EXPERIENCE I recently visited Wunderlich Park to visit…read moretheir museum and carriage house. I didn't go for an extensive hike but want to return someday to do so! STARS (stand out qualities) -Beautiful and well maintained park -Well preserved historical site STAIRS (areas of growth) -More signage clarifying which of two entrances to enter at TIPS -Parking is limited so good to carpool or come during weekday if you can -Try signing up for tour. I learned interesting history of Chinese laborers!

Small Wunder A…read more940-acre park nestled in the eastern Redwoods and madrone-laden slopes of King Mountain. The name of the park is derived from contractor Martin Wunderlich, who donated the land to San Mateo County. The Good: * Free to visit * Parking lot * Picnic tables available * Restroom in parking lot * Seventeen miles of trails, including several loops. * If you like horses, then this is the place for you! There's a really cool old historic stable and lots of equine action to be found. * Camping available (https://www.smcgov.org/parks/make-reservation) The Meh: * Currently, no recreational horse activities like trail rides and lessons are available. * Crazy elevation gains, as trail elevations run from ±350' to over 4,300'. Be sure to check the trail guides to make sure you don't get in over your head. * No dogs allowed The Ugly: * The restroom has no running water, just hand sanitizer. * I'll admit, I'm not a fan of horses, and having to share trails with horses isn't my idea of a good time. Conclusion: Not the biggest park in this area that's full of fantastic OSPs, but it's certainly worth a visit--especially if you're a hippophile.

I've visited the three parks in the area, Huddart, Wunderlich, and Edgewood, and Huddart is my…read morefavorite of the three. That said, all three are great and you will not go wrong with going with one over the other. Huddart is nice because it has beautifully maintained trails that are surrounded by heavily wooded redwood trees. I came across numerous deer at the upper elevations and there were a bunch of huge banana slugs. The trails are mostly easily-walkable trails. I run on a regular basis on city streets, so even for me who does occasional hikes, it can get your heart pumping on the ascents. So if you want to spend a couple of hours here, you may want to make sure you have reasonable cardiovascular stamina before going deeper into the trails. Wunderlich has some pretty long, steep ascents, whereas Edgewood is probably the easiest to hike of the three. Huddart is in the middle. The place also a lot of picnic grounds and looks like it can be reserved for parties/get togethers. There is a six dollar cash entry fee (per car), but if you are a senior you don't have to pay. Definitely will be going back to Huddart.

I have lived in the Bay Area for over 20 years but never had the opportunity of visiting Huddart…read morePark until we were invited to a friend's kid's birthday party there. Huddart Park is such a great place if you're craving redwoods, fresh air, and well-maintained trails. The hiking options are great for all levels, with shaded paths, peaceful scenery, and plenty of spots to stop and take it all in. The picnic areas are spacious and well-kept, making this an easy choice for a relaxed day out with friends or family for a visit or a celebration. It never feels overly crowded, and the overall vibe is calm and refreshing--perfect for unplugging for a few hours. Whether you're hiking, picnicking, or just looking for a quiet place to reset, Huddart Park is a reliable favorite and absolutely worth the visit.

Had my first hike of the year, and it was a beauty! The weather worked in my favor, and hitting…read moregolden hour was a bonus. I should have stayed longer to hit sunset, but that can be for another time. It was definitely windy, so be mindful of that if you decide to trek here. The views were so worth it!

Stunning views!…read more I've been wanting to go to Windy Hill for a while and finally got to hike the Windy Hill loop today (Saturday). I got to the park around 7:45am and there was a decent amount of street parking near the trailhead then. I went clockwise (up Spring Ridge and down Hamms Gulch) - steep initially but the hike got easier as I went along. The trail was well-maintained, with benches throughout. The scenery was amazing, especially with all the green hills! Felt like a Studio Ghibli film. Weather was great as well - perfect hike for spring time. The trail got more crowded as time went on so I recommend going before 9am. Very safe for solo hikers. Highly recommend!

I wish they had a bathroom. Everything else was cool. Did the Fir Trail and Tafoni Trail to the…read moreSandstone Formation and tacked on the vista point which was about 3.5 miles total. Be careful crossing the street to get to the trail. The main El Corte de Madera area has restrooms and it's just a 5 minute drive away.

Lovely hike with lots of shade. This would be wonderful in warm weather too. Our goal was to visit…read morethe Tafoni sandstone structure. We parked our car at Skeggs Pt. Parking lot. We hiked along the Tafoni trail to get to the sandstone structure and returned to the car via the higher Fir trail. This was an easier hike exiting the park.

