REDWOOD CITY — Campers, hikers and nature-lovers will soon be able to see Sam McDonald Park transforming from a local outdoor destination into a National Site of Historical Significance.
The transformation project, announced Oct 2, 2025 at a San Mateo County Parks Department’s commission meeting, aims to start the application process to seek federal-level recognition of Sam McDonald Park’s historic value.
“Anytime that we honor people who deserve to be honored for their contributions to history, especially people of color like Sam McDonald, it’s a huge win, said Katherine Wright, San Mateo County park ranger. “We’re highlighting pieces of history that have gone untold or unheard by a large number of people for a long time.”
Located at 13435 Pescadero Creek Rd in Loma Mar, California, and among the lush-growth redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the park was named after Samuel McDonald, a former Superintendent of Athletic Grounds and Buildings at Stanford University who worked on campus for 50 years and became a beloved community figure for being an advocate of youth and families with nature. He is also the donor of the park, according to the County of San Mateo Parks website.
“Sam McDonald had a lot of impacts both at Stanford University and in La Honda, where his property was and now is a county park,” said Wright. “We want to honor his contributions to history, especially as an African American at a time when being a person of color was challenging.”
The park also features an 850-acre facility with steep terrain that rises from 400 feet along Alpine Creek to more than 1,300 feet at Towne Ridge, creating a diverse mix of natural habitats. The location is also famous for equestrians, hiking and youth overnight campgrounds, according to the County of San Mateo Parks website.
The Department had completed the historical document and drafted the narrative needed for Sam McDonald Park’s landmark application. The next step is to secure the approval from the County’s park board before submitting the proposal to the State’s Historic Preservation Office and then to the Keeper of the National Register at Washington, DC, for final approval, according to Wright.
The national designation will also bring other benefits, such as strengthening the park’s eligibility for state and federal grants that aim to support future preservation and improvement projects, according to Nicholas Calderon, San Mateo County parks director.
Most residents and visitors support the County’s decision to start this application, but some also have mixed feelings, believing that some “maintenance” should be done before going national.
More application and proposal details will be discussed during the November Park Department’s Commission meeting.
“We also connect a lot of communities of colors to this park to share the history of Sam McDonald and his legacy,” Wright added. “[So we can] show that they can have an impact on their communities just like he did.”
