Open Space Areas

A map of Palo Alto Parks

Baylands Nature Preserve
2775 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto. Trails link through a riparian environment along the San Francisco Bay, supporting aquatic and avian fauna and a number of threatened and endangered species. Considered one of the best bird watching areas on the west coast. Area Includes Palo Alto airport, Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Center, Harriet Mundy Marsh, Baylands Athletic Center, duck pond and municipal golf course. size: 1,940 acres. Call 650-329-2506.
E-mail: annette.coleman@cityofpaloalto.org.

Coal Creek Open Space Preserve
Skyline Boulevard and Crazy Pete's Road, between Woodside and Page Mill roads, above Palo Alto. Trails: 5.4 miles for hiking, bicycling, equestrian. Parking: Limited spaces at vista point on east side of Skyline Boulevard (Route 35). Rolling meadows, oaks, grasslands, large madrone trees, forested headwaters of two creeks. Leashed dogs permitted. size: 507 acres. Call 650-691-1200.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Deer Hollow Farm
Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, (park entrance at Cristo Ray Drive, off Foothill Boulevard), Cupertino. A working homestead and educational center situated in the 3,800-acre Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. The farm program is managed by the City of Mountain View Recreation Division. School classes, community groups and families can explore and participate in the farm. Programs are designed to help participants experience farm and wilderness life and Native American history. There is also a summer camp program for kids to explore the preserve, farm, animals and garden. Great hiking trails in a wilderness environment for the adventurous. Farm hours: Tue, Thu-Sun 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Wed 8 a.m.-1 p.m., closed Mon. Animals only visible from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 650-903-6430; 650-903-6331 for camp information.
E-mail: dhfarms@mountainview.gov.

El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve
Skyline Boulevard, south of Kings Mountain Road, Trails: 36 miles for hiking, bicycling, equestrian. Parking: Limited spaces at Skeggs Point vista parking area; limited roadside on Skyline Boulevard (Route 35). Steep, heavily forested terrain; rare and fragile sandstone formations; redwoods; creek headwaters. Popular with bicyclists. No dogs allowed. size: 2,817 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Esther Clark Nature Preserve
Old Trace Road, Palo Alto. Located at the end of Old Trace Road off of Arastradero Road. Named for a founder of the Palo Alto Medical Clinic, who sold the land to the city in 1965, Esther Clark Park is a small, undeveloped nature reserve of grassland and oaks. Open 8 a.m. to sunset. Pets are permitted on leash. It has no picnic tables, restrooms, or other amenities. No hunting or camping. Fires, barbecues and smoking are prohibited. It is a good place for quiet meditation or watching the sunset. size: 21 acres. Call 650-329-2423.

Foothills Open Space Preserve
Page Mill Road at Moody Road, Located in the Adobe Creek watershed above Hidden Villa Ranch and adjacent to Palo Alto's Foothills Park. Trails lead to a grassy ridgetop surrounded by steep chaparral-covered slopes, with oak-madrone woodland in the ravines and on the north facing slopes. A half-mile trail leads from Page Mill Road to a grassy knoll with a view of the South Bay. size: 212acres. Call 650-691-1200.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Foothills Park
3300 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto. Nature preserve open only to Palo Alto residents and their accompanied guests. Includes Boronda Lake, where you can fish with a license. Open every day from 8 a.m.-sunset. Fifteen miles of hiking trails; Seven picnic areas and eight campsites at Towle Camp. No dogs on weekends or holidays. size: 1,400 acres. Call 650-329-2423.
E-mail: recreation@cityofpaloalto.org.

Hidden Villa Farm and Wilderness Preserve
26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills. Hidden Villa is a place to volunteer, hike, camp and visit farm animals of all kinds. Tue-Sun 9 a.m.-dusk, the organic farm and wilderness trails are open to the public, but only on select weekends during summer camp season from mid-June to mid-August. Free entry, $5 parking fee. Groups of 10 or more must make reservations. Call 650-949-8660; fax 650-948-4159. To volunteer 650-949-8655. For farm tours 650-949-8653.
E-mail: info@hiddenvilla.org, volunteers@hiddenvilla.org.

Long Ridge Open Space Preserve
Skyline Boulevard north of Hwy. 9, in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Trails: 13.2 miles. Hiking, bicycling and equestrian trails. Dogs on leash permitted in designated areas. Grasslands; oak, madrone, Douglas fir forests; views of Big Basin State Park, Butano Ridge, Monterey Peninsula; wildlife; Ridge Trail. Parking: Eight roadside spaces at Hickory Oaks; 15 roadside spaces at Upper Stevens Creek County Park at Grizzly Flats trailhead. size: 2,035 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Los Trancos Open Space Preserve
Page Mill Road east of Skyline Boulevard, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, above Palo Alto and Los Altos Hills. Entrance on Page Mill Road, 7 miles west of Highway 280.. Trails: 5.2 miles. Hiking and horseback riding allowed. Bicycles and dogs are not allowed. Views of San Francisco and Mt. Diablo; 1.5 mile self-guided San Andreas Fault trail with brochure on earthquake features; monthly docent-led walks the first Sunday of the month. size: 274 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
330 Distel Circle, Los Altos. Founded by Santa Clara County voters in 1972, the Open Space District offers more than 57,000 acres of undeveloped public lands. Most areas are open for hiking, cycling and horseback riding. Free docent-led activities. Steep trails, redwood canyons, madrone and pine forests mark the 25 preserves, which are open year-round from sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. Helmets are required for bicyclists at all times. Fires and smoking are prohibited at the preserves. Dogs permitted in some preserves. David Daniels Nature Center at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Page Mill Road 1 mile east of Skyline Boulevard, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, above Los Altos Hills. Fifteen miles of trails. The Black Mountain backpack camp, the only campsite in the district. The camp is located 7 miles west of I-280 on Page Mill Road, and a 1.5 mile hike from the Page Mill Road gate and parking lot. A permit is required and the fee is $2 per night per camper. No dogs allowed. Call district office for more information. size: 3,142 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Pearson-Arastradero Preserve
Arastradero Road and Page Mill Road, in the foothills above Stanford and Palo Alto, Preserve contains 10 miles of hiking in savanna grassland and broadleaf evergreen forest. It is not uncommon to see deer, bobcats, coyotes, and many varieties of birds. Horses, bikes, leashed dogs and fishing (with license) allowed. Parking lot at 1530 Arastradero Road, 1/4 mile north of Page Mill Road. Open daily from 8 a.m.-sunset. size: 622 acres. Call 650-329-2423.
E-mail: recreation@cityofpaloalto.org.

Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve
Montebello Road, Cupertino. Trails: 3.7 miles. Hiking, equestrian, and wheelchair accessible. Bicycles and dogs are not allowed. Visitors can enjoy wine tastings at the historic Picchetti winery. Trails include views of Stevens Creek Reservoir and a small pond. The Preserve is 0.5 miles up Montebello Road on the left. size: 308 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
Skyline Boulevard south of Hwy. 92, Trails: 24 miles of developed trails and historical logging roads provide opportunities for hikes, bikes or horse rides. Dogs are not allowed. Trails out of the canyon climb up to 1,600 feet. The centerpiece of this preserve is Purisima Creek Canyon, with towering redwoods, rushing creek, and understory of ferns, berries, and wildflowers. Half Moon Bay and the coast are visible from parts of the preserve. size: 3,360 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Cristo Rey Drive south of I-280, above Los Altos Hills. With 24miles of trails, this open space area offers hiking, biking and equestrian opportunities. Deer Hollow Farm, a working farm with barnyard animals, is a highlight, as is Grant Cabin, which represents the living conditions of the late 1800s. The preserve is linked to the 165-acre Rancho San Antonio County Park., where non-gas-powered model airplane enthusiasts gather. size: 3,800 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Ravenswood Open Space Preserve
end of Bay Road, east of U.S. Highway 101, East Palo Alto. This preserve is comprised of two noncontiguous areas located south of the Dumbarton Bridge and adjacent to San Francisco Bay. The larger area is located near Cooley Landing in East Palo Alto. The marsh attracts a variety of migrating birds including sandpipers, dowitchers and avocets. Great blue herons, white pelicans, and egrets are also common. Hiking and bicycling is allowed, but, horses and dogs are not allowed on the trails. size: 373 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
Alpine Road, west of Skyline Boulevard, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, above Los Altos Hills. Parking on the northwest corner of Skyline Boulevard and Page Mill/Alpine Road intersection.. In the spring, this preserve explodes with color when native wildflowers bloom. The Bay Area Ridge Trail links up here, offering views of Silicon Valley, the East bay and San Francisco. Russian Ridge offers 10 miles of varying terrain for bikers, hikers and equestrians. Borel Hill is the highest named point in San Mateo County. Dogs are not allowed. size: 1,978 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
west of Skyline Boulevard, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, above Los Altos Hills. Located one mile south of the Page Mill/Alpine Road and Skyline Boulevard intersection.. Ten miles of trails are open for exploration to hikers, bikers and equestrians. Two one-mile trails are accessible to wheelchairs and baby strollers: one encircling Alpine Pond and another hugging the shores of Horseshoe Lake. The David C. Daniels Nature Center at Alpine Pond is open on the weekends, April through mid-November. The preserve offers ridge vistas, meadows, a pond for nature study and lake frequented by migrating birds. Restrooms. No dogs allowed. size: 2,143 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Area
end of Shoreline Boulevard, Mtn. View. Located adjacent to Mountain ViewÕs Shoreline Park, Steven's Creek preserve offers a half-mile trail where visitors may spot pied-billed grebes, great blue herons, and other shoreline birds. Two endangered species, the clapper rail and salt march harvest mouse, make their homes here. size: 55 acres. Call 650-691-1200.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Teague Hill Open Space Preserve
Teague Hill Open Space Preserve is primarily reserved for wildlife habitat and is only accessible to hikers and equestrians along the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Only one trail is accessible in the preserve. Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains just above the town of Woodside. size: 626 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Thornewood Open Space Preserve
La Honda Road, between Woodside Road and Skyline Boulevard, Woodside. Trails: 1 mile. Hiking, equestrian. Parking: 10-car area on west side of driveway (includes one handicapped space). Historic Thornewood Estate; redwoods, oaks and firs; Schilling Lake. Leashed dogs permitted. size: 163 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
Skyline Boulevard, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, above Portola Valley. Twelve miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, kite-flying. Views of the Peninsula and coast, picnic tables, creeks, grassland ridges, and a portion of the Ridge Trail. Parking: 45-car lot on Portola Road; 15-car lot 2.3 miles south of Hwy. 84 (La Honda Road); limited roadside parking. Leashed dogs permitted in designated areas. Hang gliding, paragliding and remote control gliding are allowed by obtaining a permit. size: 1,312 acres. Call 650-691-1200; fax 650-691-0485.
E-mail: info@openspace.org.