2 min
Overview
Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve in an adorable park in Redwood City famous for its spring wildflowers, the rare Bay checkerspot butterfly, and views of Mount Diablo and the San Francisco Bay. This loop hike takes you through the park’s shady oak woodlands up to the high point of the park, and then along serpentine grasslands with a focus on seeing wildflowers. wildflowers in Edgewood Park There are over 500 plant species at Edgewood Park—wow!—including 10 rare or endangered species. The timing of the wildflower blooms can vary each year, but early-mid spring is generally a good time of year to see the famous flower-filled meadows on the western side of the park. Even in winter you can find early-blooming flowers, too, like hound’s tongue and warrior’s plume. What else can you expect to see? I like this illustrated plant list by CalFlora, which you can conveniently sort by blooming month. This plant checklist for Edgewood Park on iNaturalist is also handy. The land in Edgewood Park had been slated for development projects like a college and a golf course from the mid-1960s through the 1980s. Then in 1993, after careful documentation of the land’s species diversity and action by environmental groups, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors declared it a Natural Preserve. That same year, a volunteer organization called Friends of Edgewood was created to “restore, preserve, and protect Edgewood’s natural resources.” On Friday mornings, you can see Weed Warriors out and about, Friends of Edgewood volunteers who remove invasive plants to keep the habitats and wildflowers in them healthy. FOE volunteers also lead free guided wildflower hikes from early March through early June at 10:00 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Check their website, Facebook page and Instagram for news and updates. Start your hike at the kiosk in front of the Bill and Jean Lane Education Center. Grab a free brochure with a trail map and take a quick peak at the information posted. If you happen to visit on a Wednesday (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
Trail Stats
6.8 km
228 m
253 m
67 m
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