Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve

a great place to hike near Redwood City — nice trails — not too steep to climb back up if you park at the Northridge parking lot (the main parking lot).

Amazing trails! We did part of the purisima creek trail in the winter and saw a ton of banana slugs!

Park Map:
As a peninsula-​dweller, Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is one of the most easily accessible places for a good butt-​burning wilderness trek without having to drive an hour, cross a bridge, nor pay a parking fee. I’ve been here a few times now as it’s a convenient place to gather a group when you’ve got friends coming everywhere from SF to SJ. It’s not too crowded of a destination but can get popular in the warmer months or if you come later in the morning or afternoon. There are 3 different trailheads for the park but I recommend parking at the North Ridge Trail parking lot
on the northeast side as it’s the largest (fits about 2 dozen cars) + has a bathroom.
13 130 Skyline Blvd, Redwood City, CA 94 062
^^^ USE THIS ADDRESS for navigating to the lot.
Trust me… the Unilocal location marker isn’t accurate + Google Maps will navigate you to a different tiny lot about a mile down Skyline so I’ve gotten lost twice while trying to find this lot. If you’re driving south on Skyline/​35, look for this sign on your right side
. It’s easy to miss + will sneak up on you if you’re unfamiliar with the area. The only downside of parking in this lot is that your adventure will start as a descent before you then ascend to return. An atypical twist, not recommended for those who can’t handle the elevation gain after a few miles in.
Now as for the hike itself, there’s plenty of trails whether you’re looking to get 15 or 0.5 miles in. I’ve seen trail runners here as well as families toting along toddlers. A majority of the trails are nicely shaded, though the fauna + flora will vary by season. In the springtime you’ve get greenery like this
, + if you come in autumn just after the leaves fall, some of your trek will look more like this
. Regardless of the season, I can almost guarantee that you’ll see at least one banana slug though
.
My go-​to hike here is a 7-​mile counterclockwise loop starting from the North Ridge Trail to Whittenmore Gulch Trail + then turning back on the Harkins Ridge Trail, which leads back to the North Ridge Trail. The 1000 ft descent along Whittenmore Gulch has several switchbacks before flattening out amongst a thicket of redwood trees. It’s definitely the prettier part of the journey + the elevation change seems more gradual. Your turnaround point is the trailhead at the west end of the park by the Higgins Purisima parking lot, where there is also a bathroom. Heading back up the Harkins Ridge Trail is a pretty constant incline with some loose gravel + is a bit more exposed, but for views like this
, it’s worth it. Alternatives to doing this same loop would be going clockwise, though descending on Harkins could be a bit slippery for those without good traction. Or you could start from the Higgins Purisima trailhead on the other side of the park to then do your typical ascent then descent on the loop… but then driving around from the 1-​Fwy to get there is a whole extra journey that anyone coming from the 280 or 101 probably doesn’t want to bother with.
The highest point in the Purisima Creek Redwoods is Bald Knob at 2,102 ft. I have yet to venture over to the Bald Knob Trail to make my way up there as that would most likely require a 10-​mile trek overall, but it’s on my bucket list for the future!

Ask the Unilocal Whisperer
QOTD 9−1−15
Dear B, so I hear that you like to hike in the Santa Cruz mountains, especially in the northern preserves. I run a … um … clothing and outdoor business and am always on the lookout for places for everyday adventure. Not like a trip to Patagonia or a rock wall on Malta, you understand. Something easy to do from home, in 3 – 5 hours, but with that «thrill of the wild» sensibility, and maybe even a little bit of solitude. Got anything for me? Thanks, friend!
Yvon C.
Ventura, CA
Hi Yvon, you might what to check out Purisima canyon, a rugged and unspoiled redwood basin that is one of the area’s very best of the best. It has great potential for the intrepid day hiker interested in 9 – 10 mile routes with 1500 feet of elevation gain, or half marathon distances that have maybe 3000 feet total, gained and lost over the course of 12 – 15 miles. You’ll enjoy ocean breezes and redwood shade with sunny slopes covered in coastal chaparral and wildflowers in season. And in a winter’s rainstorm, Purisima rages with water draining down gulches and streams and all running headlong into the Pacific.
Some times of the year, you’ll be surrounded by rabbits and quail, or enjoy native orchids in bloom and salamanders crawling about; other times you’ll be drenched in fog and dodging fallen redwood branches as wind gusts rush in from the coast. I come here a lot, but I’m still impressed by the early morning hours and the silence of a weekday visit. A «bronze medal» route would start at the Skyline’s North Ridge trailhead and drop into Whitmore gulch before climbing out — steeply on Harkins Ridge to complete the loop. Harkins is nature’s Stairmaster, and you’ll love the inclines and the views.
To add distance and scenic diversion, extend the loop to include the Purisima Creek trail and the Craig Britton hikers only stretch, but for a «gold medal» route, include as well the Borden Hatch Mill and Grabtown Gulch trails, which will take you up and down both sides of the canyon and definitely give you a workout. You could even add on a visit to Irish Ridge, but that puts you into 18 – 20 mile territory, and maybe you don’t want so much fun all at once.
Dress for sun and shade, with 1 – 2 liters of water (at least 32 oz.), a daypack, and hiking poles if you really want to navigate the steep sections with ease. No, it’s not Patagonia or Yosemite or Hells Canyon, but it’s the best backyard that Silicon valley has to offer. Hope you’ll enjoy it, Yves. Have a great hike!

