San Mateo County Memorial Park Grand Tour

At 499 acres, San Mateo County Memorial Park is one of the smallest parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and barely large enough to encompass a field trip for my Foothill College class. Established in 1923, this was the first of the county parks in San Mateo County. It is well known for its old-growth redwoods. Our 4.6-mile loop route, however, revealed that in addition to redwoods, there are also areas of oak, Douglas fir, and chaparral, and some good ridgetop vistas.

We met at the Skywood Trading Post in Skylonda, at the intersection of Highway 84 & Skyline Boulevard, to carpool to our trail head on Wurr Road. The Wurr Road entrance is east of the main park entrance. The "Wurr Road" sign is hard to see, so look for the sign that says "Redwood Glen". It is just west of Camp Loma Mar. A short distance beyond the bridge over Pescadero Creek there is a parking lot on the left (east) side of the road. From here you can enter Pescadero Creek County Park or San Mateo County Memorial Park. By parking here you can avoid the $6.00 per vehicle entrance fee.

From the Wurr Road Parking lot we crossed the road to examine a large pear tree that was bursting with ripe fruit. We then paused to examined a poignant memorial to a young woman. Crossing the bridge over Pescadero Creek, we started the trail that enters Memorial Park. Our next stop was the Legion Flat Picnic Area, which was built in the 1930's by the W.P.A. There are some magnificent old-growth redwoods in the area, including a hollow log with a hole in the top for peeping out of and a small door. I used to play in that log when I was a kid.

Next, we stopped to view a sandy beach above Pescadero Creek. It seems out of place now that the park department no longer dams up the creek in the summer. I remember jumping into the small seasonal reservoir when I was little. The water was really cold, even on a warm day. Our next stop was the Largest Tree, which, at 13 feet in diameter, is supposed to be the largest redwood in the park. The trees here are not as large as the old-growth redwoods in Big Basin. Failing to see any crawdads in the creek, we headed on to the amphitheater, which has hosted countless campfire programs over the past 90 years.

Our loop then took us through the Bay Tree Flat Campground and on to the Homestead Trail. Past the trickle of water that passes for Pomponio Falls this time of year, we headed north and across Pescadero Road on the Pomponio Trail. On the other side of the road we observed the first of several banana slugs before charging uphill, above the redwoods for a lunch stop in a Douglas fir woodland. The trail then climbs into the chaparral, with great views of the Pescadero Creek watershed. We saw a woodrat nest next to the trail.

There were more views on the Mount Ellen Summit Trail as it descended the slope, crossed the road, and took us through the main park entrance. We paused at the Memorial Grove and then found an ancient redwood that has been hollowed out by fire. I call it the "Photo Op" Tree, because it is a great place to photograph people walking through the tree's natural tunnel. From there it was an easy walk back to our starting point. Some of us gathered pears by shaking the branches of the old pear tree. With my 20 pears I made delicious pear juice using my Jack LaL

ane juicer.

TO GET THERE... take Pescadero Road west from Sam McDonald County Park. It is about 10 miles east of Highway 1.

Bay Nut Brownies

Among all our native edible plants the nut of the bay laurel tree is one of the most delicious. Roasted bay nuts will remind you of chocolate and coffee, but with their own unique taste. They can be used in any recipe that calls for chocolate or coffee, including cookies, ice cream, pudding, kahlua, milkshakes, mousse, and brownies. Here is how to do it:
1) Gather bay nuts under bay trees in the fall. October & November are the best months.
2) Soak nuts in a bucket of water for a few days until the outer skins soften. Then remove skins.
3) Break shells with pliers to remove nuts, which will divide into two hemispheres.
4) Put nuts on a cookie sheet and roast in oven at about 375F for about 15 minutes. Check every few minutes to make sure they don't turn black. Remove from oven when nuts are brown.
5) Grind nuts into a powder with a coffee grinder or flour mill.

Bay Nut Brownies:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.

2) Grease & flour an 8 inch square pan.

3) In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of butter. Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup of sugar & 2 eggs. Beat in 3/4 cup of ground roasted bay nut, 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4) Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Sam McDonald County Park

It was a beautiful sunny day for a 4.8-mile redwood ramble with my College of San Mateo class.
We met at the Woodside Town Hall parking lot to carpool to our destination. We noticed acorn woodpeckers inserting acorns into holes they made in a wooden building.

We started our hike from the Sam McDonald County Park parking lot on Pescadero Road. It is a big parking lot with a real restrooms. There is a $6.00 parking fee. We then crossed Pescadero Road and headed uphill on the Towne Trail. We took a short side excursion to see a huge old-growth redwood with reiterations that make it look like it has its arms in the air. I think I will call it the "Stick-Em-Up" tree.

