We were visiting San Mateo, and looking for a hike to burn off a fantastic lunch. The first 0.2 miles or so of the hike right off of the Laurelwood Park playground was really easy. Once you get to the hill to climb up to the top, the elevation picks up very quickly. If you plan on going to the top (and coming back down) to enjoy the panoramic views from the city to the ocean, I highly recommend proper hiking shoes and walking sticks. Along some of the paths, make sure to watch out for poison oak on both sides so take it slow. All in all, well worth the exercise and very fun experience! Lots of parking on the street outside too! read more

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This hike is not for weak! Steeeeeeeeeeep hills. You have been warned! Definitely bring hiking shoes with grips and poles if you have them! read more

Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf - Parks Near Me - San Mateo, California

Since I couldn't travel during Covid, I began to explore more Bay Area places in depth!! This one was a great find!! This was a great park with many trails. I usually stick to a trail that has a climb so I can see the views from the top, so I chose the Amphitheater Trail that led to Sugarloaf Peak! The trail itself was very narrow, and it was just under a mile hike to get to the top. I did like how they had signs throughout telling you the distance on the way up. At the top was a great view of the San Mateo Bridge and the city of San Mateo and surrounding areas. Also, at the top, it was very spacious and led to multiple trails heading back down in all sorts of directions. I will definitely head back here again and maybe try a different trail!! read more

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I recently had the pleasure of discovering this beautiful local gem of a park; Laurelwood Park / Sugarloaf Open Space Preserve is the official name of this brilliant park...err giant hill in the heart of San Mateo. It's actually located in the Sufarloaf Neighborhood. It's more like a giant hill located in the middle of Laurelwood Park. The various names can get confusing... The park has multiple entrances, as well as good variety of trails with different levels of difficulty. I believe it's San Mateo's largest park with around 225 Acres. A quick moderate hike to the top of the hill will lead to some amazing views of the San Francisco Bay Area. The main entrance has a very nice picnic area and playground for kids. The City of San Mateo keeps this place spick and span. I'll definitely be back to explore the remaining trails I missed. read more

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Dirt trails, poison oak, that intense road-wide trail straight up to Sugarloaf Peak... Laurelwood is wacky and awesome and such a good workout for both dog and man. So many great winding paths with a good amount of shade (except that massive trail straight/up), but still wear tons of sunscreen. The earlier in the day, the better sun and crowd-wise. 5 stars!!!! read more

Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf - Parks Near Me - San Mateo, California

Pretty cute park with lots of different trails. However, the trails are not very well marked and my friends and I ended up on a really terrible mountain bike path on foot... Trails could definitely marked better. Maybe saying bikes only or pedestrians only? AllTrails was sort of helpful in this case, but it ended up being a bit chaotic. At some point, the trail took us through a neighborhood and we missed the entrance back to the trails because there was no indication that there was an entrance. It also looks like there were a lot of down trees from the storm. Totally fine and understandable, but I wish there were some warnings or heads up. At some point, we even had to cross under rusted barbed wire. Now, that was definitely not fresh from the storm. Probably wouldn't come back here again for a weekend hike. Nice views from the top of the hill though... read more

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This is a nice and spacious park in San Mateo close by the 92 and Hillsdale that is a good option for folks looking for some green space and a spot to lay out in the sun. For those that are looking to find shade, they can find a spot under the big tree if a safe distance spot opens up. Over the years, access to this park has been made easier with a walkable path down to the park. Ok the day we went, the restrooms weren't open so we headed down to Hillsdale to use their restrooms and grab some food at the mall. Overall, this is a nice park with plenty of space to relax. read more

Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf - Breezy Sunday afternoon. Restrooms closed due to Covid. Hillsdale Mall is less than 10 minutes away. - Parks Near Me - San Mateo, California

