A Loop Hike to Salamander Flat

Wunderlich County Park

"Give me they hand, stand up: Prithee, let's walk."             Shakespeare

Directions: Take Woodside Road west from Interstate 280 and continue about two miles from the town of Woodside. Watch for the park entrance on the right between Bear Gulch and La Honda roads.

Grade: Easy to moderate.

Distance: 1.5 miles for short loop, 3.2 miles for longer loop

Time: One to two hours

Special Conditions: No dogs are allowed. No problem with poison oak. Toilet facilities and water at parking lot. Park operated by San Mateo County, (650) 363-4020.

First there were the Costanoan Indians. Then the Portola Expedition, who camped in the valley in November 1769. Then John Copinger, who was granted the Canada de Raymundo Rancho in 1840 by Gov. Alvarado. Then Charles Brown, who received from Copinger a deed for 2,880 acres in 1846. Then Simon Jones, who purchased 1,500 acres in 1872. Then James A. Folger II, who acquired the property from the son of Simon in 1902. Then Martin Wunderlich, a contractor, who purchased the property from the Folgers in 1956. And it was Wunderlich who in 1974 gave 942 acres to San Mateo County for use as park and open space.

            And so, over 200 years of recorded history, this land passed through the hands of five private owners. It was grazed, timbered, farmed, and grew grapes and fruit trees. Under Folger, its land became a family recreation area, and the waters of Alambique Creek were used to develop the first hydro-electrical power system in this part of California.

            Today, Wunderlich County Park has 25 miles of trail that transverse its 940 acres of steep forest, meadows, cool canyons, and running streams. And it belongs to us--hikers and equestrians--all of us who care to use it. Our collective thanks go to Martin Wunderlich, whose generosity will serve us and countless generations to come.

            This week's walk gives you a choice of two loops. Both start at the trail head for Bear Gulch Trail and end at the trailhead for the Alambique Trail. The shorter hike is only 1.7 miles and can easily be hiked in one hour. The longer trail goes through Redwood Flat and Salamander Flat, covers 3.2 miles, and takes a couple of hours for the average hiker.

            Begin either hike at the Wunderlich parking lot off Woodside Road (Highway 84) 2 miles southwest of the town of Woodside. Trail maps are usually available at the signboard near the drinking fountain and Porta-Potty. Start at the Bear Gulch trailhead, and walk around the stable. The impressive structure, now operated as a private equestrian facility, gives evidence of the high level of care afforded the horses and carriages that moved people around the hillside during the early 1900s. Many of the trails we walk today are old ranch roads that serviced the property and provided access to Skyline Boulevard.

            Hiking uphill, you will pass over a bridge and through groves of live oak and pockets of redwood in the shaded, cool ravines. At the first junction, you can turn left and take the shorter loop trail or continue on to the upper loop. The shorter 1.7-mile loop trail is mostly level, moving in and out of a redwood ravine and then below a eucalyptus forest. Good views to the South Bay open before you and below an occasional glimpse of the Alambique Trail, which is your route back to the parking lot.

            To take the upper loop, continue on the Bear Gulch Trail past the Loop Trail and past the Madrone Trail to Redwood Flat. A sign marks the spot and reminds you that the elevation is 1,110 feet above sea level, a gain of about 500 feet from the parking lot. Turn left on Redwood Trail and pass through Redwood Flat. This area makes a good place to rest and enjoy the beauty of our magnificent coast redwoods. Look around for the rotted stumps of trees harvested in the mid-1800s, which gave birth to the current generation of redwoods. Continuing on, the trail--an old ranch road--drops gradually along the face of the hillside, moving in and out of ravines, and then arrives at Salamander Flat (elevation 1,040 feet). Here you'll see an element of times past: a solid, concrete irrigation reservoir secured by a fence and covered with bright green algae. A sign reads "Deep Pond--Irrigation Water Only." The pond was recently recommissioned, and you can see the rebuilt feeder pipe on the up slope of Redwood Trail as you continue your hike.

            During our visit in October, water was flowing into the pond on the south end and out on the north. The water is clear below the algae, and I imagine that years ago this was a popular swimming pool. Continue past Salamander Flat, connect with the Meadow Trail, and continue to the Alambique Trail. Turn left, and in three-quarters of a mile of steady downhill hiking, you're back at the parking lot.