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Drive to the very top of Page Mill Road and the trees fall away. On your right, across Skyline Boulevard, a long grassy ridge rolls north with hardly a building in sight. That is Russian Ridge. The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, known as Midpen, manages 3,137 acres here. It is one of the quickest ways to reach big sky from Palo Alto.
Our hiking guide and wildflowers guide introduce the ridge in a paragraph each. This page goes further: every parking area, the named trails, the rules, what each season brings and the story behind the names.
Getting there from Palo Alto
Take Page Mill Road west past Interstate 280. It climbs past Foothills Nature Preserve and the Los Trancos and Monte Bello lots to Skyline Boulevard, Highway 35. At the top, Page Mill becomes Alpine Road on the far side of Skyline. Plan on roughly 30 to 35 minutes from downtown on a narrow mountain road. There is no transit.
Parking
| Area | Spaces | Location and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Russian Ridge Parking Area | 37 | Northwest corner of Skyline and Page Mill/Alpine, across Skyline on the right as you arrive |
| Mindego Parking Area | 20 | On Alpine Road, with a restroom and trails to Borel Hill, the Ridge Trail and Alpine Pond |
| Ancient Oaks roadside | 4 | Alpine Road, about 1 mile past the Page Mill intersection |
| Silicon Valley Vista Point | 25 | Caltrans pullout on Skyline, about 1.2 miles north of Page Mill; temporarily closed |
Midpen warns that in spring, parking can be limited at peak hours on weekends, on weekday evenings and on holidays. It recommends visiting other preserves at those times, carpooling and parking only in marked spaces. Skyline Ridge Preserve's 100-space lot, about a mile south on Skyline, is another option.
Trails on the ridge
Midpen describes four signature routes but does not publish distances for them on its preserve page. Use its downloadable map, which shows mileage between junctions.
Bay Area Ridge Trail and Borel Hill
The Bay Area Ridge Trail continues north from Skyline Ridge Preserve along the crest to Rapley Ranch Road, with views of both the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. It passes Borel Hill, which Midpen calls the highest named point in San Mateo County. Midpen says the summit gives a 360-degree view.
Fog Drift Vista Trail
A short but steep out-and-back climb to a vista point. Midpen lists views of Russian Ridge and the open space to the south and west, Mount Melville to the north and the Peninsula and bay to the east.
Ancient Oaks Trail
Oak limbs arch over this trail to form a canopy. It leads to the Mindego parking area on Alpine Road and can also be reached from the Bo Gimbal Trail. It is the shadiest walk in a mostly open preserve.
Mindego Hill Trail
This trail runs from the Mindego Gateway parking area into the rest of the preserve. Its extension to the top of Mindego Hill passes through areas where cattle graze as part of Midpen's conservation grazing program, so give the herd plenty of space. The Mindego Hill area closes whenever the National Weather Service declares a Red Flag Warning. Mindego Gateway also has a commemorative site for Audrey C. Rust.
Wildflowers and raptors
Midpen describes the spring display as an explosion of color, led by poppies and lupine. By May and June a second wave follows with gumweed, mule's ears, farewell-to-spring and brodiaea. Because the ridge is high, the bloom here often runs later than in the lowland preserves. All areas of the preserve are closed to off-trail use during wildflower season. Photograph from the path. Our April guide covers what else is happening in town at peak bloom.
Raptors are the other draw. Midpen names Russian Ridge one of the best places in the Bay Area to see them. Red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, Cooper's hawks, sharp-shinned hawks and golden eagles have all been recorded here. Coyotes patrol the ridges and the steep forested canyons shelter many other animals. Our birdwatching guide covers more spots for raptors near town.
Alpine Pond and the Daniels Nature Center
Across Alpine Road from the main lot, a pedestrian tunnel leads into Skyline Ridge Preserve and Alpine Pond. The David C. Daniels Nature Center overlooks the pond. Midpen opens it on Saturdays and Sundays from April through November. Its hours run noon to 5 p.m. from April to mid-October and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. from mid-October to mid-November, so a few weekends remain this season. Check Midpen's page for the last open day. An easy half-mile loop circles the pond. The trails stay open when the center is closed. Our Skyline Ridge guide covers the pond, the center and Horseshoe Lake in detail.
