Hike | Miles | Vertical | Time | Rating |
---|
North Skyline |
| Purisima Creek
[Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve] |
10.1 |
1750 |
5:44 |
8 |
| Borden Hatch Mill Trail
[Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve] |
11.6 |
2450 |
6:18 |
7 |
A moderately long hike amongst the redwoods and along pretty Purisima Creek.
|
| Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
[Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve] |
3.3 |
660 |
3:08 |
7 |
Some fantastic views along the ridge, bookended by a couple of uninspiring ponds.
|
| El Corte de Madera Creek
[El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve] |
10.5 |
2000 |
5:50 |
7 |
| Return to Windy Hill
[Windy Hill Open Space Preserve] |
6.2 |
1400 |
1:53 |
6 |
Moderate climb up to a Skyline viewpoint of the bay.
|
| Mindego Hill and Borel Hill
[Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve] |
8.0 |
1500 |
4:00 |
6 |
Moderate hike (with some steep sections) to the top of two hills.
|
| Los Trancos
[Los Trancos Open Space Preserve] |
3.0 |
580 |
2:00 |
6 |
A forested hike on the San Andreas Fault,
including an interpretive trail about earthquakes.
|
| Tafoni Trail
[El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve] |
2.1 |
415 |
1:37 |
6 |
A short hike in the forest to some sandstone formations.
|
| Stevens Creek Nature Trail
[Monte Bello Open Space Preserve] |
3.0 |
570 |
2:31 |
6 |
A few nice views of the hills, but mostly a walk through the
forest near a little creek.
|
| Windy Hill 2022
[Windy Hill Open Space Preserve] |
6.2 |
1400 |
2:33 |
6 |
Moderate climb up to a Skyline viewpoint of the bay.
|
| Phleger Estate
[Huddart County Park / Phleger Estate] |
6.2 |
1110 |
3:40 |
6 |
| Bald Knob Trail
[Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve] |
6.1 |
1150 |
3:16 |
6 |
Moderate out and back through some pretty forest.
|
| Windy Hill Loop
[Windy Hill Open Space Preserve] |
8.2 |
1000 |
4:16 |
6 |
| El Corte De Madera (2021)
[El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve] |
7.2 |
1440 |
3:42 |
5 |
Moderate loop hike in the forest, with one big redwood.
|
| Lawrence Creek Trail
[El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve] |
11.1 |
2120 |
6:41 |
5 |
Moderate to long loop hike in a mildly interesting forest.
|
| Coal Creek Open Space Preserve
[Coal Creek Open Space Preserve] |
5.0 |
990 |
3:12 |
5 |
Non-descript eastern Santa Cruz mountain forest (meaning no redwoods).
|
| Borel Hill
[Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve] |
4.5 |
1105 |
3:57 |
5 |
| Windy Hill Climb
[Windy Hill Open Space Preserve] |
5.6 |
1400 |
2:03 |
5 |
East of Skyline |
| Palo Alto Foothills Park
[Palo Alto Foothills Park] |
7.1 |
1450 |
3:04 |
7 |
Moderate loop through forest, grassy fields, and along a stream, with some views of
the Bay.
|
| Wunderlich Loop
[Wunderlich County Park] |
7.1 |
1110 |
3:51 |
7 |
Loop hike among redwoods, passing a meadow and including
a great grove of redwoods at Alambique Flat.
|
| Sawyer Camp Trail
[San Francisco State Fish and Game Refuge] |
6.1 |
370 |
2:11 |
6 |
Easy walk on a paved multi-use trail.
|
| Sugarloaf Hill
[Laurelwood Park
] |
3.4 |
680 |
1:59 |
6 |
Short hike with a steep climb to great views of the Bay.
|
| Pulgas Ridge
[Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve] |
3.2 |
535 |
1:55 |
6 |
| Upper Wunderlich
[Wunderlich County Park
] |
4.9 |
940 |
2:01 |
5 |
Short/moderate loop in the forest.
