Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve

Some stats, notes and observations: 

• Duration: 4 hours (including a few stops for water, snacks, etc.)
• Distance: 9.3 miles
• Elevation Gain: 2,109 feet
• Weather: Clear and warm (75 degrees F) at the beginning of the hike (8:00am), no wind, cooling off a bit once closer to the coast and off the ridges. 
• Starting Location: Purisima Creek Open Space North Parking Lot, 13184 Skyline Blvd.
• Route (URL):  https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/whittemore-gulch-and-purisima-creek-loop-trail 
• Route Details: From the parking lot take North Ridge Trail to Whittemore Gulch Trail to Purisima Creek Trail to Craig Britton Trail to Harkins Ridge Trail to North Ridge Trail 
• Notes and Observations:  Go early.  The parking lot was almost full at 8:00am and, unsurprisingly, full when we returned, at noon. It was really warm today. Expect cooler weather and perhaps even fog, not so much on the ridges at the top of the trail, but at the bottom.  This is a down, flat, and up loop, so be prepared for this profile. The downs and ups are relatively mild, compared to Mount Diablo, as an example. Put otherwise, this can be a strenuous hike if you keep a fast pace; otherwise, it is very manageable.  As advertised, the trails are heavily trafficked, but for, for the most part, Craig Britton, which is narrow, beautiful, and off limits to horses, etc. The trail along Purisima Creek is gorgeous, with second growth and perhaps a few primeval redwoods, fern fronds, a flowing stream (despite another drought year in California!), and utter solitude, when other hikers are not within earshot. The climb at the end of the hike, up Harkins Ridge Trail and North Ridge Trail, is nice, not super strenuous, but enough to break a good sweat and feel satisfied with the morning’s work. The Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve has 21 miles of trails among 2,633 acres.  Other trails (for me) to explore include the bottom half of Harkins Ridge, Borden Hatch Mill, Bald Knob, and Grabtown Gulch. More information on this preserve is found here: https://www.openspace.org/preserves/purisima-creek-redwoods