Rules for dogs, bikes and horses
- Dogs: not allowed. Service dogs are accommodated. For a dog-friendly ridge walk, try Long Ridge, which allows leashed dogs on designated trails.
- Bikes: designated trails only, marked on the map. Helmets are required, the speed limit is 15 mph and 5 mph when passing. E-bikes are not allowed on most Midpen trails. Midpen's map marks some sections that close seasonally to bicyclists and equestrians.
- Horses: Midpen's summary icons list horses on all trails, while its regulation text says designated trails marked on the map. Follow the map and posted signs. Helmets are recommended.
- Other rules: no drones or model aircraft, no fires or smoking, no swimming or wading and no weapons. Groups of 20 or more need a permit.
What each season brings
- Spring: peak flowers, green grass and the heaviest parking pressure.
- Summer: Midpen describes the hills turning gold in the late evening light. Fog often blows over the ridge from the coast.
- Fall: Midpen calls autumn, when the fog recedes, the ideal time for ridge views of the bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains.
- Winter: storms occasionally dust the hilltops with snow, according to Midpen. Expect mud and wind.
Midpen's calendar includes a Winter Solstice at Mindego Hill walk on December 21, 2026 and a Borel Hill Sunrise hike on January 23, 2027.
Safety on an exposed ridge
Russian Ridge is open grassland with little shade and frequent wind. Carry a layer and two quarts of water per person for every two hours, as Midpen suggests. Restrooms are available but drinking water is not.
- Mountain lions are occasionally seen in the region. Do not run. Keep children and pets close, face the lion, stand tall and make noise, then leave the area.
- Ticks are present and may carry disease, especially in tall grass. The City of Palo Alto's tick checklist suggests staying in the middle of trails and showering within two hours of getting home.
- Poison oak grows on most preserves, including along the oak trails.
- Rattlesnakes come out on warm days.
How the ridge got its names
Midpen says Russian Ridge is named for Mr. Paskey, a Russian immigrant who grazed cattle and ran a dairy here from about 1920 to 1950. He first leased the land from James "Sunny Jim" Rolph Jr., then mayor of San Francisco and later governor of California. Borel Hill honors Antonio Borel, a Swiss banker who lived here from 1885 to 1910 and was involved with the Spring Valley Water Company, which later created Crystal Springs Reservoir. Native Americans are thought to have gathered seeds on the ridge and may have burned grassland to improve the next crop. Midpen began buying the land in 1978 from owners who planned to subdivide it.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I park for Russian Ridge?
The main Russian Ridge Parking Area has 37 spaces on the northwest corner of Skyline Boulevard and Page Mill/Alpine Road. The Mindego Parking Area on Alpine Road has 20 spaces and a restroom. There are also 4 roadside spaces at Ancient Oaks. Midpen says spring parking is limited at peak times and suggests carpooling or visiting another preserve.
What is the highest point at Russian Ridge?
Borel Hill, which Midpen calls the highest named point in San Mateo County. The Bay Area Ridge Trail passes close to it and the top gives a 360-degree view. It is named for Antonio Borel, a Swiss banker who lived here from 1885 to 1910.
When are the wildflowers best at Russian Ridge?
Midpen says poppies and lupine put on the main spring show, followed in May and June by gumweed, mule's ears, farewell-to-spring and brodiaea. All areas are closed to off-trail use during wildflower season, so stay on established trails.
Are dogs allowed at Russian Ridge?
No. Midpen does not allow dogs in Russian Ridge Preserve. Service dogs are accommodated. Long Ridge Preserve, a few miles south on Skyline Boulevard, allows leashed dogs on designated trails.
Is the Daniels Nature Center at Russian Ridge?
It is across Alpine Road in Skyline Ridge Preserve, but the easiest access is from the Russian Ridge lot through a pedestrian tunnel. Midpen opens it on weekends from April through November. From mid-October to mid-November the hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.