Larry Lane

Location

From Highway 280, take the Sand Hill Road exit West, towards Portola Valley. Follow Sand Hill several miles until it becomes Portola Valley Road. Less than a quarter mile past the Welcome to Portola Valley sign, turn right into the first street on your right, Hayfields Road (slow down - there is a sharp turn uphill to access this road). Follow Hayfields Road for about a quarter mile, and turn right into the small parking area, just before the road is marked as a private drive.
For directions, use Google's map to 11 Hayfields Road (an approximation) in Portola Valley shown at right.

Attractions:

Trail has over half shade, mostly of delightful oaks.
There is a wonderfully cool tiny redwood grove about Ľ of the way into the hike.
Plenty of squirrels, deer, rabbits, and lizards, as well as bird life.
Here’s where you’ll find your dream house. Who wouldn’t want a house butted up against open space like this?
This trail is narrow, hilly, and curvy, a real delight to run or hike, as you don’t know what you’ll see next.
Big oak swing. See the hike description below to find the amazing, huge oak tree atop a hill, with a wonderful swing hanging from it. A gem of a secret place!
Dogs and horses allowed!

Limitations:

Poison oak abounds her – watch out
Stay on the trail to avoid ticks.
Watch out for “widow makers,” large tree limbs or trees that have begun their fall to the ground, but are supported by other trees.
There is only one very small parking lot for this place, though you may be able to park alongside the road across from the parking area.
Watch out for horse poop.
There are no maps available/posted here, though most trail junctions are marked.

Season:

Year round, sunrise to sunset

Fees:

None.

Maps & More Information:

Portola Valley Trails (including other trails in town, although a little outdated)
Historical Background on Larry Lane, from Portola Valley archives

Handicapped Access:

None

Recommended routes:

Lower Meadow Trail to Deer Hollow Farm: Icon Legend
From the parking area, walk about ten feet to the trail signpost, near where the paved road is marked as a private drive. After a short distance, you will see a larger sign marking this as Larry Lane. Continue uphill and along this narrow winding trail that leads you through the oaks and past properties. Several neighbor properties access this trail, so avoid these tangential paths. Larry Lane crosses the private drive/emergency road twice, once after passing through a cool grove of Redwoods. Ogle at the dream houses here (who wouldn’t want to live against open space?) and finally up to exposed open field where the trail widens, treehouses and rope swings can be seen in nearby trees, and there is a placard dedicating the trail to Larry Lane.

The trail continues uphill and through groves of oak and madrone. At the next trail junction, you can stop for a picnic at one of the two picnic tables, head left to follow Hayforks Trail, or head right to follow Larry Lane.

The two trails form a one mile loop, with a view of Portola Valley two thirds of the way if you walk Hayforks, and one thirds of the way if you take Larry Lane. There are junctions with two other trails along Hayforks: Herb Dengler and Joan Targ Trail, which both lead to the small Dengler Preserve nearby; if you take either trail, you can add several thousand feet to your journey.

We highly recommend following a “secret” side path that’s well trodden but steep to Big Oak Swing. This trail is near the signpost for Joan Targ Trail from Hayforks Trail; you can get to it more quickly if you take a right from the initial junction with Hayforks from Larry Lane, at the two picnic tables. Don’t take Joan Targ trail, but instead walk a bit from that junction to where a short fence directs hikers to stay on Hayforks; if you look downhill along the side of the fence, you’ll see at least two narrow, well used trails beyond the fence. Walking down these narrow trails a bit, you’ll walk into a lovely clearing for a picnic or view, or a stupendously awesome swing beneath a huge oak. After your awe-inspiring experience, head back the way you came or scitter down the narrow trail to the property line (and fence) of a large field-bearing lot. Follow the edge of the fence (don’t cross any fences or gates) to get back to near where the trail was dedicated to Larry Lane (turn left when you reach the main trail), then head back the way you came. About 2.5 miles total, without use of Joan Targ or Herb Dengler Trails.