Bay
Area Ridge Trail,
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve,
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District,
San Mateo County
In brief:
0.2 mile easy out and back hike to Horseshoe Pond.
Getting there:
From Interstate 280 in Santa Clara County, exit Page Mill Road (exit #20). Drive
west to the junction with Skyline Boulevard (CA 35), and turn left (south) onto
Skyline Boulevard. Drive about 1 mile to the preserve entrance on the right (west)
side of the road. Turn right, then make the first left into the handicapped-designated
parking lot.
Trailhead details:
Five handicapped-designated parking spots in a gravel lot. No entrance or parking
fees. Wheelchair accessible pit toilet on site. No maps in this parking lot, but
there is an information signboard with maps in the northern lot. There is no direct
public transportation to this preserve.
Gas, food, and lodging:
Pay phone, restaurants, gas, and store at the junction of CA 84 and 35, about
8.5 miles to the north. No camping in the preserve.
Rules:
Most trails are multi-use. A few are designated hiking only. No dogs.
Distance, category, and difficulty:
This 0.2 mile out and back hike is extremely easy, with virtually
no elevation change.
The Official Story:
MROSD's
Skyline Ridge page.
MROSD office: 650-691-1200.
Map Choices:
• Map
from MROSD (download Skyline pdf)
• 
Peninsula Tales
and Trails, by David Weintraub (order
this book from Amazon.com) has an overview of the preserve, descriptions of
hikes, and simple maps.
• Jean Rusmore's The Bay Area Ridge Trail (order
this book from Amazon.com) has a simple map of the preserve.
• The Trail Center's Trail Map of the Southern Map of the Southern Peninsula
is an excellent map for this hike.
• Rusmore, Spangle, and Crowder's Peninsula Trails has a simple map
and a description of this portion of the Ridge Trail (order
this book from Amazon.com).
• Tom Taber's The Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Book has a simple map
(order
this book from Amazon.com).
Horseshoe
Pond in a nutshell -- a printable, text-only guide to this hike.
• View photos from this hike.
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve boasts two wheelchair
accessible paths.
The loop around Alpine Pond departs from a separate trailhead: the parking lot
at Russian Ridge (see Alpine Pond Loop page for
more detail). Ridge Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, skirts part of Horseshoe
Lake. The path, closed to equestrians and cyclists, begins at a parking lot solely
reserved for vehicles with handicapped placards. A gentle switchback drops the
compacted earth trail from the parking lot to lake level. Coyote brush and willow
line the path. Oaks, Douglas fir, and non-native conifers (a Christmas tree farm
is just over the hill) provide a lush forested backdrop. After crossing a sturdy
wooden bridge, Ridge Trail winds on a level course past the shore of Horseshoe
Lake. You may see ducks, grebes, and other birds near the water, as well as deer
and bobcats on the shore. The accessible stretch of trail ends at a signed junction
at 0.1 mile. Some wheelchair users may be able to turn left here and continue
a bit further along the shoreline, but be watchful for cyclists along this multi-use
trail. When ready, retrace your journey to the trailhead.
Total distance: 0.2 mile
Last visit: Tuesday, November 14, 2000.
Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page
The loop around Alpine Pond departs from a separate trailhead: the parking lot
at Russian Ridge (see Alpine Pond Loop page for
more detail). Ridge Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, skirts part of Horseshoe
Lake. The path, closed to equestrians and cyclists, begins at a parking lot solely
reserved for vehicles with handicapped placards. A gentle switchback drops the
compacted earth trail from the parking lot to lake level. Coyote brush and willow
line the path. Oaks, Douglas fir, and non-native conifers (a Christmas tree farm
is just over the hill) provide a lush forested backdrop. After crossing a sturdy
wooden bridge, Ridge Trail winds on a level course past the shore of Horseshoe
Lake. You may see ducks, grebes, and other birds near the water, as well as deer
and bobcats on the shore. The accessible stretch of trail ends at a signed junction
at 0.1 mile. Some wheelchair users may be able to turn left here and continue
a bit further along the shoreline, but be watchful for cyclists along this multi-use
trail. When ready, retrace your journey to the trailhead.