El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve

I tried a new route today with my College of San Mateo class in Corte de Madera Creek Open Space. We met at Skeggs Point, as we have in the past; but then we carpooled south a couple of miles to the new parking lot along Skyline Boulevard near the south end of the preserve. This allowed us to walk one way for about 5.4 miles while visiting all the sights I wanted the class to see. Be aware that this preserve is very popular with mountain bikers. We had to step aside to let them pass a few times.

First we took the Sierra Morena Trail north to where it approaches Skyline Boulevard. We saw lots of banana slugs and some spotted coral root as we passed through a Douglas fir and second-growth redwood forest. We then crossed Skyline to visit the ancient old Methuselah Tree.

From there we hiked the Methuselah Trail to where it intersects the Manzanita Trail. (Un)fortunatlly I misinterpreted the map and guided our group the wrong way on the Manzanita Trail. The good part of this mistake is that we saw loads of chaparral pea in full bloom, magnificent manzanita loaded with berries, and golden chinquapins. After making our way back to the previous intersection, we sat on rocks for lunch and a tasty baynut brownie treat.

After lunch, we headed north on the Manzanita Trail and then east on the Fir Trail and on the Tafoni Trail to the turnoff for the Sandstone Formation. We viewed the amazing shapes and texture of the large sandstone outcropping. We also paused to admire some striped coral root, which is a saprophytic orchid. Then we walked south on the Fir Trail to the memorial to those who died on October 29, 1953 when a DC3 named Resolution crashed into the mountain nearby. From there we ascended to the Vista Point, though fog on the coast obscured much of our view. On the way we enjoyed the sight of many Douglas Iris and a few of the rare hairy star tulips.

From Vista Point we walked about 1.1 miles back to Skeggs Point via the Fir Trail. We stopped to look at a field of blooming flax and a dead Douglas fir that is used by a colony of acorn woodpeckers as a granary and nesting tree.

TO GET THERE...Skeggs Point is on the east side of Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35) about 4 miles north of Highway 84 and 1.5 miles south of Kings Mountain Road. There is a new parking lot a couple of miles to the south on the west side of Skyline Boulevard.