Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, CA
- Size
- 2,686 acres Source
About Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
A 3,436-acre preserve of rolling grasslands, creekside forests, and vistas in the upper Stevens Creek watershed. Source
Italian for “Beautiful Mountain,” Monte Bello Open Space Preserve is a place of rolling grasslands, dense creekside forests and spectacular vistas. The preserve encompasses the upper Stevens Creek watershed from Monte Bello Ridge to Skyline Ridge. The 3,436-acre preserve is one of Midpen's richest in wildlife and ecosystem diversity.
Facilities
- Camping
- Drinking Water
- Picnic Area
- Restrooms
Facility details: official park information, OpenStreetMap
Sunrise & sunset
Monte Bello 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. | 5:12 p.m. |
| Feb | 6:58 a.m. | 5:46 p.m. |
| Mar | 7:21 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. |
| Apr | 6:35 a.m. | 7:42 p.m. |
| May | 6:00 a.m. | 8:08 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.
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve at a glance
- PParking · 1
- WCRestrooms · 1
- WDrinking water · 1
- Named trails · 10
Outline: CPAD. Points and trail lines: OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
Trails
| Trail | Mapped length | Elevation | Surface & uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Trail | 3.7 mi | 1,148 ft up & down1,187–2,118 ft | BikesHorsesNo dogs |
| Monte Bello Road (Trail) | 2.1 mi | 703 ft up & down2,321–2,808 ft | UnpavedBikesHorsesNo dogs |
| White Oak Trail | 1.9 mi | UnpavedBikesHorses | |
| Stevens Creek Nature Trail | 1.7 mi | 330 ft up & down1,722–1,921 ft | No bikesNo horsesNo dogsUnpavedBikesHorses |
| Waterwheel Creek Trail | 1.4 mi | 574 ft up & down2,257–2,590 ft | BikesHorsesNo dogs |
| Indian Creek Trail | 1.2 mi | 812 ft up & down1,930–2,744 ft | BikesHorses |
| Old Ranch Trail | 1 mi | 257 ft up & down2,452–2,686 ft | BikesHorses |
| Bella Vista Trail | 0.8 mi | 400 ft up & down2,103–2,516 ft | UnpavedBikesHorses |
| Adobe Creek Trail | 0.6 mi | 166 ft up & down2,268–2,448 ft | BikesHorses |
| Skid Road Trail | 0.6 mi | 138 ft up & down1,761–2,083 ft | UnpavedBikesHorsesNo dogs |
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.
Map & directions
Nearby parks
Straight-line distanceContinue exploring
Santa Clara County parks Parks in Palo AltoSources & 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, facilities.camping, description
- Midpen visitor FAQ (no entry or parking fees)fees
- OpenStreetMap facilities and trailsfacilities.drinking-water, facilities.picnic-area, trails
- U.S. Census Bureau place boundariescity
- 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