Edgewood County Park
Redwood City, San Mateo County
Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve is a moderately sized park in the heart of the San Francisco Peninsula. The dominant vegetation types are oak and chaparral, but ten endangered plants are found here. This area was critical habitat for the federally threatened Bay Area Edith's Checkerspot, though the degradation of its required serpentine grassland habitat has led to its virtual extinction from the park. Restoration is being attempted.
Getting There
From I-280 in Redwood City, take the Edgewood Road exit (3.5 miles south of Highway 92), and drive east to the bottom of the hill. Turn right into the parking lot for Edgewood County Park. The park is open all year during daylight hours. There is no entrance fee.
When to Go
Edgewood County Park is at its best from March through July.
Other Wildlife
Edgewood County Park is renowned for its spring wildflowers. Birds include Nuttall's Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, and breeding Red-shouldered Hawks.
Species List
Abundance and months are conservative, restricted to confirmed records from this park.
Swallowtails
- Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)
- Uncommon — 4
- Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)
- Uncommon — 3, 6
Whites and Sulphurs
- Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
- Rare — 11
- Large Marble (Euchloe ausonides)
- Margined [Mustard] White (Pieris [napi] marginalis)
- Uncommon — 3
- Sara Orangetip (Anthocharis sara)
- Common — 3
Coppers, Hairstreaks, and Blues
- Tailed Copper (Lycaena arota)
- Uncommon — 6
- Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)
- Uncommon — 3–4
- Bramble Hairstreak (Callophrys [dumetorum] perplexa)
- Uncommon — 3
- Echo [Spring] Azure (Celastrina [ladon] echo)
- Common — 3
- Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
- Uncommon — 2/22, 4
- Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon)
- Common — 3, 7
Brushfoots
- Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta)
- Common — 10
- "Bay Area" Edith's Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha bayensis)
- Extirpated — Formerly 3–4
Federally threatened subspecies; formerly bred here but now extirpated from the park due to habitat degradation. Restoration is underway.
- California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica)
- Uncommon — 3
- American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
- Uncommon — 4
- "California" Common Ringlet (Coenonympha tullia california)
- Abundant — 3–4, 7, 10
- Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)
- Uncommon — 6
Skippers
- Mournful Duskywing (Erynnis tristis)
- Uncommon — 3–4
- Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
- Uncommon — 3
- Western [Common] Branded Skipper (Hesperia [comma] colorado)
- Common — 7
- Rural Skipper (Ochlodes agricola)
- Abundant — 6