Hike Whittemore Gulch at Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP

This beautiful mountain bike ride can be started at the Purisima Creek Road Trailhead or on Skyline Boulevard. There are many trails in the Purisisma Creek Redwoods, but Whittemore Gulch is by far the most beautiful and fun single track to descend on. If you are starting from Skyline Boulevard, it is often the better option to park at the trailhead near the beginning of the Purisima Creek Trail...

My run starts high up on Skyline at the main parking lot that leads to the North Ridge Trail head. It starts out with a steep downhill path that joins Harkins Ridge to the left. I follow Harkins and marvel at the sweeping views of Half Moon Bay, the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and Montara Mountain. At the next junction I turn left into the Craig Britton Trail.Craig Britton has many twists ...

There are two places to park for this specific loop- the main parking area on Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard) and a smaller parking lot on the western end of the park. I would recommend parking at whichever is closest. Find directions to both on Openspace.org. From the main parking lot, the trail is easy to find. Take it down (there are technically two ways to go- one 0.3mi long and the other 0....

This hike is perfect for any time of year, always staying cool because it is near the coast, and there are multiple creeks that flow year-round. Even on foggy days, the fog condenses on trees to make it seem like it is "raining." Be warned that this hike has a lot of elevation change and is strenuous. Begin the hike from the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve's lower entrance, access...

This is a great hike for any season of the year, with rushing streams during the winter, wildflowers in the spring, and cool, shaded canyons during the summer. Starting from near the Zwierlein Picnic area, take the Crystal Springs to the left into the redwood forest. Stay straight at the next trail intersection as the path slowly drops into a deeply wooded canyon. After winter rains, even befor...

This loop hike will provide people with the opportunity to experience the tranquility of the lower canyons of the preserve, which tend to be more isolated than the heavier-trafficked trails that are closer to the main highway. Be warned that this hike is fairly strenuous because of the large amount of elevation change. Starting from the Methuselah trail gate, head downhill, passing through a fo...