162. 4 parks Russian Ridge to Black Mountain and back via Skyline Ridge, La Honda, CA

https://youtu.be/rgqxzOTAloM

4 parks Russian Ridge to Black Mountain and back via Skyline Ridge, La Honda, CA

.

RUSSIAN RIDGE PRESERVE - This 3,137-acre preserve known for its showy display of wildflowers in spring. In summer, the hills turn to gold with the late evening sunlight. Autumn, when the fog recedes, is the ideal time to enjoy the ridge views of San Francisco Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains through the crisp, clean air. Winter storms occasionally dust the top of the hills with snow.

.

Diverse plant communities, miles of forest edge, and abundant springs make Russian Ridge an outstanding habitat for wildlife. Large numbers of raptors soar over the lush grasslands, and coyotes patrol the ridges. The steep forested canyons create a secure refuge for a tremendous variety of animals.

.

THE BLACK MOUNTAIN TRAIL - This is both the most scenic and the most difficult of the many routes that climb Skyline Ridge. In fact, it’s one of the more challenging 10-mile hikes on the peninsula. The elevation change isn’t actually all that big for a hike of this length, but the long climb that gets progressively steeper toward the end has a way of wearing you out.

.

The trail is very popular and on a nice summer day you might encounter a group of hikers every five minutes or so. There’s an unusual variety of people here, with young and old, hikers and joggers, individuals and families, and a lot of Silicon Valley engineers all puffing their way to the top. The route seems to be a favorite of hiking clubs and other big groups.

.

The trail is really quite enjoyable; it’s surprisingly quiet and woodsy given that it overlooks the Bay Area, and it has the best views of Silicon Valley of any trail. There’s no traffic noise and few trail intersections, and much of the route is very well-maintained singletrack. The trail is mostly wooded, but there’s a long stretch of chaparral at the top.

.

Even through it’s wooded, the lower part of the trail gets very hot in the summer. The hike should be avoided if the high temperature for the day will be 85°F or higher. In the winter the trail holds up remarkably well and doesn’t get muddy.

.

+++