In April 2004, the San Mateo LAFCO commission approved
a new coastside protection plan that increases the size of the
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District from 230,000 acres, primarily in
Santa Clara County, to 370,000 acres through the annexation of the coastal
area of San Mateo County. Although there is some opposition from local
landowners, the San Mateo County Farm Bureau endorsed the annexation when
Midpen gave up its power of eminent domain on the coast.
This should be good news for hikers, bicyclists, horse
riders, and others who want to protect the natural environment. Craig
Britton, general manager of Midpen, says that his goal is to preserve
11,800 acres over the next 15 years. This could mean adding connections
among many existing Midpen, county, and state parks. It could mean
participation in support of Pigeon Point Light Station and the surrounding
beach area. It could mean protecting more redwood forest around La Honda.
And it could mean protecting existing farms from urban sprawl.
Although it sounds good, there may be some downsides
for us. But before raising any caution flags, let’s visit the San Mateo
Coast.
The drive up Highway 1 from Santa Cruz offers lots of
scenery and some great stopovers, including seeing living history at
Wilder Ranch, breakfast at Davenport’s New Cash Store, watching the
kiteboarders at Waddell Beach, visiting the Nature and History Center at
Rancho del Oso, or walking up Waddell Creek to Big Basin’s Berry Creek
Falls.
Shortly after entering San Mateo County, we pass Año
Nuevo, part-time home for elephant seals and other pinnipeds, Gazos Creek,
and the southern entrance to the excellent but under-utilized Butano State
Park.
Although tours are no longer available, we stop at the
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park. (In December 2001, two
sections of brick and iron cornice, each weighing about 300 pounds, fell.
Extensive corrosion in the upper iron work made it unsafe. Restoration is
estimated to cost about $3 million.)
The U.S. Coast Guard intends to sell the light station,
and California State Parks is applying for ownership. Peninsula Open Space
Trust also helped to protect the area by buying three acres of Whaler’s
Cove at Pigeon Point. The plan includes adding a public seating area,
viewing platform, beach access, and a trail, supposedly this year.
You can walk around the station, eat at the picnic
tables, or walk out on a platform to view the rugged coastline, ocean
waves, and an occasional whale. Graphic interpretive panels present
information about the light station and passing whales. Newspaper articles
have suggested that Midpen may participate in supporting this area.
Our next stop is the Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve.
You can park on Pescadero Road at two locations: one just past the
intersection with Highway 1 (preferred) and one poorly marked area a few
hundred yards up the road. Three additional parking areas are available on
Highway 1.
The one square-mile preserve, the largest coastal marsh
between Monterey Bay and the Golden Gate, is formed by Pescadero and
Butano Creeks. Several short trails offer access through the marsh. I
followed a trail from the parking area to the Butano Trail that took me
across a little bridge to Pescadero Creek. The trail then looped around to
take me back to the parking area. Although I didn’t see large flocks of
birds, I got close to many waterfowl and a few rabbits. Elkhorn Slough
offers more trails, and perhaps more bird watching opportunities, but
mountain trail expert Tom Taber says that more than 160 species of birds
have been sighted in this marsh. The preserve needs more signage and
better trail maintenance. For more information, call 650-879-2170.
After hiking in the foggy marsh, I was ready for lunch.
I drove up Pescadero Road for a bowl of homemade vegetable soup at the
town of Pescadero’s famous Duarte’s Tavern. Established in 1894, the
tavern is still run by the Duarte family. They claim to serve an average
of 13,000 people a month in the tiny restaurant. They specialize in
artichoke dishes, fresh fish, and a wine list of over two hundred labels.
It’s not fancy, but the food is good.
Now it was on to some serious hiking. I drove up
Pescadero Road past San Mateo Memorial County Park and Pescadero Creek
County Park to Sam McDonald County Park. I chose Sam McDonald because it
offers the beautiful Heritage Grove, a relaxing stopover at the Sierra
Club’s Hiker’s Hut, and a loop trail that involves very little
backtracking.
