Beware of banana slugs, they are yellow and they are everywhere! I came here on a class trip and it was peaceful, so green and absolutely gorgeous! If I ever get over my fear of creepy crawlies, I'll love to do a hike. But for now, I'll stick with dry areas. read more

If you thought Pacifica was nothing but foggy, dreary, windswept coast, you don't know San Pedro Valley, which has one of the most verdant vales around, full of eucalyptus and blooming flowers (indeed, on a bright and balmy spring day it almost feels like Australia), though if you follow the ridge up far enough you'll be back in chaparral country. There's lots for hikers to choose from here, including the seasonal Brooks Falls, the meandering Hazelnut Trail, and the most direct route (7 miles RT) to the top of Montara Mountain, generally the most southerly part of the coast visible from SF. (The other peak route is the fire road through McNee Ranch State Park). There's also some great picnic areas and an impressive visitor's center for a park of this size. The only thing to note is that there's poison oak *everywhere*, even for a Bay Area park. For the most part the trails are clear enough to easily avoid it, but hard-core urushiophobes may find walking here to be a bit too nerve-wracking. read more

San Pedro Valley Park - Parks Near Me - Pacifica, California

Really nice 4.4 miles hike up the hazelnut trail. Not too hard but you get breath taking views. One star off due to seeing deer bones and mountain lion claw marks along the trail. Sort of made us stick together more and walk a little faster. read more

San Pedro Valley Park - Parks Near Me - Pacifica, California

Beautiful and (mostly) quiet park next to Pacifica. The views of the peninsula are amazing! There are various trails throughout the park. We did the trail up to the top of Montara Mountain for the gorgeous views and had a great time! Highly recommended. Not hard, maybe medium as most. Took about 3 hours. read more

I've come here abt 3-4x now. All the times I've been here were in Aug and the weather was abit warm. Bring a hat to shield from the sun, sunscreen, and small towel. it's nice that there are bathrooms and faucets/fountains for you to fill up your water before you head out. You can do as little as a stroll and you can do more and cross over from the county park (pacifica) to the state park (montara). Within the county park, I've done Hazelnut trail 3.7 mi loop 2x on one day. Another day, I did the brooks creek/montara mt. trail. I've also walked from the montara mt trail to the other side to montara state beach parking lot, (~12 mi) which was abit too much for me. If you enter San pedro Valley county park there is a map you can get. I've also parked at Montara State Beach parking lot but the signage there can be confusing since it doesn't have mileage marks on the signs and there are no maps from the state park and there are a few junctions and intersecting trails. However, one benefit i find that starting on the Montara State beach side (if you're looking for more mileage) is you can arrive at San pedro and use the bathrooms and water fountains midpoint of your walk. When i start on the county park side i found that i have used up my water & and would have no toilet access until i returned back into the county park. I also suggest coming EARLY. So far, i haven't come on a weekend but i see cars completely packed by morning (on the Montara state park side) so plan ahead but there is street parking, some ppl park next door at the church, or simply pay $6 to park in the park lot since the $ goes to the park. read more

Despite the fact that Yelp lists this park as the second one when you search for dog-friendly parks near Pacifica, San Pedro Valley Park is NOT DOG-FRIENDLY. Not the first time Yelp has steered me wrong. I drove down from the city only to the see that the sign at the entrance to the park that clearly says "No Dogs - No Pets". Its a good thing that Gorilla BBQ is on the way home or I would be even more upset I drove all that way and couldn't enter the park with my dog. read more

I've lived in Pacifica for years and had no idea San Pedro Park was in the hills. It's a beautifully maintained park, with waterfalls, trails, lots of picnic areas and plenty of wild life. In just one weekend, I spotted a bobcat, a great horned owl (only 10 feet away), several quail, a cotton tail bunny, a falcon, and a salamander. read more

For those that complain of a $5 parking fee, that fee helps keep up the maintenance and park open. The same park you love hiking in! It doesn't stay that nice for free. read more

San Pedro Valley is a great alternative to heading north over the bridge for a scenic hike. There are three small waterfalls that are flowing during the winter and spring. It definitely provides good exercise and the views are pretty spectacular. The only down fall is that you can't take your favorite four legged companion. But --- just on the other side, Montara offers plenty of trails for you and wonder mutt. http://www.flickr.com/photos/83968604@N00/91949435/ read more

