The Bay Area Ridge Trail — Making a Key Connection

Imagine a stunning 550-mile circuit of connected trails along the ridge of the entire Bay Area. Would you attempt to traverse it all? Though not yet complete, the Bay Area Ridge Trail (Ridge Trail) offers unparalleled experiences for outdoor enthusiasts, and POST has been working hard to help fill in its gaps.

The Ridge Trail is one of five in-progress regional trail projects that are priorities for POST, and we play a key role in driving them forward. Regional trails connect multiple open spaces, uniting our large network of protected lands. And while they give visitors an opportunity to experience the incredible biodiversity of our landscapes, they take decades of planning, dedicated collaboration and strategic investments.

Last spring, plans for a new six-mile trail segment of the Ridge Trail were approved by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), which owns and maintains 23,000 acres of watershed lands running along the spine of the Peninsula.

This approval took decades of planning and persistence by SFPUC, the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council and partners like POST — so we are celebrating!

The new segment, slated for completion in 2023, will connect the trail along Highway 35, heading south from Highway 92 to the northern corners of POST-protected Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve and the Phleger Estate.

Trail planning is a long process for good reason. The watersheds in this area provide essential drinking water to residents and habitat for myriad wildlife. Balancing environmental health with human recreation takes careful study and the involvement of many. Giving people the ability to experience on foot (or bicycle or horseback) the full range of Bay Area ecosystems on one connected regional trail takes decades — but the patience and perseverance of all involved will provide many benefits for generations to come.