Coal Mine Ridge

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Peeking out from the backpack on Old Spanish Trail

Location

Coal Mine Ridge is a lovely open space area that is partially owned by Portola Valley Ranch and Blue Oaks developments. This is a rare area that is partially owned by different developments, and public use has been permitted. You'll see a sign reminding trail users to be respectful of the priviledge to use the area.

Easiest access is from the trailhead across from off-road parking, where Alpine Road ends as a two-lane road, becoming a one-lane road for access mostly for residents of the area. To get there, follow Alpine Road 3.6 miles from Hwy 280, heading Southwest towards the town of Portola Valley. Drive beyond Portola Valley until signs indicate that Alpine Road is narrowing to one lane, and turn to park in the parking area off of the right side of the road, just before Alpine Road intersects with Willowbrook Drive.View Larger Google Map or use Google Maps to get directions

Attractions:

Several of these trails are completely shaded!
This is a complete wildlife area, with plenty of birds, deer, rodents, insects, slugs, and even salamanders.
A temporary pond can be found near the top of the open space preserve, spring through fall.
The single-track hiking trails on the West side of the Coal Mine Ridge are some of the best for hiking and trail running, with varying views around every corner.
This is a great place to see Spanish Moss/Old Man's Beard and galls from trees.
Portola Valley prides itself on its expanse of trails, and Willowbrook trail picks up just across from Coal Mine Ridge, at the corner of Willowbrook Drive and Alpine Road, if you want to explore more.
Alpine Road, in it's single-lane form is a beautifully paved road with great drainage. If you hike to the end of this open space, you can take a short but steep trail down to the road and walk Alpine Road back to the parking area, a smooth and level way to get back, with views of the creek to your left.
Dogs are allowed on some trails and restricted on others.

Recommended routes:

Coal Mine Ridge Trails Icon Legend
Begin at the trailhead across from the parking area. The initial trail (Alpine Trail) is a steep step up with railroad ties to prevent erosion, but the trail afterwards is generally well graded. Almost immediately, the trail intersects with another. If you turn right, the trail narrows and will eventually become a single-track trail suitable only for carriers or backpacks. If you do not turn right, the trail remains wide and is suitable for a baby jogger or other large-wheeled stroller, though there will be some rolling hills to push that stroller up!
- Single-track Trail Loops Icon Legend
  From the trailhead (Alpine Trail), turn right and climb a few steps to get to the fun, narrow Toyon Trail. Toyon Trail follows the West ridge of the open space, providing some nice views, a couple of benches along the way, and a couple of cute bridges.
  
  Option 1: You can follow Toyon Trail all the way to the end of the open space area, turning right to take Lake Trail down to Alpine Road, turning right on Alpine Road. Return along the smooth, paved, Alpine Road (just watch out for residents driving the road), with views of the creek generally to your left. Distance is about 4.1 miles total.
  
  Option 2: If you want a little more altitude, turn left to connect to Coal Mine Trail (the first two left turn options will bring you to Coal Mine Trail). Coal Mine Trail is also narrow and can make a nice little loop if you take the first left turn well after starting Toyon Trail, to start Coal Mine Trail, then turn right to return to Toyon Trail, then turn right onto Toyon Trail to make the loop. Continue down Toyon to reach the parking lot near the initial trailhead. Distance is about 3 miles total.
  
  Option 3: If you'd like to visit the higher parts of the park and see both sides to this ridge, you can turn left from Toyon Trail at the second or third possible left turns once Toyon Trail has begun, taking short connector trails (Coal Mine Trail/ Old Spanish Trail) to connect to Arroyo Trail. This trail is more steep and will bring you around the ridge. Turn left off of Arroyo Trail to Bay Laurel. Follow Bay Laurel until its intersection with Old Spanish Trail; turn right to follow Old Spanish Trail down to the initial trailhead. Distance is about 3.9 miles total.
- Wider Trail Loops Icon Legend
  Continuing straight from the trailhead, you'll ascend some rolling hills to eventually get to the highest parts of the open space. Old Spanish Trail is largely shaded and winds up and down rolling hills. It will cross Bay Laurel Trail, a nice, but short trail, that would be fun to take with a jogging stroller if Arroyo Trail the subsequent trail needed to stay in the park (versus going to neighborhoods) were not so narrow and steep in places. Stay on Old Spanish Trail until you reach Fire Road Trail, a quite obvious fire road, near where Arroyo Trail and Coal Mine Trail cross. You can follow the fire road or hop onto Coal Mine Trail for a short distance, continuing SSE, passing a water tower. You can turn back and return the way you came (distance of about 2.7 miles), or continue with one of the following options.
  
  Option 1: Old Spanish Trail will continue from the fire road, to intersect with Lake Trail, which is the one to take to the right to get to Alpine Road. Once at the road, turn right and return along the smooth, paved, Alpine Road (just watch out for residents driving the road), with views of the creek generally to your left. Distance is about 4.1 miles total.
  
  Option 2: At the point where Fire Road Trail meets Old Spanish Trail, you can head North down the fire road to reach Sunrise Trail a very short distance later. Sunrise Trail, Redberry Trail, and Buck Meadow Trail form a little loop in the rural neighborhood here. Turn right onto Sunrise Trail, following it as it loops around to join Buck Meadow Trail, then turn left to hike parallel to a paved road, along Redberry Trail, to return to where Sunrise Trail began. Return the way you came, back down Old Spanish Trail, or pursue option 1. This little loop adds a distance of about 1.6 miles.
  
  Option 3: You can begin option 2, walking down the road that Sunrise Trail crosses, to take Los Trancos Trail to your left (a historic trail). This runs parallel to Los Trancos Road and allows you to follow it all the way back to Alpine Road (turn right on Deer Path Trail and left on Sweet Springs Trail, then left on the Alpine Trail parallel to Alpine Road), dropping you at the trailhead where you began. You can also follow Los Trancos Trail and take a couple of other trails left, which will eventually bring you back to trails that drop you back where you began, but with all of the other options, you risk some narrow and steep sections. Total distance of about 5 miles.
  
  Option 4: If you're using a baby backpack or carrier, leave the wider trails to experience the fantastic single-track trails on the park's Western side! You can follow the fire road to Old Spanish Trail (as in option 1), then follow Lake Trail a short distance, taking a right turn to enter Toyon Trail. Alternatively, you'll see options to hop on Toyon Trail at some of the earlier trail junctions. Toyon is narrow and really fun, with cute bridges, some views, and a couple benches along the way. Follow Toyon Trail all the way back to the trailhead you started on. Using this option will make the distance a total of up to 3.9 miles.

Coal Mine Ridge

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Location

Attractions:

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Handicapped Access:

Recommended routes: