Bay Area Hiker: Photos from McNee Ranch State Park
Photos from an August 2000 hike at McNee Ranch State Park
(click on any image for a larger view)
Trailhead
Trailhead
Hike starts out on the road
The fire road is your trail for the start of this hike
Information signboard sits off the trail
Information signboard is barely visible in the center of the photo
Under cypress
Under cypress
Cypress
Cypress
     Currant
     Currant
Junction
Junction in front of the ranger's residence. Bear right here.
Start of North Peak Access Road
Start of North Peak Access Road
First views of the mountain ridge
First beautiful views of the mountains
Fire road is steep
The fire road is steep. Get used to it. The whole hike is steep.
     Fennel
     Fennel
     Pampas grass
     Pampas grass
Shade feels nice on a hot day
Shade feels nice on a hot day
Sagebrush
Sagebrush
Approaching junction
Almost to next junction
Junction
Unmarked junction with Old Pedro Mountain Road
Fire is occasionally paved
Fire road is occasionally paved for a while
     Coyote brush
     Coyote brush
View to the ocean
View to the ocean
View to the peaks
View uphill to the peaks
Path not on the map
Path, not on the map, seems to be used mostly by cyclists
     Monterey pine
     Monterey pine
     Coffeeberry
     California coffeeberry
Cypress provides some shade
A few cypresses provide shade
Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster
     Tree tunnel
     Tunnel of trees
Entering chaparral
Entering drier chaparral
Junction
Junction with path
Path connects to Gray Whale Cove Trail
This path, not on the map, connects with Gray Whale Cove Trail
Looking north toward Devil's Slide
North toward Devil's Slide
Bike shortcut
Bike path shortcut
Junction
Junction visible to the left
Start of steepest section
Start of the steepest section
Heading north
Old Pedro Mountain Road heads north

Crashed car
Crashed car

 

Relentless climb
The climbing is relentless
     Monkeyflower growing out of granite
Monkeyflower growing out of granite
North Peak Access Road
North Peak Access Road
     Coffeeberry
    California coffeeberry
     View
View to Martini (?) Creek
View south
The fog is rolling in, but Half Moon Bay can be seen from this elevation
Last stretch of the steep stuff, for a while
Last stretch of the steep stuff
Climbing eases up a little
Once you reach the ridge, the climbing is easier
Junction with path
Path cuts off on the left side of the fire road
     Path
     Path
View to San Pedro Mountain
View to San Pedro Mountain
     Currant
     Currant
Creambush
Creambush with Mount Tam in the background
Grade picks up a bit
Grade picks up a bit
Manzanita
Manzanita
     Huckleberry
     Huckleberry
Ceanothus
Ceanothus
Junction with Montara Mountain Trail
Junction with Montara Mountain Trail (thank San Mateo County for the sign)
Trailside is rocky
Trailside is increasingly rocky
     Chinquapin
     Chinquapin
Rock formation
Rock formation off to the north
Blooming paintbrush
Paintbrush blooming (in August!) alongside monkeyflower
Another steep stretch
Another steep stretch
View east
View east, with Diablo visible to the left
Turnaround point
My turnaround point, right at the border with San Pedro Valley Park
Fog rolling in
Fog is rolling in
Yerba santa
Yerba santa
     Silktassel
     Silktassel
     Huckleberry
     Huckleberry
Thimbleberry
Thimbleberry
     Currant
     Currant
Encrouching fog
Fog starting to drift up and obscure the views
Returning
Returning, the downhill is a pleasant sight
     Poison oak
     Poison oak
Another bike cut
Another bike cut
     Rock
     Rock
Junction
Junction with Old Pedro Mountain Road
     Gently descending
     Gently descending
More exposed rock
Another nice rock is exposed off the trail
     Rock and bench
     Rock and bench
     Pampas grass
     Pampas grass
Cypress
Cypress
     Slide area
     Slide area
     Another crashed car
     Another crashed car
Lots of poison oak through here
Tons of poison oak through here
     Choked with grass
     Choked with grass
Fog obscures the mountain
Last look uphill, the fog has obscured everything above 300 feet
Junction
Junction with path to Gray Whale Cove Trail
Picnic area
Picnic area
Junction
Junction; turn left and return to the trailhead













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