Edgewood County Park and Preserve, Redwood City
After eating all those calories in Bucks Cafe, it is time to walk them off.
We arrive at the Old Stage Picnic Area and Trail Head car park on Edgewood Road just after 9 and already it is full. We managed to grab one of the two remaining spaces. As soon as I open the door I hear a woodpecker tapping away but I cannot see it, no matter how hard I try.
Edgewood is managed by San Mateo Parks Department and is a jewel hidden away above Redwood City. It is only 467 acres with five trails, the longest of which is nearly 2 miles long, so it is not a huge park. On one side it is bordered by houses and on another by Highway 280. But it is a great place to for a hike, especially in the Spring when the wildflowers are blooming.
We head off clockwise on the Sylvan Trail, which is a 2.5 mile exercise loop and is only for walkers and joggers. Horses are allowed on some trails but no bikes or dogs are allowed in the park at all. The start of the Sylvan Trail goes alongside houses but they are well hidden by trees. You see the occasional roof, a corner of a deck or you hear the sound of childrens’ voices but they are the only indications that we are that close to them. The predominant sound here is birdsong. Those little critters are busy building nests and raising their young at this time of the year.
The Sylvan Loop is quite narrow and very popular with joggers but there is room for all. Most of this trail is well wooded, mostly oak, but occasionally in the lower part an open vista with await you around a corner. The higher you climb on the zig zag path the better the view becomes. As you approach the Serpentine Loop, the San Francisco Bay, Foster City and the San Mateo Bridge can be seen. Oakland can also be seen.
We start round Serpentine Loop Trail anticlockwise and then anticlockwise round the Ridgeview Loop before joining up with the Sylvan Loop Trail again. Today we see no wildlife but in the past we have been lucky to encounter deer. No two visits here are the same and the place never ceases to amaze me. On one hike several years ago we spotted an orange mushroom about 10 feet off the trail and we speculated what species it might be. I checked with my binoculars to see if I could see more detail and was embarrassed to discover it was a plastic marker of some sort!
There are very few places to sit and admire the view but the very best bench with a marvelous view is on the Sylvan Trail. It has a dedication on it which reads:
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
GEORGE V. DILLENBURG
1903-1988
DONATED BY HIS DAUGHTER
I guess George loved coming to the park and this was his favorite spot. From here on a clear day, and today is remarkably clear, you can see the AT&T tower in Redwood City, the office building monstrosity in downtown Palo Alto, Moffet Field and San Jose’s skyline.
We did see a few wildflowers but I understand the full show will not be for another couple of weeks. If you plan to visit the end of the month and early April are the best times.
After our hike up the mountain in Pinnacles last week I suffered with aching muscles in my legs for most of the week. This has been a very easy hike so hopefully I will be lucky.
March 20 2008 04:10 pm | Special Places
