Words by Andrea Gemmet
On a recent Tuesday morning, I find myself on the Betsy Crowder Trail in Portola Valley inspecting an oak gall. I had no idea what these golf ball-sized spheres were before embarking on a two-hour hike led by Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District docents. Now, I’m fascinated by these weird little orbs.
Poetically described by my Midpen guide Tony as made out of “an oak tree’s tears,” galls form around a single wasp egg, protecting both the tree and the larva that eventually hatches and chews its way out. But they’re also useful for us non-wasps. For at least 2,000 years, people have crushed oak galls and combined them with water and iron to create a permanent black ink. How permanent? The United States Constitution was written in oak gall ink, as was Ireland’s famous Book of Kells and the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls.
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve, where you’ll find the Betsy Crowder Trail (along with the occasional oak gall), is just one of many gems in the Peninsula’s treasure chest of public trails in county parks and preserves.
Cover Photo: Courtesy of Alex Song / Photo: Courtesy of Douglas Sheaffer
I’ve been to Windy Hill dozens of times, but this is my first hike with a group and a guide, and it’s clear that I still have a lot to learn. I come away with fun facts about the pretty (but mostly poisonous) types of berries that grow in late summer and fall, and a renewed determination to spend as much of this autumn as possible outdoors.
While there’s no bad time to get out in nature, this season holds special delights with its cooler days, colorful leaves and migrating birds. Spring wildflowers are glorious, but the reds and golds of autumn can be just as beautiful. I asked Lauren Ford-Peterson, a ranger for San Mateo County Parks, and Midpen rangers Marianne Rogers and Robin Reiterman Curtis to share their expert advice on the best places to stretch your legs while enjoying glorious fall weather.
Whether you want to go on a short, leisurely stroll or challenge yourself with a lengthier hike among autumnal flora and fauna, here are some remarkable routes for you to try.
Photo: Courtesy of San Mateo County Parks
Dean to Crystal Springs trails, Huddart County Park, Woodside (moderate/strenuous)
Keep an eye out for black-tailed deer and turkeys amid the fall colors on this 5-mile loop, says Lauren, who’s been a ranger with San Mateo County Parks since 2018. Along the trail, you can spot bursts of bright yellow leaves from California hazelnuts. “They look like they are floating, since the branches are so thin,” she says.
Tips: Start your hike at the Zwierlein Picnic Area. Huddart Park has a $6 vehicle entry fee, but you can borrow a free county park pass from any San Mateo County library.
More Options:
• Nonette Hanko San Andreas Fault or Franciscan Loop trails, Los Trancos Open Space Preserve, Los Altos. Expect to see excellent fall colors from maples, madrones and bay laurel trees on these short routes that have steep sections (especially Franciscan Loop), says Ranger Marianne. Hike both trails for a challenge or slow down with a self-guided earthquake tour on the San Andreas Trail, where you can shuffle and crunch your way through colorful fallen leaves “like a five-year-old on the East Coast.”
• Purisima Creek Trail, Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, Half Moon Bay. Choose your own adventure with an 8-mile out-and-back that starts from the Redwood parking lot on Highway 35 or take it easy by starting at the small lot off Purisima Creek Road and turning around at the 2-mile mark for a route that’s mostly flat and bordered by colorful big-leaf maples and redwoods, says Ranger Marianne. Look down to spot banana slugs and rough-skinned newts (But don’t touch!) or search high in old-growth trees for marbled murrelets, a black-and-white seabird that comes ashore to nest.
Photo: Courtesy of San Mateo County Parks
Cowell-Purisima Trail,
Half Moon Bay (easy)
This 2-mile out-and-back route is Ranger Lauren’s personal favorite. It’s where she goes for runs and takes her kids on her days off. “During the fall, it’s peaceful and hosts a beautiful view of the coastline.”
Tips: For an accessible route, start on the south trailhead, right off of Highway 1, and turn around when it narrows to a single path heading down to the creek. Visit on weekdays or come early on weekends to nab a spot in the small parking lot.
More Options:
• Salamander Springs Trail, Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve, Los Gatos. “Last year, we opened a ton of trails on the east side of the preserve,” says Ranger Robin. Find colorful big-leaf maples on this shady new trail, perfect for hot fall days. Parking can be tough on weekend mornings.
• Horseshoe Loop Trail, Skyline Ridge Preserve, La Honda. “I hiked it for the first time in the fall and honestly, it was breathtaking,” says Ranger Marianne, noting the colorful big-leaf maples and red-barked madrones. The trail is an accessible 1.2-mile loop around the aptly named Horseshoe Lake, and a good spot for birding.
• Zinfandel Trail, Picchetti Ranch Preserve, Cupertino. On this easy, 1.9-mile out-and-back trail, poison oak is easy to spot in the fall, when it turns bright red. “One of my favorite things is, after the first rain, there’s a seasonal pond that starts to fill up,” says Ranger Robin. After hiking, you can relax with a glass of zinfandel at the historic Picchetti Winery.
Photo: Courtesy of Mike Kahn - MROSD
San Francisco Bay Trail, Ravenswood Open Space Preserve, East Palo Alto (moderate)
This small preserve connects to the 350-mile (and growing) Bay Trail, so you can extend your hike as far as you’d like. “It’s paved and flat, great for biking and really beautiful,” says Ranger Robin. For an unusual source of fall color, check out the pickleweed growing in the briny marshlands. When it turns red, it’s absorbed all the salt it can take and is about to drop its leaves. You might see a salt marsh harvest mouse or ridgeway rail, two endangered species that thrive in this habitat.
Tips: Bring your binoculars and do some bird-watching at the preserve’s observation platforms. Parking is usually easy.
More Options:
• Pillar Point Bluff to Jean Lauer trails, Moss Beach. This 1.6-mile loop offers views of Montara Mountain and the San Mateo County coastline. Leashed dogs are allowed on the bluff trail, but not on the beach, which is in the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, says Ranger Lauren.
• Hazelnut to Weiler Ranch trails, San Pedro Valley Park, Pacifica. This 4.1-mile loop offers valley views and an occasional glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. Ranger Lauren suggests popping into the visitor center, open 10AM-4PM on weekends.