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32 reviews for Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
The name doesn't kid -- it sure is windy up at the top!
Came here on a Sunday at 9am ready to attack the 7.2 mile loop. It's summer time, it was hot, I was prepared, sunblock and all. We parked at the lower trailhead which is located on Portola. There is also another parking location on Skyline Blvd (upper part of the preserve).
Turns out I really didn't need my SPF 50. We started our climb on Hamms Gulch trail and it was shady the entire way up. In fact, 1400 feet in elevation change was quite noticable. Towards the top, it was wet and muddy (fog/clouds rained on the trees which sprinkled down onto the dirt trail).
After a hard climb and lots of slip and slide, we finally made it to the top (woohoo!). Boy it was windy as hell. Some folks told us that on a good day we can see the Pacific ocean. We didn't, but maybe that's just cuz I have bad eyes.
Once you get to the top, there are some picnic tables near by (by the Skyline Trailhead). We had originally planned to do a picnic but didn't want to lug all of the yummy goodies with us.
We took the Spring-Ridge Trail for our descent. It was sort of difficult to walk "downhill" on a slope the entire way. We skip/jogged our way down, trying to avoid going too fast and falling. This trail is completely open with no cover. However, because we were going downhill, the heat didn't bother us. Great views of SF bay on this trail as you descend towards Portola trailhead.
Trails are decently empty so you can take your time as you hike and take in all that nature has to offer. Extra kudos for dog-friendliness. In fact, there were lots of dogs on the hike
This hike is moderately challenging and not suitable for the amature hiker. However, my 7 lb Yorkie did it, you can too, if you really wanted to!
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We went to Windy Hill OSP on Sat 10/31/09 Halloween. We took San Mateo Bridge $4 over and it took almost 1hr from Hayward to Portola Valley.
Parking lot is FREE and there's 1 pit toilet near the parking lot on the right - a bit hidden.
We did a 8- mi loop hike. It was mostly a gentle down hill starting on the Hamms Gulch Trail - Eagle Trail - lunch was by a creek some of us ate next to Alpine Rd. Then mostly uphill w/ tons & tons of switchback on the Razorback Ridge Trail to Lost Trail back to the cars.
Highlight:
Cool clouds covered the bay.
We started about 9am and finished at 1:40pm.
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I am starting to like the peninsula more and more. my friend wanted to go on a hike so we looked this place up. we totally weren't paying attention when we were driving there so we got lost a few times. we finally found the trail and it was a slight decline/incline through the forest. there are some parts when you get a view of the bay. perfect day for a hike!
ps. beware of the mountain lions. The rangers warn you: "If attacked, fight back."
Hit this place for the 2nd in my circuit of unemployed midweek hiking after revisiting Purisma Creek just a few miles up 35. Parked at the 2nd lot with the picnic tables and did the 8 mi. Hamms Gulch to Eagle Trail to Razor back to Lost Trail loop. Real nice and spooky trees. It was actually a bit brisk when I went. Would be better warmer. Almost all in the shade so would be great for hot day. Tons of animal action including bushy-tailed squirels flying from branches and birds with crazy calls I had never heard before. Nice gradual ascent coming back. Good smells. Lot of variety including some clear views at points. The Anniversary trail looked kind of sad. I think this one is better. Saw family of dear at the end. Cool place. Nice view on the ridge if no fog.
Windy Hill is one favorite trails! My friend and I are always on a challenge to see if we could actually make it from Portola Road all the way up to Skyline Blvd. I think we've only made it 2-5 times. It's a moderate 4-5mile hike to the top. It's pretty steep towards the top so it will definitely give you a good work out.
The trail is beautiful. It's can be pretty crowded during the first 1-2 miles but not many people go up to the top so the traffic slows down. I wouldn't do this hike on a hot day because there's not many trees or shaded areas.
Windy Hill is definitely windy!
