Sugarloaf Mountain Open Space
Managed by City of San Mateo
215 acres6.7 mi of trail
CrackerLaurelwood Park TrailAmphitheater TrailBottom Clencher+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Ernest Coxhead House · Photo: Eugene Zelenko · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in San Mateo
San Mateo has 21 miles of mapped trails, 1.7 for every square mile of land
97% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 10% of San Mateo’s land is conserved, about 759 acres. The biggest trail networks: Sugarloaf Mountain Open Space (6.7 mi), Coyote Point Recreation Area (4.2 mi), Seal Point Park (2 mi).
Ahead of 83% of U.S. towns · #255 of 847 in California. What drives it
Conserved land
10%
759 acres · of 12.1 sq mi of land
Trails
21 mi
1.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
681 ac
6.6 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
97%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
42 mi
23 mi lanes · 16 mi paths
Highest peak
587 ft
Sugarloaf Mountain
Lakes & rivers
1
2 beaches · 8 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is San Mateo?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does San Mateo have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, San Mateo is ahead of 83% of U.S. towns, #255 of 847 in California. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of San Mateo’s overall grade.
Conserved land10% of the land · typical CA town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (21 mi) · CA 0.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land6.6 acres of park per 1,000 residents (681 acres) · CA 5 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to home97% of residents within a half mile of a park · CA 91% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 83%
LessMore
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 70%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, San Mateo ranks #155 on Outdoors.
Water is 24% of San Mateo’s area (4 of 16 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 8%.
Park acres per resident are where San Mateo trails most U.S. towns: 6.6 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 103,337 people share 681 acres.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Sugarloaf Mountain Open Space, with 6.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Coyote Point Recreation Area
Managed by County of San Mateo Parks Department
138 acres4.2 mi of trail
Promenade Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Seal Point Park
Park
55 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
San Mateo Central Park
Park
16 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Ryder Court Park
Park
4 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 33 parks & preserves
Sugarloaf Mountain Open Space215 acres · 6.7 mi of trail · City of San Mateo
DirectionsCoyote Point Recreation Area138 acres · 4.2 mi of trail · County of San Mateo Parks Department
DirectionsSeal Point Park55 acres · 2 mi of trail
DirectionsBeresford Park18 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSan Mateo Central Park16 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsRyder Court Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWoodlake Area4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMariners Island Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSaratoga Square2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLos Prados Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Indian Springs Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBorel Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
de Anza Historical Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTrinta Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPersimmon Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJoinville Park10 acres
DirectionsMartin Luther King Park7 acres
DirectionsBayside/Joinville Park6 acres
DirectionsLaurie Meadows Park5 acres
Fiesta Meadows Park5 acres
DirectionsLakeshore Park5 acres
Shoreview Park5 acres
Parkside Aquatic Park3 acres
DirectionsHarbor View Park3 acres
DirectionsTobin Clark Open Space2 acres · Town of Hillsborough Parks
DirectionsGateway Park2 acres
DirectionsEast Hillsdale Park2 acres · Suarez & Munoz Construction, Inc
DirectionsLanding Green2 acres
DirectionsWest Hillsdale Park1 acres
Casanova Park1 acres
Paddock Park1 acres
DirectionsWashington Playground1 acres
Meadow Square1 acres
Who protects it
759 conserved acres
10% of San Mateo’s land. Water is left out: San Mateo has 12.1 square miles of land and 3.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages San Mateo’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city832 ac
County161 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 393 acLocal Park · 301 acLocal Recreation Area · 297 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 1 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurelwood Park and Sugarloaf Mountain Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 235 | Open |
| Sugarloaf/Laurelwood Local Park | Town or city | 235 | Open |
| Coyote Point Recreation Area Local Recreation Area | County | 153 | Open |
| San Mateo Municipal Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 105 | Restricted |
| Shoreline Bayfront Seal Point Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 92 | Open |
| Bay Marshes Open Space Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 35 | Open |
| Beresford Park Local Park | Town or city | 18 | Open |
| Central Park Local Park | Town or city | 16 | Open |
| Tidelands Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 15 | Open |
| Bayside Joinville Park Local Park | Town or city | 13 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
92 places to go in San Mateo
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in San Mateo
Coyote Point BeachIn Coyote Point Recreation Area