I liked this hike but it was a little light in terms of payoff for me — always like to have something awesome at the end and because of the way the parking lots are situated you hike down and then come back up. Getting to the other parking lot at the bottom of the gulch was so much less satisfying a halfway point than a summit with a view. That being said the views along the way (see pics) both in and out of the forest make this a solid option for an intermediate hike.

Awesome place to hike, but it is on the challenging side (which I love), and will make most pant and gasp for air. The good is the air is very clean, so gasp away. We winged it when we came out here, so we ended up taking a brutal route. If you want a more positive experience here, pay close attention to Unilocal’s hiking guru, Dan B.‘s instruction on his review.
First things first. If you start anywhere off Skyline Blvd, where there are 2 different parking areas (and I’m sure most do), you will be setting yourself up for a downhill beginning, only to be presented with an uphill finish. This is brutal for most. I remember on our descend beginning, the hunched shoulders of all those on their way back. There were a few broken spirits which made me smirk a bit but only to anticipate the latter part of the hike.
If you want that downhill finish, DO NOT park on Skyline. You have to go to a whole other parking area on the western part of the preserve, which is a much lower elevation than the Skyline entries. Look for the Higgin’s Canyon Traihead as a start and follow Dan B.‘s review.
The hike itself is multifaceted. A sheltered and shaded downhill trek. A relaxing flat stroll through a creek with ferns and small bridge crossings. Then a gentle zig zag climb that will perch you out to the start of some awesome views of fog belts amongst peaks and valleys. The final ¹⁄₃ of the climb is unfortunately the steeper parts of the hike. Just when your reserves are almost on E, the hike turns the screws and demands an athletic performance. This is where you will see everybody sweating/​panting and lots of people sitting off to the side resting.
Was I sore the next day? Hells ya. But you know what, I’d do it again. Helluva lot better than any stair climber at any gym. But I’m definitely going to start on that western entrance on the next outing.

Easy hiking with lots of shades. It’s an excellent hiking place all year around, especially in summer.
The trail map can be found on official website of open space preserve.
The route I took: Parking lot at Redwoods trail (Gate PCO3 on map) —- redwood trail (0.2 mi) —- Purisima Creek trail (1.6 mi) —-Purisima Creek trail (1.3 mi) —-Borden Hatch Mill trail (2.5 mi) —- 0.2 mi connection —- Grabtown Gulch trail (1.5 mi) —- Pusisima Creek trail (1.3 + 1.6 mi) —- Redwood trail (0.2 mi) —- Redwoods parking lot
Total is approx. 11 mile. Took 4 hours.
I record the route with Garmin, link:

This trail is really beautiful and not too crowded comparative to a lot of Bay Area hikes. We did a nearly 8-​mile loop which ended up being quite a bit longer than expected. This was simply because we didn’t pay too much attention to the map (our faults entirely). The route switch backed across a meadow with beautiful views of Half Moon Bay and the Pacific, and then descended into redwood forests and down to the «creek» (hardly trickling this time of year). Hiking hear isn’t for the faint of heart, since starting on Skyline requires some elevation gain on the way back. I subtracted one star for the fact that all the climbing is on the return trip!

