San Francisco: Hike
South Bay
Site Title
Purisima Open Space Perserve
Weblink: Purisima
Location: Access to the Redwood Trail or Purisima Creek Trail: there is an 11-car parking area at the trailhead 6.5 miles south of Highway 92
Distance: Purisima Trail: If you follow the whole trail from end and back, it's roughly 3.5 miles. We usually walk a mile, cross a few bridges and play in the creek.
Difficulty: Easy
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We love this trail because it has all my favorite things, redwoods, water, ferns, and banana slugs! I could easily spend all day here.
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Marine Fitzgerald Reserve at Half Moon Bay
Weblink: Friends of Marine Fitzgerald Reserve
Location: 200 Nevada Avenue
Distance: Observe the tide pools and take a mini hike above the reserve
Difficulty: Easy
Do you like tide pools and wind swept cypress? Oh yeah and harbor seals? Yes. Check the tides before you go so you can be there during low tide to observe all the magical creatures.
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Mori Point
Weblink: Mori Point
Location: Pacifica, Bradford Trail
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty: Easy
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There are 32 acres of wetlands and super cool coastal bluffs, in this park and all are easy to walk to with kids. Park just off Broadway and take either the Old or Upper Mori Trail to the sea. I do love the Bootleggers Steps because there's something charming about wooden steps placed firmly into the side of a sand hill. Regardless, once you are on Mori Headlands Trail the view will truly enchant (pretty much all the trails headed west take you there). It's roughly .87 miles from parking to the ocean views. One things I particularly love about this site is that is all maintained and resorted by volunteers, regular ole' people, committed to preserving the land from development. Thanks y'all.
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Wunderlich
Weblink: Wunderlich
Location: 4040 Woodside
Distance: a wee bit complicated
Difficulty: Easy, pretty flat
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While I love hiking in Wunderlich (we affectionally call it Wunderlichen good), the trails are a wee bit confusing. However, the cool of the redwoods and mixed forests of California coffeeberry, California hazelnut, California bay, coast live oak and Douglas fir. If you enter from Woodside Road, we hike to Bear Gulch to the Madrone Trail and back (roughly two miles). If want to do the loop, after the Salamander Flat, hit the Meadow Trail that will connect with the Loop and/or Alambique Trail to get you back to your parking spot. You can also take the whole Alambique Trail will take you past the largest known redwood in the park. Whatever trail you take, have fun.
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