Long Ridge Open Space Preserve
Near Palo Alto, San Mateo County, CA
- Size
- 1,034 acres Source
About Long Ridge Open Space Preserve
Short hikes and longer loops, linked to Skyline Ridge by a long segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Source
With options for short hikes, rides to scenic overlooks, and longer loop trips, Long Ridge Open Space Preserve provides something for everyone. Connecting to Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve by one of the longest continuous segments of the Bay Area Ridge Trail (13 miles from Sanborn-Skyline County Park to the northern boundary of Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve), Long Ridge preserve is popular among hikers, cyclists, and equestrians alike.
Know before you go
Long Ridge Open Space Preserve covers 1,034 acres near Palo Alto in San Mateo County. Closing follows the sun here: sunset at Long Ridge Open Space Preserve is around 4:52 p.m. in mid-December, 7:15 p.m. in mid-March, 8:29 p.m. in mid-June, and 7:18 p.m. in mid-September. 12 named trails add up to about 10.3 miles inside the park; the longest is Ward Road at 1.5 miles, and Ward Road has the most up and down (about 711 feet). Mapped trails range from 1,575 to 2,543 feet in elevation. OpenStreetMap shows 2 parking areas, including Grizzly Flat Trail Parking Area and Peters Creek Roadside Parking (20 spaces).
Facilities
- RestroomsNot available
Facility details: official park information
Long Ridge Open Space Preserve at a glance
- PParking · 2: Grizzly Flat Trail Parking Area, Peters Creek Roadside Parking (20 spaces)
- Named trails · 12
© OpenStreetMap · CPAD · About this map
Trails
| Trail | Mapped length | Elevation | Surface & uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ward Road | 1.5 mi | 711 ft up & down1,972–2,507 ft | No bikesNo horsesBikesHorsesNo dogs |
| Peters Creek Trail | 1.4 mi | 347 ft up & down2,150–2,491 ft | BikesHorsesNo dogsUnpaved |
| Long Ridge Trail | 1.1 mi | 649 ft up & down2,173–2,513 ft | BikesHorsesNo dogs |
| Portola Heights Road | 1 mi | 609 ft up & down2,124–2,535 ft | |
| Sorich Road | 1 mi | 565 ft up & down1,921–2,330 ft | |
| School Road | 1 mi | 589 ft up & down1,575–2,260 ft | No dogsBikesHorses |
| Chestnut Trail | 0.8 mi | 135 ft up & down2,159–2,287 ft | BikesHorses |
| Long Ridge Road | 0.7 mi | 149 ft up & down2,474–2,543 ft | BikesHorsesNo dogs |
| Ranch Spring Loop Trail | 0.7 mi | 405 ft up & down1,905–2,117 ft | BikesHorsesNo dogs |
| Peter's Creek Falls Trail | 0.5 mi | 130 ft up & down2,065–2,238 ft | No bikesNo horsesUnpavedNo dogs |
| Hickory Oaks Trail | 0.4 mi | 217 ft up & down2,297–2,540 ft | BikesHorsesNo dogsUnpaved |
| Rhus Road | 0.2 mi | 52 ft up & down1,707–1,778 ft |
Compared with nearby parks
Among the 21 other parks in this guide within 10 miles, Long Ridge Open Space Preserve is number 11 of 22 by size at 1,034 acres. 8 nearby parks have more mapped trail mileage than its 10.3 miles.
Closest places for what Long Ridge Open Space Preserve doesn't list:
- Camping: Monte Bello Open Space Preserve (2.1 mi)
- Fishing: Stevens Creek County Park (4 mi)
- Boat Launch: Stevens Creek County Park (4 mi)
Rules & reservations
Official park page- Dogs
Leash 6 feet or shorter; dogs are not allowed in any Midpen water areas (district rules). Source
Open a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset.
Map & directions
Nearby parks
Straight-line distanceContinue exploring
San Mateo County parks Parks in Palo AltoSources & verification
Last verified: Oct 15, 2026- California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026aname, county, agency, access, acres
- Midpen preserve pageofficial_url, hours, hours_note, dogs, facilities.restrooms, description
- Midpen visitor FAQ (no entry or parking fees)fees
- Midpen dog access rulesdogs
- OpenStreetMap facilities and trailstrails
- U.S. Census Bureau place boundaries (nearest place)city
- OpenStreetMap: parking, restrooms, water, trailheads, trail lines, and bus stopsvisit
- Terrain Tiles elevation (USGS 3DEP), sampled every 20 m along OpenStreetMap trail linestrails.elevation
- Official park page (introduction excerpt)intro