Disabilities-Accessible Trails and Parks on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay

Compiled by Ben Pease for the Trail Center

Coyote Point Recreation Area
      This tree-covered knoll provides views over San Francisco Bay. Coyote Point Museum, Wildlife Center, picnic grounds, restrooms, and many paved park paths are accessible to persons using wheelchairs. Wheelchair ramp at beach provides swimming access to the Bay. The Bay Trail, a paved, level bike path, extends several miles north to San Carlos and south to Foster City.

Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve
Voice: (650) 851-7570
      This park preserves oak canyons and rare serpentine grasslands with many rare plant species. Picnic area and restrooms at the Day Use Area off Edgewood Road are wheelchair-accessible, reached via a gravel road from the parking area (gravel road, some climbing). Most trails are not wheelchair-accessible.

Flood County Park
     This small park in the flatland suburbs of Menlo Park, offers playing fields, group picnic facilities, restrooms, and a small network of paths amidst oak and bay trees on a portion of the old Flood Estate. All facilities are accessible to persons with disabilities. Located on Bay Road.

Huddart County Park
Voice: (650) 851-0326
      973 acres of cool, steep canyons and sunny picnic grounds. 0.75 mile Chickadee Nature Trail is a gravel-surfaced whole access trail with a cable handrail. Mixed redwood and oak woodland near the park entrance. The midpoint of the loop exceeds ten percent grade; if this is a concern, you may want to explore both halves of trail separately. Most park trails are steep and not accessible. Werder Picnic Area is also accessible to the disabled.

Memorial County Park
Voice: (650) 879-0212
      This popular park offers camping, picnicking, and trails to explore the redwood groves along Pescadero Creek. Some restrooms are wheelchair-accessible. Campground includes one large site reservable for use by persons with disabilities. The Tan Oak Nature Trail is a gravel whole access trail with a cable handrail; it winds through the oak and redwood groves above the creek. Some ups and downs. (The trail tread and railings may be in some degree of disrepair)

San Bruno Mountain State and County Park
Voice: (650) 992-6770
      An island of open space just south of San Francisco, San Bruno Mountain is home to a dozen endangered species of plants and insects; great wildflowers much of the year. Park entrance is at the crest of Guadalupe Canyon Boulevard between Daly City and Brisbane. Several trails in the Saddle area are accessible to wheelchairs, as well as picnic grounds and rest rooms. You can also drive up Radio Road to enjoy the sweeping views from the summit. Dress for cold, foggy, windy weather, especially in summer.
      The Bog Trail is a 0.4 mile whole access trail through lush, wind-swept meadows and coastal scrub with views of the summit. Gravel surface, mostly level, with cable handrails (beware of overhanging blackberry vines). It connects at each end with the Old Guadalupe Trail, a level, paved, 0.8 mile road lined with tall eucalyptus trees. The first 0.5 mile or more of the Saddle Loop Trail east from the picnic area is may also be usable to wheelchairs (a hunch), reaching a point with views north to the city. Coarse gravel, initially gentle grades (further on it gets steeper).

San Mateo Fishing Pier
     This remnant portion of the old San Mateo Bridge provides bay views and fishing access, including cleaning sinks and restrooms. The Bay Trail passes by en route from Coyote Point to Foster City. Located at Beach Park Boulevard in Foster City. Steep initial ramp. Note: The San Mateo Fishing Pier is closed due to earthquake retrofit construction on the San Mateo Bridge. There is currently no date set for its reopening. (May 2000)

San Pedro Valley County Park
Voice: (650) 355-8289
      This 1150-acre park is a model for how a park can serve wheelchair users. It is located in Pacifica's Linda Mar District, and includes two canyons and the north flank of Montara Mountain. The Visitor Center offers helpful docents, excellent interpretive exhibits and a lending library of field guides. One can also borrow wheelchairs (kid and adult sizes). Restrooms and picnic areas are accessible.
      The Plaskon Nature Trail is only 400 feet long, but explores the shady, riparian woodland along the burbling North Fork of San Pedro Creek. It features a (slightly rutted) gravel tread with wood handrails. The connecting 1.4-mile Weiler Ranch Trail explores the sunny Middle Fork canyon. This barrier-free fire road has a fine gravel surface, and is largely level (with a few upgrades and downgrades). The Old Trout Farm Trail is steeper and shadier, exploring the grounds of a former trout farm.
      Wheelchair users have created a flyer which describes all of the trails in the park, and rates each one for wheelchair difficulty. While some of the mountain trails are quite challenging, they don't consider any trail "impossible." (It should be noted that even county trail conditions change with time, as plants grow up in the less trodden margins of the trail tread, in and ruts develop from rain runoff.)

Sawyer Camp Trail
      This popular six-mile county trail through the Crystal Springs Watershed is a favorite of strollers, joggers, roller skaters, strollers, and cyclists. Much of this paved trail is accessible to wheelchairs. The trail starts on Cañada Road in San Mateo, just north of Crystal Springs Dam - the trailhead includes several handicap parking spaces and an accessible restroom. The first three miles of the Sawyer Camp Trail are level, winding in and out of brushy gulches with views across the reservoir. At the midpoint of the trail is the Jepson Laurel, the second largest California bay laurel tree ever measured. From here, the trail climbs gradually another two miles through a thickly wooded valley; the last mile climbs very steeply to San Andreas Dam and the north trailhead.

Año Nuevo State Park
Voice: (650) 879-0595
      Major elephant seal breeding ground in winter months. Ranger-led tours from December through March; reservations advised. The rest of the year, visitors are free to wander along the beach and bluffs. The paved Año Nuevo Trail is accessible to persons using wheelchairs for 0.2 miles across the bluff from the visitor center to the edge of the extensive sand dunes. The park can make special arrangements for visitors using wheelchairs (see California Parks Access guidebook) Call (650) 879-0227 for current access information.

Half Moon Bay State Beaches
     Coastside Trail is a paved bike path that extends 5+ miles from Kelley Avenue north to Moss Beach and south to Poplar Beach. Portions of the trail directly overlook the bluffs and beach; other portions run inland between the dunes and abandoned farm fields and encroaching suburbs. Main park entrance at Kelley Avenue includes campground (one accessible site) and picnic grounds (accessible tables and restrooms). A visitor center is planned to be built in 1999. At Pilarcitos Creek bridge, a wooden boardwalk extends from the trail to the beach.

Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve
     1/4 mile gravel and paved trail through foothill oak habitat.

Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
     1/4-mile trail descends through redwood groves off Skyline Blvd to picnic table and restroom.

Ravenswood Preserve Open Space Preserve
     1-mile gravel levee trail at end of Bay Road in East Palo Alto

Skyline Ridge / Russian Ridge Open Space Preserves
      Accessible trail leads from Russian Ridge parking lot off Alpine Road, encircling Alpine Pond and leading to Dennis Daniels Nature Center (staffed by docents on weekends); a second trail descends from parking lot off Skyline Boulevard to Horseshoe Pond. Accessible toilets at both locations.

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
     There is an accessible picnic table off Skyline Boulevard; new parking lot off Portola Road in Portola Valley includes accessible restrooms, possibly new trail access? Haven't scouted it yet.

Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
     100-foot trail leads from Page Mill Road trailhead to bench and overlook of San Andreas Rift Zone and upper Stevens Creek Canyon. Accessible restroom at parking lot.

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Disabilities-Accessible Trails and Parks on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay

Introduction

Accessible Trails in San Francisco

Accessible Trails in San Mateo County

Accessible Trails in Santa Clara County

Accessible Trails in Santa Cruz County

     
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