Weekend Hike

Cougar Mountain- Wilderness Cliffs Trail

2008-05-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

Date of Hike: May 2008

Hike Route: Wilderness Creek Trail > Wilderness Cliffs Trail > Wilderness Peak Trail > rejoin Wilderness Creek Trail back toward the trailhead parking lot

I did this hike fairly early in the morning since Seattle is having very hot weather right now. The hike is basically a lollipop route with using the three Wilderness trails. My favorite route is to travel counter clockwise -up- the Wilderness Cliff trail.

The hike starts on the Wilderness Creek Trail from the Wilderness Creek Trailhead (elev. 395 ft) off of the SR900 (the Renton-Issaquah Road). There is a parking lot for about 12 cars, there is also an alternate trailhead located here.

The wilderness creek trail is a great "northwest" hike with lots of running creeks, greenery and small spring time flowers -- and the occasional point of interest along the way.

The trail is fairly wide, but mostly single file -- its well travelled and very well maintained. This one trail serves most of the Cougar Mountain trail system from the south -- so its popular on the weekends. The first part of this hike is pretty much all uphill, with several switchbacks.

Upon reaching the first intersection, make a RIGHT toward Sqauk Mtn Connector trail.

After about 0.1 mile, there is a LEFT turn up on to the Wildnerness Cliffs trail. The trail was about 98% dry, with some muddy areas -- but nothing too wet. The Slugs were out in force on the day I did the hike.

This trail is fairly un-used as its a bit off to the side of most of the other trails. The trail is a bit more narrow and more "remote" than others on the Mountain.

There are a couple viewpoints along the way as you start to reach Wilderness Peak. The views are very filtered through evergreen trees.

As you reach the top of Wilderness Peak, you enter a very nice area with lots of birds and critters running around. There is also a very short trail leading to the top of Wilderness Peak (elevation 1,595 feet). However, there is no real view from here. The Cliffs trail technically ends here and the Wilderness Peak Trail starts.

The Peak trail then continues downhill back toward Wilderness Creek Trail. Its much more enjoyable to travel down this side of the trail, otherwise it would be a fairly steep constant uphill trip.

Rejoin the popular Wilderness Creek Trail (elev. 1380 ft) and head back to the trailhead. There are other routes within Cougar Mountain from this point -- including hikes to Far Country Lookout and one of the Mine Shafts in the area.

The trail back crosses several bridges and marsh walkways. All are well maintained and in great shape for the summer.

Another great hike on Cougar Mountain. It took me a little under two hours to do the route. I saw a few groups of fellow hikers along the way -- however, Wilderness Cliff and Peak trails are fairly remote and less traveled.

All trails are 98% dry at this point, lots of small wildflowers are out in bloom. This is a great Spring and Summer hike for most folks.

Basics:
Area - Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park (Near Issaquah,Washington)
Trails - Trail Map (very good), also trails located on Green Trails Map 203S
Length - 3.6 miles out and back - Easy Hike (moderate uphill on first 1.5 miles)
Trail - Loop, dirt trail, limited stops along the way. Well marked and maintained. Elevation gain is about 1200 feet.
Bikes - Not allowed on this hike
View - View filtered views through the trees at viewpoints
Getting There - Google Map
Fee- None, free parking
Weather - Cool in the mornings
Other Trails - tons! Including this hike: Far Country Lookout

Coal Creek Trail

2008-05-08T13:22:00.000-07:00

Trail Route: Coal Creek trail from Coal Creek Parkways trailhead to Red Town trailhead

Trail Report:

The trailhead of this hike is located right off Coal Creek Parkway between 405 and Newcastle. Its a small dirt parking lot which fits about 6-7 cars.

There was alot of winter damage in the Coal Creek Park, you can see lots of knocked over trees and erosion around the trail. The hike starts out very close to Coal Creek. After leaving the trail head you can hear the parkway for a while, but soon it fades away as you get deeper into the park.

The trail is very well packed and seems well traveled over the years. The first half mile is very enjoyable and is mostly flat - making for a nice creekside adventure.

Last I visited, the lower bridge crossing Coal Creek was still not passable. There is a notice from Jan 2008 still saying they are awaiting funding and tests before its replaced.

After the bridge the trail becomes very forest-like, and less creekside. The area is full of deer, birds and small forest animals. The trail becomes fairly narrow at this point.

The primrose trail is closed and is not accessible as an alternate trail from the Coal Creek trail.

Past the Primrose trail, the route follows and old railroad road. On the way you pass an old engine turnaround point and see some of the railroads remains in the creek to the left.

The trail route leads back to the creek and passes North Fork Falls which still running strong.