Loved this hidden trail that was super easy to find! It was a ridiculous hot day, but the…read moresurrounding tall trees offer SO much shade that you forget about the heat. There is easy accessible parking, however there aren't too many parking spots. We refreshed our hands in the cold mini waterfall and had a cute photo opportunity. The hike is fairly easy for beginning hikers. There are areas that can be steep but there are many flat areas to take a break. We did miss a signed etched in a tree log and missed a pathway. But overall, a straight shot up and back, easily an hour or so round trip!

Lovely hidden trail with beautiful views and a true forest bathing vibe. It was a bit confusing…read moremaking our way on the trail as we hit a few dead ends but really great views.

A beautiful, family-friendly place to come for a hike. There is a dedicated parking lot at the…read moretrail entrance but you can also park off the highway if the lot is full. There is a public bathroom/elevated porta potty available to use at the entrance. There are multiple trails to choose from, some being steeper or longer than others. Most of the time, you are shielded from the hot sun by the tall redwood trees that give you cool shade and that give you beautiful scenery to look at as you're walking. Because there is lots of shade, you will see moss and lichen. This environment is great for banana slug spotting - we saw two on our walk and our kids got a blast out of it. We very much enjoyed our familiy excursion here to Purisima.

Pure Thing…read more 5,412-acre Preserve that's situated on the west side of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and features over twenty-one miles of trails. The Good: *Free! *Great place to see the venerable Coast Redwoods, which are unfortunately second-growth (±100 years old), and not old growth. *North side of the park has views of HMB coastline *Mountain biking on certain trails (check map & trail signs) *Equestrian OK on certain trails (check map and trail signage) *Banana slugs! If you love them like we do, then this place is just full of 'em! *Several different parking lots (for total) but they are limited. You'll probably have better luck at the North Ridge parking lot, as it is bigger. *Restrooms at three out of the four lots. *Redwood Trail is ADA friendly The Meh: *No dogs The Ugly: *The last part of the drive over (from the South Bay, at least) is no picnic and full of windy roads--which is great if you're the driver. Not so much if you're a passenger and you are prone to getting car sick. Conclusion: Fantastic park with lots of Redwoods and nature.

Beautiful and quiet park that is currently run by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Phleger…read moreEstate can be accessed via Huddart County park or by a roadside lot off Skyline Blvd. The benefit of parking at Huddart (albeit with a $6 parking fee) are clean restrooms and the fact you are doing most of the uphill at the start of your hike. Hiking in from Huddart, the crowds thinned and I only saw 3 other hiking groups the whole time-unusual for a beautiful Saturday in August. The park is well signed and I took the Miramontes trail which meanders along what is now a dry creek, gently uphill to a fork (again well signed) that points you to the Raymundo or Mt Redundo trails. I veered right to the Raymundo trail which is a steady but not too steep climb through mixed redwood forest and what is now a dry creek. Would love to do this trail again in rainier years to see the creek flowing and find newts and banana slugs. Still, despite a dry year, the trails were pretty green and lush. The Raymundo trail ends and another fork to the right can take you up to Skyline via the Lonely Trail or stay straight on the Mt Redundo trail which takes you back to the start of the loop and the Miramontes trail (which is out and back to Huddart County park). I headed back on Mt Redundo and it was a bit steep downhill with some roots and rocks making for uneven footing. It also has some steep ravines so mind your step. This part of the trail was eerily quiet and not as bright, so I was happy to get back to the Miramontes trail that led me back to the more well traveled Huddart County park. Really lovely park with some of the nicest redwood trails on the peninsula. Review #49 of 100 review goal in 2021

Fantastic hike next to the more well-known Purisma Creek. We took Lonely Trail, then Raymundo…read moreTrail, then Mt. Redondo trail and back up the Lonely Trail. It was about 6 miles. There's parking on Skyline Boulevard past Kings Mountain Fire Brigade -- just a handful of spots by the side of the road. It's downhill until you get to the juncture of Raymundo and Mt. Redondo, then straight back up again. My thighs were burning up and I had to stop and rest a bunch of times. Overall, the hike too about 3 hours and 15 minutes. My favorite part was the Raymundo Trail because you hike right next to a stream. There was plenty of water in the stream, probably because it has rained recently. Actually, most of the hike was next to a stream of some sort. You could hear water the whole time which was cool. Another great thing about this hike is that it's shady the whole way. Lots of pretty redwoods to look at. There were lots of very muddy parts on this trail. Also, the Miramontes trail, which connects Mt Redondo trail to Huddart County Park, was closed, due to the rain. We ran into three other couples on the trail during our hike. Very quiet trail! Really quite a hidden gem.