I grew up within walking distance to this park and have had many adventures there throughout my life, so nostalgia may make me slightly biased. Still, there is some incredible hiking here with gorgeous views. Lots of places to picnic and hang out as well. The hills manage to hold back the fog most of the time which allows one to see just how beautiful Pacifica can be. Just don't hike there after dark and make out in the poison oak. One star off for all the freakin' poison oak and bad memories of myself as a puffy-lipped 14-year old. read more

Start on the other side.... the Montara side.. the view throughout are much much better, and less crowded. Plus the drive over Devil's Slide is worth the price of admission. read more

I always enjoy hiking at San Pedro Valley! Even when it's sunny, it's still refreshing to hike in Pacifica. Plus, if I look carefully, there's always wildlife to be seen, from wild rabbits to lizards to mice and my favorite, deer. read more

Parked at St. Peters church since I forgot my yearly parking pass. Did the Hazelnut Trail starting from the right of the visitor center. Although only 3.7 miles it's a great work out of 2 miles consistent incline with beautiful views of Montara Mtn looming above and the coastline to the west. Today was amazing. The Farallones and Point Reyes were clearly visible! This trail has undergone substantial trail maintenance/ widening just recently. I saw a ranger in an Toyota ATV cart wheeling down with tools and crew. So, because of the recent rain it's slick and mushy alot of the way. Total round trip was 5 miles. Awesome January day!! read more

Nicely maintained trails. Beautiful views. Friendly fellow hikers. Definitely a nice place to hike for a couple hours on a warm day.

LOVED it. Did the Montara Mountain trail on December 11, 2011, saw no one. Quiet, great scenery, lush vegetation once you get out of the eucalyptus ... we'll be back to explore the other areas, for sure. Oh, and a tip: you can avoid the $5 parking fee if there's open spots on the street just outside the park ... But I'll probably pay next time as everything seems very well-maintained and I know that costs money. read more

Went here without any planning and had an amazing hike up to the top of Mount Montara. The trails are well maintained, well graded and not crowded. They also had clean and well stocked bathrooms at the trail head. Views from Montara are spectacular and you can see SF, Oakland, Mount Tam and ocean views. Definitely worth a visit! read more

First time hiking here and it won't be the last. We didn't mind paying $6 to park but if you do, park down a short hill in the residential area. We hiked the Montara Mountain trail and got onto the wrong trail to start so we went up the mountain on another trail that cuts straight through the picnic area and took Montara Mountain back down. It was sunny that day at the beach and at the park but as you start climbing up, the wind picks up and at the summit, you're in fog and wind so bring layers. It was a beautiful 5 mile hike, took a couple of hours, lots of green all around. The hike was a little steep but we were ready for it. Can't wait to come back and try another trail here next time. read more

This is where you come to see deer, bobcats, coyote, hawks, during the day, just hanging out, enjoying the gorgeous mountains and valleys of SPV, aka my backyard. We love this place. A small tip. Park on the street and walk in. The $5 parking fee is absurd. read more

We hiked here yesterday 9/8/13, started around 9:30am. Of course this weekend was hitting record breaking temps so we cut the hike short and went for an hour and a half. The park is clean and spacious plenty of parking (went up to $6) the trails are half shaded the view is spectacular and you can reach Hwy 1 from here. There's a visitors center with stuffed animals which are in the park they even have displays of pooty-poo of which animal it came from...fascinating! read more

fantastic park for hiking or picnics or just a stroll. Parking is free to those with disabled placards, or park outside the park, & walk in. Visitor center is only open on weekends. We have seen a bobcat at the picnic area, quails, a snake, deer,& rabbits in this area, all in the lower grassy areas. No dogs allowed, which is why so much wildlife to see ( not every day, of course ) I wish people would not talk so loudly when walking. I have no desire to hear about thier lives while I am taking my stroll, I prefer the sounds of the birds. read more

A quiet and expansive park with long hiking trails and great views of the valley and ocean. There are maps of the trails at the entrance, but there are signs and markings on all the trailheads and divisions. It is possible to spend more than a few days here exploring the different trails. read more

Wow! What a beautiful park! If you need to get away from the city and clear your head, this is a nice little retreat. Thanks to my friend, Diana, who introduced me to this place for hiking. We both packed a large sandwich from Colombo's (try the Godfather on sourdough). Don't forget to pack a lot of water and sunblock . When I think of Pacifica, I think of rolling-can't see-20-feet-ahead-of-you-fog. But it was hotter than I had expected. We did the Montara Trail, which has a nice beach view. Also, try the Old Trout Trail, which runs along the bubbling stream. Please no bikes and no pets. If you bring your pet, at least clean up after your friend! be careful of the rocky terrain on the Montara Trail. The park also has reserved picnic areas, benches along the trails, and don't miss the visitor center which has nice, clean bathrooms as well as an exhibit about the animals of the area. read more

