Pearson Arastradero Preserve

This is one of our fav options when we are in the mood for a hike proximity and variety of climbs are the main reason behind this preserve being our default options.
There are several trails around this preserve all of them offering green vista views and tons of perspective on life around u. We are usually here on weekends and the trails are not crowded. You will bump into horses and men riders but they are not in anyway impeding your hike. The trails have a way of intertwining so the boards and directions are really helpful but u will not get lost if you read the signs. Difficulty level of the hike is easy to moderate but bring water n sun gear if you are here in the summer as the trails are mostly unshaded.
The Arastradero lake is small n Bful but not something where u can swim or have any other water activities. It has its charm in calmly watching u as you meander about. This preserve is dog friendly so another plus to come here. Lastly, the bathrooms are clean

I love to MTB as a means to explore. This area is great for both hikers and riders. When the weather is clear, the views are spectacular.
Hikers and riders alike can coexist peacefully. The trails are wide enough for both. Everyone seems to get along great.
Parking can be crowded so youl need to park down the road. I can’t recommend this park enough.

I have exactly the same opinion as Kristie C. below. Being close to HWY280 and the smaller size, compare to others, I will come back for a quick hike.
I’m adding some on top of her list:
Pros:
— nice, clean rest rooms
— good size for family with small kids and running
— you can take different route going and coming back
Cons:
— small parking lot… It fills up pretty quickly. There are only about 7 street parking space away from the lot (You’d better get there early.)
— a lot of bikers… It makes it some times little difficult for hikers like me — It gets dusty when they go by and I have to paying attention to those fast bikers.

Pros:
— Dog-​friendly
— Relatively easy parking, depending on when you go
— Easy to get to off 280
— Animal sights: wild turkeys (and their turkey babies), bunnies
Cons:
— Trails are not very well-​shaded, tons of sun
— Views are pretty uniform across the board (weed fields, weed fields, weed fields)
— Ticks
— Not «deep in the nature»: adjacent to a golf course, housing, power grids; all of which which you can easily see as you walk — meh
Would suggest elsewhere! Seems like a hot spot for bikers though. Short hike is kid friendly if you go early enough.

This park is 10 minutes from my house. It’s heaven. I mountain bike there a couple of times a week, I hike there a couple of times a week, I run there a couple of times a week… all depending on the week and where I am with work and my exercise routine. The point is that you can do it all there. The sunsets are gorgeous from the north side. The trails are easily marked and there are many. It’s well maintained and the nature center is great for kids. There are challenging trails for people at every level and age. I see seniors out there running 6:30 minute mile pace, I see women out there running 5:00 minute mile pace. I love this place. I love lots of other places for different reasons. I’m from Florida so it’s not hot to me but it is exposed. So if you’re a native Californian, wear sunscreen and a hat to protect your skin. And bring water. And enjoy!

I’ve received some complaints from Unilocalers who say that any negative rating of a park or open space is wrong, misguided, etc. The argument goes something like this: «Being outside in these spaces is awesome; they are a blessing… so they should all get positive reviews».
I agree with part of that statement. I do love to be in the great outdoors getting exercise.
I also absolutely love Thai food, but I don’t give all Thai restaurants 5 stars, because it turns out… and here’s the really wacky part… Some of these are actually *better than others*. Weird huh? What to do?
Ooh, ooh… I know! It’s called «grading on a curve.» And every category should get its own curve. Apples vs. apples. Open spaces don’t get rated against Thai restaurants, and Thai restaurants don’t get rated against concert venues… and so on. What a fair and useful concept!
[Sarcastic rant mode OFF]
Which brings me to Arastradero Preserve. What does it have going for it in its particular category? Well, it’s an open space preserve. And it’s outside… and…uh
Is it pretty? Not compared to other local preserves. It’s mostly exposed, rolling hills, with some torn-​up and eroded sections. Some portions are crossed by telephone lines. It looks like the leftover pieces of used-​up ranch land that nobody wanted. Sure, there are a few pretty spots (
), plus some decent views near the top, but these don’t come close to those at Windy Hill, Purisima, Coal Ridge, Russian Ridge, Monte Bello… shall I go on?
Is there parking nearby? Nope; or at least there’s almost never any available. I found parking once in their small, gravel lot, but it was pouring rain; and I think it was a Tuesday. Parking is strictly prohibited on Arastradero Road itself. There is one other «secret» parking spot. But it’s not really that much of a secret any more. (Note: The bathrooms at the main entrance are nice, but that usually requires parking first.)
Is it quiet and peaceful? — Rarely on the weekend. Even with the limited parking, Arastradero always seems to have a lot of people, especially mountain bikers. When walking on the narrower trails, be prepared to jump out of the way if a small group of bikers comes flying around the corner.
OK, OK. I admit there are a few positives:
— This park believes in promoting native plants vs. introduced plants (as do I)
— Dogs are permitted on leash (so rare in this area)
— The nice bathrooms are convenient for passing bikers
— It provides access to Foothills Park, which can’t be accessed by non-​Palo Alto residents at its main entrance
Oh sure — I’ll be back to Arastradero Preserve, since I hike pretty frequently. It just happens to one of my least favorite open spaces on the peninsula. Long live the curve.

