Resolution
Loop,
El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve,
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District,
San Mateo County
In brief:
6 mile loop through mostly redwoods in a preserve popular with mountain bikers.
Getting there:
From CA 92 in San Mateo County, turn south onto Skyline Boulevard (CA 35). Drive
about 8.5 miles, past Skeggs Point, then find a safe place to turn around and
drive back to the Skeggs Point parking lot (heading south a left turn into the
lot is prohibited).
Trailhead details:
Medium-size paved parking lot. No entrance or parking fees. There are two portable
toilets, but no drinking water. Maps available at the information signboard, inside
the preserve. There is no direct public transportation to the trailhead. No designated
handicapped parking, and there is no wheelchair route to the trailhead from the
parking lot.
Gas, food, and lodging:
Gas, pay phone, store, and restaurant about 3.5 miles south at the junction of
84 & 35. No camping.
Rules:
All trails but the short path to the tafoni are multi-use. Dogs are not permitted.
Preserve is open from dawn to 1/2 hour after sunset.
Distance, category, and difficulty:
This 6.2 mile loop hike is easy, with about 800 feet in elevation change.
Preserve elevation ranges from about 2300 to 800 feet. This hike starts at about
2300 feet, descends to 1800 feet, then climbs back to the trailhead.
The Official Story:
MROSD's
Corte Madera page.
MROSD field office 650-691-1200
Map Choices:
• Use AAA's San Francisco Bay Region map to get there.
• Map from MROSD
(download El Corte de Madera pdf)
• 
Peninsula Tales
and Trails, by David Weintraub (order
this book from Amazon.com) has an overview of the preserve, descriptions of
hikes, and simple maps.
• Afoot and Afield: San Francisco Bay Area, by David Weintraub (order
this book from Amazon.com) has a great map and descriptions of two El Corte
de Madera Creek Redwoods hikes.
• VirtualParks
has a map, and in you run an Apple or Windows operating system, you can view Quicktime
photos of the preserve.
• 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area, by Ann Marie
Brown (order
this book from Amazon.com) has a simple map and a good hike description.
• Tom Taber's Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Book has a simple map and
preserve descriptions (order
this book from Amazon.com).
• Peninsula Trails, by Jean Rusmore, has a simple map and preserve
descriptions (order
this book from Amazon.com).
Resolution
Loop in a nutshell -- a printable, text-only guide to the featured
hike.
View
photos from this hike.
There 
are
some parks and preserves in the bay area that are so beloved (some may even say
loved to death) that it is tough to find any peace and quiet there. People around
here adore being outdoors so much that even on Superbowl Sunday (when in many
US cities even the parts department at Sears is empty) you'll find plenty of folks
on the trails. My sure-fire tip for having any preserve to yourself is simple:
go on a weekday, in the winter, or when it is raining. This technique always pays
off on visits to El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve. In damp weather
and early weekdays I generally cross paths with a handful of cyclists and hikers.
El Corte de Madera is a lovely, large, challenging,
and contentious preserve. The beauty is evident as soon as you step onto a trail:
redwoods, huge Douglas firs, creeks, sandstone formations, pockets of chaparral,
and long views to the west all can be found here. But, along the extensive trail
system, you might notice 
that
it's tough to throw a pine cone through El Corte de Madera without hitting a cyclist.
Although mountain biking is said to have started on Mount Tam, it certainly seems
to have moved en masse to Corte Madera. The impressive acreage, and variety of
trails (including singletracks) and terrain make El Corte de Madera a favorite
for cyclists. MROSD has responded to the popularity of the preserve by opening
every trail but one (the short path to the sandstone formation) to cyclists, a
unusual move in the realm of local park management. Many cyclists are responsible,
level-headed, cooperative types. The cycling advocacy group ROMP even worked with
the MROSD to hand-build the North Leaf Trail, and helps to maintain many other
trails in the preserve. Other cyclists seem determined to use El Corte de Madera
(as well as
some other adjacent parks along Skyline) as their personal playgrounds. Despite
the MROSD's best efforts to squelch illegal trails, there are many deep gashes
made by bicycles in hillsides, and even in some places, longer stretches of unauthorized
trails.
Many hikers simply stay away from El Corte de Madera,
tired of confrontations with cyclists. It's a shame to skip this preserve, though.
There are many loop possibilities, and a few trailheads from which to enter. Most
people use the parking lot at Skeggs Point as a trailhead, as you are most likely
to find a place to park there. If you want to avoid an upside down hike (a descent
followed by an ascent), you can park at one of the tiny pullouts along Bear Gulch
or Star Hill Road; look for the MROSD gates marked with CM08, CM06, etc., and
pay attention to signage related to parking. These roads are very narrow, so drive
with caution, 
and
respect the privacy of local homeowners.
