 hiking boots, but you do need your camera. The scenery is incredible.
After an easy and scenic boat ride across San Francisco Bay, you disembark at the landing on the east side of the island. Most everybody heads to the right and up the hill to tour the prison, using audio headsets to listen to a 40-minute self-guided tour of Alcatraz cell house. The tour features the voices of actual prisoners and prison guards, making the old walls of the prison come to life. However, if your plan for today is simply to walk the Agave Trail and not tour the cell house, you can ask a ranger on the dock for a partial refund on your ferry fee and then head left instead of right, passing some picnic tables and a gated chain-link fence. On the fence’s far side is a sign marking the Agave Trail.
The path’s first stretch is level, concrete, and wheelchair accessible. You saunter only a few feet from the water’s edge, watching as boats sail by and seagulls fly overhead. Gentle lapping waves spill onto the walkway. Unforgettable views of downtown San Francisco and the Bay Bridge unfold. As you curve around to the south side of the island, you pass the large sign seen on your ferry ride, warning that “persons procuring or concealing escape of prisoners are subject to prosecution and imprisonment.”
Agave Trail leads along the base of a steep hillside covered with agave plants. Their strange shapes make marvelous outlines against the bright blue sky. At the end of the trail’s level stretch, you can see some of Alcatraz’s rocky tidepools during low tides. Rare occurrences in San Francisco Bay, these tidepools were formed from artificial rubble created by years of blasting and building on the island. Although you can’t access the tidepools, at low tide you can lean over the railing and glimpse anemones shimmering in the sun.
Artful flagstone stairsteps lead uphill to the prison’s parade grounds, which were once ringed by the houses of guards and their families. Those homes were demolished in 1971, and the building remains were scattered across the open concrete yard in huge rubble piles. Very soon these piles became homes for burrowing owls, night herons, deer mice, and salamanders.
From the parade grounds, your view expands to take in the entire Golden Gate Bridge and parts of the Marin Headlands. San Francisco shines to the south. If you can pull yourself away from the scenery, walk across the parade grounds and along the north side of the barracks to join the main paved trail leading to the cell house. There are several buildings to explore and many more views of the bay and mainland to see.
If you think you’ve “been there, done that” at Alcatraz, sign up for a night tour of the island. This is when the island is most photogenic—you can get amazing sunset shots of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city skyline lighting up as the sun goes down. Night tours include a narrated boat tour around the island, the same self-guided audio tour that is available on day tours, special programs on a variety of Alcatraz topics, and dramatic views of the San Francisco skyline. The price is slightly higher than what it costs to visit during the day, but it’s worth it. Make reservations with Alcatraz Cruises (415/981-7625, www.alcatrazcruises.com).
Agaves line this trail on historic Alcatraz Island.
Alcatraz Island is accessed via the Alcatraz Cruises ferry from Pier 33 in San Francisco, which is located on the Embarcadero near Bay Street. Parking is available at more than a dozen fee lots nearby or at metered spots along the street. Note that meters are good for only four hours.
Public transportation: The MUNI “F” line runs along the Embarcadero and stops at the ferry terminal. For MUNI information, phone 415/701-2311 (or just 311 in San Francisco) or visit www.sfmta.com.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°80664’ W 122°40487’
San Bruno Mountain State and County Park, San Bruno
Best: Wildflower Displays
Distance: 3.1 miles round-trip
Duration: 1.5 hours
Elevation Change: 725 feet
Effort: Easy/moderate
Users: Hikers, cyclists (paved summit road only)
Season: Spring
Passes/Fees: $6 day-use per vehicle
Maps: Park maps are available at the entrance kiosk or at http://parks.smcgov.org.
Contact: San Bruno Mountain State and County Park, 555 Guadalupe Canyon Pkwy., Brisbane, 650/992-6770, http://parks.smcgov.org
Get some perspective on San Francisco while exploring San Bruno Mountain’s rugged natural beauty just minutes from the city.
San Bruno Mountain is located a few miles off U.S. 101, adjacent to South San Francisco and I-280 in Daly City. More specifically, it’s situated about 1,200 feet above the Cow Palace, that huge entertainment arena that houses everything from monster truck shows to well-bred cat competitions. The bald, grassy mountain overlooks Candlestick Park and the business complexes on U.S. 101. Does this seem like an unlikely place for a nature preserve? You bet. But San Bruno Mountain is full of surprises.
The Summit Loop Trail takes you on a tour of the mountain, providing a mix of city and bay views. Hikers who show up in spring find the hillsides brimming with wildflowers. Some of them serve a dire role: San Bruno Mountain is prime habitat for the endangered mission blue butterfly. Three kinds of native lupine grow here that are crucial to the development of the butterfly’s larva. The mission blue butterfly exists only on San Bruno Mountain, in the Marin Headlands, and around San Francisco’s Twin Peaks.
San Bruno Mountain is also home to two more endangered butterflies—the San Bruno elfin and the San Francisco silverspot—as well as rare endangered plants including Pacific manzanita, San Bruno Mountain manzanita, Diablo rock rose, San Francisco owl’s clover, and dune tansy. The 2,700-acre park is carefully managed with a habitat conservation plan to protect the precious species. A legal agreement between the public and local developers, the plan limits the amount and type of building that can be done on San Bruno Mountain’s slopes. Although developers have contested the conservation plan in court, it has always been upheld. Meanwhile, hikers are welcome to share the hillsides with the rare and precious plants and butterflies.
After turning into the park, pass through the entrance kiosk and then turn right to follow the park road under Guadalupe Canyon Parkway for the trailhead on the south side. Check out the San Bruno Mountain Botanical Garden, a native plant garden maintained by park volunteers, and then begin hiking at the signboard. Bear right for Summit Loop Trail. In 100 yards, you reach a second junction; this is where you choose which leg of the loop to follow uphill. A right turn leads you across the paved summit road and counterclockwise for the easiest grade. A left turn takes you on the shortest route to the summit, still with a very mild grade.
The shorter left route earns you dramatic views almost immediately. In just a few minutes of climbing, San Francisco and its bay appear, and Mount Diablo looms large in the background. The panorama keeps changing with every switchback up the slope. Vistas are unobstructed because San Bruno Mountain is almost entirely grasslands, with just a few stands of eucalyptus and some low-growing chaparral. Although native grasslands have become increasingly rare in the Bay Area due to grazing and the introduction of nonnative species, San Bruno Mountain is home to more than 20 species.
Just beyond a junction with Dairy Ravine Trail, a left spur leads to a strategically positioned bench on a knoll with a wide-angle view. North to south, you can see Twin Peaks, San Francisco’s downtown, the Cow Palace, Monster Park, the Bay Bridge, the East Bay hills, and Oyster and Sierra Points. You can hear the rushing sound of the freeway, but perched high on this oasis, you feel oddly insulated from it.
Keep climbing and you soon approach the antenna-covered summit. Where Ridge Trail heads left, follow it for more outstanding bay views and a scenic final stretch. At a junction with a fire road, turn right and walk the last few steps uphill. Ridge Trail continues for 2.5 miles to San Bruno Mountain’s East Peak. This makes a terrific out-and-back hike, if you want to add on a few miles. In addition to providing more incomparable views of the bay, Ridge Trail is bordered by two unusual manzanita species: the endemic coastal manzanita and kinnikinnick, which is near the southern edge of its range.
At the summit, the radio towers barely diminish the drama of the view. From the summit parking lot you can wander around and admire a 360-degree panorama. This is your first look at the coast; you enjoy more western views on the return leg of the loop.
When you’ve seen enough, head downhill on the paved road for 0.25 mile to where Summit Loop Trail crosses the pavement. Bear left, taking the signed trail on the right side of a gated road. Enjoy more ocean vistas, plus glimpses of Mount Tamalpais and the Marin Headlands to the north. If you’re hiking in spring, the park’s best displays of wildflowers are found on this western slope. Look for lupine, poppies, Douglas iris, goldfields, pennyroyal, and owl’s clover, among many others. More unusual species include broadleaf stonecrop and wild pansy. You are accompanied by wildflowers and ocean views all the way back downhill.
Hikers get a new perspective on San Francisco from San Bruno Mountain.
The best way to explore San Bruno Mountain is on a guided hike with San Bruno Mountain Watch (415/467-6631, www.mountainwatch.org), a nonprofit stewardship group. Free guided walks are held on occasional Saturdays throughout the year and almost every Saturday during the spring wildflower bloom.
From U.S. 101 south of San Francisco, take the Brisbane/Cow Palace exit (or if you are traveling north, take the Bayshore Boulevard/Cow Palace exit) and drive 1.8 miles on Bayshore Boulevard, heading toward the Cow Palace. Turn left (west) on Guadalupe Canyon Parkway and drive 2.3 miles to the park entrance. Turn right, drive past the entrance kiosk, and then loop back underneath the road to the parking area and trailhead on the south side of Guadalupe Canyon Parkway; the trailhead is next to the native plant garden.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°69527’ W 122°43426’
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Bruno
Distance: 4-5 miles round-trip
Duration: 2-3 hours
Elevation Change: 750 feet or 1,000 feet
Effort: Moderate
Users: Hikers, cyclists (except the route from Skyline College), leashed dogs
Season: Spring and fall
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: A map is available by contacting Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Fort Mason, Bldg. 201, San Francisco, 415/561-4700, www.nps.gov/goga).
Contact: GGNRA Presidio Visitor Center, 415/561-4323
Visit one of the Bay Area’s most important historical sites and enjoy a stunning 360-degree panorama from the top of Sweeney Ridge.
Has the fog vanished from San Francisco? Good. Is it morning? Good. These are the two crucial elements for a trip to Sweeney Ridge and the San Francisco Bay Discovery Site. Why? Zero fog is imperative to fully appreciate the stupendous views from the top of the ridge. Morning is the critical time to hike, because if the weather is clear, by midday the wind is probably going to howl. Pick a still, sunny morning (most likely to occur in spring or fall), and you’re in line for a great hiking trip.
You have three good trail choices. The paved route from Sneath Lane in San Bruno is open to hikers, bikers, and dogs and has a very easy grade. It features views of San Andreas Lake and the prominent landmarks of South San Francisco and the northern peninsula. The path from Skyline College is a dirt trail, closed to bikes but open to dogs and hikers, which supplies views of the ocean and Pacifica’s coastline (parking can be difficult at the college on weekdays). The trail from Shell Dance Nursery in Pacifica is a bit longer and steeper than the others—5 miles round-trip instead of 4, and a 1,000-foot elevation gain instead of 750 feet. It’s open to hikers, bikers, and dogs, and it also offers grand coastal views.
All three trails lead to the same result: an incredible 360-degree panorama from the top of Sweeney Ridge. This vista takes in the Pacific coastline and San Francisco Bay as well as the landmass to the east, north, and south. It was here, at the 1,200-foot summit on top of Sweeney Ridge, that Gaspar de Portolà and the Portolà Expedition arrived at San Francisco Bay on November 4, 1769. A stone monument commemorates the event. Alongside it is a second monument in memory of Carl Patrick McCarthy, who, as the sign states, “personally brought 11,863 visitors to this discovery site” and was instrumental in obtaining protective status for Sweeney Ridge. Carved on the granite marker are the outlines of all the major landmarks you can see from this spot, including Montara Mountain, Mount Tamalpais, Mount Diablo, Mount Hamilton, Point Reyes, Point San Pedro, and the Farallon Islands.
If you opt for the Sneath Lane paved trail, the trip is simple. The trail begins at a gate at the parking area and slowly winds its way uphill. About two-thirds of the way up, you see a yellow line painted on the trail. That’s the fog line, which in the 1950s and 1960s served as a visual marker for military personnel who serviced the Nike missile site on top of the ridge. Today it’s a useful tool for bikers and hikers when visibility is bad.
A monument to Gaspar de Portola marks the top of 1,200-foot Sweeney Ridge.
Once you reach the fog line, the trail enters its steepest stretch, but the views of the Peninsula more than compensate. At the top of the ridge lies a major junction of trails. This is where you gain wide westward views to add to your collection of eastern views. Straight ahead is a wooden bench that overlooks the coast. Go left for a few yards to see the Portolà monument. Then take the paved ridge trail to the right, which stays level and easy for 0.5 mile, passes a big water tower, and ends at the abandoned buildings of an old Nike missile site, a remnant of the Cold War era.
If you opt for the trail from Skyline College, the trail begins from the back side of Parking Lot B and makes a brief, steep ascent uphill to join an old gravel road. Turn right on the road and enjoy a mellower grade and immediate coastal views. Mount Tamalpais appears to the north. In less than a mile, you reach an abandoned military bunker, a reminder of Sweeney Ridge’s role in protecting San Francisco from possible military invasion during World War II. Because of the bunker’s strategic high point, it has a splendid view of South San Francisco, the South Bay, the Pacific coast, and Mount Diablo to the east.
From the bunker, the trail drops steeply, soon joining a long series of stairsteps leading down into a ravine. If you look to your right, you see where the trail is heading—right back up the stairsteps on the far side. It’s a mini-workout for your cardiovascular system.
The trail tops out at the abandoned Nike missile site buildings, where the view of coast and bay is appealing enough. But take a stroll along the paved, level ridge trail for 0.5 mile to see the stone monument to Portolà and check out even better views from there.
If you choose to take the route from Pacifica, start at the gate behind Shell Dance Nursery. Take Mori Ridge Trail, an old dirt road, steeply uphill. For almost 2 miles, the trail leads through open grasslands and coastal scrub with nearly nonstop views of Mount Tamalpais, Montara Mountain, and the Pacific Ocean. Occasional Monterey pines present a chance for shade. Where Mori Ridge Trail meets up with Sweeney Ridge Trail (the path from Skyline College), turn right for the last 0.5 mile to the Nike missile site. Continue along the paved trail to the Portolà monument.
If you enjoy the high views from Sweeney Ridge, check out the trails from another ridge above Pacifica, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Milagra Ridge. To get there, from Highway 1 in Pacifica take the Sharp Park Road exit and drive east up the hill for 1.5 miles. Turn left at the sign for Milagra Ridge and drive to the end of the road. This grassland-covered ridgetop is a favorite of hikers, dog walkers, and kite flyers, who relish its sweeping coastal views. Along with nearby Sweeney Ridge, this parkland is one of the last remaining habitat areas for the mission blue butterfly. You can hike a 1.5-mile semi-loop along the ridge. Spring wildflowers are plentiful.
For the Sneath Lane trailhead: From I-280 in San Bruno, take the Sneath Lane/San Bruno Avenue exit and turn west. At the stoplight, turn left (west) on Sneath Lane. Drive 1.9 miles to the trailhead parking area.
Sneath Lane GPS Coordinates: N 37°61932’ W 122°45408’
For the Skyline College trailhead: From I-280 in San Bruno, take the Westborough exit and turn right (west), following the signs for Skyline College. Drive 1.4 miles and then turn left on Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35). Drive 0.7 mile and then turn right on College Drive. Drive 0.5 mile. At the stop sign, turn left, drive 0.25 mile, and then turn left at the sign for Parking Lot B (staff lot). The trailhead is located on the left side of the parking lot, and several parking spots are signed Reserved for GGNRA on weekends and holidays.
Public transportation: SamTrans Buses #121 and #123 stop at the Skyline College trailhead. For SamTrans information, phone 800/660-4287 or visit www.samtrans.com.
Skyline College GPS Coordinates: N 37°62854’ W 122°46557’
For the Pacifica trailhead: From Highway 1 in Pacifica, turn east into the driveway for Shell Dance Nursery (north of Reina del Mar Avenue and south of Sharp Park Road). Drive 0.3 mile, past the nursery buildings, to the Sweeney Ridge parking area at the end of the dirt road.
Pacifica GPS Coordinates: N 37°61709’ W 122°48345’
San Pedro Valley County Park, Pacifica
Distance: 2.6 miles round-trip
Duration: 1.5 hours
Elevation Change: 500 feet
Effort: Easy
Users: Hikers
Season: Winter and spring
Passes/Fees: $6 day-use per vehicle
Maps: Maps are available at the visitors center (10am-4pm Sat.-Sun.) or at http://parks.smcgov.org.
Contact: San Pedro Valley County Park, 600 Oddstad Blvd., Pacifica, 650/355-8289, http://parks.smcgov.org
In the wet months of the year, a glistening waterfall awaits hikers in San Pedro Valley’s sylvan canyon.
The first time you drive to San Pedro Valley County Park, you may think you have the wrong directions. You head down Highway 1 into Pacifica and then turn off at a shopping center with a supermarket and a selection of chain restaurants. The place doesn’t look much like a nature preserve.
But have patience, because you need only drive another couple of miles before leaving these suburban entrapments behind. After a few minutes on the trail, you head up and away from the parking lots, noise, and traffic lights and enter a vastly different world.
If you’re hiking in the rainy season, a surprise awaits. By hiking the Brooks Creek Trail in winter or spring, you have a chance to see one of the Bay Area’s prettiest waterfalls: Brooks Falls, a tall, narrow cascade of water that plunges 175 feet in three tiers. From a distance, it looks like one of the majestic tropical waterfalls of Hawaii.
Locate the trailhead for Montara Mountain Trail by the restrooms in San Pedro Valley County Park. A few feet beyond the trailhead, the trail splits: Montara Mountain Trail heads right, and Old Trout Farm Trail heads left. Go left and gently uphill through a dense grove of eucalyptus. At trail junctions, small signs direct you to Waterfall Viewing Area. Bear right at two forks, now following Brooks Creek Trail, and keep heading uphill. The well-graded path soon emerges from the trees to open views of the canyon amid coastal sage scrub, ceanothus, and monkeyflower.
Tree-sized manzanita dwarfs hikers at San Pedro Valley County Park.
Twenty minutes of well-graded climbing deliver your first glimpse of the waterfall, far off in the canyon on your left. Look for a narrow plume of water cascading down the mountainside. Unfortunately, no trails lead to the base of the waterfall; you can only view it from a distance. The best viewpoint is at a conveniently placed bench right along the trail. After a hard rain, you can hear and see the water crashing down the canyon slopes 0.25 mile away. If you want photographs, bring your extra-long telephoto lens.
From the manzanita-lined overlook, continue uphill on Brooks Creek Trail, gaining more views of Brooks Falls. The trail tops out on a ridge with an overlook of Pacifica and the ocean to the west and the Marin Headlands to the north. On the clearest days, even the Farallon Islands show up. Montara Mountain Trail takes off from here; to the left and 2 miles farther is the summit of Montara Mountain (see Montara Mountain Summit listing in this chapter). For this 2.6-mile loop, turn right on Montara Mountain Trail and start to descend. You drop 500 feet in elevation through more stands of eucalyptus to reach the trailhead and parking area. If you happen to live in Pacifica, you might be able to pick out your house from the multitude of roofs below.
Keep in mind that Brooks Falls is a seasonal waterfall. This loop trip makes a pleasant hike year-round, but the fall appears only in the rainy season.
To explore more of the park, try a 4.6-mile loop on Hazelnut Trail and Weiler Ranch Road, starting from behind the visitors center. From the group picnic area, take wide and level Weiler Ranch Road up the valley for 1.2 miles and then turn right on Hazelnut Trail. You gain 400 feet as you switchback up a ridge through a mixed bouquet of tall chaparral plants—everything from common coyote brush to uncommon chinquapin. From the loop’s highest points, you gain surprising views of the Pacific Ocean (even the Farallon Islands on the clearest days) and San Pedro Creek Canyon. The downhill side of the loop is routed through a veritable forest of hazelnut, the trail’s namesake.
