trails
Hiking and biking Purisima Creek Trail
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This old county road used in the 19th century follows Purisima Creek through steep canyons. It’s quiet, wide, and 8.4 miles round trip. Alternatively, you might make a loop from the North Ridge Trail or Harkins Ridge Trail and return on the Whittemore Gulch Trail for a vigorous 6.8-mile trip. Or, from the Higgins Purisima entrance, try the challenging 9.1-mile loop: take Purisima Creek Trail to the Soda Gulch Trail, connect with Harkins Ridge Trail, the North Ridge Trail and then end with Whittemore Gulch Trail. Some trails are open only for hikers; others are open to equestrians and cyclists. There is even a 1/4-mile-long trail, funded by the Peninsula Open Space Trust, for the physically limited. Access the preserve from either Higgins Purisima Road or Skyline Boulevard 6.5 miles south of Highway 92.
HIKERS ONLY Año Nuevo State Reserve People come from around the world to experience this treasured coastal strip, many of them hoping to glimpse the reserve’s most famous attraction elephant seals in action. Año Nuevo is a three-mile round trip to the Año Nuevo Point. It’s an easy hike until you get to the sand, where there are dunes that make the trek more challenging. There is beach access for disabled people. Bicyclists and equestrians prohibited. From Northern Elephant Field, with binoculars, you might spot elephant seals, which molt during the spring and summer. No pets allowed. Permits are free and you get them at the entrance station from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. South on Highway 1, 30 miles from Half Moon Bay. Butano State Park
Located in a quiet, woody canyon, this park is a favorite for campers. It’s popular among hikers as well. The beautiful, challenging 10-mile Canyon Trail connects you to a series of circuits through the park. Equestrians, bicyclists and dogs are prohibited from trails. Call (650) 879-2025 for more information. Butano is off Highway 1, 4.6 miles south of Highway 84. Take Pescadero Road east for 2.6 miles, turn south on Cloverdale Road and then go five miles to the park entrance on the left.
Memorial Park
Nestled in the redwood forestland behind Pescadero, Memorial Park offers outdoor enthusiasts a tranquil retreat. Inside the park, visitors will find a series of trails snaking past campsites and picnic areas to breathtaking vistas of the Santa Cruz Mountains and swimming holes in Pescadero Creek. Perfect for campers and hikers, the park prohibits bikes, horses and dogs. Trails from the park connect to adjacent properties Pescadero Creek County Park, Portola State Park and Butano State Park. To get to Memorial Park, take Highway 1 to Pescadero Creek Road and drive eight miles east — the park entrance is on the right-hand side of the road.
Crystal Springs Cross With views of the San Francisco skyline, this 7.5-mile course is considered one of the best cross-country paths Country Running Course in the Bay Area. Maintained by College of San Mateo volunteers, the trail is open exclusively to hikers, joggers and runners. Be sure to bring a water bottle — the trail area can get pretty hot on sunny days. Athletes have been known to pass out from heat exhaustion when running this trail. To get there from the coast or Interstate 280, take Highway 92 east and exit at Ralston Avenue. Turn right on Hallmark Drive and continue to Hallmark Park. Park on the street and enter the trailhead by the path near the tennis courts. From I-280, take Highway 92 east and follow the directions above. Pulgas Ridge Open Space This 366-acre Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District preserve contains two beautiful loop hikes and Preserve joins the San Francisco Watershed. There are six miles of trails to travel for hikers only. One three-mile loop is a surfaced road designed for hikers and cyclists. An alternate route, the Polly Geraci Trail, meets up with the main loop. To get there, take the Edgewood Road exit from Interstate 280 and go east one mile. Turn left on Crestview Drive and left on Edmonds Road.
Fall 2011 Coastside Guide 49