With so much open space land in the south bay, it's easy to forget about the cluster of parks in southern San Mateo County, comprised of Sam MacDonald County Park, San Mateo County Memorial Park, Pescadero Creek County Park, and Portola Redwoods State Park. On the northern peninsula, Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, a short drive from San Francisco, is a popular destination for viewing Sequoia sempervirens, and Santa Cruz County's Big Basin Redwoods State Park is a well-known redwood tourist destination. Geographically in between these two parks, Portola State Park and the collection of San Mateo County Parks are relatively quiet. All feature plenty of facilities (camping in Portola, picnic areas and camping in the county parks), but away from the campgrounds and picnic tables, you're likely find desolate redwoods groves and nearly empty trails. The partnership between Pescadero Creek County Park and Portola Redwoods State Park is particularly pleasant. Trails are well-signed, San Mateo County provides maps on signboards at the borders between the two parks, and Portola's map thoughtfully includes a large hunk of the county park's eastern portion (and trails). Portola, in my experience, is one of the best-staffed state parks in the bay area. The staff takes great pride in the park, and trails are meticulously maintained, which is all the more impressive when you consider how this park, nestled in a canyon, gets pounded by winter storms. (Check out their display in the Visitor Center for photos showing what a bad storm season does to these parts.)
      From this trailhead, dayhikers can explore Portola State Park in conjunction with Pescadero Creek County Park, or stay within the confines of the state park. Loops are possible either way. The Sequoia Nature Trail is a short and easy self-guided nature loop through redwoods and along Pescadero Creek, perfect for families with small kids. Peters Creek Loop, a grueling 13-mile semi-loop hike, should provide a challenge for experienced hikers. Slate Creek and Summit Trails make a 2.5 mile circuit through mixed forests and chaparral, a popular choice for many park visitors. Longer and a little tougher is the combination of Coyote Ridge Trail, Upper Coyote Ridge Trail, Tarwater Loop Trail, and Pomponio Trail, an over 6 mile trek through both Portola and Pescadero Creek parks.
     Portola's strategic location allows for long backpacking excursions as well as dayhikes. Hikers can start at Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, on Skyline Boulevard, hike west into Portola, camp, then hike through Pescadero Creek County Park and south into Big Basin. Incredibly, backpackers have the ability to turn this into a loop hike; from Big Basin you can hike uphill on the Skyline to the Sea Trail, camp in Castle Rock, then trek north through Saratoga Gap Open Space Preserve, Upper Stevens Creek County Park, and return to Long Ridge Open Space Preserve.
     For the featured hike, start at the ranger station. Walk to the left of the building, following the signs to Sequoia Nature Trail. At the edge of the employee parking area, the dirt trail begins. If you have the official map, refer to the informative section associated with the hiking-only nature trail. Numbered posts help to identify redwood, tanoak, and huckleberry, plants which thrive in the park. After about 100 yards, Sequoia Nature Trail bends rights, while a dead-end path continues straight. Stay to the right, following the signs for Sequoia Nature Trail.
    The path descends to the shore of Pescadero Creek via a few steps. Striking sandstone banks on the opposite side of the creek were formed by millions of years of ocean deposits. When the sun filters down to the creek, the water turns a milky blue. Walk to the right and cross the creek on a pretty footbridge. (Note: the park staff removes the bridges each October and replaces them in spring when the creek's level drops. If you're visiting in the winter, ask at the ranger station if the Sequoia Nature Trail is navigable. If it's not, you can start on Iverson Trail which begins opposite the Madrone parking area.) On the other side of the creek the trail passes some azalea shrubs, then veers left and climbs some steps. Two signs point you to the left (you can also continue straight and loop back around to the next junction). At about 0.2 mile, at a signed junction under some tanoaks and redwoods, bear left, following the signs that point to Iverson Trail.
     A short segment of switchbacks raises the trail a few feet, but then the grade levels out. Redwoods block much of the sun, but they do nothing to discourage mosquitoes from their copious feeding frenzies in the summer. This is one of the few parks in the bay area for which I recommend using bug repellent. At about 0.3 mile, at another signed junction, you'll reach a T junction. Turn right onto Iverson Trail.
       Hiking-only Iverson Trail climbs then descends, all the while under the shade of tanoak and redwood. For a few steps the path winds at a nearly-flat pace along the forest floor. This is a beautiful, quiet part of the park where you might see redwood sorrel, trillium, milkmaids, iris, and starflower blooming during various times in spring. The path abruptly descends to the banks of Pescadero Creek. Walk to the right and look for the footbridge to cross the creek. Alders cast shadows over the clear water, while hazelnut shrubs grow in the understory. If you are visiting in winter or early spring, you may see steelhead in the creek. On the opposite side of the creek, Iverson Trail climbs away from the water on some stairs, and reenters the redwood forest. A large fallen redwood has been notched to allow passage. The trail ascends easily, then reaches a signed junction at about 0.7 mile. Turn left on Pomponio Trail.
