Connector 17 mile Thru Hike Sawyer Camp to Woodside trail system
Views: Crystal Reservoir
Crowd: Heavy
Average Speed: 4.4mph
Stopped Time: 0 min
Difficulty 1-5 for relative distance: 1 (only included as a connection trail)
Bike: Yes Bikes
Dogs: No Dogs
Cautions: Note until sometime in 2018 the dam/bridge will be closed forcing a detour as shown
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Hike Direction: North to Southeast, Thru hike.
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Download GPX route: Click Here
Parking: Free - off San Bruno Ave.
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Driving Directions:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir//37.618599,-122.441478/@37.618558,-122.4433169,17z/data=!3m1!4b1
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More info:
Crystal springs trail http://parks.smcgov.org/crystal-springs-segment
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This is a 17 mile thru hike section only. It is included only to allow those wanting to connect from San Bruno, Milbrae or San Mateo to the other trail systems. I do not consider this a "hike".
The first 12 miles are on paved trail except for about .75 of a mile that uses single track. There is also a road detour around the Crystal Springs Dam repair project expected to be finished sometime in 2018. The detour leads to the paved path off Ralston Road and is used to cross over 280 and connect to Canada Road. The trail becomes dirt again after it connects to the trail next to Canada road.
It connects to Water Dog, Pulgas Ridge and Edgewood Parks along the way. But you can continue straight past Woodside to Windy Hill, Cole Creek and all the trail systems further South. Turning West at the gate opening (the end of this route) you can hike to Huddart Park or thru it, to Purisima Creek or the Bay Area Ridge Trail on
Skyline then onto Wunderlich Park or El Corte de Madera Creek (AKA Skeggs Point)
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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.