A nice variety of trails so that you can take a short or long hike in the shade and in the sun. A little deceiving because we felt like we could do the summit hike when we were in the shade but once we were in the open windy area, we got tired pretty quick. There are a good number of hills to get those buttocks burning. Watch out for the poison oak thriving on the sides!
*The parking lot was full on Sunday so we had to park out on the street--not so great for the cyclists zooming down the hill so be careful getting out of your car.
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Who woulda thunk? You can review hiking trails on Yelp! I recommend Hamm's Gulch trail on the way up (approx. 1,000 ft climb) and the Anniversary trail across the top of the hill. Take the wide, treeless "trail" (fire road?) down the other side. About a six mile loop if you begin at the Portola Rd. parking lot. An amazing peninsula walk, Windy Hill views and vegetation won't disappoint!
Miles of wide fireroads and plenty of beautiful scenary, Windy Hill is a great place for an easy Sunday morning hike. My friend and I covered 5 miles, hardly noticing how far we've gone. Some sections of the trail are deeply rutted - not a big deal for fire trucks to roll over, but I can totally picture myself flying over the handle bar if I attempted to ride over there. The terrain can be a bit boring for mountain biking also, but long stretches of steep slopes can be challenging for the climbing freaks.
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Whether you want to leave civilization behind (http://www.flickr.com/...) even for just a short bit or you feel like taking the stairway to heaven (http://www.flickr.com/...) or just desire to soar above mere mortals (http://www.flickr.com/...), this is the place to go.
Never a dull moment here - watch a fog blanket roll in (http://www.flickr.com/...), see a people-watching coyote (http://www.flickr.com/...), find how pearls are made (http://www.flickr.com/...) and ofcourse, don't forget to stop and smell the flowers (http://www.flickr.com/...)!
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Much better than the Dish, less crowded! more of a workout, have not yet been to the top but I love trying. They also allow dogs on most of the trails which is awesome.
This hike is not for the faint of heart. It is tough and it is long. But if you can make it to the top, you can make it to the bottom. And, frankly, if you can't make it to the top, don't do it.
The view from the top is breathtaking, and it makes you realize why you live here (or why you came to visit). Views of both sides of the ocean, it is a calm and peaceful respite before you head back down the hill.
Round trip it is about 6 miles. I have also done this hike the back way, which is a bit more scenic but not as well traversed. If you are a nature lover, you will like it. I heard a wild boar squeal, and I hightailed it back to the main road. I like nature, but from a distance.
Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash, and bring your water. Our dog got very dehydrated!
The whole hike takes about 2 hours. Afterwards, I always go to Amigos Grill in the little shopping center in Portola Valley and get a burrito. De-Lish!
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One of the few areas where you can take dogs. The trails are not very flat for running. You are either climbing straight up on a firetrail towards Skyline Road or winding up a longer less steep trail towards Skyline. The area is quite beautiful and the view from the top is worth the trip. However, watch out for the poison oak. I would recommend this trail to an intermediate-advanced runner only if they desire runs that are basically long climbs and descents with a few short sections (i.e mile) of flat trail running. There are not any "flat" 5 or 8 miles runs. I believe if you started from the Portola Valley entrace you could head left from the main trail head and go straight for ~1 mile and turnaround and get a nice 2 mile run. The trails can be quite muddy in the fall/winter/early spring.
It is not windy. It can be foggy/cold at the top if the fog has rolled in. But you are still at a low point on skyline so it is not that bad. You are so warm by that time it doesn't really matter :-)
There are two parking lots. The Portola Valley Roady lot is better starting place for running, becuase you can get a nice warmup before the hilly part. There are also bathrooms and parking. The Alpine road entrace has street parking and no bathrooms.
Map http://www.openspace.o...
