Sequoia Audubon Trail at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve

If you are visiting the San Mateo Coast and want to do a lovely short hike then this might be your best option. The flat dirt trail starts at the South Beach of Pescadero State Beach and goes inland through marshlands for about three-quarters of a mile (for a 1.5 mile round trip hike).

The flat area at the mouth of Pescadero Creek is home to hundreds of bird species, waterborne animals like California red-legged frogs, and spawning salmon (winter months). Birders will be able to spot egrets, herons, and cormorants among other easily recognizable birds at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve.

To find the trailhead, park at the south beach parking lot (must pay a day-use fee) and then walk north across the Highway 1 bridge. The trail will begin right after the guardrail ends and is sandy at first. Just keep hiking east along the creek as far as you can. It eventually ends at a resting spot in the riparian landscape. After you return to the highway, enjoy the beach on either side of the creek mouth (it’s much sandier on the north side). If you want to hike more, then walk a little farther along the highway and look for a footbridge and a scenic trail that meanders north to the Pescadero State Beach North Parking Lot.

Address

Pescadero Creek Road and Highway 1
Pescadero, CA 94060

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