As you reach the top of the trail, is easy to miss the small grove area which has a very nice display with information on the area's history and the coal mining railroad that used to occupy the trail area. As you go up the trail, make sure to stay RIGHT and cross the creek to reach this grove area.

There is also a very cool mine shaft as you continue to the end of the trail.

The trail continues up to a meadow area that is across the street from the Red Town Trailhead which serves Cougar Mountain and its great trail system.

To return to the Coal Creek Parkway trailhead, simply turn around and re-trace your route back down. The elevation change is only 460 feet, and there are no steep hills. Its a very nice creekside hike for anyone. Once the work is complete on the bridge it will be a great hike again.

Basics:
Area - Coal Creek Park (Near Bellevue, Washington)
Trails - Coal Creek Trail (N1), Cougar Mountain Regional Trail map
Elevation - Gain of 460 feet - start at 180 ft to top of 640 ft
Length - 6 miles out and back - 2 hours easy hike
Trail - Trail varies from single track to gravel roads. A couple good stops along the way. Well marked and maintained.
Bikes - Not allowed on this hike
View - no true views, but lots to look at -- waterfall, railroad history, coal mines
Getting There - Take I-90 to Coal Creek Parkway - head east. The trailhead is on the east side of the road before you reach Newcastle.
Fee- None, free parking
Other Trails - Only real connecting trail on this hike is closed. This hike does lead to the Cougar Mountain trails system.

Tiger Mountain - West Tiger Mtn #3

2008-03-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

Trail Route: follow West Tiger Mountain #3 trail to the summit

Trail Report:

Most guide books, including my favorite, do a good job of warning this is a very popular trail. I did a drive by on a early March weekend and saw cars overflowing the parking lot all the way back to the freeway -- so I decided to do this hike on a weekday.

I thought a Tuesday morning would be a good time...but found I was not alone. There were about 12 cars in the parking lot at 9:30am and I must of passed at least 20 people (half with dogs) on the hike. Everyone was friendly -- but this was not a un-crowded hike.

That being said -- this trail has a real payoff, unlike most of Cougar and Squak hikes. So I think it was well worth it -- however, I am not sure I would do this hike on the weekend. This was my first hike on Tiger, so I was a bit concerned about finding the trail without a map. But this basic hike is well marked and unlike Cougar, there really aren't that many inter-connecting trails.

Just follow the "west tiger #3" trail signs out of the parking lot and the lower level.

Once you pass through a bike barrier, you are on the main trail. For the first mile, its a real uphill grind. The trail is fairly wide and basically a dual trail width for 90% of the hike. The trail is one of the best maintained I have seen recently. Since its so popular, its easy to understand why the trail is so established and well worn. During this time of the year, there were a couple of filter views of Issaquah and Lake Sammamish in the distance.

There are about three junctions along the way. They are all well marked, but if in doubt -- just follow the widest uphill trail.

After the first mile, the trail mellows out and becomes much more enjoyable. At the point pictured below, you have basically passed the steepest part and have a easier hike to the summit.

One interesting part is the intersection of the Cable Line trail, it follows the main trail up to the summit. Some maps show this as a trail -- and it looks like a very confusing intersecting trail option. BUT this is not a real trail and is full of rocks -- plus its not even an a real good option to the summit.

After passing the Cable Line, the snow became more appearent on the trail. I was lucky and it had snowed earlier and lots of hikers had already made tracks on the snow to show the route to the summit. From this point to the top, the hike gets a bit steep and narrow, but you are so close to the top its easy to push through it! (Dont let your friends quit at this point)

Right before you reach the top, there is a fantastic open view to the East. The trail is very narrow and has a steep falloff at this point.

After a couple more steep bits, you reach the top of Tiger Mountain 3 with a Summit of 2522 feet.

The day I did this hike, it was very cloudy so there was no fantastic view...but it still was a great summit with a real clearing so you can take a break and enjoy being at the top.

I was thinking about going on to Tiger Mtn #2, but the snow covered over the trail at this point and I wasnt sure where the trail headed. In any case, I turned around and headed back down.

On the way back, I took some time to enjoy some of the sounds of the mountain. There were lots of birds and creeks running sounds on the lower half of the mountain.

If it wasnt for the crowds (even on a Tuesday!) it would be my favorite hike.

One warning - the summit is at 2520 feet, so it will be snowing if the forecast calls for "snow in the foothills".

Summary:

Current trail condition: Mostly dry, some mud patches at midway, and snow on the trail near (and at) the Summit. Hiking boots were ok.

Crowded, but enjoyable hike with well maintained trails. Lots of dogs (not sure why) and parking can be an issue on busy weekends. The route is well marked and easy to find, although I would always travel with a map (Green Trails: Tiger Mountain 204S) or a good local guide book, like this one. The summit has a great view, its a bit of a steep haul but dont quit -- its well worth it. Views of Seattle, Tiger Mtn 2, and Mount Rainier from the summit. Filtered views along the way during the winter.