Start at the Skeggs Point parking lot, and walk
north along the side of Skyline Boulevard about 0.05 mile. Cross carefully
and enter the preserve through gate CM01. At the gate a paved road splits
uphill to the left, but stay to the right on Tafoni Trail. The broad multi-use
trail ascends a short distance, through a melange of Douglas fir, tanoak, madrone,
hazelnut, coast live oak, and buckeye. Forget-me-not, a non-native wildflower,
is very common along the trail, blooming from late winter 
through
early summer. Tafoni Trail descends to a signed junction at about 0.12
mile. Bear right onto El Corte de Madera Creek Trail.
Multi-use El Corte de Madera Creek Trail begins
a moderate descent. Initially you may see clumps of invasive broom along the trail,
but soon more admirable woodland plants and trees take over. Big-leaf maple and
California bay are dwarfed by towering Douglas fir. Look for bluewitch nightshade,
iris, foxglove, and thimbleberry blooming in late spring. Traffic noise fades
away, and the soothing sound of trickling water accompany walks in all but the
driest months. Gradually vegetation becomes incredibly lush, and redwoods appear,
along with huckleberry, gooseberry, and wild rose. Look for hound's tongue in
early spring and starflower later, in June. At about 0.8 mile, El Corte de Madera
Creek Trail veers left and crosses a bridge (this looks like a junction, but there
is no longer a trail straight ahead).
The trail shrinks
to a narrow path, but remains multi-use. El Corte de Madera Creek Trail heads
slightly uphill into a canyon, but takes a sharp turn right and instead crosses
a forested hillside. Redwood and tanoak dominate, but you might also see California
bay, madrone, and huckleberry. Trilliums and redwood sorrel bloom close to the
ground in spring. The trail lingers near 2000 feet, and hiking is easy on this
stretch. At about 1.8 miles, you'll reach a signed junction with Tafoni Trail.
You can shorten your hike by more than a mile if you turn left onto Tafoni here.
Stay to the right, continuing on El Corte de Madera Creek Trail.
At a damp spot a grove of giant chain ferns
thrive. The trail continues through a forest of redwood, tanoak, and madrone,
at
a nearly level pace. Some redwood stumps and trunks are charred from a fire. At
about 2.7 miles, you'll reach a signed junction. In June look for wild strawberries
at this split. El Corte de Madera Creek Trail persists to the right, making its
way eventually south -- you can add 4 miles on to this loop if you continue on
El Corte de Madera Creek Trail, then North Leaf, Methuselah, and Fir Trail. Turn
left onto Resolution Trail.
After miles of easy hiking, a very short moderate
ascent is a surprise. The multi-use trail levels out again, though, almost right
away, and then winds through redwood, madrone, and tanoak. Resolution Trail is
named after a British Commonwealth Pacific Airline DC-6 which crashed into the
side of the mountain in October 1953. Eight crew members and eleven passengers
died in the accident, which left debris strewn throughout the forest. Sharp-eyed
hikers might 
see
a few twisted scraps of metal -- remember it's illegal (and stupid) to remove
any artifacts from the preserve. In a brief stretch of chaparral manzanita muscle
their way into the woods, but the shrubs quickly defer again to redwoods, some
of the most majestic of this hike. At a sharp switchback left, Resolution Trail
begins to ascend at a slightly steeper grade. The trail becomes very rocky, and
one area is stripped of topsoil, leaving a sandstone surface. Manzanita, shrubby
oaks, Douglas fir, madrone, chamise, chinquapin, pitcher sage, toyon, monkeyflower,
ceanothus, and yerba santa
crowd the trail as it climbs. The sloping chaparral-covered hillside permits a
rare view south, to an ocean of conifers. At about 3.8 miles, Resolution Trail
ends at a T junction. Turn left onto Fir Trail.
Climbing at a moderate grade, multi-use Fir Trail
is initially lined with madrone, Douglas fir, chaparral pea, yerba santa, ceanothus,
manzanita, and toyon. Not far from the junction if you scan the ground in June
you might see yerba buena, a wild mint and the original namesake of San Francisco.
As Fir Trail ascends, a forest of redwood, madrone, tanoak, and Douglas fir shades
the route. At about 3.9 miles two paths on the left, a few feet apart, double
back and head uphill a short distance to the vista point. If it's a cold, sunny,
and clear day, the small hilltop clearing is a good option for lunch. Continue
straight on Fir Trail.
Fir Trail presses on uphill, and at about 4.1 miles
you'll reach a signed multi-trail junction at a flat. Make the first left onto
Tafoni Trail 
(if
you want to skip the short out-and-back to the sandstone formation, continue straight/left
onto Tafoni).
