Mountain lion with fresh kill closes popular San Mateo County trail

San Mateo County closed the highly trafficked Sawyer Camp Trail on Wednesday afternoon after a mountain lion with a freshly killed deer was spotted, officials said.

Park rangers and San Mateo County sheriff's deputies responded to the incident a mile south of the Hillcrest gate just before 4 p.m.

"Following a call with California Department of Fish and Wildlife game warden, we chose to close the trail," said Carla Schoof, a spokesperson for the San Mateo County Parks Department. "The trail is open today."

Luther Pugh was among several people in the area on Wednesday who saw the mountain lion, and he called 911.

"The mountain lion was not concerned about the presence of trail users, only moving back into the brush when a group of four cyclists approached," said Pugh, who was riding his bike. "Although I was doing only going 15 to 17 mph I did not see the lion and deer in time to stop safely before I passed the lion."

He said he stayed in the area for about 15 minutes to alert other users until officials arrived. He said he called 911 and it was sent to the California Highway Patrol. He was on hold for five to six minutes, he said, before he was transferred to the county.

Schoof said the cyclist did exactly what's advised when you spot this sort of puma activity by calling 911.

Mountain lions are shy animals who usually avoid humans. They generally hunt at night but can be present at any time, according to the county. While sightings are rare in the Bay Area, they do occasionally occur and last month a mountain lion was trapped after being spotted in San Francisco.

San Mateo Parks advises anyone who encounters a mountain lion to shout and wave your arms or your coat. "The objective is to make yourself look as large and imposing as possible," the park said. "Maintain eye contact with the wild cat; do not crouch down. Throw any sticks and stones you can reach without bending down."

The Sawyer Camp Trail is a segment of the Crystal Springs Regional Trail and extends from Hillcrest Boulevard on the north to Crystal Springs Road on the south. "It is probably the best known length of trail in San Mateo County," the parks department's website says. "More people know it and use it than all the other trails in the County Park System.