The trails, located on a 123-acre property near Moss Beach, are owned by the trust in partnership with the California Coastal Conservancy.
When the trail improvements are completed in the fall, two miles of paths lined with native plants and wildflowers will extend across the bluff, including a portion of the 1,200-mile California Coastal Trail.
"With their spectacular views of coastal reefs and the Mavericks wave break, without question these will soon be among the most popular trails on Sam Mateo County's beautiful coast," Coastal Conservancy executive officer Sam Schuchat said in a prepared statement.
The trust purchased most of the property from private owners in 2004 for $2.7 million, $1 million of which was contributed by the California Coastal Conservancy, which has sine added another $528,000 for the cost of trail planning, design and improvements.
The property will remain open to the public during construction, although some portions of trails may be temporarily closed. The project is scheduled to be finished by the end of October.
"Pillar Point Bluff has been well-loved but much-used over the years," Peninsula Open Space Trust president Audrey Rust said in a prepared statement. "These improvements will preserve the beauty of the bluff and its views, protect its rich wildlife habitat, and improve the overall health of the land."