No fee and free parking lot -- if primary lot is full, you can park on the paved road before the white gate and walk in.

Great hike, but I would do it on a weekday to avoid the crowds.

Basics:
Area - Tiger Mountain (Near Issaquah,Washington)
Trails - Green Trails map: Tiger Mountain 204S
Elevation - Gain of 2,000 feet - start at 480 ft to top of 2,522 ft
Length - 5 miles out and back - 2.5 hours moderate uphill
Trail - Wide dirt trail, limited stops along the way. Well marked and maintained.
Bikes - Not allowed on this hike
View - A couple along the way, with a BIG view at the top
Getting There - Take I-90 to Exit 20. The Entrance is on the south-side of the freeway.
Fee- None, free parking
Other Trails - Many, all main trails are well marked.

Cougar Mountain- Bear Ridge Trail

2008-03-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Date of Hike: March 2008

Hike Route: Bear Ridge (E3) -> West Tibbetts Creek (E10) -> Protector Trail (E9) -> Shangri La (E1) -> West Tibbets Trail -> Bear Ridge

This is a great hike if you want to stay away from the crowds. There is only space for three cars in the parking lot off of SR 900. The lot is located after the Talus intersection and before milepost 20 on SR900.

The hike is a basic lollipop, with the first mile of the hike being almost all uphill gaining about 600 feet from the start of the hike.

At the beginning of the hike, there are a couple left turns to keep on the Bear Ridge Trail. These are well marked.

Since it was March, the forest was pretty barren, which provides for some interesting views normally hidden by dense brush. I should say there are no real "views" on this hike, but there are some nice filtered views of Tiger Mountain when you get up above 800 feet.

The Bear Ridge trail is the only way to get to "Fantastic Erratic" Glacial Boulder. Its a nice place to stop and take a break along the way.

As you continue past the Boulder, you can see back toward Tiger Mountain for some nice sunrise views, if you start early enough. The Bear Ridge trail meets with the West Tibbetts Creek trail which continues up toward the Tibbetts marsh area of the mountain.

The West Tibbetts trail goes up to about 1200 feet, when you turn right on to the Protector trail (via a short connection on the Tibbetts Marsh trail). This 0.3 mile trail seems to be used very seldomly and is fairly narrow but offers some nice hiking with a cool redwood glen walk through. The county trail map shows a look-out point on the Protector Trail, but I didnt see any point -- maybe I missed it.

The Protector trail meets up with the Shangri La Trail at "Pulper Junction". The Shangri La trail is fairly wide and provides some more nice filter views of Tiger Mountain during the winter.

The Shangri La Trail crosses a couple feeder creeks during the winter -- not sure these would be active during the summer. Considering it had rained the day before, the trail was very dry for having so much water running on small creeks nearby. There were only a couple muddy points, but really most of Cougar Mountain's trails are pretty dry even after a winter storm.

On the way back you return via Bear Ridge Trail. There is an option to return via the West Tibbetts Creek Trail - but I didnt do that on this hike.

Here is a short video of one of the creeks running by the trail:

Overall a very enjoyable and peaceful 2-hour hike on a Sunday morning. The 4.2 mile trek is a good workout for the first mile or so as you get up onto the mountain. Once you reach the Boulder the rest of the hike is fairly easy with enjoyable trails and random creeks which lead to the west fork of Tibbetts Creek.

If the parking lot is full, you can continue west on SR 900 to two other trailheads:
Squak Mountain Connector Trail (you can choose to go to Squak or Cougar Mtn from here)
Wilderness Creek Trail (large paved parking lot)

More Photos from Hiking on Cougar

Basics:
Area - Talus Open Space / Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park (Near Issaquah,Washington)
Trails - (Trail Map)
Length - 4 miles lollipop - Two-hour easy hike (moderate uphill on the first mile)
Trail - Lollipop, dirt trail, limited stops along the way. Well marked and maintained.
Bikes - Not allowed on this hike
View - Not really any true "views" but there are some interesting spots along the hike
Getting There - Google Map
Fee- None, free very limited parking
Other Trails - tons! There is a longer version of this hike on page 33 in This Book

Cougar Mountain - Wilderness Creek to Far Country Lookout

2008-01-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

Date of Hike: January 2008

Hike Route: Wilderness Creek Trailhead > Long View Peak Trail > Deceiver Trail > Shy Bear Trail > Far Country Lookout loop > Shy Bear Trail > Wilderness Creek Trail

This hike is similar to other Cougar Mountain hikes, semi-steep start with gentle trails once you reach the top of the park. Winter is a great time to do this hike, since the views are better and spots of snow and ice make for an interesting hike. There is still plenty of "green" on this hike, thanks to moss, ferns and evergreen trees. It also seems like more wildlife is out and about -- maybe they are just more visible since there was less tree cover to hide within.

