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Memorial Park (1st Hike) Creek Trail & Pescadero Creek San Mateo County, California
Photos of Hike & Haikus |
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Preface: Stanford Green Library is closed on Sundays after their Summer Quarter.
So my friend got me away from the computer to do some hiking as we did last year.
We went to San Mateo Memorial Park where the old-growth redwood forests have been favorite
camping grounds for generations. This popular park has trails, campsites, group camps,
a visitor center, and 499 acres to explore. Acquired by the County in 1924, this is the
system's oldest park. It is dedicated to the San Mateo County servicemen who died in
World War I. My friend had visited here with her high school friend many decades ago,
but it is my first time here. Today we began the hike at the Wurr Road bridge to the
1.5 mile Creek Trail that meandered along the Pescadero Creek. With a constant view
of the babbling creek and overlaying canopy of trees growing above, this is one of
the most scenic trails I've been on. Near the Old Swimming Hole, there is the
Largest Tree, a towering Redwood that's 1600 years old, and an Amphitheater nearby.
We didn't have time to finish the Creek Trail and will be back next week.
The hike took around three and half hours (2:00-5:32 pm).
(Bay Area Hiker;
Map)
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 2:00 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Parking lot on Wurr Road Took photo of wrong signpost Although we're hiking along Pescadero Creek this is the wrong sign. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 2:10 pm San Mateo Memorial Park View from Wurr Road Bridge into Pescadero Creek A more scenic view of lush vegetation beneath the Wurr Road Bridge. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 2:20 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Canopy of trees along the Pescadero Creek A hawk flew overhead while I'm looking at the creek and trees below. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 2:35 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail: Hollow Redwood bark shaped like the Platonic Lambda Seeing this Redwood with "Platonic Lambda" base I think of the Soul. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 2:40 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail: "Goose-pens" Redwoods with hollow shell bark at the base Goosepens got their name from early farmers keeping their livestock in them. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 3:00 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail: Largest Tree sign— diameter 13', circumference 39', height 225', age 1600 years old This tree was here when Saint Augustine was alive in 400 A.D. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 3:02 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail near Legion Flat: Largest & Oldest Tree in Park View of tallest tree at the base standing perfectly straight & upright. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 3:04 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail near Legion Flat: Burl root of Tallest Redwood Your burl root looks like a monster's foot to scare away beasts of the night. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 3:10 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail: Largest Tree framed by V-gap of neighboring Redwoods After walking around you feeling your blessings I leave with great joy. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 3:30 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail: View of sunlight through U-gap of giant Redwood A "Tuning Fork" Tree with sunlight beaming through the "U" of this Redwood. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 3:38 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail: Roots of giant Redwood that tumbled into Pescadero Creek Head of this Redwood no longer up to sky but down in the waters. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 3:50 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail: Amphitheater— View of seats from the stage Practice your Shakespeare! the audience is not here yet— no need for stage fright. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 4:04 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail: Amphitheater— Three Redwoods back of stage Three Redwoods in back of stage— meeting place for the witches from Macbeth? | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 4:17 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail: Children playing in the Pescadero Creek Sounds of children playing in the creek is music to the ferns and trees. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 4:24 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Creek Trail near Amphitheater: View of Pescadero Creek Sunlight streams from above the tree tops gently to the clear creek below. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 4:50 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Visitor Center: Slice of Redwood trunk with 8 feet diameter & 490 years old Time travelling back 490 years, I'd talk to Wang Yang Ming. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 5:02 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Tan Oak Flat Picnic Area Walk through Redwood tree Enter this tunnel— on the other side there's a young maiden waiting. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 5:08 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Tan Oak Flat Picnic Area U-gap in Redwood tree Can you hop over the U-gap in this Redwood? I'll climb through slowly. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 5:25 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Tan Oak Flat Picnic Area "Three Graces" Redwoods These Redwoods dance like the Three Graces in Botticelli's Primavera. | |
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Sunday, August 16, 2009, 5:28 pm San Mateo Memorial Park Tan Oak Flat Picnic Area "Three Graces" Redwoods Rabbit holes at base of "Three Graces" Redwoods where elves may be hiding. | |
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