Honestly, this place is absolutely gorgeous. The trails were very nice and secluded, which is great because of the pandemic. If you are going with children, I would stay on the flat trails as the steeper ones can be a little dangerous if you are not careful. You should definitely go here, I reccomend it for sure.

I recently had the pleasure of discovering this beautiful local gem of a park; Laurelwood Park / Sugarloaf Open Space Preserve is the official name of this brilliant park...err giant hill in the heart of San Mateo. Its actually located in the Sufarloaf Neighborhood. Its more like a giant hill located in the middle of Laurelwood Park. The various names can get confusing...The park has multiple entrances, as well as good variety of trails with different levels of difficulty. I believe its San Mateos largest park with around 225 Acres. A quick moderate hike to the top of the hill will lead to some amazing views of the San Francisco Bay Area. The main entrance has a very nice picnic area and playground for kids. The City of San Mateo keeps this place spick and span. Ill definitely be back to explore the remaining trails I missed.

Dogs allowed on leash. Nice trails among the hills. There are some paved roads but a lot of the trails are unmaintained dirt paths so just be prepared. Great view of the Bay from the top!

Wasp infested park. Dont bring any food here. We brought some baby food for our 9 month old baby and the wasps would not leave us alone. This place is surrounded by kids they should take care of all the yellow jackets. Never going back.

Beautiful well-maintained park and hiking trails. Trails arent that tough buy can if you take any other trail to the top other than the main route. Trails start wide then get very narrow about one person wide once you start ascending. Some bicyclists also use the trails. On top is a 360 degree view of the mid peninsula area and even a distant view of downtown SF. I did see many doggie poop bags just discarded on the trails. Theres no parking lot but only street parking. Theres a huge nice playground and nice clean restrooms.

Rare park in the peninsula which is better classified as a hill. It has decent hiking trails to the top. The foliage is just enough for shade but there are segments without trees and it can be scorching hot. The trails are not mapped out well so it is easy to get lost but given the park not being too big, you eventually end up at the top. Hiked to the top with a 3 and 5 yr old toddlers. Both made it eventually and it took us an hour to return to the base park. Playground has a decent sized gym but no shade so avoid during mid-day. Not that many people. Amazing views that stretch to SF. Highly recommend it!

A very nice community park. Cant recommend it strongly enough.

Nice park with hiking trails, bike paths, large field, playground and restrooms. Also a creek and nature walk area. Plenty of parking.

Pretty decent hike and not busy. Shaded and open areas with minor incline and a steep incline section of you want to be brave.

Nice trails...some are steep...ware a hat...can get hot

We went on hikes and it was fun, not the easiest, they were very steep at some points. The only problem that I have is there were lots of people with out masks, and some just werent paying attention but overall it was great.

Really enjoy this park the hiking trails are great excercise not to hard for those of you with kids.

Hidden Jewel!I hike here quite often, and I always find something new and amazing here. The views are spectacular and the place is bustling with life. Whether alone or with a pal, this park is truly a local must-visit.

Best place for daily exercise. great plant coverage and terrain. you wont go wrong to come here for a high heart rate exercise within a short time .

Clean and pleasant park. Good facilities and good for families.

Great park but hardship if too hot and sciatica nerve pains.

This park is great its generally well maintained and all the sights are beautiful definitely a great spot for a picnic or hike!

Playground is good and hikes are easy. It’s very good if your little one can walk well but not trained yet for long distance. And, of course playground helps to motivate them :)

Nice little hiking place near San Mateo. It also has a small kids park at the start of hiking trail.

Great local park with a playground.

It looked beautiful so I drove here to walk with my little dog. I stopped at the entrance and went to another park when I saw that there was a post to beware of mountain lions!

Great neighborhood park for outdoor gathering and picnic.

This perk is great for picnics and hiking. Lots of trees and nature to enjoy with the entire family.

Nice park close to the city. Some trails can be quite steep and slippery, so beware.

Such a hidden gem! Loved the sugarleaf trail and the spectacular views!

Great trails for simple walking or for good views overlooking San mateo

Great hiking and fantastic views. Trails range from easy to quite steep. Bring water and check the map before heading out. Have fun!

