Sawyer Camp Trail - 9/6/2011

Sawyer Camp Trail is one of the most popular recreation paths in the Bay Area. On any given day you are prone to encounter roller bladers, cyclists, moms with strollers, joggers, and folks looking for easy exercise. The 6 mile paved trail stretches from the shores of Crystal Springs Reservoir to San Andreas Lake, through protected San Francisco Watershed lands. Sawyer Camp is as close as most of us will ever get to the off-limits watershed property, which is a shame, since it looks pretty from this fenced-off trail.
    

    Markers every half mile make it easy to track your progress as you travel Sawyer Camp Trail. Seasoned hikers will probably prefer one of the other dirt trails in nearby county parks, as walking on this paved trail definitely is not a wilderness experience. But for wheelchairs users and parents with young kids, Sawyer Camp Trail is a good choice for a gentle outdoor outing. It's also a great location to learn (or relearn) to ride a bicycle -- the southern part of the trail is almost perfectly flat, while the northern section has a slight grade.

Benches sit along the sides of the trail in several spots, allowing for rest or lunch breaks. The trail winds through open areas, with toyon, coyote brush, and poison oak common, as well as more shaded stretches where coast live oak and California bay dominate the landscape. Shade is sporadic so bring a hat on a sunny day. You may see (or hear) ducks and other waterbirds, deer, rabbits, and raptors. Sawyer Camp occasionally drifts inland, away from the water for short stretches, but then returns to offer fabulous views across the reservoir to the off-limits western hills. In autumn if you stand quietly along wooded sections of the trail you may see small birds feeding on honeysuckle and poison oak berries, as well as acorns. 

Once past the northern edge of Crystal Springs Reservoir, Sawyer Camp Trail enters an area where coast live oak and California bay mix through Monterey pine, madrone, cypress, and a few buckeye. Willow and dogwood mark seasonal creeks on the left. At the 3 mile mark, a gated and locked service road crosses Sawyer Camp Trail. You may spot coyote scat here, as Canis latrans are fond of marking their territory at crossroads. Dogwood, ash, cottonwood, and poison oak make a dramatic and gorgeous fall statement as Sawyer Camp Trail continues north, putting forth bright leaves of gold and red in early November. At 3.50 miles you'll reach the Jepson Laurel area.
  
      Pass the portable toilets and veer left on a narrow path a few feet, where a plaque heralds the massive bay (there are better views from the edge of the picnic area, to the right). This is the largest California bay tree in the state, and is believed to be over 600 years old. Retrace your steps when you're ready to return to the trailhead.

        -Bay Area Hiker-