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🦌 Nature Preserve
1,400 acres
Foothills Nature Preserve
Palo Alto
🥾 Hiking
⛰️ Foothill & Ridge
📸 Scenic
👨👩👧👦 Family
🌄 Overlook
🦌 Wildlife
A 1,400-acre Palo Alto foothills preserve with a lake, oak woodland, and quiet trails with sweeping Peninsula views.
Foothills Nature Preserve (formerly Foothills Park) protects 1,400 acres of oak woodland, grassland, and chaparral in the Palo Alto foothills. Centered on tranquil Boronda Lake, the preserve offers a network of trails from easy lakeside loops to climbs reaching ridge viewpoints over the Peninsula and bay. Once restricted to residents, it's now open to all visitors and remains one of the quietest, most scenic preserves on the Peninsula.
🌟 Why Locals Love It
Serene, uncrowded, and genuinely beautiful — a lake-and-ridge preserve that feels like a private escape.
What to Expect
Lakeside strolls and oak-shaded climbs to ridge viewpoints; abundant birds and wildlife.
Activities
hiking
picnicking
birdwatching
wildlife viewing
photography
running
💡 Good to Know Before You Go
Daily visitor limits may apply — check the city site. Dogs not permitted to protect wildlife.
📍 Local Tip
Walk the Los Trancos Trail to a ridge viewpoint, then loop back past Boronda Lake.
Best Time to Visit
Spring for green hills and wildflowers; mornings year-round.
⚠️ Rules & Restrictions
No dogs. Stay on trails to protect habitat.
Practical Info
City of Palo Alto
3300 Page Mill Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Dawn to dusk; daily capacity limits may apply
On-site lots; may fill on weekends.
Amenities
Restrooms
Picnic Area
Parking
Trails
Interpretive Signs
Viewpoint
Trailhead Parking
Verified Official Source
View Official Page →