20 Attractions to Explore Near Sam McDonald Park

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Pescadero Creek Park

Pescadero Creek Park

2.86km from Sam McDonald Park

Pescadero Creek Park is located near Loma Mar and is operated by the San Mateo County Department of Parks. The park complex of 8,020 acres also includes the neighboring Memorial, Sam McDonald and Heritage Grove parks. The park borders Portola Redwoods State Park with seamless trails, and connects to Big Basin Redwoods State Park via a trail easement across private lands.

Memorial County Park

Memorial County Park

3.29km from Sam McDonald Park

This is a forested retreat not far from the coast. Many campsites in Memorial Park Campground are among the redwood trees and all sites are within easy walking distance of Pescadero Creek. A swimming hole there is popular in the summer. There are also group sites, some of them designated for youth groups. Reservations for all campsites can be made for up a year in advance. A seasonal camp store is located near the park entrance.

Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve

Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve

4.82km from Sam McDonald Park

Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve is a regional park located in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This 3,137-acre preserve known for its showy display of wildflowers in spring. In summer, the hills turn to gold with the late evening sunlight. Diverse plant communities, miles of forest edge, and abundant springs make Russian Ridge an outstanding habitat for wildlife.

Portola Redwoods State Park

Portola Redwoods State Park

7.32km from Sam McDonald Park

This is a state park that was located in San Mateo county. There are so many things to see in and around the park and are the park's primary watercourses, and feature numerous tributaries. It includes hiking trails, a small car-camping campground of about 50 campsites, four group campsites, and 6 trail sites at Slate Creek Trail Camp. Portola Redwoods State Park is also home to the site of Page shingle Mill.

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve

7.87km from Sam McDonald Park

Windy Hill is a popular and very enjoyable preserve that stretches from Portola Valley, at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains, to Skyline Boulevard, at the crest. Access to the summit is easy from State Route 35, the ridge road along the Peninsula Range. Facilities focus on trails for hiking and mountain biking, with around 14 miles of hiking trails. The area is rich in wildlife.

Monte Bello Preserve

Monte Bello Preserve

8.31km from Sam McDonald Park

This is a 3,133-acre open space preserve, located near Palo Alto in the Santa Cruz Mountains, in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, California, United States. The preserve encompasses the upper Stevens Creek watershed in the valley between Monte Bello Ridge and Skyline Ridge. "Monte Bello" means "beautiful mountain" in Italian, and refers to Black Mountain which is the highest part of Montebello Ridge.

Butano State Park

Butano State Park

10.08km from Sam McDonald Park

This is a state park of California showcasing a secluded redwood-filled canyon. The park features miles of hiking trails, 21 drive-in campsites, and 18 walk-in campsites, restrooms and more. Guided nature walk and weekend campfire programs are offered during the summer.

Black Mountain

Black Mountain

10.61km from Sam McDonald Park

This is a mountain in the Diablo Range of eastern Santa Clara County, east of Poverty Ridge and Arroyo Hondo, and about 10 miles from Milpitas.The peak is one of the highest in area. The northern half of Black Mountain is an oak woodlands while the southern half is barren. Black Mountain can be clearly seen from most parts of the Santa Clara Valley including Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Mountain View and San Jose. The peak is visible from the Mount Hamilton and Monument Peak.

Foothills Nature Preserve

Foothills Nature Preserve

11.04km from Sam McDonald Park

This is a 1,400-acre park and nature preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. The park contains nearly one tenth of all land in Palo Alto. About 90 acres of the park are developed with amenities including a large grassy field, picnic sites, a walk-in, tent-only campground, and a nature interpretive center. Boronda lake is used for fishing, rowing, and canoeing. The park also has 15 miles of trails.

El Corte de Madera Creek Preserve

El Corte de Madera Creek Preserve

11.95km from Sam McDonald Park

El Corte de Madera Creek is a small river in the Santa Cruz Mountains, San Mateo County, northern California. It is a tributary of San Gregorio Creek.The creek flows about 7 miles, from its source in Kings Mountain near Skeggs Point on Skyline Boulevard, to its confluence with San Gregorio Creek about 2.7 miles east of San Gregorio.

San Gregorio State Beach

San Gregorio State Beach

12.44km from Sam McDonald Park

San Gregorio State Beach is a stunning beach in a valley about 10 miles south of Half Moon Bay and a short drive from Silicon Valley in the South Bay.Park facilities include restrooms and picnic tables. Dogs are not permitted on the beach, as it has been identified as an itinerant nesting habitat for the locally underpopulated western snowy plover. North of the main beach is a nude beach on private property.

