01
Iconic local workout
Stanford Dish Loop
Stanford Foothills • Paved Cardio Loop With Panoramic Views • Best Close-To-Town Climb
A popular 3–4 mile paved loop with steady hills and big views over Stanford, the Peninsula, and the Bay.
Just a few minutes from West Menlo Park, the Dish is where locals go for a brisk, no‑nonsense workout with scenery as a bonus. The route is exposed but wide and well‑graded, making it approachable for most walkers while still offering a solid climb. Go early or near sunset for cooler temps and standout views of the foothills and campus red roofs.
02
Easy bayfront escape
Bedwell Bayfront Park
Bayside Menlo Park • Bayfront Wetlands Loop With Gentle Grades • Best For Relaxed Walks And Birding
Grassy knolls and wide dirt paths loop around restored wetlands with constant Bay breezes and plenty of birdlife.
For a low‑stress outing close to town, Bedwell is hard to beat: mostly flat trails, big‑sky views, and room to roam. You can stitch together short loops or a longer circuit around the park’s perimeter while spotting shorebirds, raptors, and the odd harbor seal. It’s especially nice at golden hour, when the light hits the salt ponds and the skyline to the east starts to glow.
03
Classic foothill summit
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
Portola Valley • Foothill Summit Hike With Ocean And Bay Views • Best For Half-Day Adventure
Steady climbs through open grasslands and oak forest lead to a breezy ridge with sweeping views of both the Bay and the coast.
Windy Hill offers that classic Peninsula feel: switchbacks through shaded canyons giving way to open ridgelines and big vistas. Routes range from shorter out‑and‑backs to longer loops that can easily fill a morning. Expect a real workout, but the payoff from the top—seeing West Menlo, the Bay, and on clear days the Pacific—is worth every step.
04
Shady redwood retreat
Wunderlich County Park
Woodside • Redwood Canyon And Historic Estate Trails • Best For Cool, Wooded Climbs
A network of dirt trails winds from a historic estate up through redwoods and mixed forest to quiet ridgetops.
When the weather heats up in West Menlo Park, hikers head to Wunderlich for its reliably cooler, shaded trails. You can choose mellow forest rambles or longer climbs like the Alambique Trail, which gradually works up the hillside among tall redwoods and ferns. Parking fills on weekends, but once you’re a mile in, the park feels surprisingly calm and tucked away from the Valley below.
05
Rolling open-space classic
Pearson-Arastradero Preserve
Palo Alto Foothills • Rolling Grasslands And Oak Savanna Loops • Best For Varied Loop Options
Interlacing trails cross meadows, small ponds, and oak‑dotted hills, offering flexible loop hikes from quick strolls to longer rambles.
Arastradero is a go‑to for locals who want terrain variety without a long drive or a huge climb. The preserve mixes wider fire roads with narrower singletrack, so you can fine‑tune elevation gain and distance based on how you feel that day. Spring brings wildflowers and green hills, while year‑round views stretch back toward West Menlo Park and across the Bay on clear days.