Foothills Parks Adjoining the Southern San Francisco Watershed
Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve
Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve
City Parks and Trails in the Foothills
Laurelwood Park and Sugarloaf Mountain
Waterdog Lake Park and Trail/John S. Brooks Memorial Open Space—Belmont
Big Canyon and Eaton Parks—San Carlos
Mountainside Parks and Preserves on the Central Peninsula
Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
Phleger Estate
Huddart County Park
The Skyline Trail
Wunderlich County Park
El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve
La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve
Mountainside Parks and Preserves on the Skyline Ridge
Thornewood Open Space Preserve
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
Coal Creek Open Space Preserve and Upper Alpine Road
Los Trancos Open Space Preserve
Monte Bello and Saratoga Gap Open Space Preserves and Upper Stevens Creek County Park
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Upper Stevens Creek County Park
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
Long Ridge Open Space Preserve
City Parks and Trails in the Foothills of the Southern Peninsula
Town of Portola Valley
“The Loop”—Through Portola Valley, Woodside and Menlo Park
Enid Pearson Arastradero Preserve
Foothills Park
The Arastradero/Foothill Expressway Hub
Foothills Open Space Preserve
Town of Los Altos Hills
Open Space Preserves and a County Park in Los Altos, Cupertino, and Saratoga Foothills
Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve and County Park
Duveneck Windmill Pasture Area
Stevens Creek County Park
Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve
Fremont Older Open Space Preserve
FOREST PARKS IN SOUTHWESTERN SAN MATEO COUNTY
Pescadero Creek County Park Complex
Sam McDonald County Park
Pescadero Creek County Park
Portola Redwoods State Park
Butano State Park
Brisbane
South San Francisco
Millbrae and Burlingame
Coyote Point County Recreation Area and City of San Mateo Parks
Foster City
Redwood City
Redwood Shores
Port of Redwood City
Pacific Shores Center
Menlo Park and East Palo Alto
SAN MATEO COAST BEACHES AND COASTAL TRAIL
Fort Funston & Daly City
Pacifica Beaches
Pacifica to Montara
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Half Moon Bay State Beaches
San Gregorio to Pescadero
Pescadero to Pigeon Point
Año Nuevo State Reserve and Coastal Access
APPENDIX 1: TRAILS FOR DIFFERENT SEASONS AND REASONS
APPENDIX 3: INFORMATION SOURCES ON PARKS, PRESERVES, TRAILS, AND TRAIL ACTIVITIES
Preface
Since the publication of the first edition of Peninsula Trails in 1982, the number of parks, preserves and open spaces and the miles of trails increased more than twofold. In the last two years Sue LaTourrette and I visited all the parks covered in the 3rd edition and hiked every new trail in each new park, preserve, beach or bayside. We marveled at the beauty and accessibility of the San Francisco Peninsula—from the San Francisco county line to Saratoga Gap and from San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Therein is a magnificent treasury of open space for all to enjoy. Described here are 19 open space preserves, 2 watersheds, 11 lakes, 4 Golden Gate National Recreation sites, 5 state parks, 16 county parks, 11 state beaches, and 9 Coastal Access points.
We hope this book will help you, the reader, find these open spaces—the tiny coves and broad sandy beaches along the San Mateo Coast, the miles of paved Bayside trails, the route of the Juan Bautista de Anza Trail or the Bay Area Ridge Trail, the newest park or preserve, or the summit route to one of several 2400’+ peaks on the Skyline ridge. Awaiting you is the pleasure of seeing a tiny wildflower brightening the trailside in spring, the discovery of a shaded dell beside a rushing stream, a picnic lunch in a new park, and the sense of wonder when gazing at the vast Pacific from a bluff recently designated Coastal Access.
Jean Rusmore and Sue LaTourrette
Introduction
The Peninsula Bayside, Mountain, and Coastside Setting