I had never actually been to Pacifica so randomly felt like checking it out and decided to so some little hiking here. The Hazelnut trail was really nice. Good shade and views and ample benches in several spots to chill and enjoy the smells and sights. Lots of animal action and the grade is gradual so you get a workout, but not too exerting. The sun was strong when I went, so I appreciated the shade. I also did the Valley View, but wasn't too keen on it as it was very exposed to the sun except for some brief eucalyptus shady points and not very interesting vegetation, but good for spotting soaring hawks. Nice maps provided. Deserted midweek if you aren't working. There was no one on the trails and only a few old locals walking or biking the fireroads. Agree on not paying the $5, though not sure how busy it is on weekends. read more

Went on the fourth of July to this great park. It wasn't busy at all and we hiked up the Old Trout Farm trail to the Brooks Falls trail to see the waterfall. Of course, this being July, the waterfall is dried up til next spring. The proximity to SF and my love of waterfalls means that I will return here sometime again in Spring to see the falls. read more

A dear, long-time Pacifica-residing friend took me here today. We went on two of the super-easy trails (as I walk with a cane), and I LOVED it! Aside from the serenity of the surroundings, I appreciated the beautifully-maintained trails. It wasn't crowded at all. And we saw two big families of California quail, and some young black-tail deer! Beautiful spot! read more

Great local hiking spot for Coastsiders. Trails are well marked and range from mild (Brooks Falls) to hold-on-I-gotta-sit-down-for-a-minute (Montara Mountain to McNee Ranch). I've run into "park aids" a few times - young folks who work for the county and make sure everything and everyone is safe. They've always been delightful and full of useful information. If you want to do McNee Ranch without the climb from the Pacifica side, drive through the tunnels and park at the first lot on the left - you can hike the last mile or two which are breathtaking. read more

This Park was the worst experience I've ever had trying to plan a birthday party with a Standard jumper. They never answered the phone, when they did the helpful person was not helpful. I was charged not only $120 for our picnic site but I had to make the reservation online before I was informed online that for a jumper I'd be charged an additional $90 and after that I was informed that the charge for making an online reservation less than 10 business days before the date of my party was an additional $45. If I had any options whatsoever I would have use them this park took advantage of me to their fullest and all they gave me was grass a picnic table and two benches and some sunshine read more

For a park this close to the city this is a great find. We went for a 3-mile (I think, approximately) hike up the Montara Mountain trail and down Brooks Falls trail. The hike was nice and very quiet, with great views of the valley. You can also see the ocean, but of course in the background, with a suburb in front. There's sufficient shade to make it pleasurable even on a moderately hot day. We didn't see the waterfall (this was June after all) but we saw where it would be in other seasons and heard some rushing water in the distance. Note: this is a pretty steep climb -- but the path is well maintained and excellently signposted, and we saw some groups climb up with picnic gear. There are also picnic tables in the valley by the stream (next to the parking lot), and although we didn't get close to these they looked like a nice option for a family or a small group who down't want to hike. The restrooms in the nature center are excellent (not sure how often this is open though) and the outdoors restrooms are okay (no running water except in the drinking fountain outside though). The nature center itself also looked decent (animal exhibits etc.) but we didn't spend much time here. Parking looked plentiful (I guess regulated by the $6 fee, though some folks seem to park in the residential neighborhood nearby). Lots of beautiful flowers. read more

We took the the longest trail. Really nice 4.4 miles hike up the hazelnut trail. Not too hard but you get breath taking views. One star off due to seeing deer bones and mountain lion claw marks along the trail. Sort of made us walk a little faster. read more

We took the montara mountain trail from the parking lot entrance to the middle peak and then turned back going back the same way we came in. Total distance: almost 8 miles in 3 hours. That's a good speed I think. It was more of a leisure hike for me. The uphill inclining is really gradual and not steep. There's also the option to go further up to the peak mountain for an extra mile or two. I enjoyed the first few miles the most which is surrounded by big trees and plenty of green foliage. After that it's dirt and rocky trails up to the top of the mountain. On a clear day a 360 view can be seen on top of the mountain. Unfortunately it turned out really foggy when we went at the end of July so we had no view. If the weather forecast promises clear sunny skies that would be an ideal time to come. Unfortunately how often does that occur in Pacifica? I would like to come back to see the nice view. read more