Windy Hill

Location

Windy Hill is located in Portola Valley. There are two parking lots for the park, one off of Portola Road and the other off Skyline Blvd. (for access to Spring Ridge Trail). As Spring Ridge Trail is steep in its initial descent, only the Portola Road parking lot is recommended. To get there, exit Hwy 280 at Alpine Road and head South / West for 2.9 miles. Turn right on Portola Road. After 0.8 miles, turn left into the Windy Hill Parking Lot.

Attractions:

Dogs are allowed on leash.
Bicycles are allowed on fire roads / wide trails, including Spring Ridge Trail, that begins at Skyline Blvd.
There are bathrooms and picnic tables near the parking area.
The recommended trail circles a lovely sausal pond, complete with birds and aquatic insects.
Portola Valley's shops and library are just down the road - great for a leisurely snack or browsing!
There is evidence of the prior use of this land - some old cattle chutes and farm / ranch structures.
Windy Hill gets windy - great for kites and gliding!

Limitations:

No smoking
Stay on the trails to avoid ticks and poison oak!
Trails get muddy in the winter - avoid them after heavy rains.

Season:

Year round, 8am to sunset

Fees:

None.

Maps & More Information:

Maps are available at lower parking lot trailheads, although trails are very well marked.
Map and Information via Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District: http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_windy_hill.asp

Handicapped Access:

This park has parking and bathroom facilities for handicapped people. Fire-road-width trails may be suitable for wheelchairs, but Betsy Crowder trail is too narrow and rutted for them, so no loop is possible for wheelchairs. Meadow Trail and Spring Ridge Trail (the lower part up to Betsy Crowder Trail) look reasonable for wheelchair access (has not been attempted), but all other trails are too narrow, steep, or rutted / muddy.

Recommended routes:

Betsy Crowder to Spring Ridge to Meadow Trail:
Begin from the parking lot off of Portola Road. Walk to the right-most trailhead, clearly marked as Betsy Crowder Trail. It is the narrowest trail option, and although it is the newest trail, it has some erosion ruts as it leaves the meadow - be careful. This trail ends at Spring Ridge Trail; take Spring Ridge Trail to the left. Spring Ridge Trail meets Meadow Trail, which you should take to the left. This trail passes you by the Sausal Pond, which there are two small trails to (the second is easier to navigate). The route is a loop and ends where you began; head right to enter the parking lot. About 2 miles.