San Francisco will open a new recreational trail through its watershed lands in San Mateo County on Monday, offering the public a rare opportunity to visit the highly restricted wilderness where millions get their water.
The six-mile Skyline Watershed Ridge Trail, in the coastal hills off Skyline Boulevard, traverses a variety of terrains, from grasslands to Douglas fir forest to redwood groves, each home to creeks and drainages that contribute to the city’s water supply. Hikers, cyclists and equestrians are welcome.
“These different landscapes filter the water as it runs toward our reservoirs,” said Tim Ramirez, manager of the Natural Resources and Lands Management Division for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, during a recent private tour of the new trail. “A place like this allows us to minimize our treatment costs and retain our (high) water quality.”…