Brought my 10 year old and 8 year old girls to hike out here instead of school today. We set out this morning on the North Ridge Trail under a perfect fog cover. My recommendation echoes that of others– slow and steady up those hills, drink water and watch for wildlife. We saw 3 deer and a bunny and several butterflies and banana slugs. It is most definitely our favorite peninsula hike so far. 4 miles took us about 2 hours. My girls are very active but all 3 of us were pretty exhausted on those hills. We were booking it though at the end so we could say we finished it in the recommended time suggested on
. But a child in decent shape could make it no problem if you were going a little slower. Have fun on the trail!

Wow what a hike/​walk!
The first half of the hike is rather easy because it is a slight downhill, wait till you start walking back (slight uphill) to the parking lot. That is some walk! I went out of breath and had to rest every 15 minutes. But I like that it was challenging but not difficult.
Definitely a great place to hike!

Purisima Creek OSP is my favorite open space preserve in the bay area, and is home to the best loop hike on the peninsula.
That’s right. The very best. The Purisima Creek /​Harkins /​Whitmore loop covers 8.8 miles and a 1200-​ft total elevation change; offering a wonderful diversity of micro-​climates, fantastic views. and relative solitude compared with most well-​known bay area hikes. (Does anybody out there know of a better peninsula loop hike than this? — I’m all ears)
Here’s a more detailed description of this loop:
– Starting at Higgins Canyon Trailhead on the west side, take the Purisima Creek Trail up the very mild grade through lush fern-​lined forest, punctuated by occasional bridge crossings over the creek.
– After 2.3 miles, you’ll intersect with the Craig Britton Trail, which makes a foray through Soda Gulch. The trail crosses multiple mini streams through deep redwoods. Multiple fairy rings can be seen along the trail (
). After two miles on this lovely single-​track, you’ll rise above the redwoods and intersect with the Harkins Ridge Trail.
– Continuing uphill, the Harkins Ridge Trail affords some of the best views on the loop. On clear days, one can see Half Moon Bay and the ocean. On less clear days, fog tendrils may curl over the lower ridges to the west, providing no less picturesque vantages. Once the trail levels out and turns north, there’s a few nice spots to enjoy a break or lunch while drinking in the scenery.
– Continuing north, the trail lingers along the heights, and in and out of forest, before intersecting with the Northridge Trail, and then the Whitmore Gulch trail,
– The Whitmore Gulch Trail winds steeply down through open chaparral, then a mix of deciduous forest and redwoods before finally paralleling the Whitmore Gulch stream far below. After descending to the lush stream-​side you’ll intersect with the Purisima Creek Trail and your starting point.
Note: by adding another mile, one can also reach this loop via the Northern Skyline Rd. entrance, but I personally prefer an up-​then-​down hike profile to a down-​then-​up profile.
As for Purisima OSP as a whole, it is located on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz mountains and encompasses two primary canyons, one very large canyon with several side tributaries (Purisima Creek Canyon) and one smaller canyon (Whitemore Gulch). There are four entrances to the park, two on Skyline Drive, one on Tunitas Creek Road, and one on Higgins Canyon Rd., on the western side. The latter entrance is a short drive southeast from Half Moon Bay.
Here’s a link to the trail map:
(
)
As for downsides of this park, the only one I can come up with is the lack of old growth groves (such as can be found in Big Basin or Butano State parks). It’s all second growth here, but the trees are certainly mature enough to feel like an older, established forest.
Also (and aside from the hike above) there’s not a lot of other loop hike options at Purisima that don’t involve a steep downhill (my knees’ least favorite). However I have recently found that I can park at one of the two Skyline Rd. entrances and make my own «home made» loop through the park by using trails and local walkways along Skyline Rd itself. Not as ideal, but still spends more than 50% of the time in the park itself.
I’ll return to Purisima. No doubt about that. It’s the first place I take out-​of-​towners who want to see the best hiking the peninsula has to offer.
Hiking Spot Checklist:
– Parking: Dirt lots at both Skyline entrances; small lot and roadside parking at Higgins Canyon entrance
– Bathrooms: At all entrances; single pit toilet or port-​a-​potty
– Potable water: No
– Maps provided: Yes
– Highlights: Diverse micro-​climates; nice views

