Dedicated August 20, 2026
5.5 Miles
On August 20, 2026, the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council gathered with our project partners and supporters to cut the ribbon on the Skyline Watershed Ridge Trail. For over a century, this corner of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) 23,000-acre watershed has been closed to the public. Now, the Skyline Watershed Ridge Trail offers expanded public access to the stunning Peninsula Watershed while protecting this biodiverse landscape and vital regional resource.
An Exceptional Visitor Experience
Located just south of Highway 92, the 6-mile trail adds 5.5 miles to the Ridge Trail network and offers new opportunities for hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and equestrians. The trail winds through shaded forest understory and opens onto sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco Bay and Crystal Springs Reservoir. The watershed through which the trail winds protects four drinking-water reservoirs, and is a State-designated Fish and Game Refuge, as well as a protected area within the UNESCO Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve.
The trailhead features interpretive signs and a new parking lot, where visitors can access the trail after obtaining a free online permit. The permit does not limit the number of visitors; instead, it helps SFPUC understand trail use and encourage responsible recreation.
Balancing Access with Conservation
The Skyline Watershed Ridge Trail is not simply a recreation project on utility land. It was designed around several equally important objectives:
- Expand public access to the Peninsula Watershed
- Extend the regional Ridge Trail
- Protect drinking-water resources and sensitive habitat
- Create opportunities for watershed education
- Accommodate hikers, cyclists, runners, and equestrians
The permit system, six-foot crushed-rock trail, interpretive panels, fencing, visitor rules, and carefully selected alignment all together contribute to a balance of expanding public access without treating natural-resource protection as secondary.
A Quarter-century of Partnership
It was a moment decades in the making on August 20th when the gate was swung open and the first visitors stepped and rode onto the trail. SFPUC’s 2001 Watershed Management Plan specifically responded to the Ridge Trail Council’s request to route the regional trail through part of the Peninsula Watershed. SFPUC transformed that regional vision into an implementable project, navigating watershed protection, environmental review, engineering, access management, funding, and construction. The Ridge Trail Council played an important role throughout the project with long-term advocacy, regional route planning, environmental-review participation, and trailhead sign development.
In addition to SFPUC and the Ridge Trail Council, this trail is the result of decades of coordinated efforts with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Peninsula Open Space Trust, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Mateo County Parks, Green Foothills, and other regional partners. Funding partners California Coastal Conservancy and Metropolitan Transportation Commission played a critical role in supporting this project as well, including directing a $1 million investment through the Federal Highway Administration grant program. We are deeply grateful to all of the partners, volunteers, members, and advocates whose dedication made this trail possible.
Future Regional Connections
While this new trail segment is an exciting addition to the Ridge Trail, it is not yet connected to the rest of the loop. Work is underway to close the next major connection: a safe crossing of Highway 35 that will link the southern end of this segment to Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve. Midpen is advancing this project with support from the Ridge Trail Action Fund. Looking ahead, the Council is also beginning research, advocacy, and community engagement for a safe crossing of Highway 92 at the northern end of the Skyline Watershed Ridge Trail.
Gratitude for our Partners
Many thanks to our project partners for making this Ridge Trail dedication possible!
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