From Highway 1 in Pacifica, turn east on Linda Mar Boulevard. Follow Linda Mar Boulevard for 2 miles until it dead-ends at Oddstad Boulevard. Turn right and drive 50 yards to the park entrance on the left. Park in the upper parking lot (to the right of the visitors center as you drive in). Montara Mountain Trail is located next to the restrooms.
Public transportation: SamTrans Bus #14 stops on Linda Mar Boulevard less than 1 mile from the park entrance. For SamTrans information, phone 800/660-4287 or visit www.samtrans.com.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°58025’ W 122°47670’
McNee Ranch State Park and Montara State Beach, Montara
Best: Peak Vistas
Distance: 7.4 miles round-trip
Duration: 4 hours
Elevation Change: 2,200 feet
Effort: Strenuous
Users: Hikers, cyclists, leashed dogs
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: A detailed map of the area is available from Pease Press, 415/387-1437, www.peasepress.com (ask for the Pacifica map).
Contact: Montara State Beach, 650/726-8819 or 650/726-8820, www.parks.ca.gov
On a clear day, this coastal mountain offers sweeping bay-to-ocean views, taking in everything from Mount Diablo to the shoreline from San Francisco to Pescadero.
There are two routes to Montara Mountain’s summit: the doggy route and the no-doggy route. Both trails yield good hiking, and the summit vista is sublime no matter how you get there.
The no-dogs-allowed trail begins in Pacifica’s San Pedro Valley County Park and is the preferred choice for hikers who love single-track. You’ll only encounter bikers on the last 1.1 miles to the summit, where the two trails join. Details on this trail can be found in Brooks Falls Loop listing in this chapter.
The dog-friendly route begins in McNee Ranch, a unit of Montara State Beach on Highway 1 just north of Montara. It’s an old paved road that transitions into a dirt fire road as it climbs the mountain, and it is open to bikers, equestrians, and dogs. The road/trail serves up expansive coastal views as it winds up Montara Mountain’s western slope. You don’t have to hike all the way to the summit to gain a vista on this route; the scenery is good for most of the trip. If you do go all the way, you can take an alternative route back down the mountain, making a nice semi-loop.
From the Highway 1 trailhead at undeveloped McNee Ranch, begin hiking on the single-track Gray Whale Cove Trail just to the left of the gated road. The first 0.5 mile rises out of a cypress-lined canyon to gain coastal views to the north, including the crashing surf and tall cliffs of Gray Whale Cove. At an unsigned junction, go right and join a crumbling, paved thoroughfare, Old San Pedro Mountain Road, which served as the route from Montara to Pacifica before Highway 1 was built. Head north on this old road. (If you prefer, you can just follow the gated road from the trailhead and then bear left on Old San Pedro Mountain Road by the ranger’s residence, but this is a longer, less scenic option.)
The road’s broken pavement is being rapidly encroached upon by 10-foot-high pampas grass, coyote brush, and other coastal flora, both native and nonnative. For the next 0.5 mile, you lose your coastal views as you traipse through a canyon, but this is the trail’s only viewless stretch. Meanwhile, watch for bike riders flying downhill. You have plenty of time to see and hear them coming and get out of their way.
The road/trail is extremely well graded. A few benches are in place at strategic resting points. At 1.8 miles, as you pause to catch your breath and admire the ocean views, note a left spur trail signed No Bikes. That’s where you loop back on your return. Here the panorama opens wide, exposing the crashing surf and tall cliffs of Montara State Beach and Gray Whale Cove.
Here you can pause to consider how often the section of Highway 1 below you—aptly named Devil’s Slide—was often closed due to landslides, effectively sealing off the people of Montara and nearby communities from most of the rest of the world and creating traffic nightmares on Highway 92, the Peninsula’s only major thoroughfare to the coast. In 2013, two tunnels through the base of Montara Mountain were completed, creating a bypass for this accident-prone stretch of highway. (The old road has been made into a paved public walking trail—see Hike Nearby, below.)
One hundred yards past the “no bikes” spur trail, the old pavement veers off to the left; continue uphill to the right on a good dirt road. This is officially Montara Mountain Road; follow it all the way to the summit. Soon the road enters its steepest stretch, which lasts for 0.5 mile. It takes you high up on a ridge, where you can see Pillar Point Harbor and the Half Moon Bay airport on your right and the boxy houses of Pacifica on your left. The road is lined with ceanothus, coffeeberry, and scrub oaks. At 2.6 miles, you pass the single-track trail coming in from San Pedro Valley County Park. Both routes share the final 1.1 miles to the summit. Now that you’ve gained some elevation, the coastal scrub and pampas grass are replaced by chinquapin and manzanita covered with lichen and moss. Tiny ferns grow in crags among the rock, a testament to the amount of fog that Montara Mountain sees.
The dirt road leading to the summit of Montara Mountain provides a great workout and outstanding coastal views.
As you near the top, you find the chassis of an old, rusted car, a small sandstone cave, and a spur trail leading west to a slightly lower summit. Straight ahead lie the main peaks of Montara Mountain, littered with microwave towers. Head for the north peak (to your right at the T-junction), the highest peak at 1,898 feet. A spur trail continues past the antennas to the tip-top.
What can you see from the summit? To the east, it’s the famous sign on U.S. 101 proclaiming “South San Francisco the Industrial City,” the Dumbarton Bridge, San Francisco Bay, plus Mount Diablo in the background. To the west, it’s the wild Pacific coast all the way north to San Francisco and south to Pescadero. The Santa Cruz Mountains rise to the southeast. Mount Tamalpais looms high above the tall skyline of San Francisco. It’s a breathtaking panorama.
If you want to get away from the summit’s antennas, head for the lower peak to the west that you passed (by the sandstone cave). This bald summit makes a perfect picnic spot, although its views are only to the west.
Your trip back downhill is a treat, with nonstop coastal views in front of you rather than at your back. If you want to skip the long spell on pavement, remember to watch for the alternative return route. When you leave the dirt road and join the old paved road, follow it for 100 yards to the single-track trail on your right. This path has a few extremely steep downhill pitches, so exercise some caution. When the path meets up with Gray Whale Cove Trail paralleling the coast and the highway, take a short side trip—the right fork leads a level 0.25 mile to a viewpoint with two benches. The ocean is so loud here that you can’t hear the cars on the highway directly below.
Then backtrack on Gray Whale Cove Trail and follow the edge of the coast all the way back to your starting point.
Hike the old coast highway—the stretch of road that’s been replaced by the tunnels drilled through Montara Mountain. The 1.3-mile Devils Slide Trail is a paved, ocean-view walking and biking trail that opened in 2014. It offers unparalleled coastal views, with plenty of chances for spotting whales and seabirds (including hundreds of common murres). Trailhead parking is located on both ends of the trail where it intersects with Highway 1 near Pacifica and Montara.
For even more coastal views, head north to one of Pacifica’s best attractions: the new, or rather reinvented, trails at Mori Point (Mori Point Road, 415/561-4323, www.nps.gov/goga). Located directly south of Pacifica’s Sharp Park Golf Course and just west of Highway 1, two trailheads access the area: one at the west end of Fairway Drive and the other at the south end of Bradford Way. After decades of battles, Mori Point was saved from development and added to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 2000, but restoration work didn’t begin until 2008. The point is now graced with well-constructed walking trails, environmentally friendly staircases, and overlook platforms that offer extraordinary ocean views.
From Half Moon Bay, drive north on Highway 1 for 10 miles to Montara. Continue to 0.6 mile north of Montara State Beach and La Costanera Restaurant, just south of the Devil’s Slide tunnel. The trailhead is marked by a yellow metal gate on the east side of the highway. There is enough parking for about six cars. If this lot is full, you can park farther south at Montara State Beach.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°55389’ W 122°51232’
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Beach
Best: Wildlife-Watching
Distance: 1-5 miles round-trip
Duration: 1-2 hours
Elevation Change: Negligible
Effort: Easy
Users: Hikers
Season: Late fall and winter
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: A map is available at http://parks.smcgov.org.
Contact: Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, 200 Nevada St., Moss Beach, 650/728-3584, http://parks.smcgov.org
On a small but scenic stretch of the San Mateo coast, explore tidepools teeming with life and the white sands of Seal Cove.
There is no trail on the beach at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. When you visit, you may hike a few miles or only a few yards. But no matter how much or how little distance you cover, it’s probably going to be the slowest walk of your life.
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is hands-down the best place in the San Francisco Bay Area for exploring tidepools. You walk at a snail’s pace along the rocky reefs, moving inch by inch and keeping a careful eye out for slippery rocks and sneaking waves. With your head bent down, you discover colorful sea creatures that are revealed by the departing tide. You may see mussels, crabs, abalones, barnacles, starfish, anemones, snails, and limpets. If you’re lucky, you might spot an octopus or a nudibranch.
The reserve is part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the largest marine sanctuary in the United States, which runs along the coast from Marin County to San Simeon. This entire area is federally protected from such activities as oil drilling that would irreparably harm the ecosystem. Within this sanctuary lies a broad, rocky, intertidal reef that runs from Point Montara to Pillar Point. It’s one of the largest intertidal reefs in California, and that’s the raison d’être for the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
During the lowest tides of the year, which occur most often in late fall and winter, as many as 30 acres of tidepools are revealed at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. More than 200 species of marine animals and 150 species of plants are available for observation. This means that nobody walks away disappointed; it’s virtually impossible not to ogle an urchin or stare down a starfish. The reserve is a huge hit with children; remember to tell them they may look at and gently touch the creatures, but they may not pick them up or take them out of their environment. Because this is a marine reserve, every rock, plant, shell, and marine animal are protected by law.
To optimize your trip, check the tide chart in the newspaper so that you plan your visit during a low tide or, even better, during a minus tide.
From the parking lot, a wide trail parallels an ocean-bound creek down to the rocky beach. Head to your left toward Pillar Point in Half Moon Bay, 2.5 miles distant. When the tide is out, you could conceivably cover this distance—if you don’t get too distracted in the first few hundred feet.
As you walk, watch for the four central zones of a tidepool area. The first is the low intertidal zone, which is underwater 90 percent of the time, so you get to see its inhabitants only during the lowest tides of the year. This is where the most interesting creatures are: eels, octopuses, sea hares, brittle stars, giant keyhole limpets, sculpins, and bat stars. The second area is the middle intertidal zone, which is underwater only 50 percent of the time, so it’s in between the low and high tide line. This area has the creatures we usually associate with tidepools: sea stars or starfish, purple sea urchins, sea anemones, gooseneck barnacles, red algae, and mussels. In the high intertidal zone (underwater only 10 percent of the time), you see common acorn barnacles, shore crabs, black tegulas, and hermit crabs. These creatures can live out of water for long periods of time. The final tidepool region is the splash zone, where you find rough limpets, snails, and periwinkles.
Armed with all this knowledge, wander as you wish among the rocks and pools. Or, if you’d prefer to go with a pro, sign up for one of the free nighttime tidepool tours at the reserve. Rangers hold these tours just after dark during fall and winter, when tides are extremely low and you can easily observe nighttime activity on the reefs.
A great way to extend this trip, or to make a loop out of it during low tides, is to combine the tidepool walk with a walk on the blufftop trail above the marine reserve, then finish out your day with oceanfront cocktails and a delicious meal. Access the trail via the sturdy footbridge across the street from the trailhead parking lot (on the south side of North Lake Street at its junction with California Avenue). On the far side of the bridge, the trail climbs uphill and leads through a hauntingly beautiful cypress forest. Openings between the trees provide delightful ocean views. A half mile farther, at a park sign, follow a set of stairsteps down to the white-sand beach at Seal Cove. From there, at low tide, you simply walk to your right across the reefs to make a 2-mile loop. (At high tide, you have to turn around and head back on the high trail.) After your hike, drive or walk north for a few blocks past a tidy set of cottages to the Moss Beach Distillery (140 Beach Way, 650/728-5595, www.mossbeachdistillery.com), where you can sit by the fire pits on the outdoor deck, wrap up in a blanket, and enjoy a cocktail and some sliders.
Even if the tide is high at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, you can still hike on the bluffs above the reef.
From Half Moon Bay, drive north on Highway 1 for 6 miles to Moss Beach. Turn left (west) on California Avenue at the sign for Marine Life Refuge. Drive 0.3 mile and then turn right on North Lake Street. The parking lot is on your right.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°52413’ W 122°51643’
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, Skyline Boulevard
Best: Redwood Forests
Distance: 10 miles round-trip
Duration: 5.5 hours
Elevation Change: 1,600 feet
Effort: Strenuous
Users: Hikers, cyclists (some trails)
Season: February-June
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: Trail maps are available at the trailhead or at www.openspace.org.
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org
One of the most scenic loop trails in the northern Santa Cruz Mountains travels amid the redwoods of Purisima Canyon.
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a hiker’s heaven. With breathtaking ocean views, towering redwood and fir trees, a year-round creek, and plentiful wildlife and wildflowers, the preserve shows off some of the best features of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Purisima delivers on its Spanish name: It’s pristine.
You can access the 3,200-acre preserve from two trailheads on Skyline Boulevard or one on Higgins Purisima Road in Half Moon Bay. Purisima’s trails traverse the slopes between Skyline Ridge and the coast, a 1,600-foot elevation change. Choose any path, and you have to go up and then down or down and then up.
This 10-mile loop begins at the preserve’s northern entrance on Skyline Boulevard, a mere half-hour drive from San Francisco. This is an “upside-down” hike, meaning that you go downhill first and then uphill on your return. Even though it’s a relatively mellow ascent, bring plenty of water and snacks to sustain you in the final miles. (If you want to hike the uphill leg first, you could begin the loop at the Higgins Purisima Road trailhead in Half Moon Bay.)
From the Skyline trailhead, follow the single-track, hikers-only trail to the right of the wide fire road. Switchback your way down the trail, enjoying the shade of Douglas firs, tan oaks, and madrones. February-June, the woodland understory is littered with dense clusters of light blue forget-me-nots. Look down at your feet; you appear to be walking amid blue and white clouds.
The narrow trail ends 0.5 mile out. Turn right on North Ridge Trail, a fir tree-lined fire road, and follow it for 0.5 mile. A left turn on Whittemore Gulch Trail puts you back on single-track. You pass through a seasonal gate used for blocking equestrians and mountain bikers from the trail during the wet season and then begin a series of long switchbacks downhill. The path opens out to chaparral-covered slopes with views of Half Moon Bay and the San Mateo coast. A short spur trail leads to an overlook with a railing to lean on; the coast vista is widest from here.
Continue descending and meet up with Whittemore Gulch, a seasonal tributary to Purisima Creek. Whittemore Gulch Trail follows the gulch downhill; the path bottoms out in a picturesque redwood and Douglas fir forest. Big-leaf maples grow in the understory of the conifers; their leaves turn bright yellow in the fall. You may want to linger in this delightful creekside woodland.
At 3.8 miles from the trailhead, you reach the trail’s end and two junctions. Bypass Harkins Ridge Trail on the left and continue across the bridge over Purisima Creek to join Purisima Creek Trail. (The Higgins Canyon/Purisima Creek Road trailhead is located 100 feet west.)
Purisima’s canyon is crisscrossed with fallen redwood trunks.
Wide, redwood-lined Purisima Creek Trail climbs practically imperceptibly alongside Purisima Creek, gaining only 400 feet in 2.3 miles. Large redwood stumps are interspersed among the young redwoods, giving you a hint of what this forest looked like before it was logged in the late 1800s. Purisima’s first-growth trees were used to build Half Moon Bay and San Francisco after the gold rush. The trail itself is an old logging road; seven lumber mills once operated along the banks of Purisima Creek. Today the stream canyon is home to a variety of ferns and a multitude of banana slugs. Its middle reaches are lined with impressive redwood deadfall.
Two miles from its start, Purisima Creek Trail makes a long switchback and heads northward to join with Craig Britton Trail. Bear left on this hikers-only pathway, a section of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, which makes a wide curve around the steep slopes of Soda Gulch. You traverse both sides of the canyon, crossing several smaller ravines on footbridges. Some of the tallest redwoods found in the preserve grow in the fertile soil around Soda Gulch. Most hikers agree that this 2.6-mile stretch on Craig Britton Trail is the most enchanting part of this loop.
As the trail gains elevation, the redwood canopy gives way to mixed hardwoods and chaparral-covered slopes. Craig Britton Trail’s last mile offers occasional inspiring views of the Santa Cruz Mountains and distant Pacific Ocean. At a junction with Harkins Ridge Trail, turn right and hike the final 1.4 miles back to the trailhead. In the last 0.5 mile, you can turn right on North Ridge Trail or cross North Ridge and follow the single-track trail on which you began this trip.
Two miles south on Skyline Boulevard is another trailhead for Purisima Creek. From here, the 0.6-mile Redwood Trail, a wheelchair- and stroller-accessible path, winds through dense redwoods. Connect to Purisima Creek Trail for a longer out-and-back hike. Or, cross Skyline Boulevard and walk 100 feet south to enter the back door to Huddart Park (http://parks.smcgov.org). A downhill jaunt on Summit Springs Road, Crystal Springs Trail, and Dean Trail reveals dense redwoods, ferns, and huckleberry. Stop at redwood-lined McGarvey Flat for a picnic and then zigzag uphill on Chinquapin Trail to make a 4-mile loop.
From San Francisco, drive south on I-280 for 19 miles to the Highway 92 West exit. Go west on Highway 92 for 2.7 miles and then turn left (south) on Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard). Drive 4.5 miles to the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve parking area on the right.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°44738’ W 122°33447’
El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve, Skyline Boulevard
Distance: 6 miles round-trip
Duration: 3 hours
Elevation Change: 600 feet
Effort: Easy/moderate
Users: Hikers, cyclists (most trails)
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: Trail maps are available at both trailheads or at www.openspace.org.
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org
Hidden amid a dense forest of redwoods and Douglas firs are the unique sandstone formations of El Corte de Madera Creek Preserve.
The monolithic sandstone formations at the end of the Tafoni Trail are the main attraction of the 2,800-acre El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve. Although similar in appearance to the rock outcrops at nearby Castle Rock State Park (see Saratoga Gap and Ridge Trail Loop listing in this chapter), the sandstone at El Corte de Madera Creek is composed of a softer, more fragile substance. You don’t find any rock climbers here.
The formations stand completely alone in the forest; they’re unlike anything else along the trail. The rest of the preserve is primarily trees and more trees, including some magnificent old Douglas firs and younger redwoods. You hike through acres of dense woodland and then suddenly they appear—huge sandstone beasts looming 50 feet high. Just as suddenly, there are no more of them—only trees, trees, and more trees. It’s as if Mother Nature told the delivery company to drop the sandstone off at the wrong location.
The preserve has several access points along Skyline Boulevard; unfortunately, most of them don’t have ample parking. The two best parking areas are at the Caltrans Skeggs Vista Point, where there is a paved lot on the east side of the road, and 0.4 mile farther south, where there is parking for about 10 cars on the west side of the road. The latter trailhead has immediate access to the preserve’s Sierra Morena Trail. From Skeggs Point, you must walk north along Skyline Boulevard for about 50 yards and then cross the road to access Tafoni Trail at a gated dirt road.
