Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
Woodside, San Mateo County, CA
- Size
- 2,838 acres Source
About Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
A 5,412-acre preserve above Half Moon Bay centered on a redwood canyon along Purisima Creek. Source
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is located on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains overlooking Half Moon Bay. The centerpiece of this 5,412-acre preserve is Purisima Creek Canyon, with its towering redwoods, rushing creek, and understory of ferns, berries, and wildflowers. Magnificent views of the coast and Half Moon Bay are visible from the northern part of the preserve.
Facilities
- Picnic Area
- Restrooms
Facility details: OpenStreetMap, official park information
Sunrise & sunset
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve hours follow the sun (Sunrise to sunset ±30 min). Mid-month times for this location:
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7:22 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. |
| Feb | 6:59 a.m. | 5:47 p.m. |
| Mar | 7:22 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. |
| Apr | 6:35 a.m. | 7:43 p.m. |
| May | 6:00 a.m. | 8:09 p.m. |
| Jun | 5:47 a.m. | 8:31 p.m. |
| Jul | 5:59 a.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| Aug | 6:24 a.m. | 8:03 p.m. |
| Sep | 6:50 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. |
| Oct | 7:16 a.m. | 6:33 p.m. |
| Nov | 6:48 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. |
| Dec | 7:16 a.m. | 4:52 p.m. |
Calculated from the park's coordinates (NOAA solar equations), Pacific time.
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve at a glance
- PParking · 3
- WCRestrooms · 3
- Named trails · 12
Outline: CPAD. Points and trail lines: OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
Trails
| Trail | Mapped length | Elevation | Surface & uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purisima Creek Trail | 4.2 mi | 1,770 ft up & down428–1,990 ft | BikesHorsesUnpaved |
| Harkins Ridge Trail | 3 mi | 1,653 ft up & down441–1,766 ft | BikesHorsesUnpaved |
| Whittemore Gulch Trail | 2.6 mi | 1,290 ft up & down441–1,708 ft | UnpavedBikesHorses |
| Craig Britton Trail | 2.4 mi | 1,471 ft up & down982–1,541 ft | No bikesNo horsesUnpaved |
| Borden Hatch Mill Trail | 2.4 mi | 1,217 ft up & down634–1,644 ft | UnpavedBikesHorsesNo dogs |
| North Ridge Trail | 1.8 mi | 1,000 ft up & down1,184–2,030 ft | BikesHorses |
| Grabtown Gulch Trail | 1.8 mi | 1,167 ft up & down609–1,732 ft | UnpavedBikesHorsesNo dogs |
| Bald Knob Trail | 1.2 mi | 480 ft up & down1,576–1,920 ft | No bikesNo horsesNo dogs |
| Irish Ridge Trail | 1.1 mi | 674 ft up & down1,247–1,905 ft | UnpavedNo bikesNo horsesNo dogs |
| Redwood Trail | 0.6 mi | 178 ft up & down1,867–2,020 ft | No bikesNo horsesWheelchairBikesHorses |
| Lobitos Creek Trail | 0.6 mi | 295 ft up & down1,054–1,364 ft | UnpavedNo bikesNo horsesNo dogs |
| Chris Macintosh Trail | 0.5 mi | 240 ft up & down1,766–2,020 ft | No bikesNo horses |
Trail names and mapped lengths come from OpenStreetMap; lengths count only the part inside the park boundary. Up-and-down totals (climbing plus descent, one way) and elevation ranges are estimates from USGS 3DEP elevation (about 15 m grid) sampled along the mapped line. Use the official guide map for the route and current closures.
Rules & reservations
Official park pageOpen a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset.
Map & directions
Nearby parks
Straight-line distanceContinue exploring
San Mateo County parks Parks in WoodsideSources & verification
Last verified: Oct 15, 2026- California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026aname, county, agency, access, acres
- Midpen preserve pageofficial_url, hours, hours_note, dogs, facilities.restrooms, description
- Midpen visitor FAQ (no entry or parking fees)fees
- OpenStreetMap facilities and trailsfacilities.picnic-area, trails
- U.S. Census Bureau place boundaries (nearest place)city
- OpenStreetMap: parking, restrooms, water, trailheads, trail lines, and bus stopsvisit
- Terrain Tiles elevation (USGS 3DEP), sampled every 20 m along OpenStreetMap trail linestrails.elevation
- Official park page (introduction excerpt)intro