A Mountainside
Retreat
Wunderlich
County Park
"There was fine
walking on the hills in the in the direction of the sea." Wordsworth
Directions: Take Woodside Road west from Highway 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: Moderate with an
elevation gain of 1,000 feet over easy grades.
Distance: Five miles
Time: Two or three hours
Special Conditions: No dogs
are allowed. Watch for poison oak on Bear Gulch Trail. Distances are shown in
kilometers. There are 1,609 kilometers to a mile.
At the turn of the century, this area was purchased by James A. Folger II, the San Francisco coffee baron, to serve as his family's playground. Skid trails used by loggers and old wagon trails gave way to trails for carriage and equestrian use. The Folger family and friends enjoyed frequent campouts in the woods, but they were never far from the civilized comfort of a summer mansion and a large stable of five horses.
In 1956, Martin Wunderlich acquired the Folger estate, and in 1974 he gave 942 acres to the county park system for public use. San Mateo County completed the park's trail development in the late 1970s by adding some new trails to the old logging and carriage roads. Today, some 25 miles of trails crisscross the park, providing one- or two-hour getaways or day-long hikes.
This week's hike is a five-mile loop from the park entrance on Woodside Road to the Meadows with a return through Salamander Flat.
The historic Folger stable is situated a short distance uphill from the parking area. The impressive structure, now operated as a private stable, gives evidence of the high level of care afforded the horses and carriages that brought people to this remote destination.
Begin hiking on the Bear Gulch Trail to the left of the stable. Hiking uphill, you will pass through groves of live oak and pockets of redwood in the shaded, cool ravines.
Continue past the first junction on the loop trail, up a series of gentle switchbacks to the intersection with the Madrone Trail. The Bear Gulch Trail continues to gain altitude for another mile to Redwood Flat. This area makes a good rest stop to ponder the life cycles of the magnificent coast redwoods.
Look around for the rotted stump that gave birth to trees logged in the mid-1800s, the mother trees of the current stand. Another mile and a quarter on the Bear Gulch Trail brings you to the Meadow.
In the winter, this is a fine spot to enjoy the sunshine and clear views of the South Bay. From late March through May, it is bright with blue and gold wildflowers. Broad oaks are on the upslope, and you will probably find mounds of native bunch grass that have survived here.
When your stay at the Meadow is over, leave on the Meadow Trail going east until it intersects with Oak Trail. Continue left to the next intersection with Redwood Trail. Turn left, and walk one-quarter mile to Madrone Trail, where you turn right. Continue less than a mile to the intersection with Bear Gulch Trail and turn right. Retrace your steps to the stable and the parking lot below.
Some of these trails are heavily used for horseback riding, so watch your step and stand quietly by the trailside as horses pass. During the winter months, horses are not allowed on Bear Gulch Trail, but the path may be muddy and slippery in spots. I have always found it passable.