Pescadero Creek County Park facts for kids

Pescadero Creek Park is a large and beautiful park in San Mateo County. It's close to a town called Loma Mar. The park is managed by the San Mateo County Department of Parks. It's part of a bigger group of parks, covering about 8,020 acres (32.46 km2). This park complex includes Memorial Park, Sam McDonald Park, and Heritage Grove. Pescadero Creek Park also connects to other state parks like Portola Redwoods State Park and Big Basin Redwoods State Park through trails.

A Park's Past: How Pescadero Creek Park Stayed Wild

Back in the 1970s, there was a plan to build a dam and flood the valley where the park is now. But many people did not like this idea, so they stopped it. Later, the county wanted to add more things to the park. These plans included campgrounds, a visitor center, picnic areas, and special programs.

However, people also opposed these plans. They wanted the park to stay more natural. Because of this, the park remains mostly undeveloped. It has simple campsites and trails. Many of these trails were first made by Scouts. Old logging roads are now used as fire roads for park access.

Exploring the Pescadero-Memorial Park Complex

Today, Pescadero Creek Park is part of a larger group of parks. This group is called the Pescadero-Memorial Park Complex. It grew over time as more land was added.

The parks in this complex include:

• Memorial Park (acquired in 1924)
• Sam McDonald County Park (acquired in 1958, opened in 1970)
• Heritage Grove Redwood Preserve
• Pescadero Creek County Park (acquired in 1968)

These parks are next to Portola Redwoods State Park. They are also close to areas protected by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. These protected areas include the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve and the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve.

Natural Features: Gas and Oil Seeps

Pescadero Creek Park sits on top of natural gas and oil deposits. Sometimes, natural gas bubbles up from the ground near Hoffman Creek. This can cause a strong gas smell. Also, crude oil can collect in the channel of Tarwater Creek. It can also seep into Jones Gulch Creek, which stains the rocks there. These are natural occurrences from underground deposits.

Pescadero Creek: A Lifeline for Wildlife and Hikers

The park is mostly shaped by the Pescadero Creek. This creek is very important for local wildlife. In winter, it provides a home for steelhead trout. The park also has a beautiful redwood forest with 26 miles of trails.

Many people enjoy horseback riding here. They often use the Jack Brook Horse Camp in Sam McDonald Park to start their rides. Backpackers can also find special hike-in camps. If you are hiking and need to cross Pescadero Creek, there are no bridges. You will need to use stepping stones to get across. However, fire roads that cross the creek do have bridges.

Tributaries of Pescadero Creek

Many smaller streams flow into Pescadero Creek within the park. These are called tributaries.