- Crystal Springs Park, California
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Summer sunset at Crystal Springs
Crystal Springs is a county park located between San Bruno to the north and Woodside to the south. The park comprises two main trails, Sawyer Camp Trail in the southern end and San Andreas trail in the northern section, which run along the eastern shore of San Andreas Lake in San Mateo County.
Settled thousands of years ago by the Shalshone Indians, the Crystal Springs Reservoir (separate from San Andreas Lake to the north) is currently part of the City of San Francisco's Hetch Hetchy Reservoir water system.
Crystal Springs is most well known for containing a grueling Cross Country course for High School and Collegiate athletes. The 2.95-mile course, considered nationwide to be one of the most difficult Cross Country championship tracks, contains the aptly named "Cardiac Hill" and often is subject to fatigue-inducing weather due to its location and lack of shade. It is also a popular area for recreational activities such as hikes and picnics.
Crystal Springs reservoir is long and narrow because it lies atop the San Andreas Fault. The famous fault runs right through the Crystal Springs Reservoir. Satellite images and maps show the long narrow San Andreas rift continuing north of San Francisco in Tomales Bay, in Point Reyes National Seashore in a straight line. The Crystal Springs Dam survived both the 1906 earthquake and the 1989 Loma Prieta quake with no damage whatsoever, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
External links
- County of San Mateo: Crystal Springs
- US Geological Survey: Crystal Springs 3D photo tour
- San Francisco Public Utilities Commission: Crystal Springs history
Coordinates: 37°32′07″N 122°22′14″W / 37.53525°N 122.37053°W
Categories:- Municipal parks in California
- Parks in San Mateo County, California
- Hetch Hetchy Project
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