Directions:
From San Francisco, take Interstate 280 South. Exit Crystal Springs Road,
and turn right onto Crystal Springs Road. Turn left into the park entrance,
then right and park into one of the parking spots on the left side of the
bend in the road, near the playground. Alternatively, if the gate is open,
you can park on the right side of the bend. Note that there is no
Crystal Springs Road exit from 280 North, so if you are coming from the
south, your best bet is to take 280 North to the Sneath Lane exit, turn left
and get back on to 280 South, and follow the directions above (Crystal Springs
Road would be the first exit after you get back onto the freeway).
View Driving Map
It was an unseasonably warm day at the tail end of a very dry winter in the
Bay Area, a perfect day for a short hike. Now that Nathan was too big to be
carried regularly, we chose a short hike in nearby Junipero Serra County Park.
For those with kids, there's a playground near the trailhead. We decided we'd
visit it afterwards, and started off on the Quail Trail Loop,
heading toward the Willow Shelter parking lot. The trail immediately starts
a gentle ascent in and out of forest. There were a few early wildflowers visible
as we walked amongst eucalyptus and pine trees. Poison oak was also clearly
visible.
After a short ascent, we made it to the top, where there are lots of picnic tables
spaced out across the area. You can drive up to the top, so this isn't much of
a wilderness hike. We sat down for lunch on the grass next to a volleyball court, with
great views of SFO, the bay, and Mt. Diablo on the other side. Amazingly, despite the
great weather, we had the whole place mostly to ourselves. I imagine that in the summer
this place probably gets quite crowded with picnickers.
View of SFO, the bay, and Mt. Diablo
After lunch, we rejoined the trail and started the descent. The trail is pleasant
enough, but at one point we were walking directly toward Interstate 280 in plain
view. So, again, if it's wilderness you want, this is not the place. If you want a
nice short hike with great views and a playground for the kids, this is a fine choice.
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