San Mateo Creek

San Mateo Creek is a permanent stream that originates in Crystal Springs Reservoir and flows about 12 miles through Hillsborough and San Mateo before emptying into San Francisco Bay. The creek collects water from tributaries along its course and passes through tidal marshes as it approaches the bay.

The creek was first documented in 1769 when an expedition party encountered it while traveling through the area. Within a few years, other explorers also recorded the creek as they mapped and explored the region.

Indigenous Salson peoples lived along the creek for generations before European contact, relying on its water and resources. The creek remains a reminder of how native communities once shaped and inhabited this landscape.

The creek flows through varied terrain, ranging from higher elevations with forested areas to lower reaches near marshland and the bay. Visitors should expect different conditions depending on the season and location along the creek.

The creek served as a natural meeting point and water source for early explorers mapping the region during the late 1700s. Its location in a valley made it an important landmark during these pioneering expeditions.

Location: California

GPS coordinates: 37.57494,-122.30469

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:06