Wunderlich County Park

Wunderlich County Park

12.54km from Sam McDonald Park

Wunderlich Park is about 900 mountainous acres of redwood forest, oak and madrone woodlands, and hillside meadows and savannas. Much of the park is well-shaded, so it's a good choice on a hot day. With a private stable on site, the trails can be busy with equestrians, but usually only on weekends. The park contains about 15 miles of developed trails. The trails are mainly fire roads, with the exception of the Bear Gulch Trail and Redwood Trail.

San Gregorio State Beach

San Gregorio State Beach

12.54km from Sam McDonald Park

San Gregorio state beach is one of the better scenic beaches on highway one a few miles south of half moon bay. This is an excellent beach walk with high sandstone cliffs the entire way. North of the creek there are caves and fossils in the sandstone cliffs to investigate. Park facilities include restrooms and picnic tables. Dogs are not permitted on the beach, as it has been identified as an itinerant nesting habitat for the locally underpopulated western snowy plover.

Pomponio State Beach

Pomponio State Beach

12.57km from Sam McDonald Park

Pomponio is one of the larger beach parks along Rte 1 between Santa Cruz and San Francisco. It is made up of several miles of sloping, sandy beaches and a small lagoon below high sandstone bluffs. There are hiking trails and beach access. No camping is available. Dogs and campfires are not permitted on the beach.

Pearson-Arastradero Preserve

Pearson-Arastradero Preserve

12.87km from Sam McDonald Park

This is a beautiful mixture of rolling grassland and evergreen forest. It protects most of the Arastradero Creek watershed, including its ephemeral Mayfly Creek tributary. It also includes the upper reach of the Felt Creek tributary to Stanford's Felt Reservoir. Each area of the preserve has something different to offer, whether it is a view of the bay, a quiet walk through the grasslands, or a snooze by the lake.

Pescadero State Beach

Pescadero State Beach

13.66km from Sam McDonald Park

Pescadero State Beach is alongside in the route of San Mateo County California. The beach has a mile-long shoreline with sandy coves, rocky cliffs, tide pools, fishing spots, and picnic facilities. Across the highway are Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, a popular spot for bird watchers and other naturalists.

Rancho San Antonio County Park & Open Space Preserve

This is a conjoined public recreational area in the Santa Cruz Mountains, in the northwest quadrant of Santa Clara County, California. The County Park is bordered by Los Altos with some parts of the eastern part of the County Park in western Cupertino. The Open Space Preserve is on the west side of the County Park, also bordered by Los Altos Hills, Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, and the Permanente Quarry.

Castle Rock State Park

Castle Rock State Park

14.47km from Sam McDonald Park

Castle Rock State Park is a 5,242-acre state park of California, United States, located along the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It embraces coast redwood, Douglas fir, and madrone forest, most of which has been left in its wild, natural state. Steep canyons are sprinkled with unusual rock formations that are a popular rock climbing area. The forest here is lush and mossy, crisscrossed by 32 miles of hiking trails.

Stanford Dish

Stanford Dish

14.53km from Sam McDonald Park

Stanford Dish, is a radio antenna in the Stanford foothills. The 150-foot-diameter dish was built in 1961 by the Stanford Research Institute. The dish is still actively used today for academic and research purposes. The area around the Dish offers a popular 3.5 mile recreational trail. This is a popular local hiking trail, with view of 280 and Stanford. There are a few trails but the main one is 3.56 miles

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

14.55km from Sam McDonald Park

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is the oldest state park in California The park contains almost all of the Waddell Creek watershed, which was formed by the seismic uplift of its rim, and the erosion of its center by the many streams in its bowl-shaped depression. The park has many waterfalls, a wide variety of environments (from lush canyon bottoms to sparse chaparral-covered slopes), many animals and abundant bird life – including Steller's jays, egrets, herons and acorn woodpeckers.

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Know more about Sam McDonald Park

Sam McDonald Park

Sam McDonald Park

13435 Pescadero Creek Rd, Loma Mar, CA 94021, USA

An 850-acre park of lush redwood forest, ridges, and grassy knolls, ideal for equestrian excursions and hiking.Trails climb up to a ridgeline with views across the Pescadero Creek valley, Butano Ridge, and the Pacific Ocean. The park includes Heritage Grove and borders Pescadero Creek County Park through which it connects to Memorial County Park, Portola Redwoods State Park, and Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Horseback riding is popular here, and many use Ja ck Brook Horse Camp.