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An easy hike near Palo Alto does not have to mean a dull one. The hills behind town and the marsh along the bay hold dozens of gentle trails where the climbing is mild and the scenery is big: pelicans over the sloughs, a pond full of turtles, a fence that the 1906 earthquake shifted. This guide picks nine of them.
Every distance and climb below comes from the agency that runs the land or from our own park page, which was checked against that agency. Where an agency does not publish a number, we say so. Most of these trails sit on land run by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, usually called Midpen, or by the City of Palo Alto. None charges an entry fee. For bigger days, see our guide to the best hikes near Palo Alto.
The easy hikes at a glance
| Hike | Published distance | Climb | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arastradero Lake | 0.57 mile each way | One rise of about 40 feet | Leashed |
| Baylands boardwalk and levees | About a quarter mile each way, longer on levees | Flat | Leashed, not on Renzel Ponds trails |
| Sausal Pond loop, Windy Hill | 1.6 miles | About 200 feet | Leashed |
| San Andreas Fault Trail, Los Trancos | 1.5 miles | Easy, total not published | No |
| Deer Hollow Farm, Rancho San Antonio | About 1 mile each way | Gentle grades | No |
| Pulgas Ridge loop | About 2 miles | Easy, total not published | Leashed, plus off-leash zone |
| Long Ridge Loop | 4.3 miles | Described by Midpen as flat | Designated trails only |
| Saratoga Gap Trail | Nearly 2 miles each way | Mostly gentle | No |
| Grasshopper Loop, La Honda Creek | 1.3 miles | About 30 feet over 3,000 feet of trail | Closed to dogs until about Dec. 15 |
Close to town
Arastradero Lake, Pearson-Arastradero Preserve
The default first hike for Palo Alto families. From the free lot at 1530 Arastradero Road, a wide dirt path runs to a small pond where herons hunt and turtles sun on logs. The city lists the trail at 0.57 mile each way, mostly flat with one short rise of 40 feet. Add the 0.44-mile Woodrat Trail for a gentle slope through shaded oak woodland. Plan on about 45 minutes with small children.
- Dogs and bikes: leashed dogs every day on a leash of 6 feet or less. Bikes share the trails and riders must wear helmets.
- Parking and fees: free lot, which fills on sunny weekend mornings. Open 8 a.m. to sunset.
- Best season: spring, when the grass is green and bluebirds hunt from fence posts.
- Watch for: rattlesnakes on warm days, plus ticks and poison oak at trail edges.
Our Pearson-Arastradero guide covers all 13 named trails.
The Baylands boardwalk and levees
No hike in the area is flatter. The boardwalk behind the Lucy Evans nature center runs about a quarter mile over the salt marsh to open water. It was rebuilt and reopened in 2019. From there, gravel levees head out along the sloughs for as far as you care to walk. Turn around whenever you like, which makes it easy to keep the outing short.
- Dogs and bikes: leashed dogs on most trails but not around the Renzel Ponds. Bikes on levees with helmets, 15 mph limit.
- Parking and fees: free lots at the east end of Embarcadero Road. Open 8 a.m. to sunset, with gates at posted times.
- Best season: late fall through early spring, when ducks and shorebirds crowd the marsh.
- Watch for: no shade and a strong afternoon wind. Bring a hat and a layer.
See our Baylands Nature Preserve guide for birding by season.
The foothills
Sausal Pond loop, Windy Hill
Midpen lists this loop from the Portola Road lot at 1.6 miles with 200 feet of climbing. It crosses oak woodland and open meadow to a pond where Midpen says you may see egrets, wood ducks and western pond turtles. The big bald summit of Windy Hill rises behind you, so you get the scenery of a hard hike without the climb.
- Dogs and bikes: leashed dogs are allowed on this loop. Bikes on designated trails only.
- Parking and fees: the lower lot has 47 spaces plus 2 accessible and often fills by mid-morning. Overflow is at Portola Valley Town Center, 0.4 mile north. No fee.
- Best season: spring for blooming meadows, winter for ducks on the pond.
- Watch for: no swimming or wading, for people or dogs.
Our Windy Hill guide lists every parking area.
Deer Hollow Farm, Rancho San Antonio
A wide farm road leads from the county park lots to Deer Hollow Farm, a working farm with farm animals, an organic garden and the restored Grant Cabin. Midpen describes a walk of about a mile from Lot 1 on a dirt and gravel road with gentle grades. It is the gentlest route in one of the busiest preserves on the Peninsula.
- Dogs and bikes: no dogs anywhere in the preserve. Bikes may ride to the farm on designated routes but not beyond it.
- Parking and fees: free, but lots fill early on weekends. Midpen posts live space counts at the gate and on its parking page.
- Best season: spring, when the meadows bloom. The farm itself is closed on Mondays.
- Watch for: crowds on weekend mornings and cyclists on the farm road.
Our Rancho San Antonio trail guide covers the longer loops from the farm.
Pulgas Ridge loop, San Carlos
Midpen calls this an easy two-mile loop on the Polly Geraci, Hassler, Dick Bishop, Dusky-footed Woodrat and Cordilleras trails. It passes the only off-leash area in any Midpen preserve, which makes it the classic easy dog walk on the Peninsula. Views open toward the bay from the upper slopes.
- Dogs and bikes: leashed dogs on all trails, off leash in the signed 17.5-acre zone under voice control. No bikes.
- Parking and fees: one lot on Edmonds Road with 23 spaces plus 2 accessible. Free.
- Best season: spring for flowers. Foxtails dry out by late spring, so check paws.