Pre Hike–
Roommate: Wanna go for a hike?
Me: But can we get sandwiches?
During Hike–
Roommate: You seem kind of over this.
Me: Nah. Just have to poop.
10 Miles Into Hike–
Roommate (who’s about 3 football fields ahead of me with no loss of breath or pace): You doing alright?
Me (as I pant, snivel, and flail my arms about): Grumble grumble… something about having Midwestern thighs and a lot more weight to carry than he does.
I know it doesn’t sound like a good time was had, but I’m actually really glad with how things worked out– though I def thought our hike would be more like 6 – 8 miles, and not the 11 that it ended up being by adding extra loop trails.
In the end, I was glad that we did the trail that we did, though in hindsight I would have drank less coffee and tried harder to #2 before we left because it got pretty stressful towards the end for me and there’s very few suitable spaces here to make twos if you’re unwilling to step more than 3 feet off the trail into foliage that goes above your shins, as I am — though I did come up with a pretty genius litter-​free quesadilla-​type solution for it and the wipey I brought along just in case it did come down to it but I’m saving it for the hiking and camping book I may someday be inspired to write. It’s going to be called, ‘Camping and hiking for people who have no business camping or hiking.‘
According to my roomie we did a «swath» (he clearly went to a really good public school and frequently flexes $ 5 words like that) of trails, including the North Ridge Trail, Harkins Ridge Trail, Purisima Creek Trail, and Craig Britton Trail (
). I’m super good at directions but for some reason trail markers and park maps don’t jive with me so I was lucky to have my roomie guide navigating because we did see a bunch of very lost people looking to find their way back to their car (there’s at least 3 different parking lots) and I’m not so sure that the topography of the displayed maps are very accurately represented, though it’s safe to say that all those wavy lines shown are how your leg and butt muscles will feel at the end of your hike.
We parked in the North Ridge parking lot and I’m pretty sure we bottomed out hiking and summiting about 8 times and the soreness of my hips and butt then and in all of the days to follow can attest to that. There were a few quick downhill parts but you’ll quickly forget about those and wonder how in the hell there could possibly be any more up-​hill trails to explore.
It was a pretty foggy day so the views weren’t as spectacular as they could be, and it did actually rain and mist for a short duration of out hike, but it wasn’t crowded (probably because of those two reasons) and it made the entire thing better because of it. Plus, some of those trails are hella skinny and it’s hard to pass whether you’re going faster or running into another group going the opposite direction. On a normal California day you can see through to the ocean, or at least Half Moon Bay, and our hike we did catch glimpses of it between the fog, but it was still a cool place to be and semi– reminiscent of the woods where Elliot and ET run the jewels.
In hindsight I’d say that going the shorter distance trails and not tacking on extra loops like we did would be a moderately easy hike and we did see a bevy of seniors with walking sticks navigating them, but I distinctly remember while I was hiking the trails (maybe 5 miles in) and thinking about what if I took my entire family here and then spent the next 3 miles playing out in my head who wouldn’t be able to make it and who we’d just have to go on without. Like legit, my mom would die out here, probably within the first 2 miles, and if it went anything like my last hike with my Dad, there’d be argument over what the wrong vs right way back to the car was, there’d be a brief tussle, and one of us would end up buried in the brush somewhere, so the trails aren’t for everyone is all I’m saying.
There’s banana slugs a plenty, we for real saw hundreds of them throughout our hike… though some were dead or dying from being squashed by murderous trail bikers (monsters!), tons of different kinds of poop piles (none human, as far as I could tell), a really cool newt, a super white spider eating the carcass of a large bumble bee, a bunch of birds, and the medium-​sized bone of an unidentified animal that was pretty darn cool and probably some new species that has never been discovered before because why not?
I would’ve liked to have seen some other wildlife as I was super prepared by the signs at the trail entrance advising what to do in case you encounter a mountain lion, but there’s always next time. Quick tip to the little ladies out there, if you need to appear bigger to scare off prey, push your boobs up. I haven’t tried it on the trail yet, but I think it makes for an excellent story and who knows, maybe it does really wor

What a gorgeous hike! We had a brilliant time doing the Whittemore Gulch Trail. The landscape changes often enough to keep you on your toes the entire way. You’ll see gorgeous redwoods, rolling hills that go all the way out to the ocean, rocky walls where there must have been an earthquake at some point, and more. It’s a fascinating place.
Dress for both sun and shade; the forest brings a pretty significant drop in temperature and can get a bit chilly.
Also, I highly recommend starting from the lower point. We started at the top from Skyline, and the last third of our hike was brutal. Great workout, but the last thing you want to see after two hours of hiking is a giant slope upwards. and another. and another… and… for the last hour. :)

Another fantastic park — this one is on the side of a pretty steep hill though. So you start the hike from Skyline going down, down, down… save your energy for hiking back up! Beautiful trails and all under gorgeous redwoods. Have only explored this park a little bit, and looking forward to seeing more of it!
Be warned, parking along Skyline is fairly slim pickings…

I did a portion of the non-​looping Northridge trail that unfortunately I didn’t get to finish because the sun was setting and the fog was rolling in and we weren’t prepared. It would have been an epic sunset hike. While there are no switchbacks, the trail has very steep hills to climb. I loved it and the view was amazing.

