SUNDAY DRIVE
What you’ll see: One of the great winter excursions can be crowned with your choice of more than a dozen parks along the way. You start at the southern end of San Francisco Bay and in a span of 38 miles cross through the Peninsula foothills to Skyline Boulevard and then west through redwoods to the coast at Pescadero State Beach.
The route: Much of the route is slow, narrow, curvy and popular with cyclists. Plan to drive slowly, take in the sights and give cyclists plenty of space.
RECREATIONAL OPTIONS
Baylands through foothills to
Skyline: Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve features trails through the largest remaining bay wetlands. Foothills Park is for Palo Alto residents only with a great trail to Los Trancos Creek. Ahead on the right, Los Trancos Preserve is split by the San Andreas Fault. Just across the road on the left, Monte Bello is a huge preserve that spans from the wooded headwaters of Stevens Creek up to Black Mountain with its spectacular views.
Skyline west through redwoods: From the parking lot at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve, walk through the tunnel to Alpine Pond. Ahead on the right, the new parking area for the trail to Mindego Hill leads to the most remote areas of Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve. A signed left turn is the spur road to Portola Redwoods State Park. Heritage Grove and its short loop trail through old-growth redwoods are on the left. A left turn on Pescadero Creek Road leads you past entrances to Sam McDonald, Pescadero Creek and Memorial county parks.
Coast: On your right, access to Pescadero Marsh features a gorgeous trail to the lower estuary and lagoons along Pescadero Creek. Then just across the highway, you arrive at Pescadero Beach and its rock outcrops, sandy coves and often-gorgeous sunsets.
Cost: Admission is free at Baylands and Midpeninsula Open Space preserves; $6 at San Mateo County parks; $8 at Pescadero State Beach; $10 at Portola Redwoods.
Contacts, east to west: Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center, (650) 329-2506, www.cityofpaloalto.org; Midpeninsula Open Space District, (650) 691-1200, www.open space.org; San Mateo County Department of Parks, (650) 363-4020, http://parks.smcgov. org; Portola Redwoods State Park, (650) 948-9098, www. parks.ca.gov; Pescadero State Beach, c/o Half Moon Bay, (650) 726-8819, www.parks.ca.gov.
HOW TO GET THERE
To starting point: Take Highway 101 to Palo Alto and the exit for Embarcadero Road/Oregon Expressway. Take that exit to Embarcadero Road east/airport and drive 1.2 miles to a stop sign (Palo Alto Airport on the left). Turn left and drive 0.5 of a mile to Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center; parking is on the right, nature trails on the left.
South Bay to Breakers: From the Baylands Nature Center, take Embarcadero Road west for 0.5 of a mile to a stop sign. Turn right and go 1 mile, across the overpass to a ramp on the right for Oregon Expressway/Highway 101 south. Take that ramp, curve to the right for 0.2 of a mile to the fork and bear right for Oregon Expressway. Merge onto Oregon Expressway and drive west through Palo Alto for 14.2 miles to Skyline Boulevard. Continue straight onto Alpine Road and go 8.4 miles (narrow, twisty) to Redwood Triangle and Pescadero Creek Road. Turn left on Pescadero Creek Road and drive 18 miles (narrow, twisty through Loma Mar) to Highway 1. Continue across the highway to Pescadero State Beach.
Distance: The South Bay to Breakers drive is 38 miles.