Exploring San Bruno Mountain’s Saddle and Bog Trails | Brisbane

Submitted by the Event Organizer

This field trip is a first-of-the-year winter staple so let’s start with an easy walk around the saddle and bog with East Bay and San Francisco views. The saddle features grasslands, monocultures of gorse, a eucalyptus forest, the headwaters of Colma Creek, and a rare upland wetland. Several past restoration projects offer vivid examples of success and failure and are worth discussing.

The Saddle Trail is a wide fire road and is rich in plant species and its eastern grasslands share plant species common to the southeast portion of the mountain such as coast iris and purple needlegrass. We should see golden violet and silver lupine, the host plants for the endangered Callippe Silverspot and Mission Blue butterflies. The bog is a rare upland wetland with sedges, rushes, cow parsnip, willows, and creek dogwood.

The Bog Trail may be wet from winter rains so wear appropriate shoes. Bring layers because the Saddle Trail may be windy, but the Bog Trail is generally sheltered.

There is a $6 fee (cash or credit/debit card) for park admission payable at the pay station. Meet in the main parking lot which is visible from the kiosk. Heavy rainpostpones to January 25.

For questions, call or text Doug at 415-269-9967 or email dougsr228@comcast.net

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.