The Wilderness Creek Trailhead is off SR900 between Renton and Issaquah. There is parking for about 10 cars. The hike starts off going uphill for almost all of the 1.5 mile length of this trail. Along the way are some well-constructed log bridges and walkways.

At the end of Wilderness Creek Trail, there is a right turn onto the Long View Peak trail which has a log walkway above the marsh area.

Long View Peak offers a small lookout spot. It looks out onto Renton and the Southcenter area. You can also see planes landing at Sea-Tac airport in the distance.

Doughty Falls is also close by and nice diversion if there has been recent rains. Its not a true waterfall, but its a nice break on the way. The trail was semi-covered by ferns but its easy to find and you cant miss the "falls"

Unlike the summer months, the sun shines through very brightly on to most of the trails including the Deceiver and Shy Bear trails.

After about 4 miles, you reach the Far Country Lookout trail.

After a short walk, you will reach a small bench on the Far Country Trail where you can view the "lookout".

I didnt want to spoil the view, but if you really want to see it you can view it here

On the way back, I took the full Shy Bear trail back to the Wilderness Creek Trail. Its a little less Up and Down and also has some very cool log walks above the year-round Shy Bear Marsh.

A nice long hike with a couple things to see on a very well maintained trail system.

More Photos

Basics:
Area - Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park (Near Issaquah,Washington)
Trails - (Trail Map)
Length - 8 miles out and back - Easy Hike (moderate uphill on first 1.5 miles)
Trail - Loop, dirt trail, limited stops along the way. Well marked and maintained.
Bikes - Not allowed on this hike
View - Just two -- and only on a clear winter day
Getting There - Google Map
Fee- None, free parking
Weather - Cold in the mornings with some ice and snow during the winter.
Other Trails - tons! Including this hike: Cougar Mtn - SR900 to Mine Shaft

Arnold might close some State Parks

2008-01-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

Under a proposed budget plan, the California Governor will close 48 state parks out of 278 existing parks. The plan would close two major hiking areas in the Bay Area including Henry W. Coe State Park and Portola-Redwood State Park.

While I have not hiked Henry Coe yet...it does seem to be a favorite hiking park for many.

Portola-Redwood State park is one of my favorites, given how truly "remote" it is -- even though its a short drive from the Peninsula or the South Bay. It provides a number of hikes including one long remote 13-mile hike that I did last year.

For a map and list of the proposed closures, click here

More coverage of the proposed park closings:
SFGate.com
LATimes.com

Squak Mtn - Bullitt Fireplace Hike (Winter)

2008-01-01T13:04:00.000-08:00

Date of Hike: Jan 2008

Summary: Fun, low key hike on Squak Mountain with snow at the top near the historic Bullitt Fireplace. Almost no views even during the less dense forest winter. At times confusing trail system which is marked but often interconnects making trails less distinct.

I did this hike early in the morning on New Years Day -- obviously I am not a late night NYE kinda person, haha! The drive up to the trailhead was very easy but there is no signage or markers, however the parking lot is easy to spot and the trailhead is well established.

Like Cougar Mountain nearby, this park has a series of interconnecting trails which makes for lots of miles of hiking -- but it can be confusing if you are seeking a straight-forward hiking route. Even one of my favorite local hiking books has a confusing hike route for this mountain at first glance. In any case, I would suggest taking the Green Trails map #203S (Cougar Mountain - Squak Mountain) map for this hike and just keeping an eye out for signs to the Bullitt Fireplace.

The trail from the parking lot, leads to an intersection with the Coalmine trail and then (at about 1300 feet elevation) the East Side Trail. For some reason it seems a bit counter intuitive, but you do indeed turn right and follow the Bullitt Fireplace trail.

At about 1460 feet, you reach the intersection of the Central Peak and Fireplace trail. Also at this elevation we encountered some snow which had been on the ground for a couple days from the last snow/rain storm in the area.

After reaching 1500 feet in elevation, the trail became completely snow covered. Hiking boots worked fine, but anything less would mean slipping and sliding. The snow was compact but a bit icy in spots. It was a very nice surprise to find the snow as it had been a couple days since the snow storm and the weather had been very mild for the past couple days (it was about 40F degrees that morning).

The climb up the snow trail was fairly uneventful, there are no real view spots of other than some tree lined views of the major housing development across the valley. During the summer this is probably not visible at all since the trees will be in full foliage.