Pretty nice park for hikes. Lots of street parking which is always a plus. Wanted to get to the peak for the nice view. Found the trail we wanted to take. It's very steep and kind of slippery, but is a straight shot to the top. The one downside of the trails is that there are so many that branch off suddenly and don't show up on Google maps. Most aren't well marked either. We should've just gone down the way we came up, but I wanted to make a nice loop back to the beginning. Big mistake. What should've been maybe an hour max ended up taking 2+ hours because we would take random trails hoping it would lead back to the park, but it never did. So lots of backtracking. Overall still pretty enjoyable, but make sure you have no appointments any time soon or you might not make them. read more

I felt like I happened upon a quiet, safe space. An oasis. Though no huge bodies of water at this park that I remember seeing, there was a running creek if you take one of the trails! I met up with two of my old roommates to have a safe, social distanced picnic last weekend. Weather was fantastic, and the park was not crowded whatsoever. We found a shaded spot under a tree, laid out our picnic blankets, and spent 3 hours chatting away. There are clean bathrooms on site, a few picnic tables, plenty of grass, and you can even go hiking. The park is in the middle of a neighborhood, so you will find parking any turn you take. The trail that takes you to the top of the sugarloaf hill has a rewarding view. It's 0.9 miles of consistent incline. Being severely out of shape, this was difficult for me. Ha! But it only took 30ish minutes. Once you reach the top, there is a solo bench that you can rest and admire the panoramic views. Also great for pictures! Saw many leashed pups as well, which only added to its appeal. Love this place! read more

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I come to this park a lot with my kids to meet other families for park day. This park is great as it has hiking trails, a creek, and a secure gated playground. The playground has a play area for those under 5 years old as well as those over 5 years old. There are a few baby swings and a sand area. I love how it is enclosed. There are also picnic tables by the playground as well as on the other side. There is also a large grass area perfect for playing sports or for the kids to just run away. There is lots of space to ride bikes or scooters. My son loves the creek and also loves to go hiking on the trails. It does not have a parking lot and is only street parking but we also seem to find parking. Great place to check out, especially on a nice day. read more

I went here for a walk and to try something different. This is a good place to hike up the hill to sugar loaf which is about a mile . It's a little steep but a nice short hike. The top has a fantastic view of the bay and San Francisco in the distance. read more

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A short and easy trail with views of San Mateo and Foster City if you don't want to drive for a hike. There's also a park and a grass field perfect for picnics at the bottom of the trail! The trail is a bit narrow so I was glad everyone was wearing a mask! read more

Great park with a little bit of everything-hiking trails, large lawn for picnics, picnic tables for parties, climbing tree, and playground. Tucked in a residential neighborhood near sugarloaf hill. Playground is nice for little kids as well as big kids. They have two toddler swings (no regular swings). Very clean and well taken care of areas. Grass was a bit damp from sprinklers but we found a nice spot near the playground to set up. Some trees on the lawn provide shade. Clean public restrooms and easy parking. A nice idyllic park that *almost* makes me want to move to the suburbs lol! read more

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My main issue with this park was that it was fairly crowded and 2/3 of the people visiting were not wearing masks. Not as in "I took the mask down while sitting separately" but people who walked into the park without masks entirely. Our San Mateo Central Park does have the every once and while outlier, but almost everyone wears masks to protect one another while in the same space. This park doesn't seem designed for social distancing well, the seating is clumped together, the trail is narrow in certain parts, it did have some nice secluded benches, but because of the crowd of people standing around we didn't get very far past the restrooms. All in all, just not our cup of tea and we probably won't be back during the pandemic. read more

Not too big of a park, there are like two big trees ppl usual gather around for shades. A few picnic table ( no shades), a playgrounds and if you want to do some hiking. Park can get busy during weekend. You can Park at the street or there is also a small parking lot. Not too far of a walk. If you want to do some hiking , try the amphitheater trail. It's about 1.6 mile up and down, moderate elevation but you get reward of the view at the top. read more

Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf - One of the big tree in the park - Parks Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Came here once with my 2 dogs for a quick local workout. Not bad of a hike but I haven't been back since it is pretty much just the Sugarloaf trail and not much else -- playground if you have kids. Pros: Very nice playground in Laurelwood Park. Dogs are allowed. Bring your own bags. Some short trails aside from the main Sugarloaf trail. Very nice 360 views of San Mateo at the summit -- a very nice reward after a serious uphill climb. Cons: Sugarloaf trail starts with a long stretch of steep part dirt stairs. This was tough for my dogs since they are small and one is older with short legs. I had to carry her for part of the walk down since it would have been bad for her back. The remainder of Sugarloaf trail, which is pretty exposed, had a number of switchbacks on a narrow trail. While the trail was wide enough for me and my small dogs, it would have been tough for bigger dogs or people with toddlers as there is a lot of brush growth on both sides. read more

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Great gem of a park/hiking trail in San Mateo. There seems to be something for everyone. Plenty of open space with a playground for kids and to have gatherings. There's also some cool hiking trail: Forest Hiking: If you start at Laurelwood Park and head south, you can take Saison Trail to Poison Oak Alley or Box Canyon Fire Road/Skymont Trail to Coyote Den Maze to Cross Trail for some hiking through the forest with plenty of shade. Like others mentioned, I'd recommend long pants as there is poison oak. The path is quite narrow and some areas were not well paved especially on Coyote Den Maze. Like others have mentioned, there's barely any signs so it will be ideal taking your phone with you so you know where you are if this is your first time. Mountain Hiking: There's a few ways up/down the peak and all of these trails have no shade so bring sunscreen and water. It's quite steep and for those who want a really good workout, try going up at N part of the Laurelwood Park Trail. It's not marked, but it's where the trail intersects with Tenderfoot and Shasta Trail (see picture). I don't recommend this unless you're in decent shape with good shoes. I would also avoid it if it recently rained or if you're afraid of heights as it's quite steep. Once you reach the top, you get sweeping views of the Bay and surrounding houses. Combing both the forest and peak hiking will probably take 2-3 hours and 3.5 miles. read more

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This park is awesome! It's huge! There is plenty of space to play and go exploring. The playground has a lot of cool and fun features. There is a cute little creek to search for water skeeters. There are trails to hike along. There is a huge grass lawn to roll around on. The only gripe I have is that the bathrooms could use an upgrade. One bathroom has also been out of order for weeks now, which only leaves one working stall in the women's restroom. read more

If you're looking for an easy and paved road (for the most part) to trek on, this is a great location. There are multiple trails which you can take and even the dirt paths are not difficult to embark on. I saw a few moms with their strollers walking through the park and it is spread out so you won't have to worry about lack of social distancing. This park is dog-friendly as well and even has a playground at the center of the park. There are also bathrooms off to the side and picnic tables sprinkled throughout the common area. This location is definitely family-friendly especially if you have little wee-ones just learning how to walk. As for parking, there are multiple entrances but you can easily find residential street parking from most sides. read more

Great park! I love the hike to the top of sugarloaf peak. But be careful to avoid the poison oak. On some trails, it's everywhere. We were careful to not walk off the path and were covered up with long sleeves/pants. But my little boy was playing with a stick. That seems like what transferred some sap to both of us. We are really suffering!! It would be great if some additional signs could be posted or some of this stuff could be removed from the trail sides. read more

Awesome view at the top, but be careful of fleas or ticks. My dog sniffs everything. He came back with a family of fleas. We need to wash him and clean him right away. read more

Such a great hidden park! It's right down the hill from home and I always run into friendly people. The views are beautiful! It has many trails and one that leads to Sugarloaf Mountain (the name itself is so cute). I only jogged/walked the Tenderfoot Trails. It's my shortcut to Hillsdale shopping center. :) This trail ends at a neighborhood and turns into Laurelwood drive. It's great for beginners! An easy walk. I'll have to check out the other trails another weekend. oH lots and LOTS of lush green grass! love it! read more

Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf - Nice trail. Reminds me of how lil red riding hood had to go through the woods to get to the nxt twn. o_O - Parks Near Me - San Mateo, California

Amazing park in San Mateo with easy to moderate hikes, was a life saver during the COVID-19. My partner and I used to walk almost everyday. The hike to the peak is my favorite and gives you a nice overlook on San Mateo, Foster City, and San Francisco (on a clear day). read more

