Sweeney Ridge

View from Sweeney Ridge

Kirke Wrench

Quick Facts

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Trailhead

Sweeney Ridge is a hilly hiking area of ridges and ravines between San Bruno and Pacifica, about a 25-minute drive south from San Francisco. The ridge's 1,200-foot-high summit, covered with coastal scrub and grassland, slopes down to the San Francisco Bay on one side and to the Pacific on the other.

Wildlife at Sweeney Ridge includes hawks, deer, and a plethora of both native and introduced spring wildflowers. The sandy coastline and adjacent wind-protected valley of Thornton State Beach are good venues for picnicking, beach walking, surf fishing, and flying remote-control gliders. Take in views from this site include the Farallon Islands, Mount Tamalpais, Point Reyes, Mount Diablo, the Montara Mountains, and San Pedro Point.

Trails at Sweeney Ridge

There are several ways to access the 5.7 combined miles of trails at Sweeney Ridge. Most of the trails are totally exposed, so bring sunscreen! If it's cold and cloudy, bring an extra layer of clothing and expect windy conditions.

Note: It is common for weather to change over the course of an afternoon.

Take the Notch Trail from Skyline College and hike south to the ridge where you can take the Sweeney Ridge Trail further south or head west along Mori Ridge Trail.

You can also begin at the trailhead adjacent to the Shelldance Orchid Gardens near CA-1 and hike up to the ridge using the Mori Ridge Trail. From San Bruno, take Sneath Lane to the Sneath Trail.

Portolá Discovery Site

The San Francisco Bay Portolá Discovery Site monument marks the place where Captain Juan Gaspar de Portolá and 60 Spanish soldiers of the Portolá Expedition became the first Europeans to see San Francisco Bay. The expedition members were hungry, lost, and sick after a six months' journey. They were assisted by the local Ramaytush Ohlone people along the way, and the Aramai tribe of modern-day Pacifica accompanied the explorers to the top of Sweeney Ridge.

Nike Missile Site SF-51

During the tense years of the Cold War, from 1953 to 1979, the United States Army built and operated close to 300 Nike missile sites in the United States. Nike Site SF-51 at Sweeney Ridge housed the radar targeting station for one of these anti-aircraft defense sites, while the launch area was located at nearby Milagra Ridge. By the 1960s, soldiers were ready in a minutes' notice to launch nuclear capable Nike Hercules missiles from these ridgetops. Obsolete by 1974, SF-51 was abandoned.