A trail that opened last week on a long-closed stretch of Bay Area ridgeline has gotten “overwhelming interest” — and a lot of troubling behavior, the land’s managers report.
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A statement Thursday by the agency that oversees the Skyline Watershed Ridge Trail said that “unfortunately, many trail users are not complying with our access rules,” and it cited several unusual elements of the trail that may be taking hikers, cyclists and equestrians by surprise.
The Peninsula trail’s first big difference is apparent before users even step on the trail: They have to go online to get a permit (which is free and lasts through December) and carry proof of it.
Beyond that, people apparently are not prepared for certain parts of the experience.
• The six-mile trail is out-and-back, with no outlet at the far end and no connection to other trails in the area. Though the trail is never far from Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35), a fence prevents people from accessing it from that road, or vice versa. If you want to get off the trail, the only option is to turn around and go back to the trailhead.
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• There are toilets at miles 2 and 5 but none at the trailhead, and there’s no drinking water.
• The parking lot, at Skyline Boulevard and Highway 92, has room for about two dozen vehicles, without much safe and legal parking outside the lot. Also, there are no marked pedestrian crossings on either road.
In addition, the trail is expected to continue to be crowded on weekends. The agency advises users to consider a weekday visit instead and to be prepared to go to another trail if the parking lot is full.
Permit procedure, parking details and more guidelines for trail users can be found at the website of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
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