No explicit parking space for the park. Need to park on the street, but you will find enough parking space around the park.

Thought the trails would be much more friendly for the Onewheel, but they were really narrow, steep and rutted.

Had astonishing view and has nice hiking trails. Clean and well kept park. Nice to have a picnic and bring your kids. Relaxing and peaceful

Nice park but have snakes around

Laurelwood Park is a delightful place to visit and enjoy. It was completely redone and updated about 8 years ago. New picnic area, new restrooms, new lawn area, new childrens play area with safety surfaces and an area for educational meetings among native shrubs and grasses. A beautiful old Oak Tree to one side of the large lawn are provides shade to the picnic tables and anchors the paved path near the restrooms. A year round spring feed creek outlines the east edge of the lawn area as well as meandering past an easy hiking trail going east toward the earthen dam then down Laurelwood Drive toward the bay.

Good trails for kids.

Cute n scenic!

Nice secluded park during the day. Great place to go with kids

Big park with various trails, playground, picnic tables, restrooms and some nice viiws over San Mateo and Foster City.

Nice place for a quick hike.

There are good amenities but as a park, they should have added the basketball and tennis courts.

Did a smaller loop but it was enjoyable. Sometimes, it feels quite lonesome on the trails but its busy enough where youll past a few folks on trail.

Love the amphitheater loop trail on the Sugarloaf hill in this park. Best trail for a quick cardio.

If you love nature this is a place to go for a hike!

Nice park nestled in the San Mateo hills.

Perfect place to spend weekend day with family.

Great walk for them thick thighs!!

Beautiful park with an expansive hilly landscape, with both clean playground/lawn for families and children, and quiet hiking trails for hikers. The trails marked with dashed lines can be woody, long, narrow and steep. With recent reports of mountain lions, it’s best not to bring small children to these trails and to avoid dawn, dusk and night time.

Great trail hiking up Sugarloaf. The park itself is clean and very safe for the kids but is always crowded and the equipment is meant for younger kids.

My 2 year old enjoys the slides. It’s right level of challenge for him. The small trail near by provides excellent starting point to introduce hiking to him.

Good childrens playground, but lots of wasps near by so could really enjoy it

Great place to get away from the city and crowds. The longest hike is .9 miles, which isn’t bad. You’ll walk through groves of oaks and other beautiful trees.

Beautiful park with shaded walking trails. Many times you will see deer grazing and eating vegetation.

Great views, mini climbing wall over the sand box, big trees and open green space

Just amazing. A really good place for walking, taking photos, the view of the city is awesome. It could be good to wear a sweater when you are getting at the top of the mountain

Nice public park with a small 1 mile hike uphill, amazing view from atop, various trails to go down and up with different level of difficulties.

Great place for family with small children.

Nice playground area suitable for both toddlers and older kids, including a sand pit. Big grassy area for running around. Some nice walking paths and picnic tables, as well as a restroom. Easy street parking right outside the entrance. My wife and son are big fans!

Absolutely beautiful park with great views from wherever you stand. There is a gated play structure for the little ones, picnic tables and a large field for activities. There are also many walking trails where you can hear the chirping of birds, frogs in the distance and the rustling of wind in the trees. On occasion you can spot more wildlife like rabbits, squirrels and deer.

If one hikes to the top of Sugarloaf from this park, the views are spectacular. However the trails are NOT clearly marked, making it easy to get confused or lost. Even locals who go there regularly were not sure about some trails. Climb to the top whether by stairs or wooded trails is steep for some of us. There is also a lot of poison oak on some of the trails. The park also features a wonderful grassy area, new playground equipment for the kids and picnic area. There is a small parking lot and street parking.

Great trails

Clean and has nice hiking trails.

A much quieter Central Park - when youre on the trails, you dont really realize youre in the middle of San Mateo...Bring/wear walking shoes, sit have a nice picnic on the grass or at a table and take a leisurely or more challenging stroll, depending on your mood.Family oriented and there is enough open space for everyone to get a little bit of quiet time.Great plus to have clean restrooms.

Great option to combine hike with playground visit

This is a hidden gem of the park..very good place for picnic while the kids play in the park.... Restrooms open till 7pm only though.

Beautiful neighborhood park tucked away in a canyon. A little bit of something for everyone. Play structure for little kids. Field for ball or frisbee. Hiking trail for exploring.

Hands down, one of my familys favorite parks! The location down in the valley of Sugarloaf Mountain is so peaceful! The play structures are unique enough, amazing open grassy spaces (not completely over run by dogs!) and bathrooms! What more could you ask for? Oh I dont know, maybe a really fun hike with great views?!

I love a good challenge!

Nice gem hidden from big city. Not too large, but not tiny.

It is a lovely Park. Quiet but does have alot of children and families at times. Has a nice trail also. The trail, even the Park somewhat, is a bit isolated. Watch for animals and humans. Like to go there to have a meal, read etc. also.

Nice hiking trails. Great place to bring the dog.

Great for walks and family photoshoots.

Easy to get to. Nice little playground. Good short hikes.

Beautiful. Hike Sugarloaf for astonishing views but bring drinking water and hiking shoes, its pretty challenging for the novice.

Great food. Large drink menu. Still kinda tough to get a table since the place opened recently. The decor is spectacular and clean.

Wish it was offleash my pup would have enjoyed it much more

Open space near near the city, great trails! Amazing for walking/play/adventure. Dogs are welcome.

Lovely park thats clean and nicely maintained. Its very picturesque in its location.

Great park for 3 year olds

Fun park for kids

A great walk with a surprising view!

Pet friendly as long as they are on a leash. There is a playground with public restrooms and great hiking paths

Great little park with lots of hiking trails that go up the mountain. Nice little playground area for kids in the main part of the park. Can bring dogs on the trails on-leash. Just got a lovely feel to it overall.

Love it. Short, fast, well manicured Trail, once you find it. Amazing views from the top. Great HIIT workout.

Scenic and nice for a evening or late night stroll.

Great local park to hike

Beautiful park, clean, love the little dog-friendly paths!!

Nice neighborhood park, not super big but nice for a short afternoon walk. I like the home to the Sugarloaf peak (1 mile each way). Dog friendly and tails also shared with mountain bikers.

This is a really sweet park! I was totally surprised by the great hiking trail that I found here, tucked away in this little suburban community. I think there were two trails, so I will certainly be returning to investigate

Nice family park with terrific childrens playground. Dog exercise area (clean up bags available). And a wonderful hiking trail (the Amphitheater Trail) leading up to Sugarloaf peak from where you will have a expansive view from San Francisco all the way south to San Jose. Enjoy!

Its a good place for hiking

Sleepy little Park out of the way good Vistas

Awesome for younger kids since its contained with a fence. Theres a sandbox, separate small play structure, and bigger structure for the bigger kids. There are swings for little ones, but no normal swings. It does get rather hot in the afternoon, and the play area isnt shaded during the hottest parts day.Theres a covered area with picnic tables right next to the playground which is perfect for kids parties. No grill though.Theres also a nice field for walking dogs or kicking a ball. You can climb the hill for an awesome view of the bay (not for little kids). And theres the bike trail that follows the creek.

The trails are nice and go back into the surrounding neighborhoods in several places. Its pleasantly hilly, and borders seamlessly on Sugarloaf Hill Open Space Preserve, so you can park conveniently, climb the hill, then stop for a picnic or to play on the playground on your way back. And the bathroom has running water too.

Love it . mountain climb up and always a fun experience for meditation and if youre willing a off leash run for dogs and you. Only make sure your confidant with your companion(dog) and please keep your shirts on walkers. Ifyou really climb or run anyone could tell . but keep them on fools. No one wants to see that lazy unmotivating movement.

Lovely park with a playground. Great for hiking. Popular with local residents. Parking is on the street. Amphitheatre trail was recently renovated to fix severe storm damage.

IAM like the basquetball side

Great trails! Nice views. Trails are short (about a mile) Some are quite steep but doable. Id come back!

I just love the view and the whole thing in there is great.

Great park and hiking trails.

Great park with a large at ground. Super quiet, can only hear some airplane noises. Clean public washroom available.

Nice hiking

Small place.. just for dog walk