     This narrow path is open to hikers only (when it enters Pescadero Creek County Park, it becomes a multi-use trail, but as it is effectively a dead-end trail for equestrians and cyclists, you'll probably only encounter hikers). Pescadero Creek is occasionally audible, but Pomponio Trail follows a discrete distance from the water. Deer are common, and you may see or hear many of the birds that call these parks home, such as bluejays, woodpeckers, and hawks. Huckleberry shrubs choke the trail; look for ripe berries in September or October. A sign marks passage out of the state park and into the county park, and then a few steps later, a signboard hosts a useful map to Pescadero Creek County Park, on the right. More signs (facing the other direction) indicate that bicycles and horses are not allowed on the state park's section of Pomponio Trail. The trail then opens up a bit, widening to fire road-width. There's plenty of room to crane your neck up towards the towering redwoods. Honeysuckle vines drip from tanoak, canyon live oak, Douglas fir, California bay, and madrone. Toyon, huckleberry, ferns, ceanothus, creambush, and wild rose make up the understory. You might see western heart's ease, forget-me-nots, and fairy lanterns in late May or early June. Pomponio Trail remains nearly level throughout, with a few brief and easy uphills, and then gently drops to a signed junction at about 1.7 miles. Turn left onto Bridge Trail.
     The broad multi-use fire road sweeps south, descending easily to cross Pescadero Creek on a wide bridge. Bridge Trail turns away from the creek and begins a moderate climb through redwood, bigleaf maple, Douglas fir, and tanoak. At about 2.0 miles, Snag Trail sets out to the right at a signed junction. Keep going straight on Bridge Trail.
     Running slightly downhill along a damp-looking overgrown meadow on the right, Bridge Trail continues through redwood and Douglas fir, ending at a signed junction at about 2.3 miles. Turn left on Old Haul Road.
     Old Haul Road, open to hikers, equestrians, and cyclists, is a wide dirt fire road. A steep hillside on the right ascends to a ridgeline, at about 2000 feet, but the nearly level trail cuts through Douglas fir, huckleberry, creambush, tanoak, and redwood, on the high south bank of Pescadero Creek. You might see ceanothus in bloom all the way into early June. A few steps after passing over Hooker Creek, which runs downhill and joins Pescadero Creek, you'll reach a signed junction with hiking-only Ridge Trail (this is a possible option to extend this hike, with significant elevation change), which starts here and heads south toward Big Basin. Continue straight on Old Haul Road.
     The trail passes through a stretch with erosive sandy soil. Some stunted redwoods cling to the side of a roadcut. Other creeks and seasonal streams trickle downhill from the right. The largest, Fall Creek, is responsible for lovely Tiptoe Falls -- you'll likely hear the water spilling downhill on the left. Iverson Creek is crossed just before 2 signed junctions at about 3.6 miles (Portola Trail returns from the ridge on the right). Turn left down the service road, reentering Portola State Park.
      The dirt road (closed to horses), starts a somewhat steep drop to the north. Before the descent gets bothersome, to the left Iverson Trail begins at a signed junction at about 3.7 miles. In August of 2000 this entrance was signed as closed, due to downed trees .5 mile in. When I returned in June 2002, the trail was not blocked off, but there was a major obstacle at that slide spot, and the trail was signed as closed coming the other direction at that area. (Ask at the ranger station for the current status of the trail. If this part of Iverson Trail is closed you can reach Tiptoe Falls from the trail's other end. The route as I found it is far below decent standards, but still manageable. Use your best judgment if it seems dodgy to you. If the trail is closed, return to the trailhead via the service road.) Turn left onto Iverson Trail.
      The narrow path drops on a short flight of stairs and crosses a creek on a bridge. A familiar assortment of tanoak, redwood, and huckleberry shade the trail as it winds through the woods at a mostly level pace. At the slide area, several large trees sprawled like giant pick-up-sticks, and I couldn't even tell where the trail used to be. A path lead to the left, and straight ahead a downed redwood stretched across the canyon, but as that tree curved slightly left I was unable to see the end of it. After a bit of poking around, I decided that the log was the only way to go. Its surface was flattened a bit, and some branched had been lopped off, so I obviously wasn't the first to walk the plank across the tree. For the most part the dropoff seemed slight, but there was so much vegetation crowding the area that I couldn't really tell (probably a good thing). The log broadened towards the end, and I hopped off where a little sign (facing the other direction) proclaimed this part of the trail closed (!). Specifics may change if the trail is rerouted, but on my visit the trail ascended a switchback and some steps. You'll continue to climb easily through the forest. A massive hedge of huckleberry towers over 6 feet on the left. At about 4.2 miles you'll reach a signed junction. Turn left, toward Tiptoe Falls -- just a short distance at a slight incline from the junction. The canyon walls rise steeply up on both sides, and little Tiptoe Falls drops a few feet down from the hillside like water into a washbasin. Five-finger ferns and a young bigleaf maple complete the tableau. Even when I visited in June there was some water flowing, and (weather permitting) I can't think of a nicer place for lunch. When you're ready, retrace your steps back to the previous junction, then continue straight.
     Iverson Trail crosses Fall Creek one more time, then the trail descends easily. Redwoods are still common, but there's quite a bit of grass, horsetail, and ferns. The trail bisects a sloping meadow, then reaches a signed junction at about 4.4 miles (the spur to the right is an option, but you'll have to cross Pescadero Creek without the benefit of a bridge). Continue, to the left, on Iverson Trail.
     The trail begins to climb, weaving through redwoods. On the right the hillside slopes sharply down to Pescadero Creek, visible at a few places where Iverson Trail lingers near dropoffs, some of them fenced. Watch your footing on this stretch. The trail crests, then begins to descend at a somewhat steep pace. Abruptly, Iverson levels out, as if the descent had never happened. At about 4.6 miles you'll reach a familiar junction, with the path leading back to Sequioa Nature Trail heading right. Turn right and retrace your steps back to the trailhead.

Total distance: about 4.9 miles
Last hiked: Monday, June 3, 2002

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