132. PURISIMA CREEK REDWOODS OPEN SPACE PRESERVE, WOODSIDE, CALIFORNIA

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Hikes in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve

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Purisima Creek Redwoods is a gem of a park in the bay area. It offers beautiful shaded hikes among tall redwoods. The park has four entrances. The East and West entrances are connected by #PurisimaCreekTrail, which runs adjacent to a fairly wide creek. The creek has water throughout the year. Purisima Creek Trail divides the park into two sections: in the north, trails climb up to the North Entrance via Craig Britton Trail, Harkins Ridge Trail and Whittemore Gulch Trail. In the south, there is a loop formed by Borden Hatch Mill Trail and Grabtown Gulch Trail.

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Best time to visit: Winters, after rains, when water levels in Purisima Creek are the highest. Also, vegetation is lush green after rains.

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Hikes: All routes below are equally awesome. First, identify the entrance that is closest to your location. For residents of south bay, north and east entrances are most accessible. The west entrance is accessible only from Hwy 1, making it a long ride if you are starting from south bay. After choosing an entrance, pick a hike according to the distance and elevation that best suits you.

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You really can reach out and touch the clouds at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. Then you can walk right through them. Purisima is the jewel of the many excellent open-space preserves along Highway 35, Skyline Boulevard, on the westernmost slope of the #SantaCruzMountains. Pacific Ocean breezes regulate temperatures in a just-right mix of not too cold in winter and not too hot in summer. Its trails often break out of a dense canopy of redwoods to present spectacular views of the coastline — if the coast isn’t fogged in.

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As spring turns to summer, fogged-in is the general state of things at Purisima, which guarantees a cool, moist respite from the valley’s heat. Depending on the whims of coastal winds, you can arrive at the main Skyline Boulevard parking lot under perfectly blue skies and find yourself passing through a ghostly mist within the first mile — the clouds are that close. The depths of the redwood forest here feel almost primeval, a remarkable sensation given that the forest is all new growth that sprouted in the years after early generations of loggers clear-cut the hillsides.

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Most of the park’s trail heads start high on the ridge, with trails diving steeply into the forest. Another site accessible from Half Moon Bay starts low along Purisima Creek and climbs high into the park — my favorite starting point, despite limited parking. Standard precautions: Take a light, water-resistant jacket to keep moisture falling from the tree canopy from soaking you. Hikes down from the ridges are pretty steep — save some strength for the return trip. Poison oak is common but less of a worry on the many wide trails. Watch out for mountain bikes.

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Hike suggestions

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Easy: The Higgins-Purisima trail head from Half Moon Bay leads to a wide, gently sloping path that follows the Purisima Creek through the redwoods for a mile and a half before the trail climbs steeply toward Skyline Boulevard. It’s one of the best easy hikes in the area, assuming parking is available. Redwood Trail near the southern Skyline Boulevard trail head is pretty but noisy, thanks to the motor-psychos rip-roaring down the scenic drive.

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Moderate: The 2.6-mile Soda Gulch Trail is a peaceful single track threading through a cathedral of young redwoods. An essential trail to check out, but at least a couple of miles from the nearest trail heads.

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Hard: Any hike down to Purisima Creek Trail from the trail heads on the high ridges will be a leg burner on the way back up. Worth the effort if you’re a strong hiker, because the creek trail tracks through a luscious stretch of forest.

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The Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is located on the western slopes of historic Kings Mountain in Woodside, California. This 4,471-acre preserve was established with a $2 million gift from the Save the Redwoods League. Purisima Creek and several of its tributaries flow through the preserve. The main entrance for the Purisima Open Space is off the #SkylineBoulevard section of State Route 35. The park is notable for its tall coastal redwoods, along with coastal scrub and hardwood forests of tanoak, madrones, and Douglas firs.

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The preserve overlooks Half Moon Bay, and has over 21 miles of trails for hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding. The popular Redwood Trail is wheelchair accessible. Like many parks in California, dogs are not allowed. The preserve is home to many species of animals, including bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes and rabbits. The Purisima Open Space is part of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, spanning over 50,000 acres in the San Francisco Bay Area. Parking is available at the main entrance, 4.5 miles south of Highway 92 on Skyline Boulevard.

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