- Watch for: little shade on the upper chaparral by midafternoon.
Our Pulgas Ridge guide explains how the off-leash zone works.
Up on Skyline Boulevard
San Andreas Fault Trail, Los Trancos
Midpen lists the Nonette Hanko San Andreas Fault Trail as an easy 1.5-mile self-guided loop. Numbered posts mark where the 1906 earthquake broke the ground, including a rebuilt fence that shows how far the far side moved. Download Midpen's free trail guide before you lose signal. Kids love it.
- Dogs and bikes: neither is allowed in this preserve.
- Parking and fees: 23 spaces plus 1 accessible on Page Mill Road, with the larger Monte Bello lot and its restrooms across the road. Free.
- Best season: any clear day. On good days you can see the towers of San Francisco and Mount Diablo.
- Watch for: ticks in the grass and fast cyclists on Page Mill Road.
Our Los Trancos guide walks through each station.
Long Ridge Loop
Midpen describes a flat 4.3-mile loop through a small valley to the headwaters of Peters Creek, then out onto a ridge with views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is the longest walk on this page but stays gentle. The Stegner Memorial Bench at the junction of Long Ridge Road and the Long Ridge Trail makes a good snack stop or turnaround.
- Dogs and bikes: dogs on designated trails only, on a leash of 6 feet or less, so check Midpen's map. Bikes on designated trails with helmets.
- Parking and fees: the Peters Creek roadside area on Skyline has 20 spaces. No restrooms and no fee.
- Best season: spring meadows and clear fall days.
- Watch for: fast traffic when you get out of the car on Skyline.
Our Long Ridge guide has turn-by-turn notes.
Saratoga Gap Trail
This multi-use trail runs nearly 2 miles beside Skyline Boulevard as part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Midpen describes weathered oaks, then a cool Douglas fir forest with mossy trees and sandstone outcrops. The grade is mostly gentle, so an out and back to the Hickory Oaks crossing at Long Ridge makes about 4 miles.
- Dogs and bikes: no dogs. Bikes and horses on designated trails.
- Parking and fees: the Caltrans vista point lot at Skyline and Highway 9 has 30 spaces plus 1 accessible. Free.
- Best season: summer, when the fir forest stays cooler than the valley.
- Watch for: weekend motorcycle and cyclist traffic at the junction.
See our Saratoga Gap guide for longer routes nearby.
Grasshopper Loop, La Honda Creek
On the coast side of the ridge, Midpen lists this 1.3-mile loop as an easy-access trail. Its easy-access page puts the climb at about 30 feet over roughly 3,000 feet of trail. It crosses working ranchland with grazing cattle, coastal grassland, oak woodland and a pocket of redwoods. Give cows plenty of room.
- Dogs and bikes: leashed dogs are allowed except during calving season, August 1 to about December 15, so it is closed to dogs right now. No bikes on this loop.
- Parking and fees: the Sears Ranch Road lot off Highway 84 in La Honda has 23 spaces. Free.
- Best season: spring for green grass and birds.
- Watch for: the lower La Honda Creek area closes on Red Flag Warning days.
Our La Honda Creek guide covers the permit areas upstream.
How to choose
Match the hike to the weather. On a hot day, the Saratoga Gap Trail and the oak sections of Long Ridge stay cooler than the open grass at Arastradero or the levees at the Baylands. On a foggy day in town, the ridge is often in sun. With children under six, Arastradero Lake, the Baylands boardwalk and Los Trancos keep the walk short and interesting. With a dog, pick Arastradero, Sausal Pond or Pulgas Ridge. For more ideas with kids, see our family hikes guide.
Safety on easy trails
Good to know
- Carry water. Midpen recommends two quarts per person for every two hours of hiking and provides none on its trails.
- Check the clock. City preserves close at sunset. Midpen preserves close half an hour after sunset. Daylight saving time ended November 1, so sunset now comes around 5 p.m.
- Ticks are most active from fall through spring. Stay in the middle of the trail and check yourself afterward.
- Poison oak grows along most foothill trails and keeps its oil on bare winter stems.
- If you meet a mountain lion, do not run. Face it, stand tall, make noise and back away.
Most of these trailheads have no transit. If you are visiting without a car, you can compare rental cars in the Bay Area for a day in the hills.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest hike in Palo Alto?
The walk to Arastradero Lake at Pearson-Arastradero Preserve is the gentlest dirt trail in town. The city lists it at 0.57 mile each way, mostly flat with one short rise of about 40 feet. The Baylands boardwalk is even flatter and is built to accessibility standards.
Are there easy hikes near Palo Alto with views?
Yes. The Saratoga Gap Trail on Skyline Boulevard runs nearly 2 miles along the ridge on a mostly gentle grade. The San Andreas Fault Trail at Los Trancos is an easy 1.5-mile loop with views toward San Francisco and Mount Diablo on clear days.
Which easy hikes near Palo Alto allow dogs?
Pearson-Arastradero allows leashed dogs every day. The Sausal Pond loop at Windy Hill allows leashed dogs. Pulgas Ridge in San Carlos allows leashed dogs and has a 17.5-acre off-leash area on its easy two-mile loop.
Do I have to pay to hike these trails?
No. None of the nine hikes on this page charges an entry or parking fee. Midpen preserves are free and the city preserves at Arastradero and the Baylands have free lots.
When is the best time of year for easy hikes near Palo Alto?
Late winter and spring bring green hills, wildflowers and mild temperatures. Fall is clear and dry. Summer afternoons are hot on open trails, so go early in the day.