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Activities
Edgewood Information
Edgewood Park is one of the best places on the Peninsula to see wildflowers in the spring, but this hike is nice year-round.
Watch for:
Deer, coyote, bobcats and rabbits are often spotted along these trails. The Bay checkerspot butterfly, which once lived throughout the entire Bay Area, is now a threatened species found only in this and a few other San Mateo and Santa Clara County parks.
Hiking Details for Edgewood
Distance: 3.15 miles
Elevation change: 500 feet
Hiking time: 2 hours
Trail surface: Packed dirt
Best Season: Year round, but spring for wildflowers
Managing agency: San Mateo County Parks
Parking lot location: Click here for directions
Overview: The serpentine soils of Edgewood Park make it ideal for wildflowers, and in the spring it boasts one of the most intense displays on the Peninsula. This loop hike takes you through the center of the park and is one of the best ways to see the colorful show. At other times of year it is still a beautiful hike through thick grasslands with lovely views.
Follow the Clarkia Trail to the Sunset, Serpentine and Edgewood Trails to complete a loop around the center of the preserve. Then follow the Clarkia Trail back to the trailhead.
Edgewood Photo Gallery
More About Edgewood Park
Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve contains wetland, grassland, oak woodland and chaparral habitats among its 467 acres. The park and the surrounding region were formed millions of years ago, when the Farallon and the North American tectonic plates converged. The subduction of the Farallon plate left behind large amounts of rock, including serpentinite, a very rare rock type that is found at Edgewood Park. In spring, wildflowers bloom densely among the grasslands that thrive in the serpentine soil.
The Bay checkerspot butterfly, which once lived throughout the entire Bay Area, is now found only in this and a few other San Mateo and Santa Clara County parks. There are also a dozen rare or endangered plants that have been identified in the park. The habitats of these rare plant and animal species are protected, and may be off-limits; be sure to pay attention to signs and stay on trails as you explore.