WALKER
Many Shades of Green
Purisima Creek Trail and
Borden Hatch Mill Trail
"No man is
suddenly a good walker; many men begin with good resolutions, but they do not
hold out."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Directions: West
on Highway 92 to Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay; south on Highway 1 for 4.6 miles
to Purisima Road/Verde Road. Turn left and continue on Purisima Road (Verde Road
splits off to the south.) Continue east until Purisima Road makes a hairpin
turn over a stone bridge. The Purisima parking lot is on your right.
Grade: Easy for Purisima Creek Trail, moderate for Borden
Hatch Mill Trail.
Distance: Your choice. A short distance along the creek or
four miles (eight-mile round trip) to the end of Borden Hatch Mill Trail.
Time: Plan to spend at least an your along the creek or
four hours to reach the end of Borden Hatch Mill Trail.
Special Conditions:
Some years ago we first took this walk in the fall. The days were getting shorter, the evenings crisp, and the Western or California sycamore was changing its color from bright green to shades of scarlet, brilliant yellow, subtle gold, and dark brown. The Purisima Creek Trail is known for its deep redwood forest, but this fall color show is enough to warm the heart of us East Coast and Midwest transplants.
On a recent Sunday afternoon we took this walk again. The results of our El Nino winter have transformed the Purisima Creek area into a spectacular natural wonderland with many vivid shades of green. The water is rushing, and flowers are still in bloom, but what really caught our eye was the colorful display of green--from very dark moss at the creek edge to the bright, translucent sycamore leaves. A gentle breeze moving up the canyon accents the color as the shade line moves over the lower plants. Plan to visit Purisima Creek soon to enjoy the benefits of last winter's record rainfall and the explosive growth that followed.
We started our hike at the parking lot adjacent to Purisima Creek Road. The parking area holds about 10 cars, but additional parking is available along Purisima Creek Road if necessary. From the trailhead, you have your choice of three trails: the Whittemore Gulch, Harkins Ridge, and Purisima Creek. The first two climb steeply east toward Skyline Boulevard. The Purisima Creek Trail also ends up on Skyline Boulevard, but the first 2.3 miles to the Soda Gulch Trail are quite level.
We hiked along the creek for one mile and then turned right on the Borden Hatch Mill Trail. Over the next 2.7 miles, the trail gains 1,000 feet in elevation to 1,600 feet at the intersection with the Grabtown Gulch Trail. At that junction, you can turn right .3 miles to the trail head at Tunitas Creek Road, or turn left and return to Purisima Creek Trail. When we took this hike in July, the Grabtown Trail was closed due to a bridge washout at Purisima Creek. At the 2.5-mile marker up Borden Hatch Mill Trail is an intersecting trail to lands of the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), which are being managed by MROSD. Our next walk will feature this area.
The hike up the Borden Hatch Mill Trail offers good scattered views to the east of the Skyline Boulevard area. Other trails are visible as are homes along the ridgeline. The trail is wide for emergency vehicle use and well graded, although you'll get a good aerobic workout if you pace yourself. The trail guide tells us that the Borden and Hatch families owned most of the mills in this area. The mills were moved throughout the area as logging continued up the canyon. At one time the Borden mill was located where Grabtown Gulch and Purisima Creek intersect. The Hatch mill was located at No-Name Creek and Purisima Creek. As you hike the canyon, watch for wide spots in the road. Chances are, there was once a lumber mill there.
Written by Tom Davids
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