DirectionsPlus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in San Mateo
Plus 1 public pool without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in San Mateo
Beach Picnic Area PlaygroundIn Coyote Point Recreation Area
DirectionsBeresford Park PlaygroundIn Beresford Park
DirectionsBorel Park PlaygroundIn Borel Park
DirectionsCasanova Park PlaygroundIn Casanova Park
DirectionsCentral Park PlaygroundIn San Mateo Central Park
DirectionsConcar Park PlaygroundIn Concar Park
DirectionsEast Hillsdale Park PlaygroundIn East Hillsdale Park
DirectionsEucalyptus Picnic Area PlaygroundIn Coyote Point Recreation Area
Directions17 more playgrounds
Fiesta Meadows Park PlaygroundIn Fiesta Meadows Park
DirectionsGateway Park PlaygroundIn Gateway Park
DirectionsJoinville Park PlaygroundIn Joinville Park
DirectionsLakeshore Park PlaygroundIn Lakeshore Park
DirectionsLaurelwood Park - Children's Play AreaIn Sugarloaf Mountain Open Space
DirectionsLos Prados Park PlaygroundIn Los Prados Park
DirectionsMagic Mountain PlaygroundIn Coyote Point Recreation Area
DirectionsMariners Island Park PlaygroundIn Mariners Island Park
DirectionsMartin Luther King Park PlaygroundIn Martin Luther King Park
DirectionsMeadow Square PlaygroundIn Meadow Square
DirectionsPaddock Park PlaygroundIn Paddock Park
DirectionsParkside Aquatic Park Playground
DirectionsSaratoga Square PlaygroundIn Saratoga Square
DirectionsShoreview Park PlaygroundIn Shoreview Park
DirectionsTrinta Park PlaygroundIn Trinta Park
DirectionsWashington PlaygroundIn Washington Playground
DirectionsWest Hillsdale Park PlaygroundIn West Hillsdale Park
Directions37 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in San Mateo
Dog ParkIn Seal Point Park
DirectionsPlus 3 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in San Mateo
Kite launchIn Coyote Point Recreation Area
DirectionsWindsurf launchIn Coyote Point Recreation Area
DirectionsPlus 6 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in San Mateo
3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in San Mateo
Sugarloaf Mountain587 ft elevation · In Sugarloaf Mountain Open Space
DirectionsPicnic areas in San Mateo
San Mateo Rotary Picnic GroveIn San Mateo Central Park
Directions33 picnic areas are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Trails & water
16 named trails and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 7.8 miUnpaved · 8.5 mi
Cracker0.8 mi
Skymont Cross Trail0.7 mi
Laurelwood Park Trail0.6 mi
Amphitheater Trail0.5 mi
Bottom Clencher0.4 mi
Promenade Trail0.4 mi
Salson Trail0.4 mi
Creek Overlook Trail0.3 mi
Boost0.3 mi
Slip0.2 mi
6 more trails
Father's Day
0.2 miSteep Trail
0.2 miLoghmani Landing
0.2 miSugarloaf Spur Trail
0.2 miSaddle Trail
0.2 miTwist
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
42 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
23 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
16 mi
off-road bike paths
2.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
56Tennis
21Basketball
15Baseball
8Soccer
4Football
4Pickleball
2Softball
2Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →7 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 6 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
US Post Main Office-San MateoBuilding · listed 1988
About itDe Sabla, Eugene J., Jr., Teahouse and Tea GardenDistrict · listed 1992
About itNational Bank of San MateoBuilding · listed 1997
About itHotel St. MatthewBuilding · listed 1998
About itErnest Coxhead HouseBuilding · listed 2000
About itAmelia Vollers HouseBuilding · listed 2015
About itYoshiko Yamanouchi HouseDistrict · listed 2023
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in San Mateo: April to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.8 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 14.7 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 9.6 |
| High (°F) | 58 | 60 | 63 | 65 | 67 | 70 | 71 | 71 | 72 | 70 | 63 | 58 |
| Rain (in) | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 4.0 |
July is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and September the warmest (highs of 72 °F). 4.0 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in San Mateo →
Next door
San Mateo and its neighbors
San Mateo has the second most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Belmont22 miSan Mateo21 miFoster City9.0 miHighlands2.1 miHillsborough2.0 miBurlingame2.0 miBaywood Park0.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Mateo | 10% | 1.7 | 7 | 97% | A− |
| Hillsborough | under 1% | 0.3 | under 1 | 35% | C− |
| Baywood Park | 10% | under 0.1 | under 1 | 67% | C |
| Foster City | 9% | 2.4 | 6 | 99%+ | A |
| Belmont | 11% | 4.7 | 12 | 99%+ | A |
| Highlands | 36% | 1.6 | 4 | 67% | A− |
| Burlingame | 6% | 0.5 | 6 | 96% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in San Mateo
Where can I hike in San Mateo?
The longest trail networks: Sugarloaf Mountain Open Space, 6.7 miles; Coyote Point Recreation Area, 4.2 miles; Seal Point Park, 2 miles; Beresford Park, 0.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of San Mateo is conserved land?
10% of its land, against a typical 4% for a California town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on San Mateo’s trails?
Sugarloaf Mountain Open Space and Coyote Point Recreation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in San Mateo?
42 miles of bike routes are on the map: 23 of painted or protected lanes, 16 of off-road paths and 2.6 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near San Mateo?
33,535 acres of parks and open public land lie inside San Mateo or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 681 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does San Mateo have?
Ahead of 83% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #255 of 847 in California. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from San Mateo neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →