Rancho Corral de Tierra is part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), which is managed by the National Parks Service. This 4,000-acre parcel of land is the newest acquisition to the GGNRA, and it features both stunning vistas of the San Mateo County coast and prominent views of Montara Mountain, which dramatically rises 2,000 feet in just over 1 mile.

The National Park Service explains the name of the park on its website: Historically known as "Rancho Corral de Tierra Palomares" (Earthen Corral), the property encompasses the majority of the 1839 Mexican Land Grant to Francisco Guerrero y Palomares where he built the first adobe on the San Mateo Coast at Denniston Creek.

I have been putting off visiting this park for a while now, mostly because it's not precisely clear from the NPS website or the GGNRA website (link here) about where you can park to access the trails of the park. Because the park is so new, the trails, signage, and parking are all poorly communicated. I found a nice write-up about a hike on the POST website (link here), and decided to give that a try--I ended up rerouting when I arrived at the parking spot that POST recommends, and I chose to access the park instead from Coral Reef Rd. in El Granada. It was actually quite easy! I just drove to the end of the road, and there was parking near the sign making the end of the county maintenance.

I am kicking myself now that I waited so long to visit this park. This was one of the best hikes I have been on in a very long time! See a map of my trip and loads more photos after the jump.

Bair Island is a restored marsh in Redwood City. The marsh was purchased by POST (which has a nice write-up of the trail here) and is now maintained by the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge (their info on the park can be found here, a map can be found here, and their nature guide can be found here). Bay Area Hiker has an excellent write-up of the trail here too.

It's cool to see this area, which was cattle grazing land and then salt evaporation ponds, being restored to its natural brackish marshes. Even in July, there were wildflowers still blooming and I saw cool snails, jackrabbits, and LOTS of birds. It was so pleasant to feel the cool breeze off the bay in the summer sunshine (with the fog rolling over the Santa Cruz mountains to the west).

It's always fun to visit this POST trail on a fine day in late winter or early spring when the mustard is in full bloom.  This was a repeat visit of my trip last year and that was a repeat of the year before. This was my first time to bring my daughter, and I was delighted at how easy it was for us to bring her on the trail in her stroller!

Pearson-Arastradero Preserve is a Palo Alto City Park off of Page Mill Road. 

I have written about this amazing trail before. The wildflowers here are AMAZING in the winter and spring, and you are very likely to see harbor seals. It's basically one of my favorite places in the whole world.

My family gamely agreed to 5 hikes in 7 days. They are such good troopers!

The Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and the Pillar Point Bluffs are right by each other, and offer a wonderful afternoon adventure!

The Pigeon Point Bluffs are part of a historic park run jointly by POST and the CA State Park System. They offer beautiful views of the Pigeon Point Light Station.

This trail is a gorgeous trail in between the bluffs looking out over the Pacific and farmlands along Highway 1. It's 3.6 miles in each direction, but it's mostly flat. It's only open on weekends and holidays, so make sure that you plan appropriately! Wear sunscreen too, because there isn't really any shade.