Favorite Routes
Start at lot off Portola Valley
Meadow Trail (flat)
Eagle Trail (flat)
Razorback Ridge Trail (start climb)
Run along the top (rolling/flat)
Down Spring Trail to Meadow
Left on Meadow back to the parking lot
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If you want an amazing experience on a clear day, drive to the top of the mountain on Old La Honda Rd in Woodside and take a left when you get to the top. The top of Windy Hill will be just down the road on the left hand side. Be careful or you'll miss it. Walk up to the tippy top (not far maybe 3 minutes) and look out at the ocean. It is a great view.
Go up there at night to look across the bay and to see the lights and stars. If it is clear, this is a place to go with friends on the 4th of July. If you are at the top with blankets, you can watch the fireworks (faintly glowing) go off from Oakland down to San Jose! You can even see them on the other side of the bay. It's so great that places like this exist so close to the nearby peninsula towns/cities. Great hiking too, if you want to do that as well.
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I ADORE this spot. It is FAR less crowded then, for instance, the Dish in Palo Alto, much more authentic feeling (no concrete path or large man made structures). Fantastic panoramas of the Bay and the bridges, not too many people, but enough to feel like if you broke an ankle someone would find you in a timely manner.
The first time I went on a Saturday morning and there were bunnies galore, a snake, a few soaring birds. There's a small pond with this amazing magenta/red sort of kelp (or maybe algae) and beautiful endangered ducks who hang out there. Beautiful, dirt hiking trails (I have something against concrete trails - maybe it's me). No traffic noise. I actually didn't find it too windy, just enough of a breeze once you're out in the open part of the Spring Ridge Trail that it cools you down from having not much tree cover.
The greatest thing about this park is that the hike is perfectly metered. It starts pretty flat and then gently increased. Then flattens out again and then goes a little steeper, then flat, then a little steeper, etc. It's perfect for weight loss style interval training.
There are a number of flatter, meandering trails with lots of tree cover if that's what you're looking for as well. The Betsy Crowder trail, the Sequoia Trail, the Meadow Trail - those are all pretty flat with lots of tree cover.
I've gone up from the parking lot on Portola Road over the Betsy Crowder trail (she was a long time friend and volunteer for the park) and then up the Spring Ridge Trail up to Skyline Blvd and then down Hamms Gulch Trail. It takes me about 1 hour to get from the Portola Road parking lot up to Skyline Blvd. If I go over the Anniversary Trail and down Hamms Gluch, that's about an hour and half to get down.
There is one porta-potty at Portola Road parking lot and one at the small park with the BBQ pit on Skyline Blvd (from the Spring Ridge trail follow the Anniversary Trail/Bay Area Ridge Trail, it'll be on your right).
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Gosh this hike was hard! Not sure if it was the time of day 10:45am, my long sleeve shirt or that I just don't hike that often. Where's the WIND?!?! Anyhow, this 5.6 mile hike kicked my ass!
1 star off for the dust, ruined my snow white Nikes.
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There's definitely a reason it's call "Windy Hill." It may be warm at the bottom, but bring a light jacket for hiking higher up. I really enjoyed the tree covered areas. The flora and fauna are just specular in spring. It's steep enough to get a decent amount of exercise if you push yourself, but gradual enough for moderate hikers.
Maybe I just got lucky last weekend but I think this place is awesome. On a clear day you have a 180 degree view of the bay from San Jose up to the city. Even better, if you're on the trail near Skyline, you can turn around to see the Pacific Ocean over the hills. How many places can you see both sides at once? You may even see people on the Skyline side flying kites from one of the viewpoints.
I'm definitely marking this as one of my favorites in the area.
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Ah, youth...
I remember a particularly arduous workout where our swim coach punished us with nearly two hours of 400 IMs. Following the pool torture, he led us up Windy Hill for another two hour bike tour.
The swimming I could handle. Windy Hill was a different story. It was only because of my teammates, the breathtaking views and my pride that I survived.
When I got home, I ate an entire loaf of cinnamon raisin bread without stopping.