This 6-mile figure-eight loop combines stints on Tafoni, El Corte de Madera Creek, Resolution, and Fir Trails. The following description starts on Tafoni Trail; if you are beginning from the southern trailhead, take Sierra Morena Trail right (north) to Fir Trail, turn right, and join the start of Tafoni Trail. This route adds 1.2 miles to your round-trip.
Hike on a gentle uphill grade through big Douglas firs for the first 1.2 miles on Tafoni Trail. At a four-way junction, turn sharply right to head to the sandstone formations. In just a few hundred yards, you reach a sign announcing the tafoni ahead. Turn right on a single-track path (this is the only trail in the preserve that is reserved for hikers only) and descend to the 50-foot-high outcrops. An observation deck provides a good vantage point for gazing in awe at the tafoni.
Although it sounds like an Italian dessert, tafoni is a type of sandstone that is formed by years of weathering. (It was named for an Italian geologist.) A unique combination of coastal fog, tectonic upthrust, and sandstone cliffs provides the right ingredients for tafoni. The glue that holds the sandstone’s individual sand grains together eventually erodes away, leaving honeycomb-patterned, lacelike crevices and holes in the smooth rock.
After visiting the outcrops, retrace your steps back uphill to Tafoni Trail and continue northwest. The old logging road continues for another mile in oak and fir forest to El Corte de Madera Creek Trail. Turn left and head mostly downhill for 0.9 mile, paralleling a seasonal creek in the final stretch. Turn left on Resolution Trail and follow it for just over a mile, climbing gradually among some good-sized redwoods. Among the second-growth trees lie burned-out stumps left from logging days.
Wind-sculpted sandstone is a highlight at El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve.
After gaining a few hundred feet in elevation, you emerge from the forest into chaparral. At a sizable clearing, Resolution Trail meets up with Fir Trail. In 2009, a commemorative plaque was placed on a boulder here to memorialize the spot as the site of the worst aviation disaster in San Mateo County history. In October 1953, 11 passengers and 8 crew members died when a British DC6 headed for San Francisco airport crashed into this hillside. The tragedy was due to a navigation error.
After reading the plaque, follow the spur path signed for Vista Point. This ridgetop site has a partially obscured view of the coast and a level, open area for picnicking; it’s an abrupt contrast to the dense woods you’ve been hiking in.
When you rejoin the main Fir Trail, it’s only 1.1 miles farther to the Tafoni Trailhead or 0.9 mile to the turnoff for Sierra Morena Trail and the southern parking area.
For a more ambitious hike, try the 9-mile Gordon Mill and Lawrence Creek Loop, which follows an old logging road through a sturdy second-growth forest of redwoods and firs. Lawrence Creek is laden with clear pools and mossy rocks. Start hiking at the preserve’s CM03 gate, which is 2.9 miles north of Highway 84 on Skyline Boulevard. Park in the pullout just north of the gate.
Plenty of hikers visit El Corte de Madera Creek and miss out on a spectacular sight right across the road from its southern parking area, 0.4 mile south of Skeggs Vista Point. A 100-yard stroll from Skyline Boulevard leads to the Methuselah redwood, which is 14 feet in diameter and more than 1,800 years old. It’s worth a visit any time you’re on Skyline. While you’re in the neighborhood, head over to Alice’s Restaurant (17288 Slyline Blvd., 650/851-0303, www.alicesrestaurant.com). Come here before your hike for a superb brunch of eggs Benedict, or show up in the afternoon for a jalopy burger or jalapeño poppers.
From San Francisco, drive south on I-280 for 19 miles to the Highway 92 West exit. Go west on Highway 92 for 2.7 miles and then turn left (south) on Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard). Drive 8.5 miles to the Skeggs Vista Point parking area on your left. (It’s 1.6 miles south of the intersection with Kings Mountain Road and 3.8 miles north of Skylonda.) You can’t turn left into the parking area; you must drive farther south and find a safe place to make a U-turn. After parking, walk 50 yards north on Skyline Boulevard and cross the road to access Tafoni Trail. Or continue 0.4 mile south on Skyline Boulevard from Skeggs Vista Point to the small parking area on the west side of the road. From there, begin hiking on Sierra Morena Trail.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°41096’ W 122°30586’
Wunderlich County Park, Woodside
Distance: 5.4 miles round-trip
Duration: 2.5 hours
Elevation Change: 600 feet
Effort: Easy/moderate
Users: Hikers
Season: Spring
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: A trail map is available at the trailhead or at http://parks.smcgov.org.
Contact: Wunderlich Park, 4040 Woodside Rd., Woodside, 650/851-1210, http://parks.smcgov.org
Located just a few miles off I-280, the woodsy trails of Wunderlich are a pleasant place to spend an afternoon.
Wunderlich is wonderful in the springtime. This San Mateo County park is a mix of redwoods, Douglas firs, creeks, meadows, wildflowers, and winding trails, ideally suited for either short walks or longer day hikes. Located just a few minutes from the tony community of Woodside and I-280, Wunderlich Park is an easy getaway for anyone living or working on the Peninsula.
The park’s German name comes from its last private owner, a contractor named Martin Wunderlich, who deeded the land to San Mateo County in 1974. Prior to Wunderlich’s ownership, the land belonged to the James A. Folger family, of coffee fame.
Wunderlich is especially popular with runners, who appreciate the smooth, easy grades of its trails. It’s also popular with birders; the park’s dense woodlands often produce an interesting variety of bird sightings. Pileated woodpeckers, the largest of the woodpecker family, are seen fairly often, as are the more common nuttall’s, acorn, and hairy woodpeckers. Equestrians also share the paths, so you may have to step carefully to avoid horse droppings. Dogs and bikes are not allowed, however.
The following loop tour circles the eastern half of the park. Start your trip on the wide dirt road to the left of the stables, signed as Bear Gulch Trail. A passel of easy switchbacks on Bear Gulch Trail leads you uphill through a mixed forest of black oaks, bay laurel, madrones, Douglas fir, and shrublike California hazelnut. At 0.5 mile from the trailhead, the trail enters a second-growth redwood forest and soon reaches Redwood Flat, near the park border and Bear Gulch Road.
Follow Bear Gulch Trail for another 0.8 mile to The Meadows, elevation 1,430 feet, the high point on this loop. The Meadows is a pleasant, sunny clearing where you could easily while away an afternoon with a blanket and a book. Contrary to its name, this isn’t an area of grasslands: Ceanothus, coyote brush, and Scotch broom have taken over.
From The Meadows, continue on Bear Gulch Trail, now starting to descend. Where Bear Gulch Trail joins Alambique Trail at Alambique Flat, watch for a spur trail on the right. The spur leads 50 feet to an enchanting redwood grove along Alambique Creek. This is the most tranquil and inviting spot yet. Stay a while and savor the sound of the creek and the peace of the big trees.
Returning to the junction of Alambique and Bear Gulch Trails, follow wide Alambique Trail downhill. In less than 0.5 mile, you pass by a huge virgin redwood alongside the dirt road on your left. It’s at least 12 feet in diameter.
While you consider why the loggers chose to spare this particular tree, continue downhill, now coming closer to the steep canyon of Alambique Creek. At a junction with Meadow Trail, an old ranch road, turn left.
Follow this wide road through a eucalyptus grove to Redwood Trail. Not surprisingly, the forest changes to redwoods. Where the trail reaches Salamander Flat, a dense grove of big trees, you find an old reservoir remaining from this land’s ranching days. Why is it called Salamander Flat? The reservoir now serves as a major breeding ground for California newts every winter.
Bear right on level Madrone Trail to return to Bear Gulch Trail, the path you started on. Then backtrack downhill on those numerous switchbacks all the way to your car.
If you suddenly remembered an important appointment, you could finish out your loop on Alambique Trail instead of turning left on Meadow Trail. This brings you back to the trailhead in less time (it’s a mile shorter). The trail presents some nice views of the South Bay, including the obvious landmark of Hoover Tower at Stanford University, but it suffers from too much car noise from nearby La Honda and Woodside Roads.
A short distance away, Huddart Park (1100 Kings Mountain Rd., 650/851-1210, http://parks.smcgov.org) has plentiful hiking trails, the best of which lead into the neighboring Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s Phleger Estate (www.nps.gov/goga). Start at Huddart’s main day-use parking area at Zwierlein Picnic Area. (From Wunderlich Park, go east 1 mile on Highway 84/Woodside Road. Turn left on Kings Mountain Road and drive 1.5 miles to the park.) In the first 0.5 mile from the picnic area, negotiate a series of junctions, taking Crystal Springs Trail, Dean Trail, and Richards Road to Miramontes Trail and the entrance to Phleger Estate. Now following the clear waters of West Union Creek, stay on Miramontes Trail for 1.4 miles and then take either side of the Mount Redondo and Raymundo Trail loop to join Lonely Trail on the far side. As you climb up toward Skyline Boulevard, swing back on Crystal Springs Trail for an 8.6-mile loop. Make this trip in winter or spring, when the trailside redwoods are looking their best and the forks of West Union Creek are flowing strong.
In late winter and spring, rough-skinned newts are a common sight on Wunderlich’s trails.
From I-280 at Woodside, take the Highway 84 West exit. Drive west for 2.5 miles, through Woodside, to the park entrance on the right. (Note: The sign is small and easy to miss.)
Public transportation: The county of San Mateo provides a free shuttle from Menlo Park and Redwood City to Wunderlich Park 9am-5pm Saturday-Sunday. Visit http://parks.smcgov.org for details.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°40860’ W 122°25866’
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve, Skyline Boulevard
Distance: 8 miles round-trip
Duration: 4 hours
Elevation Change: 1,100 feet
Effort: Moderate
Users: Hikers, dogs (some trails, but not the entire Windy Hill Loop)
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: Trail maps are available at the trailhead or at www.openspace.org.
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org
An easy “walk in the park” to the view-filled summit of Windy Hill is followed by a more strenuous loop to the quieter regions of the preserve.
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve is best known to two kinds of people: those who love easy-to-reach, panoramic views, and those who fly kites. The former includes dog walkers and sunset-watchers who set out on the 0.75-mile Anniversary Trail for an easy stroll with sweeping views of the Peninsula and South Bay. The latter includes hang gliders, paragliders, remote-control airplane fliers, and children with five-dollar kites, all of whom are drawn to the near-constant updrafts on Windy Hill.
The Anniversary Trail and the high, grassy summit of Windy Hill are well worth a visit on any clear day. But after you walk the short path and admire the 360-degree view from the top of Windy Hill (which includes the Pacific Ocean and even San Francisco on high visibility days), you are primed for further exploration in the preserve. The 8-mile Windy Hill Loop is just the ticket.
The loop trail provides some of the same wide vistas of the Peninsula as the short Anniversary Trail but also includes long stints through fir and oak forests on a narrow, winding path. Windy Hill Loop is best hiked in a clockwise direction, following the trails in this order: Hamms Gulch Trail, Eagle Trail, Razorback Ridge Trail, Lost Trail. Note that dogs are allowed on Hamms Gulch Trail, Eagle Trail, and the short Anniversary Trail, but not on the other legs of the loop.
Starting at the picnic area, follow the connector trail to the right (the Anniversary Trail leads left). The path roughly parallels Skyline Boulevard as it travels through chaparral for just under 0.5 mile. A well-placed bench affords wide views of the valley.
At the first trail junction, turn left on Hamms Gulch Trail and bid farewell to road noise and other signs of civilization. Hamms Gulch Trail, an old road, travels through open grasslands and a forest of tan oaks, firs, and madrones as it heads gently downhill, losing 1,100 feet in 2.6 miles.
The trail bottoms out at Alpine Road, near Corte Madera Creek and the gated entrance to Rancho Corte Madera, a private inholding within the preserve. Cross the road and turn right to pick up Eagle Trail, which runs in between Corte Madera Creek and Alpine Road. This 0.7-mile stretch is the least appealing leg of the loop, due to the proximity of the road and several private homes. Corte Madera Creek is a pleasant distraction in the wet season.
After a short stint on Alpine Road, turn right again (look for a bridge crossing on a dirt road) to find Razorback Ridge Trail. Head into a well-graded climb through numerous switchbacks, shaded by a high forest canopy of oaks and madrones. This 2.3-mile stretch gains nearly 1,000 feet, but the gradient is so mellow that you hardly notice you’re climbing. Where the trail nears Skyline Boulevard, turn right on Lost Trail, still gently ascending through the forest. The immense Douglas fir trees shading the trail are a sight to behold: Some are as large as eight feet in diameter. A few branches are big enough to be individual trees. In spring, the woodland understory is lined with trillium, hounds-tongue, and milkmaids. In between the trees, you gain peekaboo views of the valley below.
Where Lost Trail joins with Hamms Gulch Trail at the start of your loop, continue straight on the connector trail back to Windy Hill’s parking lot.
The high, grassy summit of Windy Hill offers expansive views and a solid workout.
Get a permit from the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to hike at nearby La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve (650/691-1200, www.openspace.org). This secluded preserve features a 3-mile hike that shows off ancient trees, unique geological formations, and a panoramic view—all without hordes of other hikers because access is restricted. The trailhead is 1.7 miles west of Skyline Boulevard, off Bear Gulch and Allen Roads, but you can’t park your car there without displaying a permit (apply for one at the www.openspace.org website).
As of December 2017, the lower end of La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve can be accessed without a permit. A new parking lot at the end of Sears Ranch Road in La Honda allows parking and access to the lower end of the preserve. Up to 6 miles of trails are accessible. (By fall of 2020, a much larger trailhead parking area will open at the Red Barn on Highway 84.)
From I-280 at Woodside, take Highway 84 west for 6.5 miles to its junction with Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard). Turn left (south) on Skyline Boulevard and drive 2.2 miles to the main Windy Hill Open Space entrance on the left. (There are picnic tables at the trailhead.)
Or, from I-280 in Palo Alto, take the Page Mill Road exit west. Drive 8.9 winding miles to Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35). Turn right (north) on Skyline Boulevard and drive 4.9 miles to the main Windy Hill Open Space entrance on the right. (There are picnic tables at the trailhead.)
GPS Coordinates: N 37°36162’ W 122°24710’
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, Skyline Boulevard
Best: Wildflower Displays
Distance: 4.4 miles round-trip
Duration: 2 hours
Elevation Change: 550 feet
Effort: Easy/moderate
Users: Hikers, cyclists
Season: April and May
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: Trail maps are available at the trailhead or at www.openspace.org.
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org
Wildflowers abound in the spring and sweeping views are available year-round on this scenic trail in the hills above Palo Alto.
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve comprises more than 1,500 acres of windswept ridgetop paradise. We’re talking location, location, location, as in directly off Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35), near the well-to-do town of Portola Valley. The weather may be foggy on the coast, but the sun is usually shining brightly on Skyline. From the preserve’s 2,300-foot elevation, you can look out and above the layer of fog blanketing the ocean. What a pleasure it is to appreciate its cotton-candy appearance without being stuck in the thick of it.
In spring, Russian Ridge charms you with colorful wildflowers and verdant grasslands. In summer and fall, the hillsides turn gold, and the grasses sway in unison to the ridgetop winds. On the rare days of winter when snow dusts this ridge, you can pull out your cross-country skis and glide along the slopes! On a clear day in any season, you are wowed by the vistas from 2,572-foot Borel Hill, the highest named point in San Mateo County.
Although many people visit this preserve for the views, Russian Ridge doles out much more. Its acreage combines several plant environments, including lush grasslands, creeks, springs, and oak-shaded canyons. It is home to substantial wildlife, including a variety of raptors, coyotes, and mountain lions. Most impressive are the spring wildflowers. Every April and May, the grasslands explode in a fireworks display of colorful mule’s ears, poppies, lupine, goldfields, Johnny-jump-ups, and blue-eyed grass. Russian Ridge is considered to be one of the best places in the Bay Area to see wildflowers.
This 4.4-mile loop circles the preserve. Take the Bay Area Ridge Trail uphill from the parking lot, heading for the top of grassy Borel Hill in less than a mile. (Stay right at two junctions.) The 2,572-foot summit of Borel Hill is just high enough to serve up a 360-degree view of the South Bay, Skyline Ridge, and all the way west to the Pacific Ocean. Mount Diablo looms in the eastern horizon, and Mount Tamalpais guards the north. This has to be one of the most inspiring lookouts on the Peninsula.
From the summit, descend gently for 0.5 mile to a major junction of trails near Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35). Bear left on Mindego Trail and then shortly turn right on Bay Area Ridge Trail. Ridge Trail narrows, curving around grassy knolls and producing more views of the coast and the bay. To the southwest, you can see Mindego Hill, an ancient volcanic formation that may be the source of this ridge’s scattered rock outcrops. In 2008, the 1,047 acres of land surrounding Mindego Hill came under the management of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, and in 2016, a 2.2-mile trail was constructed that connects Mindego Hill to the rest of Russian Ridge preserve. It’s a worthwhile side-trip: the hill tops out at 2,143 feet and offers panoramic views that extend all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Blue-eyed grass is one of the more common flowers at Russian Ridge.
At a junction with Hawk Trail, turn left to head southeast and start your loop back. Stay straight at the next two junctions, descend to the junction of Charquin Trail and Ancient Oaks Trail, and then follow Ancient Oaks Trail. This short trail leads through a remarkable forest of gnarled, moss-covered oak trees interspersed with equally gnarled Douglas firs, plus some madrones and ferns. You may want to linger awhile in this strange, enchanted woodland, at least long enough to climb a few trees. Then turn left at the next junction and cruise back out into the sunlight to rejoin Bay Area Ridge Trail. Or, stay on Ancient Oaks Trail for another 0.3 mile and turn left at a second junction to reach a wooden bench that is nearly overwhelmed by bright orange California poppies in spring. A plaque on its side reads: “There is great peace in this natural beauty. We must all help to preserve it.”
The Caltrans Vista Point on Skyline Boulevard, 1.1 mile north of the main Russian Ridge entrance at Alpine Road, is the trailhead for the easy 2.5-mile Clouds Rest and Meadow Loop in Coal Creek Open Space Preserve (www.openspace.org). The trail’s highlight is a walk around flower-dotted Coal Creek Meadow, which provides memorable views of the Peninsula and South Bay. From the Vista Point parking area, walk 50 yards north on Skyline Boulevard to Clouds Rest Road. Turn right and walk 0.3 mile to the trailhead. Where the path splits, take the right fork to head straight for the scenic meadow.
From I-280 in Palo Alto, take the Page Mill Road exit west. Drive 8.9 winding miles to Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35). Cross Skyline Boulevard to Alpine Road. Drive 200 feet on Alpine Road and turn right into the Russian Ridge Preserve entrance.
Or, from the junction of Highways 35 and 9 at Saratoga Gap, drive 7 miles north on Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard). Turn left on Alpine Road and then right into the preserve entrance.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°31544’ W 122°18850’
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, near Skyline Boulevard
Best: Short Backpacking Trips
Distance: 6 miles round-trip
Duration: 3 hours
Elevation Change: 1,300 feet
Effort: Moderate
Users: Hikers, cyclists (most sections of the loop)
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: Trail maps are available at the trailhead or at www.openspace.org.
