Historic Route. The historic route
enters San Mateo County at San Francisquito Creek at the site of El
Palo Alto, the redwood tree named by the Portolá expedition
of 1769. The route through the county more or less follows state highway
82, a portion of the El Camino Real today, which was the travelable edge
of the bay in 1776. In the San Bruno Mountain area, the route turns north
to enter San Francisco County.
Federal Components
None
Interpretive Sites
El Camino Real
Camp #94 in Burlingame
Camp #96 at San Mateo Creek
Burlingame Waterfront Park
San Mateo Bayside Park
Hospice or Mission of San Mateo
Coyote Point County Recreation Area/ Museum
Recreational Trail
The San Mateo County Trails Advisory Committee
has recommended support for marking the historic route (El Camino Real)
and designating two multiuse recreational alternatives, the Bay Trail and
the Sawyer Camp/Cañada Trails. The historic route is now urbanized,
but the San Francisco Bay Trail offers an opportunity to experience some
of the bay environment as the Anza expedition may have seen it. It is a
multiuse route with the goal of completing a continuous trail within 100
feet of the shoreline all around the San Francisco Bay. The San Francisco
Bay Trail board has passed a resolution to support and cooperate with the
National Park Service to identify areas where signs can be installed to
celebrate both trails.
The Sawyer Camp and Cañada trails
along Crystal Springs are on a portion of the historic route which some
of the expedition members followed on their return from San Francisco Bay.
The County Trails Plan identifies a route for all users which follows the
Lower Alpine Trail west from the Santa Clara County line at Arastradero
Road, and continues through Portola Valley and Woodside along part of the
Sand Hill Trail to Cañada Road. Following the Cañada Trail
to the Crystal Springs trails South and North, it would meet the Sawyer
Camp Trail in the San Francisco Watershed. At the northern end of Sawyer
Camp Trail, the Anza Trail recreation route would head up the hill toward
the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Equestrians not wishing to use Sawyer Camp Trail
might use another access that may be available along the Cañada
Road corridor.
Auto Route (marked)
Continue from Santa Clara County on state
highway 82 (El Camino Real) to Hickey Boulevard west to Junipero Serra
north to enter San Francisco County.
Agency/Organization Coordination
Bay Area Ridge Trail
Cities of
Atherton
Menlo Park
Portola Valley
San Mateo
Sharon Heights
West Menlo Park
Woodside
County of San Mateo
• Parks & Recreation Department
• Planning Department
• Trails Advisory Committee
• Historical Advisory Committee
Muwekma-Ohlone Tribe of San Francisco
Bay
Ohlone Tribe
San Francisco Bay Trail Project
San Mateo County Historical Society
State of California
• Caltrans
• Coastal Conservancy
• Department of Fish and Game
• Native American Heritage Commission
• Office of Historic Preservation
• Office of Tourism
• State Lands Commission |