The San Andreas segment extends from Cambridge Lane on the north to Hillcrest Blvd. on the south where it connects to the Sawyer Camp segment. In its northerly section this segment travels alongside (and offers beautiful views of) San Andreas Reservoir. It is paved and heavily used by bicyclists, joggers and hikers. The southerly 0.7 mile is gravel-surfaced and not passable by bicycles, which must detour to the frontage road east of I-280.
Restrooms can be found about midway between the northern access point and the bike detour; and near the southern end where the segment meets the Sawyer Camp segment.
It is hoped that someday this segment will connect at its northern end with the Sweeney Ridge Trail, which leads to the San Francisco Bay Discovery Site. The Portola Expedition crossed over Sweeney Ridge in 1769 and became the first Western party to lay eyes on this area and what is now San Francisco Bay. The original inhabitants of the area were the Shalshone tribe.
The area received its name from Portola's chaplain and diarist, Father Francisco Palou, who named it San Andreas in honor of the saint's feast day. Descending Sweeney Ridge, Portola made camp in an area that is now beneath the waters of San Andreas Lake. A sign at the trail entrance on Hillcrest Boulevard points to the spot.
See the complete Crystal Springs Trail Map.