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org
Immerse yourself in Skyline Ridge’s natural beauty on this meandering loop to the summit of 2,800-foot Black Mountain.
People who live on the Peninsula are well acquainted with 2,800-foot Black Mountain, the peak that forms a rounded green backdrop for the communities around Palo Alto. The town of Mountain View was named for its vista of the verdant peak. It’s always there, anchoring the background in the lives of thousands.
Black Mountain doesn’t have a singular peaked summit; rather it’s the highest point on long and narrow Monte Bello Ridge. It’s also the most prominent feature of Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, a preserve comprising a varied mix of grasslands, conifers, and chaparral. This 6-mile loop trip tours Monte Bello and pays a visit to the summit of Black Mountain.
Begin your hike at the preserve’s main entrance on Stevens Creek Nature Trail. The path leads a level few hundred feet to a stone bench and overlook. There you gaze at the source of Stevens Creek, which follows the San Andreas fault zone. Mount Umunhum and Shotgun Valley appear far in the distance.
Take the left fork in the nature trail, heading to Canyon Trail in 0.3 mile. Turn right on wide Canyon Trail, walk 0.2 mile, and then leave that road for the mountain bikers and bear left on Bella Vista Trail. A wide single-track trail, Bella Vista Trail climbs steadily but moderately and bestows lovely views of the Stevens Creek canyon. Contouring along grassy slopes, the trail provides many opportunities for spotting wildlife. We watched a coyote gallop across the grasslands while two curious deer watched us. During the autumn mating season, large herds of deer are often seen in this preserve.
After almost a mile of climbing, you’ve nearly reached the ridgetop. Bear right on Old Ranch Trail, and in 0.5 mile you come to Black Mountain Backpack Camp, the only campground in the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Four family campsites and one group campsite are available for backpackers who have obtained permits from the district office. You must pack in your own water and camp stove; no fires are permitted. Oddly, the camp has one “civilized” amenity: a pay telephone, just in case your cell phone doesn’t work.
Walk around the camp and join Monte Bello Road in a few hundred feet. It’s only 0.25 mile to the microwave tower-covered summit of Black Mountain, elevation 2,800 feet. Black Mountain Trail intersects with Monte Bello Road at the summit. This popular trail is for hikers and equestrians only. Starting from the Duveneck Windmill Pasture Area of Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, it’s an 8-mile round-trip to the summit, with a 2,300-foot elevation gain.
From Black Mountain’s summit, you have a wide view of the Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley. But the lovelier view is just to the west of the summit. To see it, follow Monte Bello Road for another 150 feet and then exit the trail on the right near an odd marker: a 15-mile-per-hour speed limit sign. Here, at a fascinating outcrop of scattered rocks, are the best picnic site and finest view of the day. Stevens Creek canyon lies below you. Untrammeled grassland hills spread to the north and south along Skyline Ridge. In springtime, blue-eyed grass, checkerbloom, farewell-to-spring, and California poppies bloom in the hilltop grasses. It’s time to throw down your pack and have lunch.
After admiring the view, backtrack to just before the camp and bear left on Indian Creek Trail. You face a steep downhill on the ranch road with views of Indian Creek canyon. (Be sure to take the short spur trail on the left to see more of the densely forested canyon.) Hiking through chaparral, toyon, and lichen-covered oaks, descend 1.2 miles to Canyon Trail. Bear right, walk 0.25 mile, and then turn left on Stevens Creek Nature Trail.
Rock outcrops dot Black Mountain’s summit.
Soon you cross a footbridge over Stevens Creek and travel alongside the stream. Ferns, Douglas firs, and oaks line the banks of Stevens Creek. This lush riparian area is in extreme contrast to the open grasslands of Black Mountain. After crossing two more footbridges, bear right to stay on Stevens Creek Nature Trail, now on single-track.
The final 1.2 miles of the trip are an easy, streamside ascent with plenty of shade and switchbacks. Climb out of the stream canyon, head back into the grasslands, and wind up right back at the stone bench and overlook where you began the hike. Turn left to walk back to your car.
Pay a visit to the San Andreas Fault, one of the world’s longest and most active earthquake faults, at Los Trancos Open Space Preserve (www.openspace.org), directly across Page Mill Road from Monte Bello Open Space Preserve. A trail brochure interprets visible fault signs along the 1.5-mile San Andreas Fault Trail. If you want to hike longer, you can connect to two outer loops on Franciscan and Lost Creek Trails (total distance is 3 miles). The trails lead through a shady bay and oak forest along Los Trancos Creek and a flower-filled stretch of grasslands.
From I-280 in Palo Alto, take the Page Mill Road exit west. Drive 7.2 winding miles on Page Mill Road to the signed preserve entrance on the left.
Or, from the junction of Highways 35 and 9 at Saratoga Gap, drive 7 miles north on Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard). Turn right on Page Mill Road and drive 1.7 miles to the preserve entrance on the right.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°32560’ W 122°17885’
Portola Redwoods State Park, La Honda
Best: Redwood Forests
Distance: 13 miles round-trip
Duration: 7 hours
Elevation Change: 1,400 feet
Effort: Strenuous
Users: Hikers
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: $10 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the visitors center for $2.
Contact: Portola Redwoods State Park, 9000 Portola State Park Rd., Bldg. F, La Honda, 650/948-9098, www.parks.ca.gov or www.thatsmypark.org
Plan on a long, rewarding day to hike through some of the most remote lands of San Mateo County and visit the big trees of Peters Creek.
Old-growth redwood trees are indisputably majestic. Even when a highway or a paved trail runs right alongside them, or when they are hemmed in by fences and signs, the big trees retain their profound dignity and grace. While gazing at the ancient redwoods, humans can’t help but feel humbled.
But seeing a grove of old-growth redwoods that isn’t easily accessible makes the experience even more compelling. That’s why a trip to the Peters Creek Grove in Portola Redwoods State Park may be the most awe-inspiring hike in the Bay Area. Simply put, the sanctity of this grove moves its visitors.
The trip is long and on the strenuous side, mostly because of the steep descent required to reach the grove. You need most of a day to complete the 13-mile round-trip, plus plenty of water and food. Because Portola Redwoods State Park is a long, circuitous drive from just about everywhere, you should get an early morning start if you aren’t camping at the park (see below for more information). In addition, make sure your car has plenty of gas and that you’ve packed along plenty to eat and drink. There are no stores or services anywhere near the park.
That said, the trip is entirely doable as a day hike for most people. The trail is well graded, and the total elevation change is only 1,400 feet. Because most of the route is shaded, it never gets too hot. And when it’s all over, you are likely to agree that visiting the Peters Creek Grove was worth every step.
Start your trip on either Summit Trail or Slate Creek Trail. The ascent on Slate Creek Trail is slightly more gradual; the two trails meet up after a 600-foot gain and about 1.5 miles. From their junction, head north on the continuation of Slate Creek Trail, following a mellower grade through redwoods, Douglas firs, and huckleberries for 1.5 miles to Slate Creek Trail Camp. If it isn’t occupied, the camp makes a good rest stop; you’re 3 miles out and almost halfway to the grove. There are six campsites, picnic tables, and a pit toilet.
From the trail junction near the camp, take the north fork on Bear Creek Trail, an old jeep road. (This is the old Page Mill Road.) Climb for another mile up a ridge cloaked in a mixed forest of Douglas firs, oaks, and bay laurel. The jeep trail ends, and a narrower, steeper footpath leads into high chaparral country. The manzanita and pines are a surprising contrast to the dense forest you’ve been traveling in. Ascend a bit more along this dry ridge before beginning a 1-mile, 750-foot descent into the canyon of Bear and Peters Creeks. The forest returns to a mix of bay laurel and Douglas fir as you make your way steeply downhill. (This may seem like it’s going to be a nightmare climb out on the way back, but it’s not as bad as it looks.)
When the trail crosses Bear Creek, 5.8 miles from the start, you’re about to enter the big trees. Parallel Bear Creek down to its confluence with Peters Creek and then meet up with Peters Creek Loop Trail. Take either fork to circle the grove, following both banks of Peters Creek. The return route simply retraces your steps.
The redwoods in the Peters Creek Grove have grown to an enormous size.
Acquired by the Save-the-Redwoods League, the Peters Creek Grove is filled with ancient redwoods, many of which are more than 12 feet in diameter and 200 feet tall. Most are at least 1,000 years old. No one is quite sure why these redwoods weren’t logged along with other groves in the area—probably the canyon was too steep to make it feasible to haul out the lumber. A highlight of the grove is the huge Matriarch of the Forest, the largest redwood at Peters Creek. But what makes this place magical is not any one single tree but the sacred ambience created by the sum total. Isolated from the civilized world, the Peters Creek Grove is one of the most pristine, unspoiled places in the Bay Area.
Another ambitious trek in Portola Redwoods State Park, perfect for hikers who like to climb, is the Butano Ridge Trail Loop. Follow the park road past the visitors center and campground entrance; it turns into a service road. This road ascends to join Old Haul Road, a dirt logging road, in 0.5 mile. Directly across Old Haul Road is Portola Trail, which you follow uphill for 1 mile to join Butano Ridge Trail Loop. Turn right here and consider heading back now if you are losing steam, completing a 3.3-mile loop. If you are feeling strong, climb much more steeply for another mile to Butano Ridge at 2,000 feet in elevation. Now the work is mostly over; you just wander along the ridgetop for 2 miles and then drop back down to Old Haul Road and turn right to finish out a 9.5-mile loop.
For an overnight option and an early start to your hike, book a campsite in Portola Redwoods State Park. Sites cost $35 and are booked in advance almost every weekend in summer; make reservations at www.reservecalifornia.com.
If you would rather turn this 13-miler into a backpacking trip, reserve a site at Slate Creek Trail Camp, located halfway along the route. Reservations are necessary here, too (831/338-8861, $10), but sites are fairly easy to come by except on holiday weekends. You need to pack in your own water.
From the junction of Highways 35 and 9 at Saratoga Gap, drive 7 miles north on Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard). Turn left (west) on Alpine Road, drive 3.2 miles and turn left on Portola State Park Road. Drive 3.3 miles to park headquarters.
Or, from I-280 in Palo Alto, take the Page Mill Road exit. Turn west and drive 8.9 miles to Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard). Cross Highway 35 and continue on Alpine Road as described.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°25166’ W 122°21808’
Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, Skyline Boulevard
Best: Short Backpacking Trips
Distance: 4.6 miles round-trip
Duration: 2 hours
Elevation Change: 400 feet
Effort: Easy/moderate
Users: Hikers, cyclists
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: None
Maps: Trail maps are available at the trailhead or at www.openspace.org.
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org
Easy trails follow the path of burbling Peters Creek and lace through meadows and forest on scenic Skyline Ridge.
Long Ridge Open Space is a peaceful 2,000-acre preserve along Skyline Boulevard near Saratoga Gap. Its hiking, biking, and equestrian trails are perfect in all seasons—warm and windy in summer, crisp and golden in autumn, fern-laden and mossy in winter, and gilded with wildflowers in spring.
From the Grizzly Flat trailhead, only one pathway enters Long Ridge. It’s the start of Peters Creek Trail, which soon connects with the Bay Area Ridge Trail. The latter makes a tight switchback and heads north; continue straight on Peters Creek Trail. Once you get moving, the sight and sound of Skyline Boulevard quickly disappear as the trail drops below the road and into a pristine canyon of grasslands and forest. Fields of wildflowers and rolling grasses in the foreground are framed by a forest of Douglas firs and oaks ahead. Some people walk only as far as this first open meadow, spread out a picnic, and then head home.
At a junction with Long Ridge Trail, turn left to stay on Peters Creek Trail and begin a gentle ascent through oaks, firs, and bay laurel. Babbling Peters Creek, a major tributary of Pescadero Creek, meanders along at your side. Ferns and moss-covered boulders line the stream. Woodland wildflowers include tiny two-eyed violets (heart-shaped leaves with white and purple flowers) and purple shooting stars.
The trail wanders in and out of meadows and forest, passing an old apple orchard and ranch site. The trees still bear delicious apples in autumn; in winter, their bare branches are lined with a shaggy gray-green lichen. At 1.6 miles, you reach a small pond with huge reeds and a sea of horsetails growing around its edges. Watch for pond turtles sunning themselves. On the far side of the pond is private property belonging to the Jikoji Buddhist retreat center.
The spring flower show continues as you hike. Look for brodiaea, columbine, wild roses, blue-eyed grass, white irises, poppies, lupine, and huge ceanothus bushes with sprays of blue flowers. The variety of species is remarkable.
A few switchbacks lead you to the top of the ridge, where you meet up with Long Ridge Road. At this 2,500-foot elevation, expansive views are yours for the taking. Turn right on Long Ridge Road and traipse along, oohing and aahing at the panorama of neighboring Butano Ridge and the forests of the Pescadero Creek watershed. Be sure to pause at the bench commemorating Pulitzer Prize-winning author Wallace Stegner, who lived in this area and aided in the conservation of Long Ridge.
After this sunny, view-filled stint, take Long Ridge Trail back into the forest to finish out the loop. The path makes a wide circle around to the north and then east through a dense forest of leafy oaks, and then reconnects with the start of Peters Creek Trail.
A stone bench atop Long Ridge offers an inviting spot to gaze at miles of undeveloped land.
Long Ridge’s trails are multiuse; you may share your trip with mountain bikers or equestrians. If that concerns you, wait until the rainy season to visit, when the Open Space District closes the trails to everyone but hikers. The preserve is at its best then anyway; the ideal time to visit is on a clear winter day soon after a rainstorm.
From neighboring Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve (www.openspace.org), you can take the scenic Ridge Trail route to Daniels Nature Center (noon-5pm Sat.-Sun. Mar. 30-mid-Oct., reduced hours late Oct.-Nov., free) at Alpine Pond for a natural history lesson. The 3.2-mile round-trip displays a wealth of wildflowers in the spring. Or, for a shorter walk, meander on the 1-mile loop around Horseshoe Lake, a tranquil spring-fed reservoir that’s prime for bird-watching. The trailhead for both hikes is located on the west side of Skyline Boulevard, 1 mile south of Page Mill Road.
From I-280 in Palo Alto, take the Page Mill Road exit west. Drive 8.9 winding miles to Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35). Turn left on Skyline Boulevard and drive 3.1 miles to the Long Ridge/Grizzly Flat parking area on the left. The trail is located across the road.
Or, from Saratoga, take Highway 9 west to its junction with Skyline Boulevard. Turn right on Skyline Boulevard and drive 3.2 miles to the Long Ridge/Grizzly Flat parking area on the right. The trail is located across the road.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°29063’ W 122°15453’
Castle Rock State Park, Skyline Boulevard
Best: Short Backpacking Trips, Waterfalls
Distance: 5.2 miles round-trip
Duration: 2.5 hours
Elevation Change: 600 feet
Effort: Easy/moderate
Users: Hikers
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: $8 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the entrance kiosk ($1) or at www.parks.ca.gov.
Contact: Castle Rock State Park, 15000 Skyline Blvd., Los Gatos, 408/867-2952, www.parks.ca.gov or www.thatsmypark.org
Visit Castle Rock’s mammoth sandstone formations and watch rock climbers strut their stuff on this popular loop at one of the South Bay’s best parks.
Hello, hikers, and welcome to Swiss Cheese State Park. Oops, that’s Castle Rock State Park, of course, but all those holey sandstone rocks look more like fromage than chateaus. Call it what you like—Castle Rock is one of the most surprising parks in the entire Bay Area. In 5 miles of hiking, you can visit a 50-foot waterfall in winter and spring, gaze at great expanses of Santa Cruz Mountains wildlands, and explore several large sandstone formations, including the local rock climbers’ favorite, Goat Rock.
In recent years, Castle Rock has also become one of the most popular parks in the Bay Area. The park is used by rock climbers as well as hikers, so weekends can be very crowded. For the best experience, plan your trip for a weekday or get an early morning start on weekends.
Take Saratoga Gap Trail from the far side of Castle Rock’s parking lot, heading right. (The trail is signed To Campground.) The pleasure begins immediately as you travel downhill, walking along rocky, fern-lined Kings Creek through a mixed forest of Douglas firs, black oaks, and madrones. The seasonal stream begins as a trickle at the parking lot and then picks up flow and intensity as it heads downhill alongside the trail.
It’s a mere 0.8 mile to Castle Rock Falls, which flows with vigor in the wet season. After 15 minutes on the trail, you find yourself standing on a large wooden viewing deck, perched on top of the waterfall. Because you’re at its brink, the fall is a bit difficult to see. You may be torn between searching for the best view of its 50-foot drop and admiring the miles of uninhabited Santa Cruz Mountains wildlands. It’s hard to say whether this deck was built for viewing the waterfall or the canyon vista. Both are incredible.
From the viewing deck, continue on Saratoga Gap Trail for another 1.8 miles. The terrain changes quickly from a shady mixed woodland to a sunny, exposed slope with views all the way out to Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Spring and summer bring forth colorful blooms on bush monkeyflower and other sun-loving chaparral plants. As you progress, you notice an ever-increasing number of sandstone outcrops that have been hollowed and sculpted by wind erosion. In some places, the sandstone becomes the trail surface. You have to scramble over a few small boulders to continue on your way.
At 2.5 miles from its start, Saratoga Gap Trail junctions with Ridge Trail and the spur to Castle Rock Trail Camp. Pay a visit to the pleasant, forested campsites if you wish (water and picnic tables are available) or just turn sharply right on Ridge Trail, beginning the return leg of your loop. After a 0.5-mile uphill hike through a dense madrone forest, the trail emerges on an open ridge. (Ridge Trail roughly parallels Saratoga Gap Trail, but at a higher elevation.)
Another 0.5 mile of gentle ascent takes you past a connector trail to Saratoga Gap Trail. Just beyond is a short spur to the Emily Smith Bird Observation Point. This forested knoll is a good spot to look for raptors, although views are severely limited by the leafy black oaks.
Nearly 4 miles into the loop is the spur trail for Goat Rock. Turn right and follow it for 0.25 mile. (The left fork leads to a fascinating interpretive exhibit on the park’s geology; you can also loop around to Goat Rock from there.)
You’re likely to see rock climbers on the steep south side of Goat Rock, but the north side is easily accessible on two feet. Signs along the path encourage hikers to visit a neighboring overlook area instead of climbing on the 100-foot-high rock, due to its steep and potentially dangerous drop-offs. Weigh the risk for yourself and take your pick. The overlook offers a great view of the Santa Cruz Mountains parading down to the Pacific Ocean and often more solitude than Goat Rock. If you’re sure-footed and cautious, the smooth back side of Goat Rock is a great place to examine the sandstone close-up as well as enjoy more high views.
Beyond Goat Rock, Ridge Trail continues eastward until it reconnects with Saratoga Gap Trail just above Castle Rock Falls. Turn left and make a 0.5-mile climb back up the creek canyon to the trailhead.
Don’t leave the park without walking the 0.7-mile loop trail to Castle Rock, the park’s namesake rock formation. A marked spur trail leads off Saratoga Gap Trail on the right, just before you return to the parking lot on the hike outlined earlier.
And in spring, the park’s Summit Meadows Trail should not be missed. The trailhead is at Sempervirens Point, a drive-up overlook on the south side of Highway 9, 1.9 miles west of Skyline Boulevard. If the view of the Santa Cruz Mountains from the overlook inspires you, you are going to love this 2-mile flower-filled walk from the point’s north end through Summit Meadows.
