Portola Discovery Site of San Francisco Bay–Pilarcitos Lake, 4 sights is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in San Francisco Peninsula Watershed near Vallemar, CA. The route passes Portola Discovery Site of San Francisco Bay before reaching Pilarcitos Lake at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 2,676 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade. It scores 48/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi240 – 1,335 ft · steepest grade: 26%16.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Mori Ridge Trail 37.61737, -122.48317
Nearest town Vallemar, CA
Directions
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Portola Discovery Site of San Francisco Bay–Pilarcitos Lake, 4 sights
16.1 mi · ▲ 2,676 ft · 6 hr 42 min
Elevation 240–1,336 ft
Out & Back · San Francisco Peninsula Watershed
Trailhead: Mori Ridge Trail · 37.61737, -122.48317
Weather Aug 4: Partly cloudy, high 69°F / low 55° · precip 2% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:17 AM · sunset 8:17 PM
Transit-accessible: Westport Drive & Lundy Way stop 374 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Mori Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 1.7 miBear left onto Sweeney Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miPass Portola Discovery Site of San Francisco Bay.
- 1.2 miSharp right onto Fifield Ridge Road, heading E.
- 1.8 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.9 miSharp left, heading S.
- 2 miPass Pilarcitos Lake.
- 150 ftReach Portola Discovery Site of San Francisco Bay, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 2.7 miSharp left onto Sweeney Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 3.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
35% dirt6% paved59% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 69°F55°
Precip2%Wind5 mphUV8Humidity85%
Hourly temperature
70°55°
Sunrise 6:17 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:17 PM
Wed
71°55°
Thu
76°60°
Fri
77°59°
Sat
74°57°
Sun
69°57°
Mon
70°56°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:57 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:17 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:45 PM.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Westport Drive & Lundy Way stop 374 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Mori Ridge Trail Trailhead
- Portola Discovery Site of San Francisco Bay & Mori Ridge Trail via Sweeney Ridge Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 1,036 ft
- Baquiano Trail & Mori Ridge Trail via Sweeney Ridge Trail 6.4 mi · ▲ 1,409 ft
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