Crystal Springs Walking Trail

Sigh. Had a disappointing run here because the trail was closed about ¾ a mile in, for paving work.
It’s a bummer. I wanted to see the other end (i usually start from the sawyer camp side in woodside). Well. All I saw was that end. I tried to run around the neighborhood, but everywhere outside of the trail seemed to involve nasty hills and mountains. One of the most anticlimactic runs I have had. Will have to try back when the trail is reopened further down.

Beautiful paved trail. Enjoyed our 12 mile walk, the gorgeous vistas of the lake and the deer cavorting around.

If you’re looking for at least a somewhat strenuous hike, this isn’t for you.
My friends and I like at least pretty hardcore hikes with over 100 feet in elevation change (I tracked this on Strava and that was the actual total elevation change). We did get good mileage, 12 miles round trip along the entire Sawyer Camp segment, from the Crystal Springs entrance to the San Andreas Lake. There’s even more mileage to be covered on either side of those segments.
Also, it’s a paved trail so there are lot of strollers, bikers, and families with kids. Not very isolated; it can get a bit crowded here.
Despite that, we did get a parking spot not far from the entrance around 11:30am or noon on a Saturday, which I was surprised about. A lot of the open spots seemed to be people who’d come earlier in the morning and had already finished their hike.
Also, the entire trail is completely fenced off with barbed wire on either side (about 10 – 20 feet off the trail). So while you do get to enjoy a pretty good view, there’s no off-​roading or getting near the reservoir.
It’s a fairly exposed trail so make sure to bring protection from the sun! most of the walking along the reservoirs aren’t covered, but most of the segment between the two reservoirs is.
Some nice views:
Trail map;

If you’re looking for a leisurely walk or bike ride on a paved trail, Crystal Springs is a great option. The entire trail is 15.3 miles from San Bruno to Woodside. There are several trail heads so you can make your walk, run or ride as short or long as you want. My cousins and I started at the beginning of the trail and completed the first section which is only a little over 2 miles. We turned back to double the distance. The trail is all paved but very scenic as we encountered many deer grazing in the grassy areas. We also walked past the Crystal Springs Reservoir at the beginning of the trail. There’s plenty of shaded area on the path. I would say that this is an easy walk/​light hike but there are some minor inclines that do speed up your heart rate just a bit. The air is fresh and you can smell the aroma of the Eucalyptus trees. I will be back to hike a longer distance next time!

This is one of my favorite trails for hiking/​biking/​running. It’s 7 miles one way, paved the whole way through, and completely surrounded by nature.
You’re sure to see deer among the wildlife and there’s a nice view of the lake — a good way to connect with nature and escape for a while.

If your looking to go on a hike or just for the outdoors this a nice little gem, not to far from local scenery great climate changes amazing conversations with nature. A spot where you can absorb Mother Nature at her finest, get to know ones inner self unplugged from the reality. To get into the zone and focus only on the surroundings I front of you instead of the distractions of life. To take time and give yourself some alone time to be in zen.

It’s nice to walk or run or bike along the lake.
Only downside is that there are too many electricity poles and wires so the photos won’t look great. Also a little noisy since it’s close to skyline blvd.
Otherwise the view is great.

Beautiful paved trail, split into 3 sections depending on how many miles you want to walk/​run (or bike). Can get a bit crowded near the beginning and ends of the trails, but very peaceful nonetheless. Lots of shade if you go on a warm day. For the most part the bikers are courteous to the walkers but you always have those few that zoom by without a care in the world.

Such a lovely trail. I love running here in the mornings. Especially on hot summer days. Not only do I get an awesome tan, but I am surrounded by nature and a great view. The people are friendly. I love seeing mothers stroll with their babies and families walking the trail. A really nice place to relax and gather your thoughts.

The road is completely paved all the way through — perfect for leisure walkers, runners, and bicyclists. The road is also open to equestrians, but I’ve only ever seen horses once during my many trips here. You can’t deviate from the path either because the trail is fenced in by barbed wire… but I would say most of it is for your safety (steep drops) and for hunting/​gaming prevention.
There is almost always wildlife ever present here which makes it pretty neat. Deer gather in herds. But there are also birds/​waterfowl, beetles, slugs (esp. after a rain) and lizards. I’ve seen gophers too.
The trail is about 6 miles long, I’ve never actually seen the other end… still working towards it. Just keep hydrated, but not so much that you’ll have to use the restrooms. It’s a glorified port-a-potty…haven’t used it, but have definitely smelled it from afar.