The chaparral-covered slopes at Castle Rock are dotted with sandstone boulders.
From Saratoga, take Highway 9 west to its junction with Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35). Turn left (south) on Skyline Boulevard and drive 2.5 miles to the Castle Rock State Park parking area on the right. The trailhead is on the west side of the parking lot, opposite the entrance.
Or, from I-280 in Palo Alto, take Page Mill Road west for 8.9 miles to Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35). Turn left (south) on Skyline Boulevard and drive 13 miles, past Highway 9, to the Castle Rock State Park parking area on the right.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°23078’ W 122°09580’
Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, Pescadero
Best: Bird-Watching
Distance: 2.4 miles round-trip
Duration: 1 hour
Elevation Change: Negligible
Effort: Easy
Users: Hikers
Season: Late fall and early spring
Passes/Fees: None at the state beach parking lot south of the highway bridge over Pescadero Creek
Maps: A map ($1) is available at the Half Moon Bay State Beach ranger station (95 Kelly Ave., Half Moon Bay, 650/726-8820).
Contact: Pescadero State Beach, 650/879-2170, www.parks.ca.gov
Wildlife abounds on this easy exploration of Pescadero Marsh, at the meeting place of Pescadero and Butano Creeks and the Pacific Ocean.
Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve is a 500-acre coastal marsh that backs the scenic San Mateo Coast along Highway 1. Considered to be one of the largest and most important freshwater and brackish marshes in California, Pescadero Marsh serves the important function of water filtration, water storage, and groundwater recharge for Pescadero and Butano Creeks. In addition, the marsh is critical habitat for a diverse assemblage of wildlife, including thousands of migratory birds traveling on the Pacific Flyway.
But what most people notice about Pescadero Marsh is that it’s beautiful. Despite being bordered by Highway 1 to the west, the preserve is a peaceful oasis that is marked by the deep, rich blues and greens of plentiful water and foliage. Plein air painters are often seen at the preserve, pulling out their brushes and canvases to try to capture the marsh’s voluptuous hues.
The preserve has three trails, which unfortunately are not contiguous. The southern trail along Butano Creek, called Butano Trail, is accessed from a trailhead on Pescadero Road, just 75 yards from its junction with Highway 1. The preserve’s North Pond Trail is accessed by parking at the northernmost Pescadero State Beach parking lot. (Walk across the highway and then follow the trail as it curves around the east side of Pescadero Marsh’s freshwater pond.) Sequoia Audubon Trail is the longest of the three trails, and it is accessed by parking in the state beach lot just south of the highway bridge over Pescadero Creek.
Most hikers prefer Sequoia Audubon Trail because of its length and diversity. The trail travels alongside Pescadero Creek for 1.2 miles, providing prime opportunities for wildlife-watching. It begins on the soft sand of the beach and then travels underneath the highway bridge and heads inland, soon providing solid earth beneath your shoes. The ground heats up as you get away from the coastal wind and move into dense vegetation. Spring and summer wildflowers bloom along the trail, including coastal paintbrush, monkeyflower, yellow bush lupine, and nonnative purple and yellow ice plant. A couple of gnarled, low-lying eucalyptus trees grow along the path.
Pescadero Marsh is a great place for contemplative walks and bird-watching.
A veritable jungle of wetlands and coastal foliage, the marsh attracts more than 200 species of birds (more than 60 species nest here) as well as numerous mammals and amphibians. Almost everyone who comes to Pescadero Marsh gets rewarded with wildlife sightings. On one trip, we saw two deer wading up to their knees through the marsh waters, half a dozen frogs under a footbridge by the creek, one large turtle, scads of minnows and water bugs, and birds galore—ducks, great egrets, red-winged blackbirds, swallows, godwits, and four great blue herons doing a little fishing. Herons nest in the eucalyptus trees above the marsh.
In late winter, you might get the chance to see steelhead trout swimming up Pescadero Creek to spawn. Or watch for the endangered San Francisco garter snake slithering along the trail.
The far end of Sequoia Audubon Trail climbs above the marsh to a viewing area where a bench affords a vista of the entire wetlands and the ocean beyond. An interpretive sign identifies different birds of prey you may see soaring above you. Hawks, kites, and owls are most common.
If bird-watching is your thing, the best birding times at Pescadero Marsh are late fall and early spring. But there’s one prerequisite for a spring hike in the marsh—make sure you wear long pants and long sleeves. Pescadero Marsh might just be the tick capital of the world, and it’s also one of California’s greatest natural greenhouses for poison oak. If the trail hasn’t been cleared recently, you may think the stuff is grown commercially here. Proceed with caution or have that bottle of Tecnu ready when you get home.
The best way to see Pescadero Marsh is on a guided hike with a knowledgeable naturalist. Two-hour tours are scheduled at 10am and 1pm on Saturday and Sunday (check www.coastsidestateparks.org for a current schedule). No reservations are needed; simply meet the tour leader at the middle parking lot for Pescadero State Beach on Highway 1 (just south of the bridge that crosses Pescadero Creek, on the ocean side of the highway).
If you’d rather wander on your own, take a coastal walk along Pescadero’s rocky beaches, starting from the lot where you parked your car. The coastline features long stretches of sand, dramatic rock outcrops, treasure-filled tidepools, and harbor seals lounging on the rocks.
From Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay, drive south for 17 miles to just north of Pescadero Road, near Pescadero State Beach. Park in the state beach parking lot south of the highway bridge over Pescadero Creek, on the west side of the highway. Walk to the north side of the bridge (use the pedestrian walkway on the west side), take the stairs to the sand, and then follow the trail underneath the bridge and up the canyon.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°26549’ W 122°41216’
Sam McDonald County Park, La Honda
Best: Redwood Forests
Distance: 5 miles round-trip
Duration: 2.5 hours
Elevation Change: 600 feet
Effort: Easy/moderate
Users: Hikers
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: $6 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the ranger station or at http://parks.smcgov.org.
Contact: Sam McDonald County Park, 13435 Pescadero Creek Rd., Loma Mar, 650/879-0238, http://parks.smcgov.org
Witness the majesty of the Heritage Grove redwoods and visit the Sierra Club’s Hiker’s Hut on scenic Towne Ridge.
If you’ve ever taken the tortuous drive on Alpine Road between Portola State Park Road and La Honda, you’ve seen some of the marvelous first-growth redwoods of the Heritage Grove. The big trees are so enchanting, they make the snaking, serpentine road a pleasure. To see these redwoods at an even slower pace, take this 5-mile loop hike at Sam McDonald County Park.
From the main parking lot, take the Big Tree Trail across from the ranger station. The path leads through tall redwoods and across Pescadero Road (use caution in crossing). After merging with and then departing from Towne Fire Road, Big Tree Trail begins a gentle uphill with many switchbacks and wooden stairsteps, passing the well-named Big Tree. It then curves around to the west to join Heritage Grove Trail. (Don’t miss this turnoff, or you loop right back to Pescadero Road.)
Take Heritage Grove Trail east for 1.2 miles to the Heritage Grove turnoff. The path leads through a forest of mostly Douglas firs with a few redwoods among them. Sunlight filters through the trees and cascades down the hillside. On rainy days, you’ll stay nearly dry underneath the dense forest canopy.
Follow the trail to the left all the way downhill to near Alpine Road and wander among the big trees growing along Alpine Creek. These 37 acres of virgin redwoods were scheduled to be logged in the early 1970s but were saved by a group of citizen activists who raised funds to purchase the grove. After admiring the giant trees, backtrack uphill and take the opposite fork of Heritage Grove Trail.
The trail tops out at a big open meadow and Towne Fire Road. Look for the single-track spur trail on your left signed for Hiker’s Hut, only 150 yards away. Amid huge Douglas firs and ridgetop chaparral and grasslands, you find the Ollie Mayer Hiker’s Hut. Run by the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, this inviting A-frame building is open to the public and available for rent. It holds up to 10 people at a cost of $25-30 per adult per night, or a few bucks less for Sierra Club members. The Hiker’s Hut has a full kitchen, electricity, a woodstove, a big deck with a picnic table out front, and, best of all, a view of the Pescadero Creek canyon and the coast from its backyard on Towne Ridge.
By camping standards, the Hiker’s Hut is a luxurious overnight option in the middle of Sam McDonald County Park.
Retrace your steps on the spur trail to Towne Fire Road and then head right (west). In less than a mile, you pass an equestrian camp. Deer are commonly seen in this area. Turn right just beyond it and follow Towne Fire Road downhill. It leads all the way back to Pescadero Road, but a more scenic option is to take Towne Fire Road to its junction with Big Tree Trail and then take either fork of the Big Tree Trail back to the ranger station.
Visit more redwood groves from a lesser-known trailhead: Follow Pescadero Road east to its junction with Alpine Road and then take Alpine Road east 3 miles, past the Heritage Grove, to its junction with Camp Pomponio Road. Turn right and drive 1 mile to the Tarwater Trailhead in Pescadero Creek County Park (9500 Pescadaro Creek Rd., Loma Mar, 650/879-0238, http://parks.smcgov.org), near the county jail. Start on the west side of the Tarwater Loop (across the road from the trailhead) and follow the 3-mile trail. You travel first through meadows and oak forest and then dense redwood groves while skirting Tarwater Creek, Wally’s Creek, and Shingle Mill Creek. (Where the trail meets Camp Pomponio Road at the far end of the loop, go left for 70 yards to regain the trail.)
If you don’t have at least six people in your party to reserve the Ollie Mayer Hiker’s Hut (650/390-8411, www.lomaprieta.sierraclub.org, $15-25 for Sierra Club, $20-30 for public), you may have to share the hut with others, especially on weekend nights in summer and fall. The rest of the year, the hut will likely be yours alone.
From I-280 at Woodside, take Highway 84 west for 13 winding miles to La Honda. Turn left (southeast) on Pescadero Road and drive 1.8 miles to Sam McDonald County Park on the right. (Bear right after the first mile to stay on Pescadero Road.) The trail begins across the parking lot from the ranger station.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°29650’ W 122°26448’
Butano State Park, Pescadero
Best: Short Backpacking Trips
Distance: 11 miles round-trip
Duration: 6 hours
Elevation Change: 1,300 feet
Effort: Strenuous
Users: Hikers, cyclists (fire roads only)
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: $10 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the entrance kiosk or at www.parks.ca.gov.
Contact: Butano State Park, 1500 Cloverdale Rd., Pescadero, 650/879-2040, www.parks.ca.gov
This long and varied loop through Butano State Park provides the chance to enjoy some solitude in the Pescadero “backcountry.”
There’s a forested canyon along the Half Moon Bay coast that looks much the same as it did a century ago. Filled with redwoods, Douglas firs, calypso orchids, and ferns, the canyon is found in 4,000-acre Butano State Park, just outside the coastal town of Pescadero. It’s far enough away from the Bay Area’s major population centers that its trails are rarely crowded. An 11-mile loop trip through the park is about as close as you can get to a true wilderness experience on a day hike in the Bay Area.
You can hike this loop in either direction—the gradient doesn’t change much no matter which way you go. (The route described here saves the best redwood groves for the end.) However, before you start, you might want to practice pronouncing the park’s name. It’s BYOO-tin-oh, with the accent on the first syllable. Only the locals seem to get this right.
Park by the entrance kiosk and begin your exploration on Año Nuevo Trail. The narrow path switchbacks up and up through dense vegetation—primarily thimbleberry, huckleberry, and poison oak vines. The ascent gets your heart pumping immediately. Soon you climb high enough to claim a vista through the lichen-covered branches of Douglas firs. The panorama includes the coast and the forested canyon inland; hawks soar over the grassy hills. Take the right spur to a bench 20 feet off the trail. A second bench, a little farther up the trail, has more obstructed views. At one time it had a clear view of Año Nuevo Island, giving this trail its name.
Año Nuevo Trail drops downhill and joins Olmo Fire Road. Follow it for 0.25 mile to the right turnoff for single-track Gazos Trail, which roughly parallels the fire road. Views of the coast are yours for the taking as you cruise up and down along the ridgetop. This high ridge is composed of light-colored shale and sandstone—proof that the entire area was once undersea. Manzanita, chinquapin, and knobcone pines line the exposed, gravelly slopes.
At Gazos Trail’s end, it’s worth stopping to admire the long-distance view of the coast before rejoining Olmo Fire Road and continuing to climb. A highlight along the wide dirt road is the 25-foot-tall root ball of a huge fallen Douglas fir. On one visit, it was covered with bright yellow banana slugs, busy doing the important business of decomposition.
Just before the road intersects with narrow Indian Trail (on the left), it becomes noticeably steeper. Where the vegetation opens up, you can clearly see the ridge’s sandy shale soil. If you can withstand another 100 feet of climbing, follow the road a short distance past Indian Trail to a high overlook just off the trail. This sunny spot is probably the best potential picnic site of the day.
Follow Indian Trail into a dense oak and madrone forest, curving around the steep slopes of Little Butano Creek canyon to begin the loop’s return leg. Where Indian Trail forks right 0.5 mile from its start, the path leads to Trail Camp. A half-dozen no-frills backpacking sites are hidden in the forest; a pit toilet is the only amenity. (These sites are first-come, first-served, but you must register with the park to camp.) At the turnoff, bear left on chaparral-lined Canyon Trail. You get a few more glimpses of the coast through the ceanothus and occasional Douglas firs.
Canyon Trail connects with Jackson Flats Trail, the final leg of this loop. The last 2.8 miles on Jackson Flats Trail are an easy cruise through the park’s loveliest stretch of forest. The woodland features fern gardens, many big and small redwoods, and moss-covered Douglas firs growing in some interesting configurations, with trunks and limbs extending every which way. Watch for banana slugs and California newts; the redwood duff is their home, and you don’t want to step on them. In the early spring (February-April), keep your eyes trained to the forest floor in search of the rare calypso orchid, a small and delicate purple flower.
For day hikers looking for a shorter hike, a pleasant 3-mile loop can be made by starting on Año Nuevo Trail to Olmo Fire Road (as described), followed by an immediate left on Goat Hill Trail. This trail drops down to the service road beyond Ben Ries Campground; turn right and follow it to its end, where Creek Trail begins. Finish out the loop on Creek Trail and Six Bridges Trail. Even though the last leg follows the park access road, it leads through a handsome fern-filled redwood forest along the banks of Little Butano Creek.
Butano State Park still looks much the same as it did 100 years ago.
After your hike, fill up with a bowl of hearty artichoke soup at Duarte’s Tavern (202 Stage Rd., 650/879-0464, www.duartestavern.com, 7am-8pm daily) in Pescadero, a local institution since the 1920s.
For an overnight option and an early start to your hike, book one of the 35 campsites at the park’s redwood-shaded Ben Ries Campground (www.reservecalifornia.com, Apr.-Nov., $35 per night). Or for a more unusual overnight, book a bed at the nearby Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel (www.norcalhostels.org/pigeon, $30 per person per night). The accommodations are dorm-style and you’ll share the communal kitchen with other travelers. The big draw here—besides the fact that you’re staying at one of California’s most scenic lighthouse properties—is the on-site hot tub with its unbeatable ocean view.
From Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay, drive south for 17 miles to the Pescadero Road turnoff. Turn left (east) and drive 2.5 miles to Cloverdale Road. Turn right on Cloverdale Road and drive 4.2 miles to the park entrance. Turn left and drive 0.75 mile to the entrance kiosk; park in the small lot just beyond it.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°20188’ W 122°33937’
Año Nuevo State Reserve
Best: Wildlife-Watching
Distance: 3 miles round-trip
Duration: 2 hours
Elevation Change: Negligible
Effort: Easy
Users: Hikers
Season: December-March
Passes/Fees: $10 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the entrance kiosk or at www.parks.ca.gov.
Contact: Año Nuevo State Reserve, New Years Creek Rd., Pescadero, 650/879-2025 or 650/879-0227, www.parks.ca.gov
A trip to Año Nuevo in the winter months provides a wildlife show you’ll never forget.
When was the last time you saw thousands of animals in one spot? Those kinds of numbers don’t happen often for wildlife-watchers, but they occur regularly at Año Nuevo State Reserve. Every December-March, Año Nuevo Island is the breeding ground for more than 3,000 elephant seals.
It’s not just the number of animals that’s impressive but their immense size. Elephant seals are the kings of the pinniped family (all species of aquatic mammals with fins). The males can grow longer than 18 feet and weigh more than two tons. The females reach as long as 12 feet and weigh more than one ton. Baby elephant seals increase their weight from 60 pounds to 200 pounds in only four weeks after birth. Aside from its huge size, the elephant seal’s most elephantine characteristic is its snout. Particularly on the male elephant seal, the snout resembles a short version of an elephant’s trunk. It is used primarily for vocalization—to amplify the animal’s strange roars.
You can show up any time of year and see pinnipeds at Año Nuevo State Reserve. The mainland beaches as well as the shores of Año Nuevo Island are popular with California sea lions and harbor seals year-round. Mid-May-mid-August, stellar sea lions breed on an isolated reef surrounding the island.
But in the winter months, the northern elephant seals steal the show. The huge males arrive in late November to claim the best spots on the beaches; the pregnant females come to shore 2-3 weeks later to give birth and breed. In a few months, the adults and their young all disappear back into the ocean and are usually not seen again until the following winter.
Given all this, the Año Nuevo Point Trail at Año Nuevo State Reserve is a basic requirement on any Bay Area nature lover’s résumé. The trail is an easy 3 miles round-trip, most of which is nearly level. In addition to the elephant seal show, the path leads to a gorgeous stretch of sand called Cove Beach, where you could easily while away an entire day.
The rules at Año Nuevo are as follows: You may visit the preserve and hike on your own April-November (although you must obtain a free permit at the reserve entrance to do so). During the first two weeks of December, the reserve is completely closed to the public. Then the “big show” begins, and December 15-March 31, entry to the elephant seal area is by guided walk only. Walks are held several times daily, and reservations are recommended. The fee is $7 per person plus a $4 reservation fee (in addition to the $10 per-vehicle parking fee). Reservations can be made by phone at 800/444-4445 or at ReserveCalifornia: https://anonuevo.reservecalifornia.com. Unreserved tickets are sold daily at the park on a first-come, first-served basis. It’s unwise to drive all the way to the park if you don’t have reservations. January, when the baby elephant seals are born, is usually the busiest month.
Those who can’t plan more than a day in advance should wait until April 1. If you show up soon thereafter, plenty of elephant seals will still be hanging around.
The trail to reach the elephant seals is a pleasant walk over densely vegetated coastal bluffs. From the parking lot, you set out through the coastal scrub and soon reach a fork with Pond Loop Trail. Bear right to loop around the high side of a small pond, gaining views of its blue waters and the ocean beyond. Coastal wetlands and ponds such as this one provide critical habitat for the endangered San Francisco garter snake and also for its prey, the endangered California red-legged frog. The San Francisco garter snake was once a common sight around Skyline Boulevard and the coast but is now found at only a few undeveloped areas in San Mateo County. With its striking sky-blue underside and continuous line of black-and-orange stripes, the snake is considered by many to be the most beautiful North American reptile.
