Summer 
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
All or most of this park is closed due to damage from the CZU fire in 2020
Pescadero Creek County Park covers a vast area, underexplored by birders. The extensive trail system includes riparian zones, chaparral, redwood, and mixed forest habitats. The labyrinthine trail system connects seamlessly to Memorial Park, Sam McDonald Park, and Portola Redwoods State Park. Of all the parks in the county, this one can best combine extensive (even aerobic!) hiking with bird-watching. The downside: don't expect a long species list. The elevation and densely forested quality of Pescadero Creek County Park makes it less diverse species-wise than most areas of the county. However, the many high-elevation creeks here invite birders to look for American Dipper in swift-flowing waters.
There are two main entrances to the park. The easiest one to reach is the west entrance, off of Wurr Street, just east of Memorial Park and off of Pescadero Road. This small parking lot gives one access to the Old Haul Road, that defines the park across its 5.5 mile swath as a trail heading (roughly) southeast. The Old Haul Road is usually quite wide; serving as the main anchor point through the park, it gives access to many other trails, and a plethora of small stream beds and habitats. It is one of the best owling locations in the county, too, though rarely used because of the need to hike in at night (permit required for overnight parking; obtain it at Memorial Park). Primitive camping in the park is available at two camp sites, for those who want to explore the happening night life of avian San Mateo county (Tarwater and Shaw Flat campgrounds). Northern Saw-whet and Northern Pygmy-Owls are the stars here, along with Western Screech-Owls.
Another remarkable hiking, scenic, and birding adventure awaits the intrepid birder who takes the Butano Ridge trail. This five-mile loop hugs the southern boundary of the park, taking off from, and, for its bulk, paralleling the Old Haul Road.
The other principal access to Pescadero Creek County Park comes at the Tarwater Trailhead. This is accessed off of Alpine Road. The road also leads to a juvenile detention facility, so don't pick up hitchhikers here. The trailhead gives access to chaparral, some grassland, and mixed woodlands. This area is a hidden gem, little-known and little-used, featuring breath-taking views.
Another way to access Pescadero Creek County Park, currently, is through the contiguous state park, Portola Redwoods. The trail systems of the two parks are fully interconnected; the Tarwater Trailhead, for instance, connects to the Upper Coyote Ridge Trail of Portola Redwoods. From the Iverson Cabin Site, one can walk quickly to the southeast end of the Old Haul Road. However, as of this writing (October 2011), Portola Redwoods State Park is on a list of impending state park closures; the fate of the trails connecting this park to Pescadero Creek County Park has not yet been determined (in the event of a total shut-down of Portola Redwoods).
Finally, for the very brave and fit, there is an extension from Pescadero Creek County Park to Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz county. It is under ten miles to Big Basin headquarters. Let someone know you are undertaking this hike, OK? The Basin Trail can be found at the southeast corner of the Butano Ridge Fire Trail.
The bird life at this park includes those species associated with redwood (Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Steller's Jay, Brown Creeper, Dark-eyed Junco) and warblers that enjoy elevation, such as Hermit, Townsend's and Yellow-rumped Warblers. The vastness of the park discourages casual visits here; thus, the area has not gained a long list of rarities. But the ones that have appeared should goad local birders into better coverage of the area: Long-eared Owl, Ovenbird, and Hooded Warbler.
Mallard, Common Merganser, California Quail, Wild Turkey (one of the easier places in the county to see them, west entrance), Band-tailed Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove (rare here), Mourning Dove, Vaux's Swift, White-throated Swift, Allen's Hummingbird, Anna's Hummingbird, Wilson's Snipe (unusual here), Great Blue Heron (uncommon here), Marbled Murrelet, Turkey Vulture, Osprey (fly-over), White-tailed Kite (rare fly-over), Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon (uncommon here), Barn Owl, Great Horned Owl, Western Screech-Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Acorn Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker (dependable locations on both east and west ends), Red-breasted Sapsucker (primarily winter, but some breeding records as well), American Kestrel, Merlin (rare here), Peregrine Falcon (rare here), Western Wood-Pewee, Olive-sided Flycatcher (uncommon here), Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Hutton's Vireo, Warbling Vireo (spring-summer), California Scrub-Jay, Steller's Jay, Common Raven, American Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Oak Titmouse (rare here), Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Bushtit, Wrentit, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet (winter), Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch (rare here), Pygmy Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (rare here), House Wren (uncommon), Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, American Dipper (becoming rarer in county), European Starling (rare here), California Thrasher (in chaparral), Western Bluebird (uncommon), Hermit Thrush (winter), Swainson's Thrush (spring-summer), American Robin, Varied Thrush (primarily winter, but some breeding records here), Cedar Waxwing, House Finch, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch, Red Crossbill (especially along Butano Ridge Trail), Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Brown-headed Cowbird (uncommon), Brewer's Blackbird (uncommon), Orange-crowned Warbler (spring-summer), Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler (spring-summer), Townsend's Warbler (winter), Hermit Warbler (primarily spring and summer, but also very rare in most winters), MacGillivray's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting (unusual here),
In this guide, "rarities" are defined as those species given an County Abundance Code of 4, 5, or 6.