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I went to high school at Woodside Priory, just down the road from Windy Hill, and on days that the stress of being a student would really get to me, I'd skip out of class, get in my car, sneak past the administration and come here. First time I ever did it was probably the best. It was the middle of February 2005, about 45-50 degrees out, I just decide to randomly come to Windy Hill because I have nowhere else to go while my parents think I'm in school.
I climb up, taking my time, I'm a smoker but I didn't find it too difficult, then again I used to be a hardcore backpacker so my legs are used to the pain. Its a sunny day but still cold, but that chill becomes perfect as you start to sweat. I make it up to the park entrance on 35 (my favorite country road), sit on the gate for a cigarette break, and then climb that last quarter mile to the summit.
To truly experience this next part you have to go in wintertime. As you climb to the top, there is a little micro-climate you will immediately notice. This bubble of air at the summit is completely still and about 75 degrees. It's perfect. I've only experienced this 3 out of maybe 8 wintertime climbs I've done. On any other day, you'll learn firsthand why its called windy hill. The wind doesn't always blow, but when it does, it's fierce. Anyway I love this place and I hope others will enjoy it as much as I do.
(Drunk Edit): I forgot to add before... When I was in middle school at Priory, we always used to joke that Windy Hill from a distance looks like 2 ass cheeks. but fuckit, we were 13, it was hella funny at the time.
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Gorgeous hike, somewhat isolated given its proximity to cities and towns. It's called "windy hill" for a good reason...always bring a jacket! I've had to turn around a couple of times because it was too cold, wet, windy at the top, even though it was hot and dry at the bottom. All the way up the face you can see the bay, and once you reach the top you can see the Pacific.
My favorite way to do it is up the steep, bare face and down the long way through the forest, which is about an 8 mile loop. Difficult to do the long way up/down after a lot of rain, as it's too muddy. There are lots more trails to discover in this open space, and you can look at the maps (available at the bottom and top) to see which ones might interest you. I've never seen much notable wildlife but do take note of the madrones (I used to call them "cold trees" as a kid b/c they feel cool if you touch the trunk... water runs through trees sort of like blood runs through our veins, but since there's no thick, protective bark on the madrone, you can feel the coolness of the water). If you're lucky, you'll see a marsh hawk, which is a little hawk that hugs the contours of the hills as it glides around.
You can park on Skyline or off of Portola Rd (I prefer the latter). Dogs ok on the leash, bikes ok (seems like mountain bikers like this place), and I think horses ok too. Bathrooms at the bottom, but I don't think there's a water source/fountain anywhere.
I'm not a fan of hiking; I do it maybe 2-3 times a year and it's almost always with someone I can have a good convo with.
Well yesterday was one of those times. My friend took me to this spot, and I have to say it was perfect. Why? Let's see:
1. It had a nice little stream at the bottom. Quite serene
2. Going up Hamms Gulch is a nice, gradual climb. For us out of shape people it is enough to give you a little sweat but nothing more than that
3. Hamms Gulch is shaded, which is another reason you just sweat a little. Any incline in the shade is perfect
4. It has stunning views of stanford and the south bay at the "peak" of Windy Hill.
5. It's a perfect distance for us non-hikers. It's long enough where you've felt like you've acomplished a little, but you never reach a point of, "ok, this is starting to suck. "
Awesome place with an awesome view. A great place to take visitors or to get a butt-kicking workout. On a clear day you can see (scannng North to South while facing East) San Francisco, Mt. Diablo, Mission Peak, Mt. Hamilton, and San Jose. Sometimes you can see the Pacific if you turn around and look West.
Runners: Run from the Portola trailhead to the very top (3 miles each way). If you can get to the top without stopping, you will feel like a Champion.
Hikers: Don't forget to stop and admire the views on your way up.
Taking the short way from Skyline Drive is cheating.
