Saturday, May 14 10am-1pm
Field trip leaders: Doug Allshouse and David Nelson
“The location of this field trip, the San Bruno State and County Park, is the subject of the May 9, Marin CNPS chapter meeting.”
This field trip is an easy walk with East Bay, Marin, and San Francisco views. We will walk the Saddle and Bog Trails. The Saddle covers 300 acres of grasslands, a eucalyptus forest, and the headwaters of Colma Creek. Several past and present restoration projects offer vivid examples of success and failure and will be the center of discussion. As an example, parts of the Saddle have been transformed due to a recent wildfire and a gorse (Ulex europaeus) mastication project. The Saddle Trail is a wide fire road that is rich in plant species and its eastern grasslands share plant species common to the southeast portion of the mountain such as coast iris (Iris longipetala) and purple needlegrass (Stipa pulchra). We should see silver lupine (Lupinus albifrons), the host plant for the endangered Mission Blue butterfly. The Bog Trail traverses a rare upland wetland with sedges, rushes, cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum), arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis), and creek dogwood (Cornus sericea ssp. sericea). Bring layers because the exposure to the ocean may influence cooler weather. There is a $6 fee (cash or credit/debit card) for park admission payable at the pay station. Meet in the main parking lot, which is just beyond the ranger kiosk. Contact Doug or call/text him at 415-269-9967 for questions or directions.
Directions: San Bruno Mountain State and County Park From the Golden Gate Bridge take 19th Avenue south and then take 280 south to Sullivan Avenue, which is about a half-mile south of the 280 merge. Bear right (Civic Center) and turn right onto Sullivan, turning right onto Washington Street by the Arco station and In-N-Out. Take Washington until it dead-ends and turn left onto San Pedro Road. Stay on that street about 1.5-2 miles until it becomes Guadalupe Canyon Parkway. The Park entrance is on the left, about 1.5 miles from a school and ball field. The address of the park is 555 Guadalupe Canyon Parkway, Brisbane, CA.
Carpooling: If anyone is interested in car-pooling, please let Susan Schlosser know when you sign up. We’ll meet at the Manzanita Park and Ride in Mill Valley at 8:30 am.
