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
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
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 Sep 20: sunrise 6:57 AM · sunset 7:12 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
Sunrise 6:57 AMSunset 7:12 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 6:46 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:29 PM — 9 min before dark.
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
- Baquiano Trail & Mori Ridge Trail via Sweeney Ridge Trail 6.4 mi · ▲ 1,409 ft
- Portola Discovery Site of San Francisco Bay & Mori Ridge Trail via Sweeney Ridge Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 1,036 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Vallemar, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Vallemar, California