A kiosk and staging area for the Wildlife Protection Area lie 0.75 mile from the trailhead. The kiosk features interesting displays on the pinnipeds that call Año Nuevo home. From here, continue west on the trail toward Año Nuevo Point, where you gain a view of the elephant seal multitudes on Año Nuevo Island and the mainland beaches. An abandoned lighthouse, built in 1890 to warn mariners away from the rock-strewn coastline, has been claimed by seals and sea lions. When the light was still in use, the lighthouse keeper and his family waged a constant battle with the pinnipeds, which took over the island and even forced their way into the keeper’s house. In 1948, the lighthouse was replaced by an automatic buoy, and the structure was left to the animals.
A guided walk at Año Nuevo brings you up-close and personal with the elephant seals.
Nearing Año Nuevo Point, you’ll hear a tremendous cacophony of barking and snorting. From your vantage point about 25 feet from the seals, you’re close enough to see them brawling and can observe their strange, jerking movements as they go from sand to sea and back.
While gazing at the massive creatures, consider that their presence here is a remarkable testament to the healing power of nature. By the year 1900, fewer than 100 elephant seals were left in the world; the rest had been killed for the oil contained in their blubber. Miraculously, one small surviving group of seals located on an island west of Baja California began to multiply. By the 1920s, elephant seals were occasionally seen off the coast of Southern California, and in 1955 they returned to Año Nuevo Island, one of their traditional breeding grounds.
On your return hike, be sure to walk the south leg of the loop around the pond and then take the short cutoff trail to Cove Beach. It’s a great spot for a picnic or a long walk on the sand. And don’t miss a visit to the informative visitors center at Año Nuevo.
Año Nuevo offers several more short trails (not at the main elephant seal area) that are worth exploring. From the main entrance, drive 2.7 miles north on Highway 1 and park in the dirt lot west of the Rossi Road turnoff. A trail leads across the bluffs to a tidepool area, or you can follow it north or south along the edge of the bluffs. Or, continue north 1.4 miles from Rossi Road to the Gazos Creek Beach access. Hike south along the beach to Franklin Point, where the fogbound clipper ship Sir John Franklin wrecked in 1865. At the point, you must walk within the cable lines to protect fragile dune vegetation. From the top of the highest dune, the view is inspiring: Pigeon Point Lighthouse anchors the northern coast; Table Rock and Año Nuevo Island rise to the south.
After your hike, stop at Pie Ranch (2080 Cabrillo Hwy, Pescadero, 650/879-9281, www.pieranch.org, noon-5pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm Sat.-Sun.) to pick up a seasonal pie or farm-fresh eggs. Then spend the night at Costanoa (2000 Rossi Rd., Pescadero, 650/879-1100, www.costanoa.com), an eco-lodge and spa retreat where you can choose your level of “roughing it.” You can reserve a tent or RV site, sleep in a canvas tent cabin or a wooden cabin, or luxuriate in a hotel-style room with en suite bath. While there, be sure to book a massage or participate in a yoga class—or just sit in a chair and soak in all the beauty of the Pescadero coast.
From Half Moon Bay at the junction of Highway 92 and Highway 1, drive south on Highway 1 for 27 miles to the right turnoff for Año Nuevo State Reserve. (From Santa Cruz, drive 21 miles north on Highway 1.)
GPS Coordinates: N 37°12056’ W 122°30738’
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, near Boulder Creek
Best: Redwood Forests, Short Backpacking Trips, Waterfalls
Distance: 10.4-12 miles round-trip
Duration: 5-6 hours
Elevation Change: 1,900 feet
Effort: Strenuous
Users: Hikers
Season: Winter and early spring
Passes/Fees: $10 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the entrance kiosk or at www.parks.ca.gov.
Contact: Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek, 831/338-8860, www.parks.ca.gov
Ancient redwoods and three glistening waterfalls await hikers on this sylvan hike.
Big Basin Redwoods was established in 1902 as California’s first state park. It was well loved a century ago and is equally loved today. Featuring an incredible diversity of terrain, some of the Bay Area’s loveliest waterfalls, a freshwater marsh at the ocean’s edge, 1,500-year-old redwood trees, and 80 miles of well-built trails, the park leaves little to be desired.
Given its many natural wonders and proximity to San Jose, it’s not surprising that Big Basin is heavily visited. But on weekdays in winter and early spring (or early in the morning on weekends), precious solitude can still be found among the redwoods and the waterfalls. Time your trip carefully, and don’t be afraid to visit on a gray or rainy day. Nothing is more vibrant than a redwood forest in a light rain.
This 12-mile loop is the park’s premier hike, beginning at park headquarters and passing three waterfalls: Berry Creek, Silver, and Golden. Although you can also access these falls by following the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail from Highway 1 near Davenport, that route is shared with mountain bikers and equestrians. The path described here is luscious single-track for nearly its entire length and is open only to hikers. If you get tired along the way, the trail length can be reduced by a couple of miles by skipping the loop return and instead just hiking out and back.
Begin at the large parking lot by park headquarters. Take the connector trail from the west side of the lot, Redwood Nature Trail, past the campfire circle. After crossing Opal Creek, turn left on Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail.
From its start, the trail meanders among virgin redwoods, some larger than 12 feet in diameter. After climbing 250 feet to gain a ridge in the first mile, the path angles to the right across Middle Ridge Fire Road and then drops down the other side. After a pleasant descent through more huge redwoods, Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail parallels Kelly Creek and then West Waddell Creek. While you hike, keep an eye out for huge yellow banana slugs slowly crossing the trail and, in the wet season, California newts that always seem to be right under your boots.
At 4.2 miles, just before Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail meets up with Berry Creek Falls Trail, you are rewarded with your first glimpse of Berry Creek Falls through the redwood branches. It’s enough to make you quicken your pace. Turn right on Berry Creek Falls Trail, and in moments you are standing on the overlook platform in front of this breathtaking, 65-foot-tall cataract. Berry Creek Falls tumbles gracefully over a fern-lined, black cliff framed by redwoods.
Berry Creek Falls flows year-round in Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
Many hikers go no farther than this spot. A picnic lunch on the wooden platform and a turnaround here makes a 9-mile round-trip. But since you’ve come this far, it would be a pity not to hike the rest of the loop. The next two waterfalls are surprisingly different, and the remaining scenery is far from anticlimactic.
Follow the trail up the left side of Berry Creek Falls, gaining an interesting perspective looking down over its lip. You leave Berry Creek and join West Berry Creek, a narrower and more channeled stream. Another 20 minutes of gentle climbing bring you to the base of Silver Falls. The 70-foot free fall spills over sandstone and limestone tinted in hues of tan, gold, and orange. In summer, you can walk right up to Silver Falls’ flow and stick your head under the water. Several redwoods have fallen around the waterfall’s base, making good viewing benches.
You spot more orange sandstone glowing underneath white water as you climb the wooden steps alongside Silver Falls. The path takes you to the brink of the falls, where it ascends rocky sandstone steps. Steel cables are in place along the trail—during periods of high water, it’s wise to keep your hands on them.
In short order, you arrive at the lower tumble of Golden Falls, a long drop of slippery orange sandstone. In contrast to Berry Creek Falls and Silver Falls, Golden Falls is nearly horizontal, like a water slide for sea otters. The color of the rock is so striking and the shape of this waterfall so unusual that it’s hard to believe you’re less than a mile from the classic cataract at Berry Creek Falls. Completely different geologic forces seem to have been at work here.
Some hikers make Golden Falls their turnaround point for a 10.4-mile out-and-back trip. Backpackers can continue for an easy 0.25 mile to Sunset Trail Camp, a coveted overnight spot near West Berry Creek. Hikers opting for the 12-mile loop continue to the trail camp turnoff and then bear right on Sunset Trail. The path soon enters a vastly different—and drier—world, filled with knobcone pines, chinquapin, live oak, and madrone. A brief stretch on an exposed sandstone ridge may prompt you to put on your sunglasses for the first time all day.
Soon enough, you head back into the forest canopy. Tan oaks and young redwoods border the steeply descending trail. After crossing West Waddell Creek, Sunset Trail climbs again, touring grassland slopes and mixed forests. Spring wildflowers are often plentiful in this area.
When the trail meets up with Middle Ridge Fire Road, cross it and descend again. Turn right on Dool Trail and then right again on Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail. A left turn puts you back on Redwood Nature Trail to finish out the loop back at the parking lot. When it’s all over, you are going to count this as one of the finest days you’ve ever spent.
For a shorter excursion in Big Basin Redwoods, take the Pine Mountain Trail from Blooms Creek Campground and head uphill to Buzzard’s Roost, elevation 2,150 feet. The “roost” is a tall knob of rock on top of a large slab of sandstone that offers a great view of the park’s surrounding peaks and ridges. From the campground, start by following Blooms Creek Trail southwest for a short distance and then turn left on Pine Mountain Trail. The trail switchbacks up a moderate grade. With the increasing elevation, the trailside vegetation changes to drought-tolerant chaparral plants and knobcone pines. At the top is the rocky summit, where views extend in almost every direction except to the west—because Pine Mountain is in the way. Bring a park map to identify all the landmarks and a picnic to enjoy in this sunny, view-filled spot. The 4.6-mile round-trip includes a 1,100-foot elevation gain.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park is one of the Bay Area’s most popular state parks, and it’s not just because it contains the largest continuous stand of ancient coast redwoods south of San Francisco. It’s also because the park has four separate campgrounds with many different options, from tent sites underneath a canopy of thousand-year-old trees to tent “cabins” with wooden floors and sides and canvas tops. Each of 36 cabins has two double beds with a mattress. You can even rent a deluxe cabin with beds already made up for you. Pay showers are available, and the camp store even has a coffee bar that serves organic juices and smoothies. Reserve tent cabins ($100) or camping sites ($35) at www.reservecalifornia.com.
From the junction of Highways 35 and 9 at Saratoga Gap, drive 6 miles west on Highway 9 to Highway 236. Turn west on Highway 236 and drive 8.4 winding miles to Big Basin Redwoods State Park headquarters. Park in the lot across from park headquarters and then begin hiking from the west side of the lot on a signed connector trail to the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°10341’ W 122°13325’
Loch Lomond Recreation Area, Scotts Valley
Distance: 5.2 miles round-trip
Duration: 3 hours
Elevation Change: 700 feet
Effort: Easy/moderate
Users: Hikers, leashed dogs
Season: Spring and summer
Passes/Fees: $6 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A trail map is available at the park entrance.
Hours: Loch Lomond Recreation Area is open daily March 1-Labor Day and then weekends only until mid-October. It is closed the rest of the year.
Contact: Loch Lomond Recreation Area, 100 Loch Lomond Way, Felton, 831/335-7424, www.cityofsantacruz.com
This surprisingly large reservoir in the Santa Cruz Mountains boasts a bevy of hiking trails and a Sierra-like ambience.
Every summer when I was a kid, my parents took my sisters and me hiking and fishing at a big lake surrounded by a dense woodland. We’d explore around the lake, learn about the trees and plants that grew in the forest, watch for wildlife, and go fishing in our little motorboat. We’d always take a break at midday, pull up our boat on an island, sit on a rock, and eat some sandwiches. Then we’d hike in the woods or just sit on the shoreline and admire the scenery.
As an adult, I never thought I’d find any place in urban California to match that lake of my memories. But then I went to Loch Lomond Reservoir, just 10 miles north of Santa Cruz, and found just such a place.
The key to the trip is to show up in the right season. The 175-acre reservoir and its surrounding land are locked up for six months of the year in order to protect the water supply for the city of Santa Cruz. But each year on March 1, the gates open and the public recreation season begins. The park is open daily in spring and summer; Labor Day-mid-October, it is open weekends only.
The Loch Trail at Loch Lomond Recreation Area follows the shoreline of a large, deep blue reservoir through a Douglas fir and redwood forest. After a pleasant mile along the water’s edge, the trail connects with Highlands Trail, which ascends the hillside above the lake. With a gentle climb of only a few hundred feet, the trail rises above the treetops for high views of Loch Lomond. The entire loop is only about 5 miles—the perfect length for a morning or afternoon walk.
Loch Lomond provides views and solitude.
As you hike the Loch Trail, you could stop to drop a line in the water (best trout fishing is April-June) or picnic at one of the many shaded tables near the shoreline. Or you might just meander along, admiring the fetching lake. The only thing you can’t do is swim; Loch Lomond is a public water supply, so no human contact is allowed. The footpath winds gently around one tree-lined cove after another: Cunningham, MacGregor, Stewart, Fir, and Huckleberry.
At Deer Flat, 1.2 miles out, Loch Trail meets up with Highlands Trail, a wide fire road. Continue on Highlands Trail farther north along the lakeshore and then uphill through the redwoods, climbing 500 feet. The road tops out at a remote weather station where you gain a sweeping view of the lake below and the surrounding forested mountains. Highlands Trail then traverses the ridge southward, now in a more open forest of knobcone pines, chaparral, and nonnative but colorful Scotch broom. Views of the lake and Newell Creek canyon are yours for the taking. Where the trail nears the park road, follow the pavement back downhill to your car.
While you’re at Loch Lomond, don’t miss a walk on the 1-mile Big Trees Nature Trail. Pick up a free trail guide at the park store; the trail starts at the Glen Corrie Picnic Area and ascends to a ridge, where you find the only remaining old-growth redwoods in this watershed. These massive, 500- to 1,000-year-old trees offer a glimpse into the area’s pre-logging magnificence. Just around the bend from the giant trees is an area that suffered major storm damage during the 1970s and 1980s from high winds, snowfall, and heavy rainfall. The biggest hit came from a January 1982 storm in which 15 inches of rain fell in a 24-hour period, causing a series of mudslides. As the trail descends through this still recovering area, observe how some of the trees had their tops knocked off. Remnants of early 20th-century logging activities can also be seen along this short, fascinating trail.
From I-280 in San Jose, take Highway 17 south for 24 miles to Scotts Valley. Take the Mount Hermon Road exit, turn right, and drive 3.5 miles. Turn left on Graham Hill Road and then immediately turn left on Zayante Road. Drive 3 miles to Lompico Road. Turn left and drive 1.7 miles to West Drive. Turn left, drive 0.5 mile to Sequoia Road, and then enter the park. (The route is clearly signed for Loch Lomond Recreation Area.) Follow the park road to its end near the boat ramp and store. Loch Trail begins by the boat ramp.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°11098’ W 122°06468’
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Fall Creek Unit, Felton
Distance: 8 miles round-trip
Duration: 4 hours
Elevation Change: 1,500 feet
Effort: Moderate
Users: Hikers
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: There is no fee at the Fall Creek Unit parking lot.
Maps: A park map is available at the entrance kiosk or at www.parks.ca.gov.
Contact: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, 101 Big Trees Park Rd., Felton, 831/335-4598 or 831/335-7077 (nature center), www.parks.ca.gov or www.mountainparks.org
Visit the quieter side of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park at Fall Creek, where solitude is in plentiful supply.
Question: Where in the Bay Area can you find a fast-running, full-flowing stream even in the driest months of summer and fall? Answer: Almost nowhere, except at the Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.
The Fall Creek Unit is not the best-known section of Henry Cowell Park. More famous is the northern park unit with its family campgrounds and Roaring Camp steam trains. (See Observation Deck and Big Rock Hole Loop listing in this chapter.) But the less developed Fall Creek Unit is perfectly suited for hikers, with crystal-clear Fall Creek tumbling, cascading, and pooling alongside the park’s main trail, even in the dry months of summer and fall.
The Fall Creek Unit isn’t huge, so you can make an 8-mile loop around the park and see much of it in one day. In addition to its natural beauty, the park features three 1870s limekilns and other evidence of its history as an important lime producer. The lime was used to make mortar to build the brick buildings of San Francisco and other California cities.
Starting from the Felton Empire Road trailhead just west of Felton, take Bennett Creek Trail gently downhill from the parking lot for 0.25 mile. Immediately you are serenaded by the music of Fall Creek, which quickly drowns out the sound of the nearby road. A left turn on Fall Creek Trail sends you traipsing alongside the stream, nestled in a cool, shady forest of mixed hardwoods—tan oaks, Douglas firs, big-leaf maples, and bay laurel. (It’s worth scheduling a special autumn visit around the colorful big-leaf maples.)
As the trail keeps to the clear, rocky stream, you witness a marvelous fern forest, including some huge Woodwardia ferns. The park is home to more than 12 fern species. Sorrel and sugar scoop carpet the spaces between them.
Turn left at the path signed for Lime Kilns, 0.75 mile from the trailhead. Now following South Fork Trail along South Fork Fall Creek, you approach the kiln area in less than 0.5 mile. Evidence of past homesteading is seen along the trail, including spreading purple vinca, English ivy, and low rock walls. About 40 kiln workers and their families lived in this canyon in the late 1800s. The kilns were built by the IXL Lime Company to process limestone from nearby Blue Cliff Quarry. For 30 years, fires as hot as 1,700 degrees burned inside their hollow cores, where today delicate maidenhair ferns have taken hold.
Behind the kilns is the old railroad grade that carried limestone from the quarry. The rock was transported up and down the hill via a gravity cable system.
From the kiln area, head to your right and cross South Fork Fall Creek on Cape Horn Trail. Follow Cape Horn Trail 0.5 mile to Lost Empire Trail, where you turn sharply left and head uphill. Climbing above Fall Creek canyon, you face a healthy ascent for almost a mile. The trail levels out for a 0.5-mile stretch to Lost Camp, where Barrel Mill Creek runs through. In the autumn, it’s wise to bring your hard hat for this stretch—acorns from the tan oaks come pelting down like raindrops through the forest.
Next comes a second climb on Lost Empire Trail for 0.75 mile to the Big Ben Tree, a virgin redwood and the high point on this loop at 1,800 feet. The tree is clearly marked at the junction of Lost Empire, Big Ben, and Sunlit Trails. After a break to admire Big Ben, head downhill on Big Ben Trail for 1.4 miles through a forest of big, twisted madrones and Douglas firs. Soon you descend back into the redwoods along Fall Creek.
Turn right on Fall Creek Trail to finish out the loop. You have only 3 miles left to return to the trailhead; the majority of this walk is spent right alongside splashing Fall Creek. The upstream area, where the canyon is squeezed, exhibits a tremendous amount of deadfall. The redwoods growing on its steep slopes don’t always last through the heavy rains of winter. Fall Creek Trail narrows and gets rougher in this section; you have to duck under fallen trees and watch your step on the slippery streamside trail. Look for wild ginger and giant trillium growing nearby. In midsummer, you may get lucky and spot bright orange leopard lilies blooming along the creek’s edges.
The 1870s limekilns at the Fall Creek Unit are remarkably well preserved.
On the way back to the trailhead, stop at the Barrel Mill site. This water-powered mill manufactured parts for the barrels that were used to ship the lime. Massive timbers and some abandoned machinery remain at the streamside site.
November through February, it’s practically mandatory that nature lovers head to Natural Bridges State Beach (in Santa Cruz, 831/423-4609, www.parks.ca.gov, $10 parking) to visit the Monarch Butterfly Preserve and hike the easy Monarch Trail. Those who do are rewarded with the sight of upwards of 100,000 orange-and-black butterflies flitting about a grove of eucalyptus trees. They’ve traveled several thousand miles to enjoy the mild winter here. The hike is only 0.5 mile round-trip; the trail ends at a wooden observation platform at the Monarch Resting Area. One caveat: If it’s a cool, gray day, the butterflies do not fly; they’re huddled up on the tree branches with their wings closed.
