Hikers and equestrians from across San Mateo County can return to most trails at Sam McDonald Park and Pescadero Creek Park, two popular Santa Cruz Mountains destinations for weekend outings, after the county lifted the majority of closures that had blocked access during forest health work.
The reopening, effective Monday, Aug. 10, restores summer access to much of the 850-acre Sam McDonald Park and the adjacent Pescadero Creek Park trail system. Crews had closed large sections while conducting fuel reduction and forest thinning funded by a CAL FIRE Forest Health Grant through California Climate Investments, according to San Mateo County Parks.
The project is managed jointly by San Mateo County Parks, San Mateo RCD and Auten Resources Consulting. The goal: improve forest health and ensure long-term trail access.
What's still closed
Several targeted sections remain off-limits as work continues:
- Old Haul Road from trail marker 48 at the Hoffman Creek Trailhead (entering Memorial Park) to trail marker 58
- Pomponio Trail from trail marker 58 on Old Haul Road to where the trail meets Pescadero Creek
- Shaw Flat Trail Camp
- Tarwater Trailhead and parking lot and Tarwater Trail Camp
The Old Haul Road closure is expected to remain for approximately two weeks from Aug. 10. After that, the closure will shift to another portion of Old Haul Road as crews move through the corridor.
The rest is open.
Separately, Baker Fire Road between junctions 74 and 75 in Pescadero Creek Park remains closed due to a bridge failure unrelated to the forest health project.
Planning a visit
Sam McDonald Park sits about three miles west of La Honda on Pescadero Road and is open to hikers and equestrians. A downloadable closure map for Pescadero Creek Park is available on the county parks website.
The CAL FIRE-funded work is part of a broader push to reduce fire risk across the region's open spaces. In July, Midpen secured nearly $2 million for wildfire prevention and habitat work in San Mateo County.