Near the Central Peak of the mountain, you reach the historic Bullitt Fireplace and a basic picnic table. It was snow covered of course but makes for a nice rest stop for a drink of water. Since it was a bit snowy and my first hike in a couple months we decided to head back via the Central Peak Trail. There are a number of other options at this point to create a longer hike including returning via the West Peak or around the east side of the Central Peak.

The walk back featured more "winter wonderland" scenes on the Central Peak trail. Soon it rejoins the Bullitt fireplace trail as you head back to the trailhead. We saw a couple of people on the trail as we returned, but otherwise it was very secluded and quiet -- but this is probably since it was early on New Years day morning.

This hike is fairly low rated by others and I can see why since there are no big views or interests (except for the Bullitt fireplace). However, this was a very nice "snow" hike during the winter without having to go up to Cascades.

More Photos

Basics:
Area - Cougar-Squak Mtn. Corridor (King Co.) / Squak Mtn. State Park Natural Area - Mountainside Drive Entrance near Issaquah, WA
Trails - Bullitt Access N1, Bullitt Fireplace C2, Central Peak C2
Length - 4 miles roundtrip - Easy Hike (uphill and snowy+icy at the top, but easy)
Trail - Lollipop trail, lots of options and connecting trails
Dogs - Some
Bikes - Not allowed on this hike
View - Just a very few during the winter
Getting There - Google Map, From SE Newport Way in Issaquah, take Mountain Park Blvd to Mountainside Park Road which will lead to a roadside parking area before a hairpin turn. Its easy to find.
Fee- None, at this trailhead - free parking
Weather - Lots of shade, snowy and icy at the top during the winter.
Other Trails - there are lots of other trails in the park
More Info - PI hike report from 2001

Best Bay Area Hikes of 2007

2007-11-18T13:57:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the best bay area hikes that I have done this year...

Best Overall Hike:

Montara Mountain North Peak hike
World Class views on a clear day of the Pacific Coastline and the Bay Area (if you reach the top).

Best Book on Hiking on the Peninsula:

Peninsula Trails: Outdoor Adventures on the San Francisco Peninsula (Trails)
Lots of detail and decent maps and directions

Best Hiking with a Dog:

Hamms Gulch-Windy Hill Loop
It can get wet during the winter storms, but its a great dog trail

(runner-up) Pulgas Ridge Open Space
A true Dog trail, but a bit bland

Best Trail overrun by bikers:

El Corte De Madera Creek - North
Its a great area and nice trails, but its overrun by mountain bikers on weekends

Best Trail WAY OUT there:

Portola Redwoods Park - Peters Creek Loop
Not only is this park remote, but the trail is very lonely on weekdays -- I did not see anyone the whole 13 miles.

Best Trail for views of San Francisco:

San Bruno Mountain - Summit Loop Trail
On clear day, you can see all around the Bay Area... but on foggy days -- not so much

Whats your favorite hike this year? (Post in Comments and I will tally them)

happy hiking!

Cougar Mtn - SR900 to Mine Shaft

2007-07-08T12:50:00.001-07:00

Date of Hike: July 2007

Route: Squak Mtn Connector Trail > Wilderness Cliffs Trail > Wilderness Peak Trail > Shy Bear Trail > Fred's Railroad Trail > Clay Pit Road > Mine Shaft Trail > East Fork Trail > Fred's Railroad Trail > Return

This is a nice hike that doesnt seem like 8 miles -- but it is. The hike is all shade and doesnt provide any views of the area, but your reward is a nice workout and a unique look at the Mine Shaft. Overall a pretty nice hike for warm summer days.

This hike starts from the very limited parking area (two cars) off SR 900 (Renton- Issaquah Road) about 4 miles from I90. There is an alternate start at the main parking lot (Wilderness Creek Trailhead).

The Squak Mtn Connector is all business trail, with a moderate incline right up the hill from the parking spot.

Near the end of the Squak Mtn Connector trail you will pass an abandoned car of the trail. Not sure how this car got here, but it is a funny sight to see.

With this routing you basically keep right all the way up the mountain. All of the trails are well maintained and are perfect for morning hikes.

The King County park trails are marked, but since there are so many intersections, its best to take a Map with you. There is an excellent map on the County Park Website, you can view the PDF file here.

The Wilderness Cliffs and Peak trail offer a nice workout uphill, but offer no views or anything too out of the ordinary.

Upon reaching Fred's Railroad Trail, you will enter a dramatic clearing which offers are interesting view of the cottonwood? trees.

Fred's Railroad trail connects with the Clay Pit Road, which is a very developed road used to move earth from the nearby Clay Pit.

