Featured hike
Mile:
0.0: Begin at the south edge of the parking lot, near the picnic area, on Towne Trail.
0.1: Carefully cross Pescadero Road, and pick up Towne Trail again (here a fire road) on the other side.
0.3: Junction. Bear left onto Big Tree Trail. The path rejoins the fire road, then finally departs to the left for good. Bear left to remain on Big Tree Trail.
0.7: Junction. Turn right onto Heritage Grove Trail
2.15: Junction. Turn right to remain on Heritage Grove Trail.
2.9: Junction. Turn left, not onto Towne Trail, but instead on a well-worn path.
3.0: Hiker's Hut. Continue uphill on a path, then a fire road.
3.2: End of the fire road, at a viewpoint. Bear right and descend on a fire road.
3.3: Junction. Turn left onto Towne Trail.
3.4: Towne Trail swings around a hilltop. Continue straight on a path to the hilltop. When ready retrace your steps back to the junction with the fire road leading to Hikers' Hut. Bear left and remain on Towne Trail. 3.9: Junction, again, with Heritage Grove Trail. Continue straight on Towne Trail.
4.4: Junction with Brook Loop Trail. Continue straight on Towne Trail.
4.6: Horse Camp. Turn left, then right, following signs "to McDonald Ranger Station." You'll pass previously encountered junctions with Big Tree Trail as you descend. Follow Towne Trail back to the trailhead.
5.2: Back at the parking lot.
Getting there:
From Interstate 280 in San Mateo County, exit CA 84 (exit #25). Drive west on CA 84/La Honda Road about 6 miles, to the junction with CA 35 (Skyline Boulevard). Continue straight on La Honda Road/84, about 6.5 miles, to the easy-to-miss junction with Pescadero Road. Turn left. Drive about 1 mile south on Pescadero Road, and bear right at the junction with Alpine Road. Continue about 0.5 mile on Pescadero Road, to the park entrance on the right (drive slowly, as the entrance is undersigned).
GPS Coordinates* for Trailhead:
Latitude
Longitude
(* based on Google Earth data, shown as degrees, minutes, seconds)
Read about this hike in more detail and view photos at http://www.bahiker.com/southbayhikes/smcp.html
© 2019 Jane Huber/Bay Area Hiker.