Skyline Ridge

Location

Skyline Ridge is on the West side of Skyline Blvd, in the West hills of Palo Alto. The park's roads (to an upper or lower parking lot) are just North of a Christmas Tree farm (you'll see the perfectly shaped trees in nice rows), a few miles North of the intersection of Skyline Blvd with Hwy 9. The park is about a mile South of the intersection of Skyline Blvd with Page Mill / Alpine Road. The park's trails coincide with many of Russian Ridge's trails, so you can also access the park from Russian Ridge, which is just North of the intersection of Skyline Blvd with Page Mill / Alpine Road.

Attractions:

Region includes steep, grassy hills, rocky outcroppings, mossy woods, and wetland areas including a pond and lake.
Wildlife includes rattlesnakes (which are very active along Ridge Trail in warm weather; there is a posted warning), lizards, deer, rabbits, dragonflies, butterflies, predatory birds, water birds, and other birds.
This park contains a three-mile segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, a huge trail that runs all around the Bay.
This park runs into Russian Ridge to the North and Long Ridge Trail to the South; connect the three parks' trails for a longer trek.
There are benches, tables, drinking fountains, bathrooms, and a nature center, particularly near Alpine Pond and Horseshoe Lake.
Two one-mile trails were designed to be wheelchair and stroller accessible.
Gorgeous views West of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Pacific Ocean.
Bikes are allowed, and many bike routes are wide and very moderately graded, meaning they're a great place to learn to mountain bike.
With views out to the coast, this is a great place to take in the sunset.
Grassy hillsides along the ridge, facing West are steep and windswept enough so they are usually dry and have a thin layer of grass, making them great spots to take a break with a small picnic lunch. Tread lightly and don't walk far from the trail to avoid erosion problems.

Limitations:

The trail is rocky in spots - watch your footing.
This is a popular park for Mountain Bikers; announce yourself around blind turns and take hiking-only trails to avoid speedy bike traffic.
No dogs allowed.
Beware of poison oak and ticks, as well as rattlesnakes in this area.

Season:

Year round, dawn to 1/2 hour after sunset.

Fees:

None.

Maps & More Information:

Maps are posted at the trailheads and there are maps available there, to take with you.
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's Website of Skyline Ridge: http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_skyline_ridge.asp
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's Map of Skyline Ridge: http://www.openspace.org/preserves/maps/skyline_ridge_map.pdf

Handicapped Access:

Two one-mile trails are deemed handicapped accessible. They are the Alpine Pond and Horseshoe Lake Trails. All other trails vary in conditions, and potential mountain bike traffic on the more moderate trails, there is a risk of a high-speed collision.

Recommended routes:

Ridge Trail:
Ridge Trail is continuous with Long Ridge Preserve to the South and Russian Ridge Preserve to the North, so can be extended in either or both directions for a longer hike. The trail has alternate portions to become hiking-only or bike-friendly, as this is a popular mountain biking location. Mountain biking trails tend to be wider (fire roads). Both paths occasionally contain jagged rocks, so watch your footing.

From the parking lot to the right of the entrance from Skyline Blvd (closest to Skyline Blvd), take the trail West (it is clearly marked). If you would like to do the trail on a bike, take the trail to the left, which is wider. The two trail options intersect after 0.5 miles (hiking only) or 0.7 miles (biking) respectively. Hiking traffic continues West, and the biking traffic continues North. Enjoy ridge views and alternation between grassy bluffs and mossy wooded areas, with either trail. If biking, there are two small optional Westerly loops possible, which can add about 1/3 mile each to the trip. The hiking and biking trails come very close together at a rocky outcropping that serves as a vista point. Both trails rejoin at the bathrooms, just beyond a few buildings that look as though they once serviced a ranch. Continue North on one of 4 possible short trails turning to the right around Alpine Pond, and enjoy a bench, view through scopes, drink of water, or some of the displays at the David C. Daniels Nature Center. You can continue up the hill, past the pond, to the Russian Ridge parking lot and beyond. Return the way you came at this point for a hike of about 3.2 miles or a bike ride of 4 to 4.6 miles, or continue North. The Ridge Trail continues past Mt. Melville, about 3.2 miles North, through Russian Ridge Preserve. Ridge Trail continues about 3 miles South of the starting point, to the middle of Long Ridge Preserve.

Horseshoe Lake Trail:
Park in the lower parking area (follow the entrance road farther West) for easy access to this trail. Horseshoe Lake is also accessible from the Ridge Trail (see above), so you could begin your hike of the Ridge Trail from this parking lot or walk South from the other parking lot, to reach this.

Follow the well marked packed dirt path to the lake, crossing a bridge along the way. There is a loop around the lake, but the tail end of it is not as stroller or wheelchair friendly as the beginning. About 1 mile total.

Alpine Pond Trail:
This is an all-access trail that is wide and has fine gravel that is usually well groomed. If you bring a small-wheeled stroller, go slow, to avoid getting wheels caught up in small ruts that can form after a storm.

Begin at the Russian Ridge Parking Lot, and look for the well marked sign that will point you towards a little tunnel that passes under Alpine Road. Follow the trail around Alpine Pond to the nature centerm and take advantage of the center's water, benches, nature displays, and scope. Bathrooms are located at the West end of the lake, across the Ridge Trail road. Loop around the lake and head back the way you came. 1 mile total.