The Mine Shaft Trail is located about .3 miles up the Clay Pit Road. Its a well marked turn to the right. The trail seems fairly mundane until you reach a graded mine shaft pit.

These photos dont do the view justice. You can actually see down into the mine shaft a far bit. And it gives you a real sense that there was a real working mine here at one time.

The Mine Shaft Trail passes a small pond of black water and then connects with the East Fork Trail. At the end of the East Fork trail, you will again meet up with Fred's Railroad Trail which will lead back down to the parking spot.

More Photos here

Basics:
Area - Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park (Near Issaquah,Washington)
Trails - Sqauk Mtn. Connector, Wilderness Cliffs/Peek Trails, Shy Bear, Fred's Railroad and Mine Shaft Trails (Trail Map)
Length - 8 miles roundtrip - Easy Hike (uphill, but easy)
Trail - Loop, dirt trail, limited stops along the way. Well marked and maintained.
Bikes - Not allowed on this hike
View - None, except of a mine shaft
Getting There - Google Map
Fee- None, free parking
Weather - All Shade, can be wet if there have been recent rains
Other Trails - tons!

Windy Hill - Razorback Ridge Trail

2007-06-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

This hike starts from the Willowbrook/Alpine Road entrance to the Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. I have often done a similar hike up to Windy Hill, but using the Spring Trail on the return. This hike starts on the same Hamms Gulch trail, but instead of turning north -- you continue south on the Lost Trail and then connecting to the Razorback Ridge Trail.

An alternate route is to do the simple out and back on the Razorback Ridge trail, but I had time and wanted to do a "loop"

Trail Route (loop) : Hamms Gulch Trail -> Lost Trail -> Razorback Ridge Trail -> Eagle Trail/Alpine Road
Alternate Route (Out and back) : Eagle Trail/Alpine Road -> Razorback Ridge Trail and back

Near the summit, you will reach the end of the Hamms Gulch trail. At this point you continue south (left) on the Lost Trail.

Since you are at the summit of the mountain, the Lost Trail mostly in the open with high brush on either side. There are some shady areas, but there is lots of open sunny path.

The Lost Trail is fairly narrow and is mostly a single track trail. It is very well maintained and provides a great experience on the top of the ridge.

At one point, you will pass a small water trough for horse. This water comes from a nearby spring in the mountain.

After passing the water trough, you will soon reach the intersection with the Razorback trail. Here you continue downhill to the left.

The razorback ridge trail is fairly enjoyable, and provides mostly shade all the way down to Alpine road. However, this trail is full of tight switchbacks. It should be called "switchback" ridge trail, but Razorback sounds better.

At some points the sides along the trail are fairly steep, but the trail is very well maintained. no bikes are allowed on this trail -- but it is popular with runners/joggers.

The Razorback Ridge Trail provides a couple view points along the way -- more than the Hamms Gulch trail provides.

Some guide books suggest this routing as one of the "Best Hikes in the Bay Area" -- but this seems odd, since you completely miss the fantastic views from Windy Hill back to Bay Area. I would highly recommend this hike, if you want to experience one of the REAL Best Hikes in the Bay Area.

The Razorback Ridge trail ends on a private drive near Alpine Road.

One the way back to the parking lot, you can either walk down Alpine Road (paved road) or take Eagle Trail side trails.

The Eagle Trails are ok and run along the Corte Madera Creek. They are single track trails.

The Eagle Trail will end at this road, you should turn right to get back to Alpine Road. If you turn left, you can connect back with the Hamms Gulch trail.

This was an enjoyable hike, but if you want to avoid switchbacks and have a really nice view you should take the Hamms Gulch - Windy Hill loop instead.

More photos of Windy Hill

Basics:
Area - Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District - Windy Hill in Portola Valley
Trails - Hamms Gulch Trail/Lost Trail/Razorback Trail/Eagle Trail (Trail Map)
Length - 8.2 miles roundtrip - Easy Hike (uphill, but easy)
Trail - Loop, dirt trail, limited stops along the way. Well marked and maintained, dry starting in May.
Dogs - Some (not allowed on Razorback Ridge Trail)
Bikes - Not allowed on this hike, allowed on other trails
View - Just a few
Getting There - Google Map Take 280 to Alpine Road Exit, head West toward Portola Valley. The parking lot is before Willowbrook Road.
Fee- None, free parking
Weather - Lots of Shade, can be wet at the top if very foggy during the summer.
Other Trails - there are other trails nearby including the Windy Hill Loop and Portola Ranch Trails

Portola Redwoods Park - Peters Creek Loop

2007-06-07T13:50:00.001-07:00

UPDATE 10 Jan 2007 - This park has been targeted to be closed due to State budget cuts. Enjoy it while you can! SFGate.com story on the park closures, click here

Portola Redwoods State Park offers a number or short and long hikes. This state park has a number of camp sites and group areas, so its mainly populated with Campers -- rather than day visitors.