I chose a trailhead immediately across from the
visitor’s center. This Big Tree Trail loop merges with the Towne Fire Road
a few times, passes the "big tree" (You’ll know it when you see it.), then
connects with the Heritage Grove Trail. This fine trail runs high up on a
ridge through the heavy shade of giant Douglas firs and a few redwoods.
The ups and downs are relatively gentle, making for easy going. You walk
east 1.2 miles to the Heritage Grove turnoff. It’s a short walk down into
37 acres of large redwoods. Perhaps these trees aren’t as impressive as
those in Big Basin or Henry Cowell, but they are still beautiful. (I have
to tell you that you could drive to this same grove via Alpine Road, but
what’s the fun in that?)
You walk back up to the main Heritage Grove Trail, and
then walk up the hill to the Hiker’s Hut. This is a steep climb up and
around many, many switchbacks. I’ll admit I was glad when I got to the
ridge. A small sign and a barely discernable trail take you 150 yards to
the Hiker’s Hut.
What a relief. Although the hut was closed, the big
picnic table was a good place to rest, eat lunch, and enjoy the view of
Pescadero Canyon and the coast. (The hut holds up to 14 people, and offers
a full kitchen, complete with electricity and a wood stove. To reserve the
hut, call 650-390-8411.)
Rather than retracing my steps down Heritage Grove
Trail, I completed the five-mile loop by walking through large, green
meadows on the Towne Fire Road. I passed by a herd of watchful but bold
deer and a horse camp (650-879-0212) on my way down to the parking lot and
home.
Entrance fee to the park is five dollars, but seniors
get in free Monday through Friday.
The San Mateo Coast is a beautiful area that deserves
more protection, but I have some concerns. According to an article in the
San Jose Mercury News, Midpen will not raise taxes for coastal
residents. Instead, it plans to preserve coastal land by spending about $2
million a year from its $20 million annual budget. Where will this money
come from? And will this delay access to the open space in our back yard,
especially Sierra Azul and Bear Creek?
Much of these two local open space preserves are off
limits. Midpen appears to be in no hurry to open them. In a July 7, 1999
Los Gatos Weekly-Times article, Midpen general manager Britton said
that the Bear Creek property might not be open to the public for as long
as five years. Well, the five years is up, and Bear Creek is still not
open, except by special permit, and almost half of the property is
completely closed to the public. Perhaps they are embarrassed by four
years of Bear Creek logging. Although they inherited the logging
agreement, critics say that they had several opportunities to buy back the
logging rights. They didn’t. Isn’t forest worth preserving?
Sierra Azul development has been blocked by squabbles
with neighbors, problems with legal access, and failure to clean up
hazards at the old radar site. Although Midpen continues to add land to
this giant 15,000-acre+ preserve, much of it is inaccessible to the
public.
Midpen may also be lacking the resources to manage the
property they already have. They haven’t developed master plans for these
two parks. They don’t have enough rangers to protect the open space areas.
They aren’t maintaining existing buildings and historical sites that are
worth saving, and they aren’t demolishing the buildings and other safety
hazards in Bear Creek and Sierra Azul.
Certainly, Midpen’s prime objective is to preserve a
regional greenbelt of open space land, but their mission statement also
includes "providing opportunities for ecologically sensitive public
enjoyment and education."
In their eagerness to protect land in San Mateo, they
may be neglecting their responsibilities to existing open space areas in
Santa Clara County. It’s not enough to simply buy land. Preservation
includes better management of building and forest resources. It also
includes better access for the citizens paying the bills.
The San Jose Mercury News says that "the owner
of a home assessed at $500,000 pays about $85 a year" in property taxes to
finance Midpen. It’s worth it, but we deserve better facilities
management, more citizen participation, and improved access.
If you agree, tell general manager Craig Britton to not
forget us. You can write him via email (info@openspace.org) or regular
mail to Craig Britton, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 330
Distel Circle, Los Altos, California 94022-1404.