Legendary Bay Area ex-Yelper, Wes M. was certainly right about the Cascade Ranch Unit, and about Whitehouse Ridge Trail, in particular: it’s a secluded hiking spot with truly enjoyable vistas once you reach the top. Starting from the canyon trailhead — located a few miles down an unsigned and bumpy dirt road off of Highway One — it’s a short ascent of 1.5 miles to the top. The trail doesn’t have a lot of signs, and you need to pay attention at the start to follow it right across a small creek before beginning the series of switchbacks that will eventually take you to the intersection of Chalks Road. Make a left at the road and follow the well-graded fire trail to the summit of Chalk Mountain where 360 degree views await. It’s a pretty spectacular, if understated, place. Once the trail leaves the shade of the redwoods, the ridges are exposed fully to the elements, so it will get hot and windy, but that’s part of the experience. On a clear day, you can see the Pigeon Point lighthouse, Butano Ridge, Big Basin, Ano Neuvo island, and even the peak of Montara Mountain far to the North. At around 1600 feet mere miles from the elephant seals and remote beaches near Gazos Creek, it’s one of the best ocean panoramas I’ve encountered along the San Mateo county coast — probably the best between Montara and Big Sur, I’d say(although Irish Ridge in Purisima Redwoods Creek OSP would also get a vote, though it’s not a full 360). And Chalk Mountain summit seems hardly ever to be visited. Or Unilocaled about, for that matter. It’s not a terribly long hike, if you don’t get lost, leaving time to explore the beaches nearby and from there to speed home on the coastal highway. On our return, we had tacos(al pastor, fish, carnitas) and cerveza at the Mercado gas station/taqueria in Pescadero, which is always a treat even without all the fancy Harley Davidsons and Ducatis parked nearby. Not a bad way to spend the weekend, if you’re up for a little adventure.
Wes M.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
Ok, so technically this is the Cascade Ranch Unit of the Ano Nuevo State Reserve, but this inland section is worlds away from the main coastal unit a few miles south(famous for its seal colony). It’s actually like a lesser-known version of Butano State Park a few miles north. Actually I think lesser-known would be an understatement. I know it’s a cliché to say you don’t want to review a place and give it away, but I actually felt that way about Cascade Ranch. However, I don’t think obscure, hour-away hiking trails have much to worry about from Unilocal fame, at least for now. The only road in is the unpaved, unmarked Whitehouse Canyon Road, just a couple hundred yards south of Rossi Road on the 1. You follow it in about 2 miles over the coastal savannah, finally entering a narrow, dark, and verdant canyon where you come to a pullout. From here, there’s a single trail that climbs up a steep hillside through a very primeval redwood forest, finally reaching a ridgetop vista point after a mile or so, with a fantastic view of the coast stretching from Ano Nuevo to Pigeon Point Lighthouse. From here you can also hike into Big Basin and connect with the Skyline-to-the-Sea trail. Anyway, words don’t do it justice, so I’ll just refer you to the description and the photos. It’s quite a short hike, though, and a long way from SF, so you might want to combine it with a visit to Ano Nuevo proper or Santa Cruz or something.