The trail then abruptly climbs above the redwood forest into an oak woodland and grassland. We hiked past the horse camp and on to a ridgetop vista of the beautiful valley that holds Pescadero Creek and Pescadero Creek County Park. From there we visited the hikers hut which is owned and

operated by the Loma Prieta chapter of the Sierra Club.

From there it is all downhill to the Heritage Grove along Alpine Creek and Alpine Road. We examined beautiful old-growth redwoods and encountered a bridge over Alpine Creek that has been closed for repair for several years. I will call San Mateo County Parks to complain. However, we didn't let a little problem like that deter us from reaching the other side of the creek where there is a HUGE old-growth redwood and a great place for lunch. Because there is very little water in the creek this time of year, the crossing was not difficult. One of the students found a large banana slug which I put on a piece of plastic in order to show.

We then took the Heritage Grove Trail back to the parking lot, pausing on occasion to admire some more stately old redwood.

TO GET THERE...take La Honda Road and Pescadero Road west from La Honda.

Exploring the Rocks & Caves of Castle Rock State Park

Yesterday was a splendid sunny day for my Foothill College class to explore Castle Rock State Park. Carpooling from the Saratoga Library, we arrived just in time to grab the last few parking spaces along Skyline Boulevard. This park has become too popular on weekends for the limited parking now available. A new entrance with additional parking is planned.

From the main entrance we headed downhill on the Saratoga Gap Trail, pausing at a sandstone outcrop to examine the amazing process of "cavernous weathering", which only occurs in parts of the world with a Mediterranean climate. During the wet season, from November through April, rain water seeps into cracks in the rock. Then, during the long dry season, from May through October, the water, with dissolved calcium carbonate, is drawn to the surface to form a hard, erosion resistant, outer layer while the interior of the rock falls apart. That is why these rocks erode from the inside out, forming caves and interesting patterns called tafoni.

We then headed uphill on the Ridge Trail, bursting out of the woodland to reveal spectacular views of the San Lorenzo River Valley and on to the Pacific Ocean and Monterey Bay. After examining Goat Rock from the bottom, we ascended the trail to the uphill side, which can be ascended without technical aid. At least half the class made it to the top of Goat Rock, using various techniques, in order to enjoy the best view in the park. From there we stopped to look at what I call "Amphitheater Rock", which has lots of concretions called "cannonballs", and then headed on to a scenic overlook where we found an acorn woodpecker's granary tree stocked full of acorns for later consumption.

We left the Ridge Trail

to find Hole-in-the-Wall Rock, which has one of my favorite caves in the park. About half the class followed me to the top of the rock and then squeezed down a hole into a hollowed out chamber with a big picture window opening. It looks like a good place to live in case of nuclear war or the collapse of civilization. By then it was time for lunch at a huge canyon live oak with lots of seating in the form of rounded rocks and logs.

After lunch we took the first trail to the left, which connected us with the Saratoga Gap Trail. This trail has lots of sweeping vistas as it passes mostly through chaparral and occasional pockets of bay laurel. Some of the students saw a baby rattlesnake beside the trail. We stopped  briefly to look at Castle Rock Falls, though it isn't much more than a trickle this time of year.

The grand finale was the ascent to the park's namesake, Castle Rock. Some of the students climbed into a shallow cave in the rock while the rest of the class circumnavigated the rock or watched rock climbers practice their sport. This rock is perfect fun for children and adults who never really grew up.

TO GET THERE... The main entrance is on the west side of Skyline Boulevard, about 2.5 miles south of its intersection with Highway 9 (Saratoga Gap).

Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

Yesterday was a spectacular clear day for a hike with my College of San Mateo class at Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve. We met at the main Skyline Boulevard parking lot, which is 4.5 miles south of Highway 92. We then carpooled 2 miles farther south to a small parking lot at the uphill end of the Purisima Creek Trail. That way we could walk one way for 5.8 miles. This 4,711-acre preserve is steep, scenic, and ecologically diverse. It is one of my favorites.

The first 1.8 miles is downhill into the second-growth redwood forest. We then turned right (north) on the Craig Britton Trail, pausing at the bridge over a small creek for lunch. This narrow trail, which is also part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, snakes its way through the shady redwoods and then breaks into the sun and chaparral on the south facing slope of  the ridge just north of Purisima Creek. There we got some great views and saw a woodrat nest.

At the north end of the Craig Britton Trail we turned right (east) on the Harkins Ridge Trail. This is by far the steepest part of our hike. Our efforts were rewarded, however, by a stunning view of mountains and ocean to the west

. It was clear enough to see Half Moon Bay and Pillar Point. The trail then enters the redwoods again, with a pause to take a quick look at the legendary Ohlone Whisper Tree.

The final part of the route offers a choice between the steep .3 mile road route and the .5 mile trail route that is less steep and more scenic. Most of us took the scenic route.