Big Basin Redwoods State Park hike to Mt. McAbee

My College of San Mateo Peninsula Parks & Trails class enjoyed sunny weather for a 5.75-mile ramble in Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Most of us met at Skylonda to carpool to Big Basin park headquarters.

We then toured the Redwood Loop Trail to see some of the most impressive old-growth redwoods in the Bay Area, including the Mother of the Forest, which may be the tallest tree in the Bay Area, and the Father of the Forest, which, as far as I know, is the biggest tree in the Bay Area. I showed a photo of park founder Andrew P. Hill standing next to this tree in 1904 and we noted a bench dedicated to his wife, Florence Watkins Hill (1858-1936).

We then crossed Opal Creek and followed the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail west and uphill to the Middle Ridge Fire Road. From there we charged uphill on the Howard King Trail to the Hihn Hammond Road, which took us farther uphill to our lunch stop at the Mount McAbee Overlook, at 1,739 feet elevation.

Because rain was forecast later in the day, I feared that there wouldn't be much of a view from atop Mt. McAbee. Much to my relief, clear skies, sunshine, and a beautiful view of Waddell Canyon and Waddell Beach greeted us. After lunch we headed south and east on the Howard King Trail, where we saw a thriving forest of knobcone pines, a brilliant display of bush poppies, and some good views of Buzzard's Roost and Pine Mountain.

From there we headed downhill on the Hihn Hammond Road, took a look at a great swimming hole on Opal Creek, and then headed north on the Hihn Hammond Connector Trail and the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail, which took us back to the parking lot.  From the parking lot, some of us visited a large burned-out redwood giant just north of the visitors center for a photo op.

TO GET THERE... From Skyline Boulevard take Highway 9 southwest and turn west on Highway 236 at Waterman Gap or at Boulder Creek.