Bay Ridge Trail 11 miles Crystal Springs (Guided Walk)
Views: SF Bay+, Coastal Range, Some Ocean
Crowd: Semi-Private
Average Speed: 2.1 mph (walking with group)
Stopped Time: 63 min
Difficulty 1-5 for relative distance: 1.5
Bike: Yes Bikes - event specific
Dogs: NO Dogs
Cautions:
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Hike Direction: North to South, Thru Hike.
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Download GPX route: Click Here
Parking: Free Self-Shuttle.
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Driving Directions (Trailhead):
https://www.google.com/maps/dir//37.620595,-122.45409/@37.620731,-122.4564957,17z/data=!3m1!4b1
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More info: :http://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=147
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This is just over an 11 mile docent lead thru-hike that follows Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail and is part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.
With a large group, expect the stops and regrouping to be very frequent with a long stop for lunch.
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Restrooms are all along the trail every couple of miles.
Other than the views, the trail (actually a road) is relatively boring. It is paved to the top of Sweeney Ridge, dirt for about a 1/2 mile, then mostly gravel.
Personally, I am not a fan of group hikes; but this is the only way most can hike/walk this section of the watershed. I was however, pleasantly surprised by the VERY nice people we meet on the guided hike. Thomas our docent struck a nice balance of managing some very SLOW hikers with some of us that wanted to hike much faster.
For Reservations:
http://sfwater.org/cfapps/trail/available.cfm
Meets at the turnout on north side of Highway 92 at Upper Skyline Blvd. just before the entrance to Skylawn Cemetery ½ hour prior to scheduled 9am start of the hike.
You'll park some of the cars at the end of the Cemetery and then car shuttled all the hikers to start at the Sneath Lane gate. After the hike, you'll car shuttle the people who left their cars at the Sneath lane gate.
Directions to Cemetery Gate Trailhead:
Meet at the turnout on the north side of the intersection of CA Highway 92 and CA Highway 35 just before the entrance to Skylawn Cemetery. The turnout is on the right side of westbound CA Highway 92 approximately 1.7 miles after you have passed over Crystal Springs Reservoir.
Once the group has arrived we will caravan north through the Cemetery approximately 2 miles to the Cemetery Gate trailhead and park inside the gate.
Directions to Sneath Lane Gate (Portola) Trailhead:
Proceed to the end of Sneath lane in San Bruno, Ca. This is also a trailhead for Sweeney Ridge in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The address for the Sneath Lane trailhead is 3700 Sneath Lane, San Bruno, Ca.
From southbound 280: take the Sneath Lane exit and proceed west 2 miles to the end of Sneath Lane.
From northbound 280: take the CA Highway 35, Pacifica Exit #41, proceed north on Skyline Blvd for 2 miles and make a left turn onto Sneath Lane. Proceed 1 mile to the end of the road.
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Red = Out & Back (O/B) or Connection hikes
Green = Loops
Blue = Backpacking including Backpacking thru hikes
Light Blue = Thru hikes
Yellow = To-do Backpack
Pink = Smaller loop option
Orange = To-do
Purple = Bay Ridge Trail thru hikes
GENERAL NOTES:
• Total Elevation Gain reported by GAIA on IOS devices looks to be a bit under reported when compared to Garmin devices that feature Baro elevation correction. It has been left for consistency.
• I carried a full overnight weekend backpack and hiked solo, unless otherwise noted. This certainly slows the time and pace a bit. I did so initially for the workout, but now so that the pacing is consistent and thus more predictable for comparing hike to hike times.
• Often midweek you might not see another person on your loop. Some of the Best Hikes on the Peninsula are surprisingly remote.
• Some of the trails have sharp drops just off the edge of the single track. A fall off in the wrong spot could be very bad.
• Cell signal is spotty to non-existent in many of the areas.
• Carry a headlamp in case you get lost, delayed, over estimated your progress, when you have an afternoon start, etc.
• When Hiking Solo, consider carrying extra food, first aid, and shelter or bivy, in case you find yourself lost, injured or in the parks after dark. It could be better to shelter in place, than continue without working light, tripping and falling off a cliff or wandering lost thru the night.
• Wildlife consists not only of lizards, rabbits, birds (including turkeys and hogs in some of the areas) and deer, but I have seen or seen signs of coyote, bob cat, rattle snakes and even mountain lions in several of the preserves over the years.
Seems like the lizards make the most noise as the run thru the leaves, but note that on several occasions the rattle snakes did NOT rattle. It never hurts to be aware of where you are stepping.
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ABOUT DOGS AND BIKES:
Most of the hiking routes cover a large area and numerous hiking trails. While some of the hiking trails used to create the route might allow dogs or bikes, a "NO" for either is listed if at any point on the hike, a hiking trail used for the hike, has a "NO" sign is posted.
However, regardless of the signs posted, please note that you'll often still see both.