Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
Portola Valley, San Mateo County, CA
- Size
- 1,218 acres Source
About Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
In summer, the hills of this 3,137-acre preserve turn to gold with the late evening sunlight. Autumn, when the fog recedes, is the ideal time to enjoy the ridge views of San Francisco Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains through the crisp, clean air. Winter storms occasionally dust the top of the hills with snow.
Facilities
- Restrooms
Facility details: official park information
Sunrise & sunset
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve hours follow the sun (Sunrise to sunset ±30 min). Mid-month times for this location:
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7:21 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. |
| Feb | 6:59 a.m. | 5:47 p.m. |
| Mar | 7:21 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. |
| Apr | 6:35 a.m. | 7:42 p.m. |
| May | 6:00 a.m. | 8:09 p.m. |
| Jun | 5:47 a.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| Jul | 5:59 a.m. | 8:29 p.m. |
| Aug | 6:24 a.m. | 8:02 p.m. |
| Sep | 6:49 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. |
| Oct | 7:15 a.m. | 6:33 p.m. |
| Nov | 6:47 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. |
| Dec | 7:15 a.m. | 4:52 p.m. |
Calculated from the park's coordinates (NOAA solar equations), Pacific time.
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve at a glance
- PParking · 3: Russian Ridge Open Space Parking
- WCRestrooms · 2
- Named trails · 11
Outline: CPAD. Points and trail lines: OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
Trails
| Trail | Mapped length | Elevation | Surface & uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridge Trail | 2.6 mi | 740 ft up & down2,257–2,560 ft | UnpavedBikesHorsesNo dogs |
| Mindego Hill Trail | 2.1 mi | 740 ft up & down1,754–2,149 ft | UnpavedBikesHorsesNo bikesNo dogs |
| Charquin Trail | 1.9 mi | 675 ft up & down1,837–2,356 ft | UnpavedBikesHorses |
| Badger's Byway Trail | 1 mi | 227 ft up & down1,966–2,399 ft | BikesHorses |
| Alder Spring Trail | 1 mi | 325 ft up & down1,996–2,212 ft | BikesHorses |
| New Ancient Oaks Trail | 0.9 mi | 248 ft up & down2,203–2,419 ft | UnpavedBikesHorses |
| Ancient Oaks Trail | 0.7 mi | 351 ft up & down2,165–2,498 ft | UnpavedBikesHorses |
| Fog Drift Vista Trail | 0.7 mi | 318 ft up & down1,943–2,255 ft | BikesHorsesUnpaved |
| Hawk Ridge Trail | 0.6 mi | 308 ft up & down2,059–2,383 ft | BikesHorses |
| Council Circle Trail | 0.4 mi | 120 ft up & down1,641–1,782 ft | UnpavedNo bikesHorsesNo dogs |
| Bo Gimbal Trail | 0.3 mi | 80 ft up & down2,443–2,530 ft | UnpavedBikesHorses |
Trail names and mapped lengths come from OpenStreetMap; lengths count only the part inside the park boundary. Up-and-down totals (climbing plus descent, one way) and elevation ranges are estimates from USGS 3DEP elevation (about 15 m grid) sampled along the mapped line. Use the official guide map for the route and current closures.
Rules & reservations
Official park pageOpen a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset. The Mindego Hill area closes when the National Weather Service declares Red Flag Warning weather.
Map & directions
Nearby parks
Straight-line distanceContinue exploring
San Mateo County parks Parks in Portola ValleySources & 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
- Midpen visitor FAQ (no entry or parking fees)fees
- 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