The broad multi-use trail descends easily, still
in a forest of redwood, madrone, huckleberry, and tanoak. At about 4.2 miles,
look on the right for an easy-to-miss junction with the path to the tafoni. Turn
right onto the hiking-only path.
The slight path winds through madrones, descending
easily. A segment of fence directs visitors away from the tafoni, on an extension
built in 2002. You'll continue to descend until the end of the trail, at the base
of the massive sandstone formation, a tafoni pocked with honeycombed indentations
and tiny caves. A small viewing platform makes a perfect lunch stop. When you're
ready, retrace your steps back to the multiple junction with Tafoni and Fir
Trails. Turn left, remaining on Tafoni Trail.
Like most fire roads, wide Tafoni Trail wanders
up and down a bit as it travels through a mixed woodland of Douglas fir, madrone,
tanoak, and redwood. Traffic noise from Skyline Boulevard is a hint that the hike
is almost over. At about 6.1 miles you'll reach a previously encountered junction,
with El Corte de Madera Creek Trail. Stay to the right on Tafoni Trail, and
retrace your steps back to the trailhead.
Total distance: about 6.2 miles
Last hiked: Thursday, June 13, 2002
Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page
are
some parks and preserves in the bay area that are so beloved (some may even say
loved to death) that it is tough to find any peace and quiet there. People around
here adore being outdoors so much that even on Superbowl Sunday (when in many
US cities even the parts department at Sears is empty) you'll find plenty of folks
on the trails. My sure-fire tip for having any preserve to yourself is simple:
go on a weekday, in the winter, or when it is raining. This technique always pays
off on visits to El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve. In damp weather
and early weekdays I generally cross paths with a handful of cyclists and hikers.
that
it's tough to throw a pine cone through El Corte de Madera without hitting a cyclist.
Although mountain biking is said to have started on Mount Tam, it certainly seems
to have moved en masse to Corte Madera. The impressive acreage, and variety of
trails (including singletracks) and terrain make El Corte de Madera a favorite
for cyclists. MROSD has responded to the popularity of the preserve by opening
every trail but one (the short path to the sandstone formation) to cyclists, a
unusual move in the realm of local park management. Many cyclists are responsible,
level-headed, cooperative types. The cycling advocacy group ROMP even worked with
the MROSD to hand-build the North Leaf Trail, and helps to maintain many other
trails in the preserve. Other cyclists seem determined to use El Corte de Madera
(as well as
some other adjacent parks along Skyline) as their personal playgrounds. Despite
the MROSD's best efforts to squelch illegal trails, there are many deep gashes
made by bicycles in hillsides, and even in some places, longer stretches of unauthorized
trails.
and
respect the privacy of local homeowners.
through
early summer. Tafoni Trail descends to a signed junction at about 0.12
mile. Bear right onto El Corte de Madera Creek Trail.
to a narrow path, but remains multi-use. El Corte de Madera Creek Trail heads
slightly uphill into a canyon, but takes a sharp turn right and instead crosses
a forested hillside. Redwood and tanoak dominate, but you might also see California
bay, madrone, and huckleberry. Trilliums and redwood sorrel bloom close to the
ground in spring. The trail lingers near 2000 feet, and hiking is easy on this
stretch. At about 1.8 miles, you'll reach a signed junction with Tafoni Trail.
You can shorten your hike by more than a mile if you turn left onto Tafoni here.
Stay to the right, continuing on El Corte de Madera Creek Trail.
at
a nearly level pace. Some redwood stumps and trunks are charred from a fire. At
about 2.7 miles, you'll reach a signed junction. In June look for wild strawberries
at this split. El Corte de Madera Creek Trail persists to the right, making its
way eventually south -- you can add 4 miles on to this loop if you continue on
El Corte de Madera Creek Trail, then North Leaf, Methuselah, and Fir Trail. Turn
left onto Resolution Trail. 
see
a few twisted scraps of metal -- remember it's illegal (and stupid) to remove
any artifacts from the preserve. In a brief stretch of chaparral manzanita muscle
their way into the woods, but the shrubs quickly defer again to redwoods, some
of the most majestic of this hike. At a sharp switchback left, Resolution Trail
begins to ascend at a slightly steeper grade. The trail becomes very rocky, and
one area is stripped of topsoil, leaving a sandstone surface. Manzanita, shrubby
oaks, Douglas fir, madrone, chamise, chinquapin, pitcher sage, toyon, monkeyflower,
ceanothus, and yerba santa
crowd the trail as it climbs. The sloping chaparral-covered hillside permits a
rare view south, to an ocean of conifers. At about 3.8 miles, Resolution Trail
ends at a T junction. Turn left onto Fir Trail.
(if
you want to skip the short out-and-back to the sandstone formation, continue straight/left
onto Tafoni). 