Do NOT come here in summertime unless you can stand the dry heat. My dogs are completely black and we all couldn’t take the heat, and had to head back within 10 min of leaving the entrance.
I think with some greenery (if the drought gets any better) and cooler temps, it might be enjoyable as the space itself is hugee, and the open space and silence is quite serene.
The bathrooms are relatively clean, there is a parking lot, and it’s nice to bring your dog with you as there aren’t too many people within view at any given moment.
I’d say a full loop would be a few miles, but with the hills, it isn’t for the faint of heart.
There is quite a lot of thistle, broken branches, foxtails, and a barbed wire fence that might be harmful for your pooch to be off leash in, so be cautious! :)

This place is literally at my backyard and I don’t know how I’ve never been here until now. Its a beautiful small hike just by the parking lot with varying levels and from a point you can see the beauty of Californian highways. There is a small ranch and people swaying away on their horses. Apart from this the other actual hike was a bit confusing with the signs and path being not overly clear. I was confused in taking several diversions to go upto arastradero lake and the lake was barely even visible as it was totally covered by trees. I walked past the lake and took a diversion to walk into another way and i cold finally view the lake. It was small but nice and well maintained. I only wish the signs were a bit more clear than unevolved. I was very confused but at last after the lake I took a simple left and a straight path directly got me out to parking lot. It’s really not a hike as much as a leisure walk here amidst the grasses. Its a nice cutoff from urban crowd and to have some lone time. Parking is a breeze during offpeak hours and I am guessing since its not usually crowded it should be ok during weekends too.

Beautiful, but maybe needs more signs and maps =).

Great place to hike and bike. But not in the middle of a sunny day — no shade to speak of. Lots of rattles in the summer, but the paths are wide enough that they do not pose any danger.

Lovely. Routes are confusing though.

Excellent hiking spot! I came here to celebrate Father’s Day with my family and husky. The private lot offers plenty of parking spaces and an information area with clean bathrooms. Compared to Rancho San Antonio, Arastradero preserve was much less crowded that Sunday morning. Most importantly, it’s dog friendly!
This area provides for a relatively easy hike, with some steep inclines but mostly flat ground. I would highly recommend hiking boots or athletic shoes as the terrain is uneven. I wish I had brought a bandana to tie around my nose and mouth, as there was a slight wind that day causing mini dust storms.
Besides the horse poop that my dog kept trying to nibble on, we enjoyed a great hike with a vast amount of fox tails, rolling hills, and beautiful views.

For starters, I grew up in this area, had plenty of friends living nearby and I could have sworn this place is located in Los Altos Hills. Strange seeing Palo Alto tied to it, which is farther East down Arastradero (down by VMware).
Anyway, the hiking trail behind the bathrooms at the parking lot is really easy. A good walk if you are in a hurry or not used to hiking. The main reason I go here is so my Lab can cool of in the lake and get some extra exercise while we are at it. A section of the lake is shady and a good spot for you to sit while the dog is swimiming. And walking back over the hill, we use the side trail not the gravel road that the bikers use, so it’s nice to have that option as well.

A gem of a park:
Trails well maintained
Easy loops back to base
One or two moderate hills, otherwise pretty flat.
Parking can be a problem, often have to hunt for parking in the neighborhood since the small lot gets full.

Good place to hike in local.
The entire trail is only about 8 miles.
From the vista point, you can see East bay over the SF bay, Penninsula. It’s nice.
Not hardcore enough for hardcore hikers like me, but when no time, it’s good.
For those of you easy hikers, it’s perfect. Especially spring is good because it’s all vivid green.

It’s a nice trail, but it gets hard to walk on some of the unpaved roads.

A relatively easy biking trail and leads to the peak whereby a great view of the bay area awaits you. During clear day, you can see San Mateo bridge and SF from here.
Good size parking spaces. Definitely a great place to run, bike, and hike.

There are WAY too many people heading out here on a Saturday to make it worth it.
I feel like I’m at a shopping mall being annoyed by the sound of screaming children than the wilderness.

Being here a few times and checking out the local mountain biking (MTB) scene, this is definitely a spot to go to in the southern peninsula/​south bay area if you are in need of your quick MTB/​hiking fix.
The trails are pretty exposed, so not the best on a hot or crazy sunny day, but really good if you’re going in the early AM or near dusk. It’s mostly double track, with people generally having good trail etiquette.
Not the most challenging MTB stuff I tried, but there are generally some good climbs and some shallow descents. Some great views of the highway too (!?!) Not the most scenic, but hey, it gets the job done. Overall, good place to go if you wanna just get out and get some miles.

* A lot of different trails to choose from
* They are all quite scenic.
* Overlooking Stanford University and the foothills.
* Easy to access from the freeway.
* Good for kids, adults, families. There is a lake/​creek nearby.
* It is not a shaded trail.
* Easy to moderate trails.
* Close to University Ave and California Ave/​St which has good options for lunch and brunch after a fun hike/​workout.
* Great way to begin the weekend