A couple precautions about this park:

Bring Pants - while most of this hike is in the redwoods, there are a number of areas where the brush has overgrown the trail. You can avoid ticks and scrapes by wearing pants.
Bring lots of water, food - since this is a 13 mile hike, you should bring ample water and food. There is no public water near the trail.
Drive carefully (with lots of gas) - Alpine and Portola State Park Roads are VERY narrow and multiple points can not fit two cars. The nearest gas station is about 20 mins away.

After paying at the main Park Office, you continue crossing a bridge and park near the trailhead.
Hike Route: Old Lone Tree -> Slate Creek Trail -> Bear Creek Trail/Peters Creek -> Peters Creek Loop

The Lone Tree trail starts right off the main park road and is well marked.

Turn Left on the Slate Creek Trail (to Trail Camp) and continue up a steep (but short) hillside.

The Slate Creek Trail is a very nice trail -- well marked and maintained. Near the top of the hill it will meet with the Summit Trail (which was closed on the day I was there).

At 1000 ft elevation you will reach the Trail Camp area. There are six campsites located in this area. Some trail books suggest having lunch at this point, but to be honest there is really nothing there other than some trash containers and a storage locker.

There is a very cautionary sign located at the start of the Bear Creek Trail. At this point the Bear Creek trail is a very wide and gentle logging trail, but soon it turns into a much different kind of trail experience.

About midway between the Trail Camp and Peters Creek the trail becomes fairly narrow and very overgrown. The weeds and brush on the day I was there were over my head.

After reaching the summit the trail starts downhill quickly, there is ONE point where you have a great view of the nearby mountains. Other than this spot, there are no views -- but the Redwoods provide a very scenic experience.

After a very quick down hill trek, you reach Bear creek and cross a small footbridge.

Bears Creek trail leads to the Peters Creek Loop, you can turn right or left at this point. This is the best part of the hike, so enjoy it! There are no bridges across Peters Creek, but there are enough rocks to make it without getting wet.

The hike back up from the Creek is not to be under estimated. It is fairly steep, but once you climb out of the creek area you have a gentle downhill hike back to the trailhead.

I have mixed feelings about this hike. On the good side, its a good long hike that has a nice creek payoff. On the not so good side, there are no views and the trail is fairly overgrown in parts. I did this hike on a Thursday morning starting at 6am and never saw a single person in the park or on the 13 mile hike.

On weekends, this park is probably fairly busy and the trails will have hikers and campers.

All in all, not a bad hike -- but not my favorite.

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Basics:
Area - Peters Creek Loop
Trail - Slate Creek, Bear Creek, Peters Creek Loop (Trail Map)
Length - 13 miles Out and Back- Easy Hike (Moderate uphill return)
Trail - Old logging roads, single track trails -- well marked, somewhat overgrown.
Dogs - None - not allowed
Bikes - None - not allowed
View - none, other than redwood trees
Getting There - Google Map From Highway 35 (Skyline Blvd), take Alpine Road West, continue on Portola State Park road to the Park. This is a VERY narrow and somewhat dangerous road.
Fee- $6 self-pay at the Park Office for Day Use Parking
Weather - Since this trail is all shade, its good year round -- including hot summers
Other Trails - there are other trails in the park and nearby County Park.

Sweeney Ridge GGNRA - Sneath Lane to Portola Gate

2007-05-28T11:00:00.001-07:00

This has to be one of the most underrated hikes on the San Francisco Peninsula. It has great views of the Bay -and- the Pacific Ocean plus includes the real "discovery" site of the San Francisco Bay Area -- made famous by Spanish Explorer Captain Juan Gaspar de Portola in 1769.

There are a couple different trailheads for the Sweeney Ridge area. For this hike I started at the Sneath Lane Trailhead. There is a small road side parking lot for about 12 cars, there is also ample parking up the road in the nearby neighborhood. Since this trail is very close to San Bruno Highlands area, it can get quiet busy on the weekends. The best time to take this hike is EARLY on a clear day.

There are no restrooms or maps at the trailhead, so its best to be prepared before you start the hike. The best MAP of the area can be found on the National Park Service site.

The Sneath Lane part of the hike is on a narrow paved road. The road is well maintained and makes for a good all-weather surface.

Quickly the hike introduces you to the San Andreas Reservoir to the south. This is part of the Peninsula Watershed and is off limits to the public since it is part of the public water system for the city of San Francisco.

The Sneath Lane road starts to become a moderate incline at the "Fog Line", which helps bikers and hikers on foggy days. On busy days it does help seperate the uphill and downhill traffic.