Ditto everything everyone else said it's pretty, hilly, shady, etc, but FYI to dog owners:
OUR DOG CAME HOME WITH TINY SPIDERS ALL OVER HER! We had to giver her a bath and we're still not sure if they're all off because she has such thick fur! Yuck!
I love hiking and running Windy Hill. Still. I used to come up here during my high school days all of the time. Steep trails that work you for hill repeats and such. Keep an eye out for coyotes and mountain lions. They most certainly roam the area. Also, stay on the trails to avoid the heavy poison oak when its in season.
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Easily one of the best place for trail runs on the Peninsula. It has great shady trails offering magnificant views. My favorite run is to park on Alpine Road at Willowbrook Drive and run up the Hamms Gulch Trail (about 1000 ft climb over 3 miles) across the Lost Trail (up another 200 ft over 1.5 miles), down Razorback Ridge trials (2.3 miles) and down Alpine Road (1 miles). I love the trails toward the top where the trees have moss and it is usually nice and cool. The tight trails demand a good Tecnu bath afterwards to avoid getting a nast case of posion oak.
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Awesome views if you're willing to wander off the trails. Keep an eye out for big furries though, they've been known to roam the area...
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One of my favorite hikes in the Peninsula. It is good all year round, but best in the spring when the grass is green and wildflowers are blooming.
My favorite hike is a roughly 6+ mile loop up Hamms Gulch trail, to the Anniversary trail, and then down the Spring Ridge trail. The reason for this is that the Hamms Gulch trail winds around a bit more and is not as steep (about a 1300 ft.) of a climb and is covered by forest (and thus not as hot). The Spring Ridge trail goes directly up the hill, is completely uncovered, and has wonderful views of the bay. You can enjoy the spectacular views much better when your back is not to it.
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1300 acre preserve in Portola Valley with sweeping vistas at the top and ~13 miles of hiking and running trails. The main trail right up the exposed face is very steep, but the loop trail through the woods provides a shady 8-9 mile hike or run with lots of ferns and redwood. Beware of heavy poison oak in the spring.
Windy Hill is not windy. It's a misnomer. I hate the wind, so I have avoided this park for running. Too bad because I have been missing out. It is indeed another excellent park for running. I can almost forget that I am working out, aside from the shortness of breath and the sound of blood pounding in my ears as a run up up up. Ah, it's good to be alive. Be sure to bring your bug spray.
Woof! Woof! Starsky (my pooch) regularly begs me (yes, I speak puppy) to take a trip up Windy Hill. We usually do the short hike towards the pond because the long hike to the peak has little shade coverage and the beastle gets all tired out and over heated. There is a lovely view if you make it up, but it is a rough 6-7 miles up and down. I do miss hopping from rock to rock to cross the creek....a bridge just doesn't leave you with the same experience, but the scarcity of other hikers allows you to maintain a sense of being away from it all.
I love this hike. I've done it numerous times, with friends, without friends, with babies (on back), without babies, with dogs, without dogs ... I like it's variety, that it's so close to Palo Alto ... and it's a perfect distance. Better than "the dish"
Sweeney Ridge and the Marin Headlands are still my top faves, but this one comes close. We park off of Alpine Road, hiking up to the summit and then on to anniversary trail. It's a pretty good hike.....I know so b/c our dog will start to walk BEHIND us! Just when you think you've reached the top, there's still more to go. The views are fantastic. I don't know why they call this place windy hill b/c it isn't very windy. Only parts are shaded so DON'T hike here on hot days b/c it's even hotter here! Bring plenty of water and some sunscreen. Some people park up on skyline and walk down a bit or take the easy way out and hike up the anniversary trail from there. I wish they had a garbage can in the parking lot b/c we always have to shelp a stinky poop bag in the car after the hike and stop off somewhere to throw it away. Dogs are allowed on leash. Be careful b/c we ran into a park ranger!
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started at the alpine road trailhead and returned the same route. took approx 3 hours at a non-leisurely pace. nice views along the shady trail!
