Upcoming Sawyer Camp Trail Closure

Sawyer Camp Trail will be closed for two days on October 5^th and 6^th (Wednesday and Thursday). The entire trail will be closed for two days - to reopen at sunrise on Friday, October 7^th.

This closure is needed to prepare for the rainy season at numerous construction sites near the trail. Also, 100 trucks will deliver rock to complete new access road segments that run along our water pipeline. These access roads will enable repairs and maintenance of the Crystal Springs/San Andreas Pipeline… without driving on Sawyer Camp Trail!

Our project team continues to work nights and weekends in the area near Skyline Blvd. and Crystal Springs Road in order to complete work prior to winter storms.

Please contact us 24-hours a day with any questions or concerns: (866) 973-1476

Water pipeline work near Sawyer Camp Trail, September 2011.

Sawyer Camp Trail Open Sunrise to Sunset!

Sawyer Camp Trail has reopened after a one-day closure! Additional trail closures are expected this fall and winter, but the project team will keep the trail open to the public whenever possible during our water pipeline upgrade work.

Remember, Sawyer Camp Trail is always closed from sundown to sunrise. Construction crews are now working during these hours in order to minimize inconvenience to trail users. For your safety, please do not enter the trail before 6 a.m., after 8 p.m., or whenever it is dark outside. You might encounter large construction vehicles…or a mountain lion!

The southern portion of the trail now has several active construction sites nearby. Truck traffic on the trail is expected to reach a peak this September and October, as crews perform seismic upgrades to 150 connection points along the pipeline. Sundays are free of construction-related driving (a few small pick-ups will need to use the trail on Saturdays). Our crews will no longer be driving from the 3 mile marker to the Hillcrest Gate – the northern half of the trail is now entirely free of construction activity!

Cyclists: please proceed slowly around blind turns.

Subscribe to this e-newsletter (see right) for automatic email updates about work in the Peninsula Watershed.

Upcoming Trail Closure: Thursday, September 22nd

Sawyer Camp Trail will be closed all day next Thursday, September 22^nd. The entire 6-mile trail will be closed and will reopen on Friday, September 23^rd. The closure is necessary as crews continue work on the water pipeline that runs near the trail.

The project team is preparing for a “shut down” of the water pipeline in early October: emptying the pipeline of water allows crews to upgrade connection points and to reinforce existing pipe with carbon fiber lining. We expect increased construction activity in the Sawyer Camp Trail area throughout September and October.

Reminder: Sawyer Camp Trail is normally open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. Please do not enter the trail after hours…you will encounter an active construction zone! In order to keep the trail open as much as possible during the Crystal Springs/San Andreas Transmission System Upgrade, work is routinely scheduled very early in the morning and after hours.

Please call our 24-hour answering service if you have any questions or concerns. You can also receive email alerts about construction in the Peninsula Watershed by subscribing to this e-newsletter (see right); or follow us on Twitter: @SawyerCampTrail.

Sawyer Camp Trail: Construction Update

Thank you to the regular users of Sawyer Camp Trail for bearing with our construction and necessary truck traffic on the trail! Truck traffic is expected to reach a peak this September and October – so remain cautious as you travel the southern portion of the trail. Our drivers are required to travel no more than 5 miles per hour – but sometimes even that pace can make for a surprise on the trail. If you see any activity that concerns you, please call our 24-hour answering line: (866) 973-1476. A good alternate: The northern portion of the trail from Hillcrest Gate is truck free!

In early October, our water pipeline adjacent to the trail will be “shut down” so that crews can install new valves. This pipeline project involves seismic upgrades to 150 connection points and replacing more than 2,000 feet of pipe.

Short trail closures are expected this autumn, but our team is making every effort to minimize inconvenience to trail users.

The good news?

• Sundays are currently free of construction-related driving (Park Rangers and Watershed Keepers do still patrol the trail, as always).

• Work along the northern half of the trail is now complete. Our crews will no longer be driving from the 3 mile marker to the Hillcrest Gate.

• By next spring, new dedicated access road segments will allow more than 80% of the water pipeline to be reached without driving on Sawyer Camp Trail. Construction traffic on the trail is expected to be rare after January 2012.

The Crystal Springs Reservoir System provides emergency backup and supplementary drinking water supply to San Mateo and San Francisco counties. Please call us 24 hours a day with any comments or questions at (866) 973-1476.

Pulgas Water Temple Now Open!

The Pulgas Water Temple reopened to the public on Friday morning, September 2^nd. Some minor re-landscaping continues, but the temple grounds and parking lot are now open for normal hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Wedding reservations can be booked for 2012 by calling (650) 872-5900.

The Pulgas Water Temple and the facilities around it serve the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System and function as part of our Crystal Springs Reservoir System. The Crystal Springs Reservoir System provides emergency backup and supplementary drinking water supply to San Mateo and San Francisco counties.

Sawyer Camp Trail has also reopened after a one-day closure on Thursday, Sept. 1.  

Lastly, late tonight and all day on Saturday, September 3^rd, frequent cement truck deliveries near the southern trailhead will occur. This major concrete pour for the Lower Crystal Springs Dam stilling basin will be completed after this weekend. Following this weekend’s work, truck traffic in the area will still be present, but lighter than the last few Saturdays.

Enjoy the beautiful holiday weekend in the Peninsula Watershed!

The temple was built in 1934 to mark the location where the waters of the Sierra reach the Peninsula.