The hike continues to be a bit of a steep climb until you reach the bench that overlooks San Bruno mountain to the northeast.
At the crest of Sweeney Ridge, Sneath Lane meets with the Sweeney Ridge Trail. To the Left leads to the Portola Gate and to the right it leads to the Nike Missile Control Site. For this hike we headed south to the Portola Gate. This intersection is well marked and designates this part of the trail as the (incomplete) Bay Area Ridge Trail.

The southern part of the Sweeney Ridge Trail is a dirt road. The trail leads past the Portola Discovery Site which has two markers explaining the "discovery" of the San Francisco Bay Area by Captain Portola on November 4, 1769. The elevation here is 1220 feet and its the highest peak in the Sweeney Ridge area.

After the Discovery site the trail intersects with the Baquiano Trail which leads to Pacifica and Cattle Hill. Continuing on Sweeney Ridge Trail south, you will lose some elevation but its not much and the views of Montara Mountain and the Pacific Ocean are very nice.

After about a mile past the Discovery Site, you will reach the Portola Gate. This gate is at 1195 feet elevation. Be careful near the gate, there was a very active bee hive located in the gate pole on the day I was there.

From here you retrace your steps back down to the Sneath Lane Trailhead.

One reason this hike maybe not highlighted as a Top Hike is it does get popular on the weekends with hikers, dogs and mountain bikers. Luckily the trails are all very wide so there is ample room for everyone. The views are the best of both worlds on clear days, offering the best views the Bay Area and the Pacific Ocean. In addition, there are constant views of Pacifica, San Bruno & Montara Mountains, the Peninsula Watershed and even the San Francisco Airport (SFO).

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Basics:
Area - Sweeney Ridge - Golden Gate National Recreational Area
Trail - Sneath Lane and Sweeney Ridge Trail (Trail Map)
Length - 6 miles Out and Back- Easy Hike (Moderate/Easy uphill)
Trail - Paved road to the ridge, dirt road from ridge to the Portola Gate. Well maintained and marked.
Dogs - Some -- good dog hike, since there are almost no foxtails or brush with ticks.
Bikes - Yes
View - Almost all views - San Andreas Reservoir, Montara Mountain, Pacific Ocean, Pacifica and more.
Getting There - Google Map Take 280 or 35 to Sneath Lane, head west until the road ends.
Fee- None, free parking
Weather - Avoid if foggy, almost no shade. Bring water and sunscreen on hot days.
Other Trails - there are other trails nearby including Mori Ridge and Baquiano

Montara Mountain - Saddle Pass

2007-05-26T13:29:00.001-07:00

Montara Mountain has two main peaks in the Park. The main and highest peak (1899 feet high) is North Peak which I hiked on a clear sunny day. The other peak is Saddle Pass which is only 924 feet high. Since it was a very foggy morning I decided on the Saddle Pass hike today.

The hike starts at the same limited parking lot on the east side off Highway 1. From the parking lot you can hike toward the Rangers Residence or take the cut-over trail toward the Gray Whale Cove trail.
The cut-over trail provides the best views of the Montara Beach area. Along this trail you can hear the waves crashing on the beach.

After turning right on to the Gray Whale Cove Trail, you will soon be on the Old Pedro Mountain Road. The trails are VERY well marked and in good condition.
The old Pedro Trail Mountain Road is similar to the North Peak Access Road -- it was a former paved road that has slowly eroded away leaving a decent trail surface.

The trail intersects with the North Peak Access Trail, if you stay to the left you will travel on a rarely used trail around one of the hillside peaks. After this it will meet up again with the North Peak route and finally veers off to the left. This final intersection is well marked, but make sure you follow signs for "Old Pedro Mountain Road - Pacifica".

The top of Saddle pass is not marked, but you will see a single trail marker and some power towers nearby. For the BEST view from the top of Saddle Pass, take a unmarked trail toward the ocean. Pictured here:

This very narrow trail will lead to a clearing (below) where you have an great vantage point to see the Pacific. Obviously on this day, it was too foggy to see anything.

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Basics:
Area - McNee Ranch - Montara State Park
Trail - Old Pedro Mountain Road
Length - 6.4 miles out and back - Moderate Hike (900' Elevation gain)
Trail - Out and Back-style, dirt trail/paved road, some stops along the way. Very well marked and maintained.
Dogs - Some
Bikes - Yes - this is a popular bike route to/from Pacifica
View - Most of the way
Getting There - Google Map North of Montara on Highway 1
Fee- None, free parking (two parking lots)
Weather - It can be very foggy during Summer
Other Trails - the other main hike is to the North Peak. The Montara State Beach is located on the west side of the highway.