Join Elan A lford, our Chapter's Rare Plant Chair for San Mateo County, to see the coas tal beauty at McNee Ranch, which is a rare plant hotspot in San Mateo Count y. McNee Ranch is on Montara Mountain and offers coastal mountain bluff tra ils.
We’ll start by meeting at 9am at La Costanera Restaurant (8150 Hwy 1, Mo ntara, CA 94037). There, we’ll explore nearby coastal prairie to see the ra re perennial goldfields (Lasthenia californica ssp. macrantha).
After exploring, we will drive less than a mile north to Gray Whale Cove Parking lot for the hike. We will explore the Gray Whale Cove trail and see coastal scrub and coastal prairi e. We may also see the rare and threatened Potentilla hickmanii, a California Rare P lant Rank (CRPR) 1B.1 plant. The trail parallels Highway 1 and has extensiv e Pacific Ocean views. The hike is about 2.5 miles out and back with about 270 feet in elevation gain.
There is poison oak along the trail, which is exp osed to the sun and wind, so bring sun protection and a hat. Also bring ade quate water and a lunch. We will eat at the picnic tables along the trail.
Th is is a popular weekend trail and thus we will limit the hike to 12 people. To reserve your spot, email Elan at This email address is being protecte d from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..