This flat loop begins in the Atherton neighborhood, then takes you along Rush Creek Marsh, where you can find an abundance of water birds.
Location: Rush Creek Preserve
Length: 3.2 miles
Difficulty: easy
Shade: partially shaded
Parking: park & ride lot or along the road on Binford Road (take the Atherton exit off 101, then take the first left into the park and ride lot)
Public Transportation: none
WC: none
Dogs: allowed
Hiked: Apr 2025
Trail Route & Notes
We prefer to start this loop going right onto the narrow trail from the trailhead on Binford Road. We like to save the best part for last. It’s about 0.4 miles of narrow trail until you hit the sidewalk along Atherton Road. Keep to the sidewalk until Bugeia Lane (you’ll cross two streets before Bugeia). Then take the fire lane along Bugeia Lane, which leads you between the houses on Saddlewood Drive and the cemetery.
You’ll see a trail sign when you rejoin the preserve – take the wide path to the left to circle back to where you started. The rest of the hike is about 1.7 miles along Pinheiro Fire Road. This portion is flat along the marsh, mostly in the open but with a few patches of shade. There’s a small hill leading you back to the trailhead and Binford Road.
We’ve seen a lot of bird life on this trail, no matter what time of year. During the rainy season, Pinheiro Fire Road near the marsh can be very muddy.
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