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
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.
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