This 6.5 mile hike is ideal for summer and fall, because it involves two bridge less crossings of Pescadero Creek, which could be impassable as the water rises with the winter storms. We started at the Hoffman Flat Trailhead on Wurr Road, which is off Pescadero Road between Pescadero Creek County Park and San Mateo County Memorial Park. Heading west on Pescadero Road it is easy to miss the Wurr Road turnoff. It is just beyond the Camp Loma Mar sign.
From the trail head we hiked .6 miles east on the Old Haul Road Trail. This route was constructed as a railroad bed in 1903 to haul redwood logs to a mill. In the 1950's the tracks were removed so it could be used by trucks. We saw two flocks of wild turkeys. From there we took the Pomponio Trail north for the first of our two creek crossings. Some of the students put on water shoes to wade across the creek. The rest of us walked carefully on rocks and a log without changing our shoes. Trekking poles are very helpful. Passing a grassy meadow called Worley Flat we continued east on the Pomponio Trail and then took the Parke Gulch Trail to pose inside a large old-growth redwood that was burned out by fire centuries ago. A short distance farther down the trail we stopped for lunch.
After lunch we got back on the Pomponio Trail, which passes through the Shaw Flat Trail Camp and then took the Shaw Flat Trail downhill to our second bridge less crossing of Pescadero Creek. After crossing the creek we headed uphill to connect with the Old Haul Road Trail, which took us west 1.8 miles back to where we began.
Though the rainy season only began one day before, the forest was moist and there were lots of banana slugs and mushrooms.
TO GET THERE... From Skyline Boulevard take La Honda Road west past the town of La Honda, turn left on Pescadero Road, and left on Wurr Road to the parking lot on the left side of the road.
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