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Sawyer Camp Trail
A historic road of singular beauty extends for 6 miles through the San Francisco Watershed lands past the sparkling San Andreas and Crystal Springs lakes. The road is paved, but open to hikers, equestrians, and bicyclists only. The camp that gave the road its name was in a small flat in the San Andreas Valley where in the 1870s, Leander Sawyer trained performing horses for circuses. Later he ran an inn here for travelers on their way to Half Moon Bay.
The sunny meadow by the creek where Sawyer had his camp had earlier been home to the Shalshone Indians (a tribelet of the Ohlones), who hospitably offered wild fruits and seed cakes to Gaspar de Portolá’s expedition when it passed this way in 1769. During Sawyer’s day, wagons pulled by teams of eight horses hauled wood over the road on their way to San Francisco and stage coaches used it as an alternative route from San Francisco to Half Moon Bay.
When San Francisco took over the Watershed lands, narrow, winding Sawyer Camp Road was kept open and later fenced on either side for protection of the Watershed. San Mateo County closed the road to motorized vehicles in 1978, and it is now officially the Sawyer Camp Historic Trail.
Jurisdiction: San Mateo County: 650-363-4020
Facilities: Trail for hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians; picnic tables, restrooms, water at Jepson Laurel picnic area and north end of trail; telephones
Rules: Open dawn to sunset
Maps: See map on page 59, San Mateo County Jogging, Exercise and Bicycle Trails and USGS topos Montara Mountain and San Mateo
How to Get There: By car from I-280: (1) North entrance at Hillcrest Blvd: (a) Southbound—Take the Larkspur Dr. exit and go south on Skyline Blvd. to Hillcrest Blvd., then west under freeway to trail entrance on right; (b) Northbound—Take Millbrae Ave. exit and go north on Skyline Blvd., then west on Hillcrest Blvd. to trail entrance. (2) South entrance at Crystal Springs Rd: (a) Southbound—Take Hayne Rd. exit and go south on Skyline Blvd. to parking beside entrance gate on west side of road; (b) Northbound—Take Bunker Hill Dr. exit, cross over freeway, then go north on Skyline Blvd. past Crystal Springs Dam to entrance gate.
By Bicycle: Use the same approaches from Skyline Blvd. as for cars.
Distance: 6 miles one way
Time: 3 hours. A car shuttle is practical here. Shorter round trips on part of the trail from either end make good hikes.
Elevation Change: 400’ loss from north to south
Entering the trail at the north end, the first 1.75 miles descend from Skyline Boulevard to San Andreas Lake and its dam. The woods and lake are a pleasant introduction to the trail. Summer winds often ruffle the lake and drifts of fog sweep over the hills. On the far side of the dam look for a commemorative plaque that marks the hundredth anniversary of the dam’s completion in 1869. From here the trail heads south along a shady walk between the creek and a hillside of bay trees. Fern-covered banks bloom with purple iris and scarlet columbine. You may see the very rare shrub leatherwood, with its small yellow blossoms. It is found in only a few places in San Mateo County (one of them is Edgewood Park). The Indians used its tough, flexible branches for lacings.
In a small clearing along the way, about 30 yards west of the trail, is the venerable Jepson Bay Laurel, thought to be the second-oldest and largest in the state. In 1923 it was named in honor of Willis Jepson, one of California’s most noted botanists. The flowery little meadow around the tree was popular as a picnic spot in Mexican and early California times. Today the tree is fenced to protect it, and there is a picnic area nearby, and once again picnickers are enjoying this retreat beside the famous bay tree.
Here and there you will come to benches beside the trail for a place to rest, picnic, or enjoy the sound of a stream or a view of the lake. At about its halfway point, the trail crosses San Andreas Creek where it enters Lower Crystal Springs Lake. From here on, it borders the east side of the lake, giving a succession of views out over the bright waters to the wooded Watershed hills. The Peninsula’s own “Lake District” has a special enchantment whether mists are shrouding the mountains or the lakes are reflecting a blue sky. A few hawks sail overhead. Grebes, ducks, and other waterfowl bob on the water, and the oaks by the trail are alive with countless small birds—countless except to the Audubon Society, which enumerates the species meticulously in its annual Christmas bird count; a recent count totaled 190 species. Bring your binoculars and favorite bird guide. Along the road cuts you will see the greenish-gray serpentine, a rock that occurs through the foothills in San Mateo County. It is frequently found in major earthquake fault zones, and is associated with some of our finest wildflower displays.
The south end of the trail is on Skyline Boulevard at the Crystal Springs Dam that crosses the gorge of San Mateo Creek. (A proposed extension to Highway 92 is planned in the near future.) This is a good starting point for a 3+ mile walk north by the lake, with vistas of the shimmering waters around each bend. Your return trip brings you new views as you retrace your steps. Walk here in late winter when clouds are moving across the sky and sunshine alternates with light showers. The hills are already green, drifts of magenta Indian warriors bloom under the trees, and the first buds of iris appear. This is one of the Peninsula’s best walks for any time of the year and the most popular of San Mateo County parks.