This is a lovely place to bike, probably pretty good for walking too if you like moving that damn slowly. I guess snails do…
Alas I have not seen any coyotes, but there are plenty of bikers, walkers, joggers, runners and random families out and about, so if one does show up it can chew on the slowest first! ;)

I’ve been coming here on and off for the last 15 years. Recently I’ve tried to start running again, so I came back. It’s a bummer they don’t allow dogs, because my dog would love to walk here. The trail is clean and has a nice view of the lake. There are a lot of bikers so you need to keep a heads up. Overall it doesn’t get too busy here so it’s a great spot to for a morning run.

Fantastic trail. Scenic with great views of Crystal Springs reservoir and wildlife. This section is paved for 2 miles so for me it is a perfect distance (4 miles round trip) for a quick walk or run. It is mostly flat with modest elevation changes along the route. There are a couple of benches with a nice view of the reservoir. It is a pet free trail which is safer for walkers, runners and kids. Cyclists also use this trail. It is not as crowded as the southern portion of the trail (Sawyer Camp) so there is plenty of parking near highway 35 and also at corner of highway 35 and San Bruno Ave.

I’ve always driven passed this place on the 35, but I just recently made the journey behind the fence! I wished I had chosen to do so sooner. I was a regular at the Sawyer Camp Trail, but little did I know that the Crystal Springs Trail led to Sawyer Camp. I’ve never trekked the entire 16+ miles (approximately), but it is a challenge I’m up for.
I love this trail because of it’s natural setting, despite being alongside Skyline Blvd. and 280. It’s never crowded when I go, but not empty either. I read about the review with the coyote (lol!), so I’m thankful I haven’t encountered that. All I’ve seen as of yet are lizards, birds and bugs. What I like is that I can enjoy a good jog without being run over by bicyclists. Don’t beat me up out there bikers… but at Sawyer Camp, bikers were brutal. Also, while I do enjoy the undisturbed setting, jogging on a paved trail is easier on my soles. Though the up and down hill climbs still make for a daring run. So far, due to pinched timing, I’ve only been able to do the 2.7 mile jog (5.4 round trip). However, any exercise is good exercise to me.

This is a great place for morning walks, runs and biking. First of all they have tons of parking space on the street. The trail offers really comfortable atmosphere. Many times you will encounter bikers and friendly morning joggers. Sometimes you will even encounter rabbits and deers. The best time to come is in the early morning when the sun is shining just right.

This is my top running spot at the moment. It’s so close to my home and it’s perfect for a morning run as it’s roughly 6 miles long so I can fit in almost 10k and take in gorgeous views while also getting fresh air.
It’s paved so it’s also suitable for strollers or even roller blading if that’s what takes your fancy. Also has parking and best of all — It’s FREE!
It doesn’t get too busy here either just remember to stick on the trail as to avoid ticks and poison oak. I would avoid the bathroom though — Eeeawww!

I love going to Crystal Springs with the boy just to walk around. The water is gorgeously clear — I always want to jump in for a swim. But I guess that’s why there’s a fence — to keep out crazy people like me LOL.
Gorgeous place to visit. More written in my review for the Sawyer Camp Trail, because that’s where I spend the majority of my time when I’m here :)

I encountered a large, robust, orange-​ish coyote on the section of the Crystal Springs Trail that runs adjacent to i-​280 just south of Edgewood Park, where the trail turns straight into the mountains and leaves civilization for the deep woods. The sun had just descended behind the mountains, around 1645 but still light. The coyote was standing ahead of us on the trail at the top of a hill, staring us down from about 100 feet, the distance at which my vision starts to blur. We thought it was a dog at first, but I knew better. I saw the large ears and black-​tipped tail. We had ourselves a little staring contest. Soon the coyote hopped into the brush and disappeared. Nice to see the wildlife but be careful to teach your kids and women how to behave when encountering wild animals– and not to run or panic. There are apparently some real carnivores back in these hills!

amazing. not too crowded. great place for some strolling or a good exercise. people of all ages here. clean bathrooms. the wind seems to not affect this area since its kind of lowered and sheltered from above. an amazing place to spend a saturday!