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This is a pretty easy hike to do anytime of the day. With two dogs it is a little difficult because of the narrow trails but there are some amazing views from the top of sugarloaf that make it worth it. We were there on a weekday and there was hardly anybody else out. read more

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Best. Park. Ever. Paved wide paths. Glorious trees. Clean bathrooms. Picnic tables. Trails both easy and difficult available. Poop bags for your puppies and lots of fields for them to run in. There's a running creek of water which runs along the main paved trail which you can hear babbling! read more

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Who knew right in our back yard was this great park! Well, I kinda knew because you can clearly see it from Highway 92. But seeing and experiencing are two incredibly different things. There's a lot of great things about Laurelwood Park. I was mainly interested in the trails and being able to get some hiking action close to home. They really give you a workout, since its up up uphill! But once up on top you're greeted with amazing views of the Bay Area! We took a pair of binoculars on our second hike and I swear we spent more time looking than we did hiking! The only negative is that the trails aren't well marked at all. Lots of dead ends...but I try to look at those as unforeseen exercise opportunities. :) read more

Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf - Parks Near Me - San Mateo, California

Parking: There is not much parking, but you are able to park on Glendora drive right outside of the park. Getting a spot on the side streets or main street usually is not hard and you are close to the main entrance of the park. Trails: There are multiple trails leading up to Sugarloaf hill with others leading out and into the park. The main trail is Salson trail which leads up to Salson hill with a branching path called Nickerson trail. The main trail leading up to Sugarloaf hill is Sugarloaf trail. There are 2 trails around the creek called Overlook trail and Tenderfoot trail. There are many other branching trails and unmarked paths for exploration. Intensity: Overlook: moderate; Tenderfoot: low; Salson: moderate; Nickerson: moderate(very thin trail watch out for bikers);Sugarloaf: moderate-high (steep throughout trail) Amenities: Bathrooms at the park(playground for the youngsters) with water fountains Viewpoints: Top of Sugarloaf overlooks Belmont and San Mateo. You can see the city and San Mateo Bridge 360 views read more

This park was a great place to do a shorter hike and picnic after. There's only residential street parking but there's an abundance of it if you get there at a good time. I decided to hike up to sugarloaf peak and the views were amazing, I could even see San Francisco from up there! read more

I found this park on Yelp, thank you Yelp. I want to try out as many different trails in the Peninsula. This is a very cute park. If I had a kid, I would so take my child here. It is like a little oasis tucked away in the mountain side. Clean and safe. Free parking located on the street. Now the trails. At first I took the concrete path trail. Took me to some neighborhoods. I was like is this it???? But as I started to walk back to the park, I noticed these stairs that went up the hill. I thought to myself, meh, just see where it takes you? It took me up and up. Great bun burner. The view at the top was so beautiful. I saw the whole bay, San Mateo Bridge, Hwy 101, etc... Not sure if there are other trails, but I'm going to go back and check it out. : ) read more

This is such a gem of a park. Its tucked away in a small little valley of San Mateo near the De Anza exit off the 92 freeway. This park looks like something out of a novel. It has a nice open grass area to do any type of activity that requires open space to do. There is a nice playground fore children that is gated to help keep the little runts in so they can't wander off. There appears to be several paths that lead into this park. I think two come from the natural trails in the area and two come from the two streets that border the park. There is a bathroom hut on site which is nice with a small tabled area and a couple drinking fountains. I can't believe I never visited this park while I lived in Belmont and only came here after the move. Its calm and quiet and a great park for a small intimate outing with loved ones. Good work city of San Mateo for this little treasure. read more

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Beautiful park with nice hiking trails. I took my dog on the sugarloaf trail. Some parts are narrow but when you get closer to the top the trail is very wide and well compacted. Still rugged, but overall quite nice for a hike with the dog. I saw wasps, big ants, and a bird. Not a lot of wildlife in the walk but the views make up for it. The playground is really nice, the grass is well maintained, and the restrooms are fine too. Ramps down to the restroom. Overall I'd say this was a well planned park. I don't recall any water fountains with dog bowls. Good thing I bring a water bowl with me. read more

Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf - Parked at the top and walked down the ramp. Very pretty park. - Parks Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This is what I've been waiting for since I was 5, now 17 years later, the park has been remodeled and it looks amazing - especially compared to what it use to look like. New play area for the kids (which my nephews love!), new bathrooms that are always clean and some nice new benches to take a break when I'm walking the dog or going for a jog through the park. read more

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An amazing hidden gem in San Mateo. Very well maintained,plenty of moderate hiking trails. Awesome overlook of San Mateo, Redwood City and San Francisco from the top of Sugarloaf point. Friendly people and the majority were wearing a mask. read more

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This is a good local spot to bring kids, pets or friends for outdoor activities - At the main entrance, there's a playground, benches for parties, large grass area, bathrooms, and water fountain. - There's a lot of different trails on the hike. It can be 0.5 - 3.0 mi of a hike based on what path you take. Definitely steep hills to get to the top, but great views of all of San Mateo from up above. - Clean trails, but I didn't see any markings to get to the upper trails so using your phone's GPS is pretty helpful to navigate. - For a sunny Saturday, the hiking trails weren't so crowded. I probably only saw 3 other groups the entire time. I didn't spend anytime at the grassy/playground area, but I do recommend this hike for those looking for a short, local hike with great views! read more

Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf - Beautiful views of San Mateo! - Parks Near Me - San Mateo, California

I enjoyed this grassy area park. The hike was short but it leads to the residential area (people's backyards) in a sense. I didn't check out the bathrooms but it makes it a quick stop to go to Piazza Fine Foods to pick up food and eat it here. Street parking. read more

Lovely playground and walking trails. Great exploring along the creek, and well maintained bathrooms. Check your pups though, we came home with a American Dog Tick! read more

After a failed attempt to get onto the Sawyer Camp Trail, my friend and I looked for trails to hike on Yelp and Laurelwood Park came up. B L E S S I N G I N D I S G U I S E Getting to Laurelwood Park was a breeze, because it's off the 92 De Anza Blvd exit. Parking was very easy, because the park is along De Anza Blvd- which means there is a ton of parking. After parking we walked into the park and by the playground structure, if you keep walking you'll eventually see stairs. Take those stairs to begin your hike! After going up and up, we finally got out of the area shaded by trees and into the open, this is when your hike really begins. There are trails, where you are going to have to decide to either go right or left. I didn't know how long this trail was going to actually be, until we started making decisions to go right or left and it seemed to go on for a lot longer than I anticipated. Yes, I thought these trails were going to suck- I'll admit it. But, as we got higher and further, the view kept getting better and better! We stopped at the top, to just take in and appreciate the view we had before us. It was just beautiful, and was truly a blessing in disguise! C O N C L U S I O N Awesome place to go on a hike, and very easy to get to. I'd definitely come back to do that hike again, especially on a beautiful day where the skies are blue, and the air is warm. read more

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This is a great park to go and unwind....it's very quiet, Parks & Rec keeps it very clean, and they even provide poop-scoop bags for the pups. There are two picnic benches under a tree. The grassy area is perfect for playing chase/Frisbee/catch with your people friends or animal friends. There is a playground-sandbox area. Piazza's is really close by...grab a sandwich or something from the food bar and head over to the park for a nice lunch. Sometimes it can get windy, so layer up just in case. read more

I wish I could left 5star. Often I walk the trail with my dog. It's Dog friendly place and all dog owner I ever met at park/ trail is wonderful with good behavior dog. HOWEVER today I found 2 TICK at my dog's belly, then found 5 more when I got home. So now I have to anti tick spray in my car & wash my dog & vacum all over my house.wash all clothes etc. I feel tick is crawing on bum body now.... read more

Fantastic place with a great new park for kids, coupled with a nice trail hike with a few different options - tucked away in a reaidential San Mateo neighborhood. When coming with kids, prepare to peel them off the playground to gwt hiking. read more

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