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Anyone who arrives in Palo Alto by train sees El Camino Park first. It is the green rectangle of sports fields just west of the Palo Alto station, between the tracks, El Camino Real and San Francisquito Creek. Field lights let scheduled games run into the evening. Most of the people you see here are on a team, in uniform or waiting on the sideline.
It is also the oldest park in the city. The City of Palo Alto says it was established in 1914, when city leaders wanted an open and attractive entryway to town off El Camino Real. The city lists it at 12.19 acres. This guide covers what is there today, its long history on Stanford land, the turf replacement now in planning and how to reach it.
El Camino Park at a glance
The city describes the park as having a synthetic soccer field, a lighted softball diamond with bleachers, restrooms and a parking lot. Its tagged features:
- Soccer fields.
- A baseball and softball field.
- Restrooms.
- Drinking fountains.
There is no playground, no dog run and no picnic area on the city's list. This is a sports park first. For a playground nearby, Johnson Park on Waverley Street is about a 15-minute walk east across the tracks. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, though the field lights let scheduled games run into the evening.
Palo Alto's first park
El Camino Park dates from 1914, when Palo Alto was barely 20 years old. The site belongs to Stanford University. Palo Alto signed a lease with the university in 1915 and, according to the city, still leases the land today. In its early years people called it Highway Park or Community Park.
The second name came from the building next door. In 1919 the town moved the Hostess House, a wooden building designed by Julia Morgan for the World War I Army camp at Camp Fremont, to a site by the station and made it the city's community center. The building's National Register nomination traces the El Camino Park name to the activities around that community house. When the city founded its Playgrounds and Community Department in 1929, the new department set up its offices there. Our page on the Hostess House tells the full story. Today the building holds the MacArthur Park restaurant at 27 University Avenue.
The park has another quiet memorial. In the 1980s the city planted several redwood trees along the south side of the park to honor Palo Alto's Olympic medal winners.
The 2012 plan to move the Hostess House
In 2012 developer John Arrillaga proposed office towers and a theater for the 27 University Avenue site. The plan would have moved the Hostess House. The latest drawings that year suggested a new spot inside El Camino Park. The City Council dropped the idea in December 2012 after public objections. The Hostess House stayed where it is and the park kept its fields.
The reservoir and the 2015 rebuild
The modern park sits on top of a piece of city infrastructure. El Camino Park closed in October 2011 so the city could build an underground emergency water reservoir beneath it. Work above and below ground took about four years. The park reopened with a ribbon cutting on December 8, 2015. Palo Alto Online reported that the city spent more than $5 million on the park. As the paper described it, the new layout included:
- Two synthetic turf fields.
- Four new field lights for evening play.
- A scorekeeper booth and a new restroom.
- New trails and a bike path to the downtown Caltrain station.
- An expanded parking lot and new benches.
The city's own park page today describes one synthetic soccer field and a lighted softball diamond with bleachers.
The rebuild also settled an old debate. A dog exercise area was considered, then dropped, partly because the park lies close to San Francisquito Creek, home to steelhead trout, a protected species. Dogs must stay on a leash here. For off-leash options see our dog parks guide.
The turf replacement
Status as of October 30, 2026
- The city says the synthetic turf field is at or near the end of its useful life.
- A replacement was in the city's FY 2024 capital budget, but in May 2024 the Council asked for more analysis first.
- The city hired Lloyd Consulting Group for a turf study for $139,613. It compared natural grass, synthetic and hybrid fields and used El Camino Park as its case study.
- On January 12, 2026 the City Council directed staff to replace the turf with improved synthetic turf using organic infill, plus stormwater filtration and better maintenance.
- Design, purchasing and construction will follow, subject to future budget approvals. No closure dates have been announced.
The city is also planning a natural grass pilot to test better maintenance practices on grass fields. Follow progress on the city's turf study page. When construction is scheduled, expect the fields to close while the work is under way.
Using the fields
Most field time goes to organized teams and leagues that book through the city's field reservation system. Casual players can use open turf when nothing is scheduled, but evenings and weekend mornings are usually taken. Parents of young players will find our guide to youth sports in Palo Alto useful for league contacts.
The fields are not owned by the city. Both El Camino Park and the Stanford Palo Alto Playing Fields farther down El Camino Real sit on Stanford land, while the Cubberley fields belong to the school district. That shared ownership is one reason decisions about turf take time.
Getting there by train, bus and bike
El Camino Park is the easiest city park to reach by transit. The Palo Alto Caltrain station is about a quarter mile away and the 2015 bike path links the park directly to the station area. The Palo Alto Transit Center beside the station serves VTA Routes 21, 22 and Rapid 522, SamTrans and the free Stanford Marguerite shuttle.
By bike, use the path from the station side. Crossing El Camino Real itself is busy, so use the signals. By car, the park has its own parking lot, which fills when games overlap.
What is nearby
- El Palo Alto: the redwood that gave the city its name stands on the creek bank by the tracks, a short walk north. See our page on El Palo Alto.
- Stanford Shopping Center: directly across El Camino Real. Our shopping center guide covers stores and parking.
- Downtown: the shops and restaurants of University Avenue begin just east of the station. Downtown North and its Johnson Park lie just east of the tracks.
A good plan before or after a game: dinner downtown or at MacArthur Park in the Hostess House, which serves dinner Tuesday to Saturday, then a walk to see El Palo Alto by the creek at dusk.
Frequently asked questions
What is the oldest park in Palo Alto?
El Camino Park. City leaders established it in 1914 as an open, attractive entry to town from El Camino Real. Rinconada Park, opened in 1922, is the second oldest.
Who owns El Camino Park?
Stanford University owns the land. Palo Alto signed a lease with the university in 1915 and still leases the park from Stanford today. The Stanford Palo Alto Playing Fields on El Camino Real are also on Stanford land.
Is the El Camino Park turf being replaced?
Yes, eventually. On January 12, 2026 the City Council directed staff to replace the worn synthetic turf with an improved synthetic surface using organic infill, plus stormwater filtration. Design and construction depend on future budget approvals, so no construction date had been set by late October 2026.
Is there a dog park at El Camino Park?
No. A dog exercise area was considered during the park's rebuild but was dropped, partly because of the park's closeness to San Francisquito Creek and its steelhead trout. Dogs must be on a leash.
How do I walk to El Camino Park from the Palo Alto Caltrain station?
The fields are about a quarter mile from the station. A bike and walking path built during the 2015 rebuild links the park with the station area, so you can avoid most of El Camino Real. If you do cross El Camino Real, use the signals.