Creek Squad…read more +2,900-acre preserve managed by Mid-Pen that features over 34 miles of trails across a variety of terrains. The Good: * Free to visit. * Restroom in the main parking lot * Horses OK * Mountain biking OK on designated trails (check signage and maps) * Main parking lot as well as several roadside parking lots available off Skyline Blvd (aka Hwy 35). * Trails are in pretty good shape for the most part, and they're mostly shaded from what we can tell. There are several loops of varying difficulties, so check AllTrails for suggestions. * Several points of interest to check out, including the Tafoni skulls and the Methuselah Tree. * Some of the largest banana slugs we've ever seen! The Meh: * Roadside parking fills up quickly on weekends. Lots of cars waiting when we left around 11:30-ish. * No dogs * No camping The Ugly: * Beware of the mountain bikers who come ripping through the trails like they own them. You'll usually hear them before you see them, so keep the music down. * Driving here is no picnic on very windy roads, so please take your time and slow down, especially on weekends where you'll see hordes of bicyclists on the Hwy. Conclusion: Fantastic park with some great trails, beautiful forests, and huge banana slugs!

This place is stunning ! There are so many trails to choose from, and a number of parking spots so…read moreeven during late morning my husband and I were able to find parking in one of the lots. We decided to just go see the giant sandstone, which did not disappoint ! I really appreciated how well the trails were marked so that you knew clearly where you were going. On the way to the sandstone, it was also coo lto see some ocean views as well as random open fields in the dense woods here and there. Definitely a worthy hike to try ! This place is stunning ! There are so many trails to choose from, and a number of parking spots so even during late morning my husband and I were able to find parking in one of the lots. We decided to just go see the giant sandstone, which did not disappoint ! I really appreciated how well the trails were marked so that you knew clearly where you were going. On the way to the sandstone, it was also coo lto see some ocean views as well as random open fields in the dense woods here and there. Definitely a worthy hike to try !

I just discovered this hiking spot and I love it. There's wildflowers and wildlife, lots of trees,…read morewell defined trails, and 2 parking lots. We came here around 10am on a Saturday and had no trouble parking. There's a map at the entrance, and we decide to start with the Old Stage Road, which is paved. It's almost all uphill for about 3/4 miles, and then the rest is pretty flat with great views. There are lots of different trails to take, and there are markers to keep you on track. We did about a 3-ish mile loop. As we approached a herd of deer, we remained very quiet and kept our distance, and they just continued grazing. There are interpretive signs along the trail, which we used as a scavenger hunt list. I don't think we would have noticed the turkey tail mushrooms if it weren't for the signs. We look forward to returning in Spring to catch even more wildflowers.

This is a great place to check out the wildflowers. I've only been here once 6 years ago so I guess…read moreit's time to bring John here so I can write a more updated and more detailed experience.

It's Chris' first time here and he loved it, it was a late nite walk/hike and wasn't too bad. The…read moredoggies loved it, so many friendly people and dogs alike and different routes are plenty. Weather was perfect & parking wasn't too bad. FYI, there's areas that "No-Leash" required for Dogs, it has signs as a warning, which is cool for those dogs who are well trained and don't run away lol. I tried it w/ Sadie and gave me the look are you for real, Mom? Lol Overall it was a great 3 miles workout for us rookies as it's been awhile since we took our dogs out for a hike!

Dog friendly park! Super sad because the Cordilleras Trail was closed for construction and will be…read morethrough the end of July :( I came with two friends to have a cute mommy date with their babies in strollers and had to drive to a new park. We will definitely come back again once it's open! 4/5 stars for the closure and only one restroom made available at the parking lot (I also did not see a water bottle/fountain filling station) Parking: There's a free parking lot (fits ~20 cars) and ample street parking if it's filled. I recommend coming on a week day to secure a parking spot Easy Trail: the cordilleras trail is wheelchair and stroller friendly! It's a 0.3 mile flat trail that breaks off into other trails leading to the dog park or towards the creek. This trail is paved, so no worries about bumpy roads or muddy patches Moderate Trail: the blue oak trail has a steep incline immediately at the start of the hike. It zig zags and is a ~200 ft elevation increase for 0.4 miles. It gets dusty but is doable due to the many trees for shade. It leads directly to the off leash dog area