To get to Natural Bridges from the junction of Highway 9 and Highway 1 in Santa Cruz, take Highway 1 northwest 2 miles to Swift Street and turn left (west). Follow the signs to Natural Bridges State Beach.
From I-280 in San Jose, take Highway 17 south for 24 miles to Scotts Valley. Take the Mount Hermon Road exit, turn right, and drive 3.5 miles. Turn right on Graham Hill Road and drive 0.1 mile to Highway 9. Continue straight across Highway 9 onto Felton Empire Road. Drive 0.6 mile on Felton Empire Road to the Fall Creek trailhead on the right. (The main Henry Cowell State Park entrance requires a left turn on Highway 9.)
Or, from Highway 1 in Santa Cruz, take Highway 9 north for 7.5 miles to Felton Empire Road. Turn left and continue as described.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°04965’ W 122°08315’
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Felton
Distance: 6.4 miles round-trip
Duration: 3.5 hours
Elevation Change: 1,000 feet
Effort: Moderate
Users: Hikers, cyclists (some trails), leashed dogs (paved Pipeline Road only)
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: $10 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the entrance kiosk or at www.parks.ca.gov.
Contact: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, 101 Big Trees Park Rd., Felton, 831/335-4598 or 831/335-7077 (nature center), www.parks.ca.gov or www.mountainparks.org
Big redwoods, San Lorenzo River swimming holes, and a tall observation deck are the highlights of this ramble.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is celebrated for its ancient groves of coast redwoods. It’s famous for its Roaring Camp Railroad steam trains, their whistles blowing as they steam around tracks carving through the park’s center. And the park is well known for the San Lorenzo River, whose rushing waters are home to salmon and steelhead in winter.
But surprisingly, most visitors never hike any farther than the 0.75-mile Redwood Grove Loop Trail that starts by the nature center. Too bad, because miles of footpaths roll gently alongside the river, cruising through dense groves of redwoods, laurels, and Douglas firs and traversing chaparral-covered slopes. This loop trip tours these areas and visits many of the park’s highlights.
Note that the loop described requires two unbridged crossings of the San Lorenzo River. If the river is running too high, it may not be wise to ford, in which case you’ll need to shorten the loop. Use good judgment about crossing. Also, carry a map to help negotiate your way through this park’s multiple trail junctions.
Begin your hike by following the short Redwood Grove Loop Trail. This popular path through a grove of huge first-growth redwoods is worth seeing; the rest of the park’s redwoods are mostly second-growth. Take either leg of the loop into the marvelous virgin grove and then exit the trail at the far end of the loop. Follow the signed path to paved Pipeline Road, which is popular with dog walkers and bicyclists. Cross the pavement and pick up the hikers-only River Trail, which parallels Pipeline Road and closely follows the east bank of the river. Although the river is only a few inches deep in summer, it can be 20-30 feet deep during winter rains. Its banks are lined with willows, cottonwoods, and sycamores.
In short order, you pass under a railroad trestle crossing the San Lorenzo River. Chances are good that at some point during your hike, you are going to hear the wail of a train screeching around a curve in the canyon. The privately operated Roaring Camp Railroad (831/335-4484, www.roaringcamp.com, daily year-round) runs through the park; the ticket office and station are located near the parking lot by the nature center. Some say the trains sound more like the “Wailing” Camp Railroad.
A quarter mile beyond the trestle, River Trail and neighboring Pipeline Road meet up with Eagle Creek and its namesake trail. Bear left on Eagle Creek Trail, heading through the redwoods and Douglas firs to begin a moderate ascent into higher madrone- and manzanita-covered slopes. The trail gets steeper as you go. Small cascades and pools line the stream after winter rains.
Soon after crossing Eagle Creek on a footbridge, turn right on Pine Trail. The earth beneath your feet suddenly becomes sandy, and walking becomes more difficult on the sunny, exposed ridge. Follow the signs leading through sun-loving chaparral to the park’s observation deck.
This 15-foot-high concrete structure is surrounded by a picnic table, hitching post, and water fountain, plus two surprising kinds of trees: knobcone pines and ponderosa pines. The latter, with its distinctive jigsaw puzzle bark, usually is found at much higher elevations in such places as the Sierra Nevada. Here at 800 feet in elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the ponderosa pine grows only in this strange “sand hill chaparral” community. This region’s sandy soil is what remains of an ancient ocean floor—four million years ago, a shallow sea completely covered the area.
Walk up the observation platform’s stairs to get a somewhat obstructed view of Monterey Bay. Even if the view is only fair, the sunny platform is a convenient place to sit down and have lunch or maybe take a catnap.
If the San Lorenzo River is running wide and deep at the start of your trip, now is the time to cut this loop short and follow Ridge Fire Road downhill and back to River Trail. If the river looks safe to cross, continue on Pine Trail to its junction with Powder Mill Fire Road. Follow Powder Mill downhill for 0.5 mile to where it crosses Pipeline Road and then take single-track Buckeye Trail downhill for another 0.5 mile through several switchbacks and across the San Lorenzo River. This is the first of two fords. On the river’s far side, Buckeye Trail winds along the riverbank and then crosses it again. Pass an obvious swimming hole on your left, Big Rock Hole, which is lined with granite boulders. If it’s summertime, you may be tempted to take a dip.
After a swim and a rest, you should be ready to climb again. Follow Big Rock Hole Trail steeply uphill for 0.5 mile to its junction with Rincon Fire Road, where you find the Cathedral Redwoods Grove. These trees aren’t as large or old as those on the Redwood Grove Loop Trail, but they offer more solitude and a chance to catch your breath after the challenging climb.
In the summer months, hikers ford the San Lorenzo River to access the swimming hole at Big Rock Hole.
Rincon Fire Road continues northward back to a junction with River Trail. The latter brings you back to the Eagle Creek junction, the railroad trestle, Pipeline Road, Redwood Grove Loop Trail, and finally, the nature center and your car.
From the park’s campground (www.reservecalifornia.com, $35), take a walk on Eagle Creek Trail, which leads 1.5 miles to the park’s main redwood grove and nature center (via Eagle Creek Trail and a right turn on River Trail). Or, take Eagle Creek Trail to visit the observation deck and make a 2.8-mile loop. This lovely trail begins between campsites 82 and 84 and heads gently downhill alongside Eagle Creek to Pipeline Road and River Trail just beyond. Turn left on either of these trails, loop back via Ridge Fire Road to visit the observation deck, and then follow Pine Trail back to the campground.
From I-280 in San Jose, take Highway 17 south for 24 miles to Scotts Valley. Take the Mount Hermon Road exit, turn right, and drive 3.5 miles. Turn right on Graham Hill Road and drive 0.1 mile to Highway 9. Turn left on Highway 9 and drive 0.6 mile to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park on the left. Continue past the entrance kiosk to the visitors center and main parking lot. Follow the signs to the Redwood Grove and Redwood Loop Trail.
Or, from Highway 1 in Santa Cruz, take Highway 9 north for 6 miles to the right turnoff for the park and continue as described.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°04040’ W 122°06343’
Wilder Ranch State Park, north of Santa Cruz
Best: Wildlife-Watching
Distance: 2.5 miles round-trip
Duration: 1.5 hours
Elevation Change: Negligible
Effort: Easy
Users: Hikers, cyclists
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: $10 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the entrance kiosk or at www.parks.ca.gov.
Contact: Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Rd., Santa Cruz, 831/423-9703, www.thatsmypark.org or www.parks.ca.gov
The dramatic Davenport shoreline is spread out before you on this easy, inviting walk.
One foggy November afternoon, we tossed off our responsibilities and headed for the coast south of Davenport and Wilder Ranch State Park. Bundled in our fleece jackets to ward off the gloomy weather, we set off on Old Landing Cove Trail.
In our first 10 minutes on the trail, we spotted a bobcat as it leapt into the bushes. Moments later, we admired the soaring flight of a harrier over the bluffs and the glide of pelicans over the sea. With a few more footsteps, we peered down on dozens of harbor seals hauled out on rocks just off the coast. As we dropped down to the sands of Fern Grotto Beach, we marveled at two remarkably divergent creatures that had washed up on shore: a six-inch-long, bright orange sea sponge and the decaying remains of a 20-foot gray whale.
You never know quite what you’ll find at Wilder Ranch State Park. A walk on the park’s Old Landing Cove Trail is short and easy, but the rewards are great. Spotting wildlife is nearly a given. But even if you aren’t fortunate enough to have a bobcat cross your path, you can still enjoy other highlights—a seal rookery, jagged bluffs, sandy beaches, and a hidden fern cave.
Many people think of Wilder Ranch as a mountain biker’s park, but the reality is that most riders stick to the trails on the inland side of the park, across Highway 1. The few bikers you may encounter on the short, level Old Landing Cove Trail are absolute beginners or those who are here to enjoy the scenery. They don’t travel very fast.
Old Landing Cove Trail starts from the parking lot to the right of the restrooms. Bordered by tall, scented stalks of anise, the trail is a wide ranch road that makes a short and direct path to the edge of the ocean. Soon you’re walking alongside the park’s Brussels sprout fields. Wilder Ranch’s biggest claim to fame may not be its historic ranch buildings, nor its well-developed trail system, nor its alluring beaches and coastal vistas: It’s the fact that 12 percent of our national Brussels sprout production happens right here within the park’s boundaries. One question: Who’s eating all of them, anyway?
Follow the trail toward the coast, turn right, and head out along the sandstone and mudstone bluffs. The first beach you see, Wilder Beach, is a critical habitat area for the endangered snowy plover and is fenced off and protected as a natural preserve. An overlook platform with a bench serves as a viewing spot.
In 200 yards, you reach the trail’s namesake, the old landing cove—a remarkably narrow inlet where small schooners pulled in to anchor and load lumber in the late 1800s. Just off Old Landing Cove is a huge flat rock where harbor seals haul out at low tide. They require sunshine to warm their flippers, the only part of their body that isn’t well insulated. Your best view of the harbor seals comes after you pass the cove and look back or on your return trip.
The trail continues along the bluff tops. A highlight of this hike is the descent to Fern Grotto Beach to see Wilder Ranch’s fern cave, the oceanside home of a collection of bracken and sword ferns. They hang from the shallow cave’s ceiling just low enough to tickle the top of your head. The fern cave is hidden in the back of a sandy, U-shaped cove; it is accessible from the bluff top via a spur path. Watch for post 8 along the main trail; the spur is found a few yards beyond.
Take some time to visit the historic buildings at Wilder Ranch State Park.
The cave’s location in the back of the oval-shaped cove partially protects it from the salty ocean air. An underground spring gives the ferns life and keeps them moist and cool. Water continually drips from the cave’s ceiling. The floor is covered in driftwood of all shapes and sizes, which has been collected from the sea by the constant motion of the tide.
After admiring the fern grotto, return to the top of the bluffs and Old Landing Cove Trail. The next beach cove, Sand Plant Beach, lies 0.25 mile north. A wider and more visible trail leads down to its perfect crescent-shaped strip of sand—an ideal place to have a picnic lunch or to sit and watch the waves come in.
Beyond Sand Plant Beach, the Old Landing Cove Trail changes names to Ohlone Bluff Trail. In the next 2.5 miles, the path passes several more beaches: Strawberry, Needle Rock, Three Mile, and finally Four Mile. Explore as far as you like, but be forewarned: The more remote stretches of sand are famous for being “clothing-optional.” Also note that the bluffs inland from Sand Plant Beach are private farming property; most of the year, hikers cannot pass through. To access the trail north of Sand Plant Beach, simply take the spur trail down to the sand, walk to the far side of the cove, and then follow another spur trail back up to the bluffs, bypassing the private property.
From Santa Cruz, drive north on Highway 1 for 4 miles. Turn left into the entrance to Wilder Ranch State Park, then follow the park road to its end and park in the main parking area. Old Landing Cove Trail starts to the right of the restrooms.
Public transportation: Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District Bus #42 stops at Wilder Ranch State Park. For more information, phone 831/425-8600 or visit www.scmtd.com.
GPS Coordinates: N 36°96017’ W 122°08571’
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, Aptos
Best: Waterfalls
Distance: 7-9 miles round-trip
Duration: 4-5 hours
Elevation Change: 600 feet
Effort: Moderate
Users: Hikers, cyclists (fire roads only)
Season: Year-round
Passes/Fees: $8 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the entrance kiosk or at www.parks.ca.gov.
Contact: The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, Aptos Creek Road, Aptos, 831/763-7062, www.thatsmypark.org or www.parks.ca.gov
With easy access from Aptos, the Forest of Nisene Marks is a popular park that offers shady hiking, a sylvan waterfall, and a wealth of fascinating history.
The Forest of Nisene Marks is a relatively undeveloped state park. It’s the kind of park that doesn’t have car campgrounds, a visitors center, or even paved parking lots. Sounds good, yes? It just gets better. In terms of scenery, the park is like a young cousin to popular Big Basin Redwoods State Park, filled with second-growth redwoods, more ferns than you can shake a stick at, and banana slugs and newts by the dozen. And, just like Big Basin, Nisene Marks even boasts a couple of winsome waterfalls.
Two major forces have shaped the land here: the railroad and unstable geology. Although virgin redwoods remained untouched in this steep and winding canyon for hundreds of years, the Loma Prieta Lumber Company procured the valley in 1881 and teamed up with the Southern Pacific Railroad to destroy it—oops, I mean log it. They built a railroad along Aptos Creek and worked the land with trains, oxen, skid roads, inclines, horses, and as many men as they could recruit, removing 140 million board feet of lumber over the course of 40 years. In 1922, when the loggers finally put down their saws, there were no trees left.
Luckily, Mother Nature has been busy since the logging ceased. Today, the canyon is filled with Douglas firs and second-growth redwoods; the higher ridges are lined with oaks and madrones.
Mother Nature was especially busy on October 17, 1989, when the park was the epicenter of the Loma Prieta earthquake, which forcefully shook the entire Bay Area. You can visit the epicenter via a hike on Aptos Creek Trail, but there is little to see except a sign marking the spot.
A more interesting hike is the 7- or 9-mile semi-loop up Loma Prieta Grade to Maple Falls, returning via Bridge Creek Trail. The mileage varies according to where you leave your car. In winter, the park road is usually closed off at Georges Picnic Area, requiring a longer walk. If you can park up the road at Porter Picnic Area, you save a couple of miles.
From either trailhead, begin hiking on Aptos Creek Road, a wide multiuse trail that travels under a thriving canopy of second-growth redwoods. Loma Prieta Grade takes off on the left, 0.25 mile past Porter Picnic Area. Follow this old railroad grade and leave Aptos Creek Road and the mountain bikers behind. The rest of the loop is open to hikers only.
As soon as you’re on single-track, what was good becomes gorgeous. You hike among tall trees and ferns alongside Aptos Creek. Considering the lush green canopy of redwoods and Douglas firs in the canyon, it’s hard to imagine the clear-cutting that took place here. At a fork signed for Bridge Creek Historic Site to the right, bear left to stay on Loma Prieta Grade. The right fork is the return of your loop to Maple Falls.
The worn old railroad grade enters into its prettiest stretch as it climbs gently up the slopes above Bridge Creek. The trail is often quite narrow and eroded, so watch your footing. You pass Hoffman’s Historic Site, the location of a logging camp that was nicknamed Camp Comfort. It housed 300 workers and was used until 1921; now, the camp’s ruins are slowly rotting away.
Loma Prieta Grade ends at the sign marking Bridge Creek Historic Site, 4 miles from Porter Picnic Area. This was the location of another former logging camp. From here, make a 0.5-mile stream scramble up Bridge Creek to Maple Falls (there is no formal trail, but the path is obvious). Bridge Creek’s canyon walls squeeze tighter as you travel upstream, providing close-up looks at the millions of ferns and mini-waterfalls dropping among the rocks and crevices. When Bridge Creek is running strong, you have to walk in the creek bed and cross the stream a dozen or more times, so wear your waterproof boots. In summer, the canyon scramble is much easier, but the waterfall is less impressive.
Maple Falls flows with vigor during the winter months.
Keep going until you reach the back of the canyon, where its walls pinch together and 30-foot Maple Falls pours over a sandstone wall, blocking any further progress. A few big-leaf maple trees frame the falls. After paying homage to the charming cataract, retrace your steps down the canyon to Bridge Creek Historic Site and take the left fork on Bridge Creek Trail. As you hike through the redwood-lined canyon, look carefully for fossils embedded in the soft sandstone lining the stream. Cross Bridge Creek one more time and then rejoin Loma Prieta Grade where you started your loop. Retrace your steps back to the parking area.
Those seeking a more adventurous trip might want to head out in search of Aptos Creek Falls, also called Five Finger Falls. The hike is 12 miles round-trip and can be accomplished only when the water level in Aptos Creek is low enough so that you can ford. (As you near the falls, you have to cross Aptos Creek on foot; there is no bridge.) Follow the main Aptos Creek Road 2.5 miles to the “Bottom of the Incline,” just before the old railroad grade begins its ascent near the earthquake epicenter, and then cut off on Aptos Creek Trail and cross the creek. Follow Aptos Creek Trail for 2.5 miles to the Big Slide Trail junction; 1 mile farther lies the waterfall, gracefully lined with five-finger ferns.
From Santa Cruz, drive south on Highway 1 for 6 miles to the Aptos/State Park Drive exit. Bear left at the exit, cross over the highway, and then turn right on Soquel Drive and drive 0.5 mile. Turn left on Aptos Creek Road. Stop at the park entrance kiosk and then continue up the road to Georges Picnic Area or Porter Picnic Area. (Parking at Porter Picnic Area cuts 2 miles off your round-trip, but the park road is closed beyond Georges Picnic Area in winter.)
Public transportation: Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District Bus #54 stops on Soquel Drive 0.5 mile from the park entrance. For more information, phone 831/425-8600 or visit www.scmtd.com.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°02092’ W 121°90472’
Joseph D. Grant County Park, in San Jose
Best: Wildlife-Watching
Distance: 8.8 miles round-trip
Duration: 5 hours
Elevation Change: 1,800 feet
Effort: Strenuous
Users: Hikers, cyclists, dogs
Season: Fall, winter, and spring
Passes/Fees: $6 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the trailhead or at www.parkhere.org.
Contact: Joseph D. Grant County Park at 408/274-6121, or Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department, 298 Garden Hill Dr., Los Gatos, CA 95032, 408/355-2200, www.parkhere.org
Old ranch roads travel through a grassland and oak savannah in the former Grant Ranch, where wild pigs roam and wildflowers bloom in spring.
Joseph D. Grant County Park is a world apart from the rest of Santa Clara County. Just down the hill lie the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley, but up at Grant Park, all is tranquil. A few cows graze on the hillsides, ancient oaks and wildflowers dot the grasslands, bluebirds flit among the trees, and golden eagles soar the skies. If you spend a day hiking the park’s trails, the biggest excitement you may encounter is the sudden appearance of wild pigs, which scatter and run when they hear you coming.
A few warnings, just so you know what you’re in for: Grant County Park, called Grant Ranch by the locals, lies due north of better-known Henry W. Coe State Park, and it shares the same summer weather—hot as Hades. There is very little shade in the park, so plan your trip for autumn, winter, or spring. April and May are the best months to visit, when the grasslands are green and the slopes are gilded with blue-eyed grass, poppies, brodiaea, and lupine.