|
| Water Dog Lake
[Belmont] |
3.3 |
650 |
1:50 |
5 |
Short hike to a little lake in a suburban setting.
|
| Eaton/Big Canyon Parks
[San Mateo County
] |
3.3 |
840 |
1:49 |
5 |
Short hike in a suburban setting, with some views of the bay.
|
| Edgewood County Park (2012)
[Edgewood County Park] |
4.3 |
800 |
2:41 |
5 |
A 4-mile loop hike in a suburban park with some views of the bay.
|
| Pulgas Ridge - Woodrat Trail
[Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve] |
4.2 |
800 |
2:44 |
5 |
Loop hike in a small unspectacular park. Popular with dog owners because
of a large off-leash dog area.
|
| Arastadero Preserve
[Arastadero Preserve] |
3.5 |
435 |
2:03 |
5 |
A short semi-urban loop through rolling green hills with views of the
bay.
|
| Bair Island
[Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge
] |
3.9 |
0 |
1:38 |
5 |
Pancake flat easy walk in a marsh area.
|
| Wunderlich County Park
[Wunderlich County Park] |
4.0 |
805 |
2:25 |
5 |
| Edgewood County Park
[Edgewood County Park] |
4.0 |
760 |
2:16 |
4 |
A short hike near Interstate 280. Lots of wildflowers
in the spring. |
| Schilling Lake
[Thornewood Open Space Preserve
] |
1.5 |
210 |
2:25 |
4 |
A short hike to a, well, more like a local pond. Nothing much to see here.
|
West of Skyline |
| Portola Redwoods
[Portola Redwoods State Park] |
4.5 |
720 |
4:31 |
7 |
A pleasant loop through a redwood forest with frequent easy creek crossings.
|
| Butano State Park
[Butano State Park] |
6.2 |
1625 |
4:05 |
7 |
A quiet day hike with a few views and some nice redwood forests.
|
| Portola Redwoods 2014
[Portola Redwoods State Park] |
5.7 |
1080 |
3:02 |
6 |
A moderate hike among redwoods and past some small streams.
|
| Harrington Creek Trail
[La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve] |
8.6 |
1540 |
4:09 |
6 |
Out and back trail past cows to some nice views.
|
| Peters Creek Grove
[Portola Redwoods State Park] |
12.9 |
2040 |
7:27 |
6 |
Long hike through monotonous forest to a decent redwood grove and creek.
|
| Chalk Mountain
[Big Basin State Park] |
9.0 |
1990 |
6:05 |
6 |
| Mt. Ellen and Pomponio Trail
[Memorial County Park] |
4.0 |
850 |
2:36 |
6 |
A loop hike to some decent forested canyon views and some nice redwood
and fern-filled areas.
|
| Butano Ridge Loop
[Portola Redwoods State Park] |
14.6 |
2490 |
6:44 |
6 |
A long uneventful slog through some nice redwood forest.
|
| Pescadero Creek
[Pescadero Creek County Park] |
10.0 |
1640 |
6:14 |
6 |
| Heritage Grove Trail
[Sam McDonald County Park] |
5.0 |
1115 |
3:37 |
5 |
A short hike amongst the redwoods and banana slugs.
|
San Mateo Coast |
| Ano Nuevo Trail
[Ano Nuevo State Reserve] |
3.0 |
50 |
2:30 |
7 |
| Franklin Point
[Ano Nuevo State Reserve] |
3.0 |
200 |
2:00 |
6 |
| Bean Hollow
[Bean Hollow State Park] |
1.3 |
0 |
1:00 |
6 |
A short walk along coastal bluffs, with views of harbor seals and
interesting sandstone formations.
|
| Pescadero Marsh
[Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve] |
1.0 |
60 |
1:19 |
4 |
Very short hike cut even shorter by overgrown trail.
|
| Costanoa Trip
[trip report] |
A nice weekend trip to the coast between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. Includes a couple
of nice day hikes in Big Basin and Ano Nuevo.
|