SPECIAL: Crystal Springs 6-mile docent-led hike (San Mateo)

This is a test to see if tea drinkers want to hike. :)

This is a special 6-mile out & back Crystal Springs hike!

We are taking a private tour of currently unopened land called Fifield-Cahill. These lands are closed to the public but we have received a special docent-led group opportunity to hike these lands.

We will be joined by Stan's Bay Area Hiking & Anything Fun group, https://www.meetup.com/AnythingFun

Route: Starting at cemetery gate and hiking to Pilarcitos Overlook and return. It's a great hike for experiencing the forests and the views. It is the only way to experience what's on the ridge when you look across Crystal Springs when driving along 280.

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Description from SFPUC:

Local nature lovers can enjoy the rare opportunity to hike through pristine stands of old growth Douglas Fir, evergreen and fragrant coastal scrub while enjoying ridge-top vistas of our watershed lands, reservoirs, the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay.

The managed segment of the Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail from Highway 92 to Sweeney Ridge is 10 miles long and connects with the 3.7 miles of the Sweeney Ridge Trail open to the public. The trail is a gravel service road with grades range from 0% to 21%. The steepest grade stretches 1.3 miles from Skyline Quarry (elevation 400') to Cemetery Gate (elevation 1050') on Cahill Ridge, with a vertical elevation change of 650'.

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To RSVP, please sign-up and answer the RSVP questions. +1 guests are not permitted for this event. You cannot go if you have no-shows on your record. (Do not try to go out on your own, as it's closed land. Do not trespass.)

When you RSVP, choose where you will meet us, House of Bagels Stephen's Plaza or outside Skylawn Cemetery, where we meet our docent at 8:45AM. Also for SFPUC, include your full name, email address, phone number and city of residence. If you don't provide complete answers, your RSVP will be changed to no. Limited RSVPs.

For South Bay carpoolers, meet at 8:00AM at House of Bagels Stephen's Plaza, 5231 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara. Please volunteer to drive for the carpool. Route: https://goo.gl/maps/WNCP2d86QAEBWu4UA

Restrooms are every 2 miles on the trail. Bring 1L water as there's no drinkable water on the trail, even though you can see a lot of water in the reservoir. Bring lunch for yourself and snacks to share. No cell coverage on the route.

Since we are guests on this private land, there are rules/requests:

Do not No-show. We don't want to waste any precious spots.

Since the closed property is not upgraded for public use, we must all stay together. That means no one should plan on arriving late or leaving early. In the event of an emergency, we all leave together.

Have fun - enjoy the rare views - take photos for yourself. Feel free to put your photos on social media. Mention the owner, SF Public Utility Commission, has graciously allowed us this tour. For the privacy of the land owner, do not tell others the address or post photos of the address on social media.

No pets, smoking or alcohol.

Costs:

$5 gas money, each passenger gives to driver
entry to this special hike & to explore its lands - priceless!
no parking fees

Photos:

Pilarcitos Lake, Sep 2025 (PC: Stan)
Look left LOL, Aug 2025 (PC: Stan)
On the trail, Aug 2025 (PC Stan)
Montara and the Pacific, Aug 2025 (PC: Stan)
What's for lunch? :), Aug 2025 (PC: Stan)
Crystal Springs public view, Aug 2025 (PC: Stan)