The section of the trail north of reservoir passes by dense groves of trees before heading east on the San Andreas Dam.

The last segment of the trail briefly parallels the eastern shore of the San Andreas Lake before the path heads northeast and ascends the Bay Hills.

Portola's camp is now beneath the waters of San Andreas Lake; a sign at the northern trail entrance on Hillcrest Boulevard points to it.

In November 1774, Captain Fernando Rivera, a principal officer of Portola's, and the first to lead a group to purposely explore the Peninsula, camped near one of the Shalshone villages.

His chaplain and diarist, Father Francisco Palou, named the area San Andreas, honoring that saint's feast day.

Sawyer also kept an inn nearby to dispense food to picnickers, and to serve as a lodging place for horsemen traveling through the area.

Later, the trail was used by the stagecoach from Millbrae, which connected with the San Mateo Stageline to Half Moon Bay (then known as Spanish Town).

Sawyer briefly ran his own competing stagecoach line between San Mateo and Half Moon Bay.

It also served many hikers, joggers, and equestrians, and is one of the most popular facilities operated by the San Mateo County Parks Department.

California Laurel (Umbellularia californica), also known as Bay Tree, Pepperwood, and Oregon Myrtle, has a wood which is heavy, hard, fine grained, and exceptionally strong.