Golden Eagle, Long-eared Owl (2005), Common Poorwill (2017), Cassin's Vireo, Purple Martin (2019), White-throated Sparrow (2018), Northern Parula (2011, a singing male), Hooded Warbler (2009), Ovenbird (2004)
To reach the Wurr Street entrance, drive east from SR 1 on Pescadero Road, past the town of Pescadero, and past the main entrance to Memorial Park. Wurr Road will be your next right after that. The parking area for the Old Haul Road is ahead, less than a mile, on your left.
To reach the Tarwater Trailhead, drive west along Alpine Road from Skyline Drive, past the entrance road to Portola Redwoods State Park. The Pomponio Camp Road comes at a curve in Alpine Road, making it a very soft left-hand turn onto the entrance to Pescadero Creek County Park. It is clearly signed, but not predictable in advance. Be prepared.
Follow directions to Portola Redwoods State Park elsewhere in this guide to use that park as the entryway to Pescadero Creek County Park.
Red Markers: Parking Area or Trail Head
Hover mouse pointer over marker, or click marker, for pin identification.
Use + or - buttons to change map zoom. Click & Drag to pan.
There are no fees currently associated with using Pescadero Creek County Park
The park officially opens at 8:00 am; closing hours vary through the seasons, but are essentially around sunset. Check the website for precise closing times.
The usual hazards - ticks, poison oak, the low percentage risk of encountering a Mountain Lion - all exist here. Because of the isolated nature of this park, if you intend to be here for a day or more, it is wise to tell someone that. But, that caution being stated, there are relatively few hazards associated with this park. Getting to this out-of-the-way location may be the most difficult thing about it. Most trails have dramatic elevation changes; the park map shows these.
Other than the primitive campgrounds (which are advertised as having toilet facilities), there are no facilities within Pescadero Creek County Park. The operative word here is "primitive" - these parks are meant for long-haul hikes, not small jaunts.
Accessibility information is currently not available for this location.
The official address for the Pescadero Creek County Park complex is 9500 Pescadero CreekRoad, Loma Mar, CA 94021. The phone number is 650-879-0238. To reach the department of county parks, call 650-363-4020, Monday-Thursday, 8:00-5:30.
Pescadero Creek County Park is a hotspot in eBird. Since 2010, this hotspot has grown from virtually empty to completeness; data exists in all 48 time quadrants, representing 97 species. Please use eBird to record sightings in under-birded and extensive areas like Pescadero Creek County Park.
Pescadero Creek County Park has its own automatic collection project on iNaturalist. The data collected there reveals much about the mixed habitats of this remarkable place. Join the iNaturalist community and contribute more, please!
One person who recorded his sightings thoroughly is eBird legend (and winner of eBirder of the month award in January 2010,) the intrepid David Suddjian. David conducted owl surveys in the Santa Cruz Mountains (prior to his move to Colorado), of which the elevated portions of Pescadero Creek County Park are a part. Read here about his methodology, and how to access his results using eBird.
The southwestern section of Pescadero Creek County Park was ground zero for the CZU Complex Fires in August-September 2020. Please join the iNaturalist project charting the response to this fire - the largest in southwestern San Mateo county in over a century - by visiting its home page here.
Pescadero Creek County Park, Tarwater entrance, on a foggy morning, September 2011 (Jennifer Rycenga)
Tarwater Trailhead, Pescadero Creek County Park, showing the elevation of 1030 feet. September 2011 (Jennifer Rycenga)
Mixed woodland along the Tarwater Trail, Pescadero Creek County Park, September 2011 (Jennifer Rycenga)
The many streams and creeks in Pescadero Creek County Park offer opportunities for seeing migrants, passerines, and, when broad and moving, American Dipper. September 2011, along the Old Haul Road trail. (Jennifer Rycenga)
Mixed woodland along the Old Haul Trail, Pescadero Creek County Park, September 2011 (Jennifer Rycenga)
Author: Jennifer Rycenga, with thanks to Al DeMartini for the chapter on the Pescadero Creek County park complex in the original book, and to David Suddjian and Garth Harwood for advice.
Uploaded:
October 21, 2011
Last Update:
May 9, 2022 9:52am
All content ©Sequoia Audubon Society and others
No use without written permission