I really enjoyed going here with my friend and my husband. We hung out on Main Street in Half Moon Bay and the visitors center recommended Purisima Creek Redwoods. We were there around 12:30PM on a Saturday and easily found side parking in front of the entrance. The hike is beautiful with a little bridge and a creek that runs through it. Just watch out for poison ivy and, apparently, mountain lions! Great place to take photos. If you’re planning on doing the entire hike, bring some water to stay hydrated.

Beautiful hike with views of the ocean on a clear day. We came on a warm winters day without a cloud in the sky and enjoyed this moderate hike. There were not too many people on the trail since we went on a Wednesday morning but that was terrific for us to be able to be refreshed by stillness.
Enjoyed the North Ridge Trail. Would have been nice to see some horses while we hiked. Next time!

I love this place. It’s just so beautiful.
FROM: Main Parking off Skyline (Downhill first, Uphill back)
This is a good start point if you’re training for something. The loop ends up being close to 12 miles, and either way you go, you are start by going downhill and then ending with an incline. From the parking lot, enter the gates and hike until you reach an intersection. Go left towards Harkins Ridge Trail for about 1 mile. At this next intersection, this is your loop point. My preferred route is to turn left again towards the Bay Area Ridge Trail /​Craig Britton Trail. It’s cooler, as it descends into the redwoods. If you’re hiking in a group, you may have to hike in a single filed line, and stopping occasionally if people are coming towards you or passing.
FROM: Higgins Canyon Road (Uphill first, Downhill back).
There is a tiny parking lot, but lots of street parking. Enter past the initial gate and you’ll see a bathroom. From here you have 2 options. Go left over the bridge, or go straight past the bathrooms. This loops ends up being about 7 miles, and it’s an easier hike. The initial 2 miles are a bit tough, as you hit the hills almost immediately. It’s just hill after hill, some being pretty steep. Once you hit the intersection to follow the Craig Britton Trail, things get significantly easier and it’s smooth sailing from there. The beginning will have some sun exposure, and then after you get on to the Britton Trail, it’s all shade.
Over all, the loops are nice and long. I did a super leisurely 7 mile hike in 3 hours. The 12 mile one was a bit tough, but that time I was training for half dome. Either way, this place is beautiful with towering redwoods and banana slugs.
Hours are sunrise to sunset. Come early. Around 12:30, there were a bunch of cars with minimal parking spots left!

I resolve to exercise more.
I resolve to eat less.
I resolve to read more.
I resolve to drink less.
I resolve to work harder…
Whereas some of these things will surely fall by the wayside, I hope, as I hope every year, that I remain steadfastly dedicated to exercise. And with such amazing hiking at our fingertips, I have no excuse! I started off the New Year with an awesome 7-​miler around Purisma Creek Redwoods Open Space.
With over 24 miles of hikable trails, Purisma offers even the most novice of hikers a way to get outside and frolic amongst the coastal redwood forest! I recommend making the jaunt to the ocean side (approximately 4.5 miles south of Half Moon Bay) and beginning your hike low. This way, you can get the tough stuff out of the way (and yes, it can be tough in spots) and end nice and easy on the downhill.
Make it as tough or as easy as you want, but be sure to check out the maps before hand so that you’re not surprised when you make a nearly 1500 elevation gain in a matter of moments. Aye…
I resolve to exercise more.
I resolve to eat le… okay… that one didn’t even last a whole review! [wipes leftover garlic bread crumbs from moustache]

We showed up with:
–Jeans
–Kenneth Cole (once fancy, expensive even) sneaks
–Toms (her, not I)
–1 bottle of water, room temp
White peeps showed up with:
–Goofy hats
–Walking canes (they were skis)
–Backpacks
–Hiking boots (still had tags on though)
I’m not a hiker, probably never will be. We showed up with hopes of enjoying a nice stroll through mother nature and that’s exactly what went down. I clearly need to update my gear, but I doubt I will ever show up like Whitey does. They sure know how to look goofy as all get up though! Props to all of em for going the extra mile to look the part.