The trails at Grant County Park are predominantly multiuse dirt roads that are very popular with mountain bikers. (If you turn up your nose at anything wider than single-track, you won’t be happy here.) The path described in this listing is designed to avoid a good deal of bike traffic, but it doesn’t eliminate it. To reduce your chance of sharing the trails with bikes, plan your visit for a weekday, when the park is usually empty.
This semi-loop trip takes you to the park’s highest hill, Antler Point, which tops out at 2,995 feet. The first 2 miles feature some steep uphill pitches, but the rest of the walk is moderate. Begin your hike at the Grant Lake Trailhead and follow the wide road edging large, shallow Grant Lake. Shoreline fishing for bass and bluegill is popular here. About halfway along the lakeshore, turn right on Halls Valley Trail. After 0.25 mile, turn right on Los Huecos Trail. Because most mountain bikers follow the continuation of Halls Valley Trail uphill, you have less company on steep Los Huecos Trail.
The next 1.8 miles are a steady uphill with a few pitches that leave you gasping for breath. With luck, you’re here on a cool day. Expanding vistas of Grant Lake and the park’s western ridge are fair compensation for the climb. As you gain elevation, you have surprising views of the South Bay’s distant shimmering waters.
Bird-watching is exceptional on Los Huecos Trail. Hawks, golden eagles, and other raptors perch on the tall oaks and hunt the grasslands. Such songbirds as western bluebirds and tanagers may be seen in springtime. Black-and-white magpies are present year-round, and acorn woodpeckers are frequently heard and seen. These woodpeckers form a social group centered on an acorn granary, a chosen tree in which the birds drill holes, filling each one with an acorn to be eaten later. A single granary may contain thousands of acorns.
Where the trail tops out at Cañada de Pala Trail, turn left and enjoy an easier, more rolling grade. More views of the South Bay are seen to the northwest, and Mount Hamilton shows up to the east. Although spring wildflowers are found throughout the park’s grasslands, the most abundant displays are found on this high, bald ridge. (I hope you’ve timed your trip for April or May.)
Your destination, Antler Point, is visible straight ahead, the highest hill around. After 0.75 mile, bear right on Pala Seca Trail. Another 1.6 miles through grasslands and past occasional grazing bovines bring you to the spur trail to Antler Point. Turn right and walk the final 0.25 mile uphill to the bald, grassy overlook. This is the day’s best view of the South Bay, San Jose, Grant Park’s rolling grasslands, and Lick Observatory on top of 4,209-foot Mount Hamilton.
For your return trip, retrace your steps on the spur to Antler Point and then turn right and loop back on Cañada de Pala Trail, enjoying more ridgetop views. Don’t miss the right turnoff for Halls Valley Trail for your downhill return to Grant Lake. Mountain bikers are allowed to go uphill only on this trail, so you don’t have to worry about being mowed down from behind as you descend.
The sudden appearance of wild pigs, especially in the oak- and laurel-shaded canyon of Halls Valley, may be a surprise to many first-time visitors. More than 500 wild pigs live in the park; rangers keep tabs on their numbers so they don’t get out of control. The large animals are descendants of European wild pigs that were brought in by ranchers for sport hunting in the early 20th century. They have thrived and multiplied throughout large areas of California. Most of the pigs in Grant Park are black, although some have bred with domestic pigs, and their descendants are multicolored. Pigs seen along the trail are likely to run from you; the bolder ones have taken to rooting around the park’s campgrounds.
One more tip to optimize your trip: If you can, time your exit from the park so that you leave right at sunset, just before the gates are locked. Then you have the pleasure of driving back down Mount Hamilton Road with an enchanting view of glowing city lights.
If you visit Grant Park during the spring wildflower season, one of the best shows is along the south end of Cañada de Pala Trail, a stretch you miss if you travel on the loop described. To head straight for the best blooms, drive 3.5 miles past the Grant Lake parking area to the Twin Gates Trailhead, a small parking lot on the left. Hike out and back on Cañada de Pala Trail as far as you wish—the first 2 miles feature outstanding displays of blue-eyed grass, lupine, Johnny-jump-ups, brodiaea, shooting stars, and goldfields. Another exceptional wildflower route is the Hotel Trail and San Felipe Trail loop, which can be accessed across the road from the Grant Lake parking area.
At Joseph D. Grant County Park, the hustle and bustle of the South Bay seems far away.
From I-680 in San Jose, take the Alum Rock Avenue exit and drive east for 2.2 miles. Turn right on Mount Hamilton Road and drive 7.9 miles to the sign for Joseph D. Grant County Park on the right. Don’t turn here; continue for another 100 yards to the Grant Lake parking lot on the left side of the road.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°34266’ W 121°71583’
Santa Teresa County Park, Morgan Hill
Distance: 4 miles round-trip
Duration: 2 hours
Elevation Change: 500 feet
Effort: Easy
Users: Hikers, cyclists, leashed dogs
Season: Spring
Passes/Fees: $6 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the trailhead or at www.parkhere.org.
Contact: Santa Teresa County Park, c/o Hellyer County Park, 408/225-0225, or Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department, 298 Garden Hill Dr., Los Gatos, CA 95032, 408/355-2200, www.parkhere.org
Just a few car honks from U.S. 101, this flower-filled park has pockets of rugged natural beauty and a summit with a view.
Santa Teresa County Park isn’t the largest or most wilderness-like park in Santa Clara County. It’s better known for its golf course and picnic areas than for its hiking trails. Similarly, the park’s high point, Coyote Peak, isn’t the tallest summit in the county. But considering its location just off Bernal Road south of San Jose, the park and its 1,155-foot peak are clear winners for an afternoon hike with a stellar South Bay view. A bonus is that Santa Teresa’s grasslands are fertile soil for a bounty of spring wildflowers. Can a park this close to an urban area feel like a nature preserve? Surprisingly, yes.
You drive through a large chunk of this county park to access the trailhead at the far end of the Pueblo Picnic Area. From the parking lot, head left (west) along the wide road by the corral, signed as Mine Trail. Walk a mere 75 yards and then turn left on single-track Rocky Ridge Trail.
Begin a zigzagging climb through the grasslands of Big Oak Valley. The narrow path is open to mountain bikers; you may have to step aside to let them pass. Because you are going uphill, you have plenty of time to see bikers coming downhill toward you; bikers going uphill travel at a much slower pace. The trail occasionally passes by ancient, sprawling oaks and lichen-covered serpentine outcrops. Springtime brings bright-colored displays of fiddle-neck, poppies, goldfields, and yarrow.
The path meanders gently up and down in a roller-coaster fashion; it seems to have been built with mountain biking in mind. As you ascend the ridge, keep following the trail toward the white building located on a high point. Just below it, Rocky Ridge Trail connects with wide Coyote Peak Trail; turn left. Now it’s an easy 0.5 mile to the top of Coyote Peak, elevation 1,155 feet. Three benches offer a place to sit and take in the cityscape vista, which is mainly to the north and east of the Santa Clara Valley. Look for the white dome of Lick Observatory on top of Mount Hamilton and gaze in wonder at the bustling metropolis the South Bay has become. Less than a century ago, farming and ranching were the main activities in this valley, but now very little farmland remains.
A quick jaunt leads to a big view of the Santa Clara Valley from the top of Coyote Peak.
After you’ve observed the wild sprawl of civilization below, backtrack down the summit spur trail to Coyote Peak Trail, turn right, and follow it steeply downhill. The route drops into a canyon lined with bay laurel and oaks. At a junction with Hidden Springs Trail, turn left to head back to the Pueblo Picnic Area in a little more than 0.5 mile. Walk past the various picnic areas to reach the lot where you left your car.
Wildflower lovers, take note: Although much of the park is dotted with spring wildflowers, the best flower show is on the 1.4-mile Stile Ranch Trail. Access it from the trailhead at the junction of Fortini Road and San Vicente Avenue in San Jose. Typical flowers that blossom in this rocky serpentine grassland include goldfields, tidy tips, clarkia, poppies, and gilia. At peak bloom, a dazzling range of colors is splashed over the hillsides.
From the Santa Clara Valley south of San Jose, take U.S. 101 south to just past the U.S. 101/Highway 85 junction. Take the Bernal Road/Highway 101 North exit and drive west on Bernal Road for 1.5 miles. After you cross Santa Teresa Boulevard, continue on Bernal Road for another 2 miles, passing the Santa Teresa Golf Club and climbing into the hills. Turn left at the sign for Pueblo Picnic Area and drive 0.75 mile to the end of the road by the corral, at the far end of the picnic area.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°21241’ W 121°78943’
Uvas Canyon County Park, Morgan Hill
Best: Waterfalls
Distance: 3.5 miles round-trip
Duration: 2 hours
Elevation Change: 700 feet
Effort: Easy/moderate
Users: Hikers, leashed dogs
Season: Winter and spring
Passes/Fees: $6 day-use per vehicle
Maps: A park map is available at the entrance station or at www.parkhere.org.
Contact: Uvas Canyon County Park, 8515 Croy Rd., Morgan Hill, 408/779-9232
Not just one but a handful of waterfalls can be seen on this family-friendly hike in Uvas Canyon.
Note: Uvas Canyon County Park is currently closed due to damage sustained from heavy rains in winter 2017. Call for updates before visiting.
Uvas Canyon County Park is a little slice of waterfall heaven on the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Although the drive to reach it is a long journey from the freeway through grasslands and oaks, it delivers you to a surprising redwood forest at the park entrance. From that point onward, you’ve entered another world—one filled with blissful shade and cascading water.
Uvas Canyon is a small park with camping and picnicking facilities and a short stretch of hiking trails in its 1,200 acres, but it’s proof that good things come in small packages. If you’re short on time, you can walk the 1-mile Waterfall Loop Trail and see Black Rock Falls and several smaller cascades on Swanson Creek. If you’re in the mood to stretch your legs, you can make a 2.5-mile loop out to Alec Canyon and then follow the Alec Canyon Trail out and back to Triple Falls for a total 3.5-mile hike.
The park has enough waterfalls to make any waterfall lover happy. Just make sure you show up in the rainy season, because that’s when Uvas Canyon is at its best. Water seems to pour from every crack in the hillsides. By midsummer, the falls are reduced to a mere trickle. The canyon is filled with oaks, laurels, big-leaf maples, and Douglas firs, all thriving in the moist environment around Swanson Creek.
Start your trip either at the Black Oak Group Area on the gated dirt road or 100 yards farther down the park road, just before the turnoff to the campground. The latter gives you an immediate audience with Granuja Falls, a tiny, five-foot-tall cataract in a very photogenic setting, before leading across a bridge and up a set of stairsteps to join the picnic area trail/road. From Black Oak Group Area, head straight on the road to connect to the Waterfall Loop Trail through the canyon. Cross Swanson Creek on a footbridge and then bear right at the fork and head directly for Black Rock Falls, 0.25 mile away. You find the waterfall on your right, pouring 30 feet down a side canyon over—you guessed it—black rock. Take a few pictures and then continue on the trail, heading for Basin Falls. This waterfall is 20 feet high and surrounded by moss-covered rocks. It makes a shapely S-curve at it carves its way down the canyon. Next you reach Upper Falls, a little shorter in height than the other falls, but just as enchanting.
At Upper Falls, it’s decision time: Either head back and take the other side of the Waterfall Loop Trail for a short and level 1-mile hike or continue up Swanson Creek and follow the winding Contour Trail to Alec Canyon and Triple Falls. For the longer trip, follow Contour Trail through a dense oak and Douglas fir forest, crossing a few small ravines. Where the trail joins with Alec Canyon Trail, turn right and hike 0.5 mile to Manzanita Point. Here, at an opening in the abundant manzanita bushes, you gain wide views of the South Bay and Diablo Range on clear days.
A short distance farther, you enter Alec Canyon’s second-growth redwood forest. In the late 1800s, the virgin redwoods in this canyon were cut for lumber to build the nearby mining town of New Almaden. The trail you’re following is an old logging road.
Turn right on the short spur trail to Triple Falls. True to its name, Triple Falls is a series of three cascades, totaling 40 feet in height. If you wish, you can find a seat right alongside the cascading fall. Or backtrack to Alec Canyon Trail, turn right, and head for a picnic table right alongside the creek. To finish the loop, follow the road back to Black Oak Group Area, a steep 0.75-mile descent.
An easy walk at Uvas Canyon County Park leads to multiple waterfalls.
Which waterfall at Uvas Park is the best? My favorites are Basin Falls and Triple Falls. Your favorite? Go see them all and decide.
If you didn’t time your Uvas Park visit for the winter waterfall season, head for a trail with a radically different demeanor that isn’t dependent on the weather: Knibbs Knob Trail. This 3.6-mile out-and-back trip involves a 1,600-foot climb on a rather steep and exposed fire road. It leads to 2,694-foot Knibbs Knob, a forested summit with peekaboo views of the high peaks of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Skyline Ridge, and the mountains and foothills of the Diablo Range. On very rare clear days, the Sierra Nevada can be seen from here. The trail begins at the Upper Bench Youth Camp. Hike 1.5 miles and then turn right on the 0.25-mile spur trail to Knibbs Knob. A picnic table is located at the top.
From U.S. 101 in Morgan Hill, take the Bernal Road exit west. Turn left on Santa Teresa Boulevard. Travel south 3 miles and turn right onto Bailey Avenue. Follow Bailey Avenue 2.3 miles to McKean Road. Turn left on McKean Road and drive 6 miles (McKean Road becomes Uvas Road). Turn right on Croy Road and drive 4.5 miles to the park (continue past Sveadal). Park near the park headquarters or in one of the picnic area parking lots, then walk down the park road to the trailhead. The trail begins at Black Oak Group Area, or you can access it 100 yards farther down the park road, just before the turnoff to the campground.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°08448’ W 121°79279’
Henry W. Coe State Park, Morgan Hill
Best: Short Backpacking Trips
Distance: 7.8 miles round-trip
Duration: 4 hours
Elevation Change: 1,000 feet
Effort: Strenuous
Users: Hikers, cyclists (some trails)
Season: Winter and spring
Passes/Fees: $8 day-use per vehicle
Maps: Park maps are available at park headquarters or at www.coepark.net.
Contact: Henry W. Coe State Park, 9000 E. Dunne Ave., Morgan Hill, 408/779-2728, www.coepark.net or www.parks.ca.gov
Whet your appetite for the South Bay’s most rugged wilderness area on this varied sampler hike in Henry W. Coe State Park.
The closest thing to wilderness in the South Bay is Henry W. Coe State Park. This well-known but not-so-well-traveled state park is the second largest in California (the largest is Anza-Borrego Desert State Park near San Diego). Comprising tall ridges bisected by deep, steep ravines, Coe Park is notoriously hilly and rugged. Its varied terrain includes grasslands, oaks, chaparral, pines, and mixed hardwoods.
Henry Coe is so large—87,000 acres and growing—and its terrain so rugged that to see much of it, you need to take a backpacking trip lasting at least a few days. But day hikers can tour the western part of the park on this nearly 8-mile loop around Middle Ridge.
Two requirements for the trip: First, pick a cool day to hike, ideally in late winter or spring when Coe Park’s streams are running. The park is notoriously hot in summer. Second, bring plenty of water, even if the weather is cool.
This loop begins just across the road from the visitors center at park headquarters. It mostly avoids the wide, exposed ranch roads and instead sticks to narrow footpaths. Take the single-track Corral Trail, which parallels Manzanita Point Road. In typical Coe Park fashion, Corral Trail passes through three distinct ecosystems in short order: mixed oak woodland, grasslands, and chaparral. Spring wildflowers are plentiful, especially iris, poppies, buttercups, and popcorn flowers. Watch for the more unusual purple monkeyflowers.
In less than a mile, turn left on Springs Trail to cross Manzanita Point Road and then immediately bear left on Flat Frog Trail to begin a gentle ascent to Frog Lake. This 2.3-mile trail isn’t the shortest route to the tiny lake; it’s nearly double the length of Hobbs Road to the west. But it’s a pleasant, single-track ramble with scenic views of Middle Ridge, traveling through a surprisingly varied woodland. Ponderosa pines mingle with the black oaks and madrones. In spring, look for giant trillium in the forest understory—its large, mottled leaves are easy to identify. Bright red columbine, purple shooting stars, and Chinese houses are also common.
This spring-fed pond in Henry W. Coe State Park is a haven for wildlife.
Flat Frog Trail connects with Hobbs Road just before Frog Lake; take either trail to the tiny former cattle pond. A backpacking camp is located nearby. One-acre Frog Lake is spring-fed; even in dry years, it usually has a little water in it. It supports a few bass and bluegill, but they aren’t easy to catch. Frequently the surface of the water is completely covered with green algae, but nonetheless, the pond is a good place for bird-watching. Acorn woodpeckers use the dead snags around the lake as granaries for their acorns. On one April trip, we spotted a pair of colorful western tanagers flitting around the trees bordering the lake. We watched their bright-hued feathers for almost an hour.
Cross Frog Lake’s dam and continue uphill to Middle Ridge. The oak-dotted grasslands above Frog Lake support goldfields, lupine, poppies, and even a few dogtooth violets—providing much to pause and admire while you catch your breath on this climb. Once you reach Middle Ridge, look forward to a roller-coaster walk with many lovely views of Coyote Creek canyon. Although the trail initially leads through alternating grassy clearings and groves of pines and black oaks, it later enters a stand of manzanitas, many of which remain scarred from the 2004 Lick Fire.
Follow the ridge for just over a mile to the right turnoff for Fish Trail. Enjoy a pleasant descent through two canyons filled with black oaks, bay laurel, and willows. Cross the Little Fork of Coyote Creek. Where the trail parallels Fish Creek, you have the pleasant company of this small cascading stream. The final leg of the trail brings you back into grasslands dotted with huge valley oaks. Many bear large clumps of mistletoe growing high in their branches.
Where Fish Trail ends, cross Manzanita Point Road, take Springs Trail to Corral Trail, and follow it west for the final stretch back to park headquarters and your car.
A longer hike, but a great adventure in the cool spring months, is the trip out to China Hole, a year-round pool on the Middle Fork of Coyote Creek. Bring along plenty of water and snacks for the 10-mile round-trip, which has many sunny, exposed sections. Follow Corral Trail as described, but after crossing Manzanita Point Road, take Forest Trail east, which rejoins Manzanita Point Road shortly before the group campground. Walk through the campground to site 7 and pick up China Hole Trail, which drops 1,200 feet on its way down to the creek. Enjoy the delightful scenery at China Hole and then get ready to climb back uphill. You have a few choices for looping back if you don’t want to retrace your steps. Take along a park map.
In the cooler months of the year, Coe Park is a backpacker’s paradise. The vast park has dozens of designated backpacking sites, many that are within one day’s hike of Coe Park headquarters. Some of the most popular include China Hole Camp (5.1 miles from headquarters, $5 per night), Frog Lake Camp (1.6 miles from headquarters, $5 per night), and Manzanita Point Camp (2.6 miles from headquarters, $75 per group). Campsites are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. You must register at park headquarters before setting out.
From U.S. 101 in Morgan Hill, take the East Dunne Avenue exit and drive east for 13 miles to Henry W. Coe State Park headquarters.
GPS Coordinates: N 37°18636’ W 121°54607’