Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park is a 1,200-acre nature reserve located in the hills of San Mateo County, California.
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Summary
The park offers scenic hiking trails, wildlife viewing opportunities, and a glimpse into the area's rich cultural history.
Visitors can enjoy a range of outdoor activities, including hiking, bird watching, and picnicking. The park features several miles of trails that wind through coastal scrub, oak woodland, and grassland habitats. There are also several creeks and ponds that provide habitat for a variety of wildlife, including deer, coyotes, bobcats, and numerous bird species.
One of the main points of interest in Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park is the historic Folger estate, which was built in 1915 and served as a summer home for the Folger family for many years. The estate includes a beautiful garden and orchard, as well as several historic buildings.
Other interesting features of the park include the remains of an old dairy farm and a redwood grove that is home to some of the largest trees in the area. Visitors can also learn about the park's cultural history by visiting the interpretive displays at the park's visitor center.
The best time of year to visit Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park is in the spring and fall, when temperatures are mild and the park's wildflowers are in bloom. However, the park is open year-round and offers a beautiful and peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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