Marlado Highlands Park
Rate this placeNearby: Fireside Park Future Dog Park
Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Marlado Highlands Park is a popular destination located in San Mateo County, California.
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Summary
The park offers a range of activities for visitors to enjoy, including hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing. The area is also home to several points of interest, including the Crystal Springs Reservoir, Sawyer Camp Trail, and Pulgas Water Temple.
One of the primary reasons to visit Marlado Highlands Park is to enjoy the scenic beauty of the area. The park encompasses over 1,700 acres of pristine wilderness, including wooded hillsides, grassy meadows, and sparkling reservoirs. The park is also home to a wide array of wildlife, including deer, coyotes, and numerous bird species.
In addition to its natural beauty, Marlado Highlands Park also offers several notable points of interest. The Crystal Springs Reservoir is a particularly popular destination, offering stunning views of the water and surrounding hills. The Sawyer Camp Trail is another must-see attraction, offering a paved path for walking, running, and biking through the park.
Finally, visitors to Marlado Highlands Park can enjoy a range of interesting facts about the area. For example, the Pulgas Water Temple is a historic monument that pays tribute to the engineering feat of transporting water across the San Francisco Bay. Additionally, the park is home to several rare and endangered plant species, making it an important site for conservation efforts.
The best time of year to visit Marlado Highlands Park is typically during the spring or fall months, when temperatures are mild and the foliage is at its most colorful. However, the park is open year-round and offers something for visitors to enjoy in every season.
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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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