easy
Activities
Jean Lauer Trail at Pillar Point Bluff Information
The Jean Lauer Trail was created in memory of Jean Lauer, a former POST staffer who loved and worked on the coastside.
Watch for:
Keep an eye out for soaring pelicans, cormorants, gulls and hawks.
Hiking Details for Jean Lauer Trail
Distance: 1.4 mile loop
Elevation change: 100 feet
Hiking time: 1 hour
Trail surface: Packed dirt, fully exposed
Best Season: Year round
Managing agency: County of San Mateo
Parking lot location: Click here for directions
The 1.4-mile (roundtrip) Jean Lauer Trail overlooks a seasonal wetland as well as coastal waters protected by the San Mateo County Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The bluff is popular with local hikers, joggers and dog-walkers.
Starting at the parking lot, the ADA accessible trail heads north (right) to the bluff and returns the same way. Visitors can also create a loop using single track trails around the bluff and returning to the main section of the Jean Lauer Trail. This is an easy hike with low grades and beautiful views.
Jean Lauer Trail at Pillar Point Bluff Photo Gallery
More about the Jean Lauer Trail
POST acquired this 119-acre windswept lookout in August 2004 to protect it from commercial development. With funding from the California Coastal Conservancy, POST created a segment of the 1,200-mile California Coastal Trail. On August 9, 2011, POST transferred the Pillar Point Bluff property to San Mateo County Parks for inclusion in the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
About the hike
The 1.4 mile Jean Lauer Trail is along the heights of Pillar Point Bluff. The trail overlooks a seasonal wetland as well as coastal waters protected by the San Mateo County Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The trail connects from the Pillar Point Bluff parking lot to Bernal Ave, and is highly accessible to all with a 5% grade, dirt-packed trail. The bluff is popular with local hikers, joggers and dog-walkers. If you’re interested in birding, there are perfect vistas for sighting birds off the coast, so bring your binoculars! You can also spot Half Moon Bay Harbor, agricultural lands and the famous Mavericks surf break, due west.