The Canyon Trail

Monte Bello Open Space Preserve

"Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying. . .chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another.” John Muir

Directions: Go 20 miles south on Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35) to Page Mill Road. Go east for one mile, and watch for Monte Bello parking area on your right. The parking is across Page Mill Road from the Los Trancos Open Space Preserve trailhead.

Grade: Moderate, but elevation loss of 1,000 feet going down, the same coming up.

Distance: 8.2 miles.

Time: Four hours.

Special Conditions: Toilet facilities at trailhead. No dogs allowed on trails. No drinking water. Heavy mountain bike activity on Canyon Trail. No poison oak, but watch for ticks. Preserve is managed by Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (phone: 650-691-1200; e-mail: mrosd@openspace.org; www.openspace.org

Monte Bello is a large, 2,822-acre preserve with a rich diversity of wildlife and ecosystems. The Canyon Trail winds down into the Stevens Creek watershed, which collects water that flows into Stevens Creek and eventually enters San Francisco Bay near Moffett Field. As it flows south, the creek generally follows the San Andreas Fault Zone.

We suggest starting this hike from the Monte Bello parking lot rather than from Gate MB-03, which is located .2 mile east on Page Mill Road. Not only is the parking easier, but the canyon views are outstanding. From the trailhead, start down the Nature Trail to the first junction and turn left past the Frances H. Brenner memorial bench. Ahead are the "forever views" of Stevens Creek Canyon with Mount Umunhum and Loma Prieta, of 1989 earthquake fame, in the far distance.

The trail traverses the hillside for a short distance, offering unobstructed views as it moves south along the ridgeline. It then cuts east through an old walnut orchard down to Canyon Trail. At the first junction, turn right to your ultimate destination of Stevens Creek Road, 4.3 miles ahead. For the next three miles, the trail is an old ranch road, wide enough for group hiking. Watch and listen closely for mountain bikers, who enjoy the steep descent on Canyon Trail on their way to Stevens Canyon Road or to one of the lateral trails leading to Skyline Boulevard.

Soon on your left, you will pass a sag pond with a nature sign about "succession," how over eons of time a pond turns into a meadow and then into a forest. You will see several sag ponds along Canyon Trail because this walk is along the San Andreas Fault Zone. As the Earth shifts over time, benches are formed, watercourses are interrupted, and small linear ponds develop. As you pass by, notice the heavy growth of reeds and water plants, and listen for the chorus of frogs.

As the trail continues to descend, another nature sign is on your right describing the wily coyote. A few steps farther is a nice wood bench with a sweeping vista to the west and Skyline Ridge.

At the next junction, you can cut your hike short and return to the parking lot via White Oak Trail and Stevens Canyon Road. So far you have dropped 300 feet elevation with another 700 feet to go.

Over the next two miles, you will cross over five intersecting seasonal streams, all rushing from winter rains through forest of bay oak, fir, and madrone. A few open areas will provide good views as you continue to descend to Stevens Creek. Along the way are two intersecting trails--Grizzly Flat Trail, which connects to Skyline Boulevard, and the Long Ridge Open Space Preserve in 1.9 mile and Table Mountain Trail, connecting to Skyline Boulevard in 3.2 miles.

At three o'clock we reached the waters of Stevens Creek and found it running high (1 to 2 feet deep and wide (10 feet or so) due to recent rains. There was neither a bridge nor a convenient log crossing, so we opted to turn around about a mile short of our goal. However, the mountain bikers were more determined, as they geared down to "one-on-one," accepted wet feet, and plowed through. After a half-hour lunch break, we started back on the two-hour trek back to the parking lot.

Your comments and hiking suggestions are always welcome.

E-mail to: trekertom@aol.com.

Footnote: Check out the Weekly Walker Web site at www.weeklywalker.com.

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