Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve is a moderately sized park in the heart of the San Francisco Peninsula. The dominant vegetation types are oak and chaparral, but ten endangered plants are found here. This area is critical habitat for the federally threatened Bay Area Edith's Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha bayensis), but the continuing degrading of its required serpentine grassland habitat has led to its virtual extinction from the park. Restoration is being attempted, but this seriously troubled subspecies only remaining stronghold is in the hills east of the Santa Clara Valley.
Getting there
From I-280 in Redwood City, take the Edgewood Road exit (3.5 miles south of Highway 92), and drive east to the bottom of the hill. Turn right into the parking lot for Edgewood County Park. The park is open all year during daylight hours. There is no entrance fee.
When to go
Edgewood County Park is at its best from March through July.
Other wildlife
Edgewood County Park is renowned for its spring wildflowers. Birds include Nuttall's Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, and breeding Red-shouldered Hawks.
Exploring the park
Several trails loop through the park; all are worthwhile. For a pleasant several mile hike that covers most of the habitat types in the park, follow the Edgewood Trail to its end at the Serpentine Loop Trail. Continue straight onto the Serpentine Loop Trail. Follow the trail around to the southeast corner of the park; these grasslands were once the haunt of the checkerspot, and may be again someday. Where it intersects the Ridgeview Loop, turn left and climb up to the ridgetop. Descend back down to the [???], then follow the Franciscan Trail to the Sylvan Trail, which leads back to the parking lot. (These directions need going over.)
Species list
Species are followed by their abundance and a range of months. The months are conservatively listed, restricted to confirmed records from this park. If you have any additional records, please .
Swallowtails
- Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)
- Uncommon 4
- Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)
- Uncommon 3,6
Whites and Sulphurs
- Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
- Rare 11
- Large Marble (Euchloe ausonides)
- Margined [Mustard] White (Pieris [napi] marginalis)
- Uncommon 3
- Sara Orangetip (Anthocharis sara)
- Common 3
Coppers, Hairstreaks, and Blues
- Tailed Copper (Lycaena arota)
- Uncommon 6
- Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
- Uncommon 3-4
- Bramble Hairstreak (Callophyrs [dumetorum] perplexa)
- Uncommon 3
- Echo [Spring] Azure (Celastrina [ladon] echo)
- Common 3
- Silvery Blue (Glaucopysche lygdamus)
- Uncommon 2/22,4
- Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon)
- Common 3, 7
Brushfoots
- Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta)
- Common 10
- "Bay Area" Edith's Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha bayensis)
- Extirpated. Formerly 3-4
- California Tortiseshell (Nymphalis californica)
- Uncommon, 3
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Uncommon 4
- "California" Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia california)
- Abundant 3-4, 7, 10
- Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)
- Uncommon 6
Skippers
- Mournful Duskywing (Erynnis tristis)
- Uncommon 3-4
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Uncommon 3
- Western [Common] Branded Skipper (Hesperia [comma] colorado)
- Common 7
- Rural Skipper (Ochlodes agricola)
- Abundant 6