Had a good experience hiking here! Came on a Saturday around 9:45am to hike the Long Ridge loop. I was initially worried about the parking situation but thankfully it was not crowded at all! Easily found street parking by the Peters Creek trailhead. There happened to be an ultramarathon that day, so we ran into some runners and cyclists along the way, but for the most part we had the trail to ourselves. Not much of a view but the trails are well maintained. Mostly shaded and spotted some pretty wildflowers. We went clockwise which had a gradual incline and steep descent - I would recommend going the opposite direction to save your knees or go slow/bring hiking poles. Long Ridge Loop took us a little less than 2 hours to complete and I would say it is easy-moderate hike as my dad was able to do it comfortably. Definitely recommend downloading the AllTrails map prior as there are not many signs and we would probably would have gotten lost without it. Overall, I enjoyed Long Ridge and would recommend for beginners or anyone looking for an easy, quiet hike. read more

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Long Ridge Open Space is a quieter, seemingly overlooked park in an area that has no shortage of hiking trails. That's what makes it a nice, peaceful hike where you're likely to find parking. During a sunny Saturday afternoon, we only encountered about 5 other groups of hikers. I recommend parking at Grizzly Flat trailhead and following the signs for Peters Creek trail. You'll gently descend to a wooded area, cross a footbridge and make a left following the creek. I've heard after the rain there are rushing small cascades. I haven't timed it right to see them but the winter woods are still bright and mossy, making it a pleasant journey. Keep following the trail until you get to the gate for the Buddhist center, bear fight and follow a moderate set of switch backs up to the ridge itself. On the Long Ridge trail you'll have sweeping views of the Santa Cruz mountains and rolling green hills. Go about a mile along the ridge, dip down back in to the woods and follow the signs back to Grizzly Flat parking. There are not giant redwoods or waterfalls or even too many views (albeit the one spectacular one at the top of the ridge) but it is a pleasant, moderate woodland hike. For longer hikes it also connects with several other parks. Free parking, well signed help make this a great regional park for a quieter more low key hike. read more

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My husband and I did a 4+ mile trail run at Long Ridge OSP over the weekend. This park has the perfect mix of shaded areas and sunny areas with wide open space. I believe the most popular hike/run at this park is the Peter's Creek to Long Ridge Road to the Long Ridge Trail. Peter's Creek trail involves a nice descent to a pond and then some nice uphill and switchbacks to Long Ridge Road. When you reach Long Ridge Road, you will be greeted with beautiful vistas and views. This area was my favorite part of our run. Then once on Long Ridge Trail, it will be a couple of shaded miles back to the parking lot. This park also connects to Skyline Ridge, Upper Stevens Creek, and Saratoga Gap if you looking for more miles. We loved how uncrowded this park was compared to others that we have been to. We only saw a few hikers out of the trail. There are a few parking spots along Highway 35 at the entrance of the trail head with no bathrooms. read more

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Long Ridge is probably one of the most connected preserves in the Bay Area, connecting with no less than 4 other parks: * Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve * Upper Stevens Creek County Park (with crossings over Skyline Blvd) * Portola Redwoods State Park * Castle Rock State Park (with crossings over Hwy 9) The elevation changes in Long Ridge are not too drastic, so if you're strictly looking for a hill workout in this area, Upper Stevens Creek is more your cup of tea. Long Ridge is split roughly in half between single-track and "normal" width trails, and between shaded and unshaded. This preserve is favored by mountain bikers and hikers alike. From the ridge, you get a wide view of the tree-blanketed canyon below. In the middle of the preserve is Turtle Rock, where there's a bench and some distinctive rocks (one of which could faintly resemble a turtle). This is a popular spot for visitors to pause and enjoy the view. Note that there are no drinking fountains or restrooms in the preserve. Make sure to use the restroom before you arrive, or else you might find yourself communing with nature even more! read more

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Wonderful place to hike. You can see lots of flora and fauna and great views. Small parking lot for about 25 cars max and can get pretty full on the weekends. But there is a winery not too far so maybe you can arrange double dipping hiking and wining ;) there's a creek and trails connecting to other preserves. No bathrooms. read more

Long Ridge is one of several open space preserves strung alongside Skyline Blvd in the Santa Cruz range. I think of it as the southernmost of the 'Peninsula' OSPs, since it abuts Route 9 to the south and is bisected by the border between San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties. At the same time, it also feels like one of the lost stepchildren of the OSPs, since unlike other nearby parks (e.g. Skyline Ridge, Castle Rock, Russian Ridge), it lacks a dedicated parking lot or facilities. With those differences aside, it does offer many of the same features of the other nearby parks, including: a combination of shady, forested paths; burbling streams; open meadows; and hilltop vistas. If broken into three pieces, the northern and southern third of the park are mostly forested, whereas the central section is comprised of open, grassy hillsides. I find the views here particularly striking, especially those from Turtle Rock, near the southern end of Hickory Oaks Trail . Due to the higher exposure in this part of the park, the best times to visit are winter, spring and fall. The other thing I appreciate about Long Ridge are the forgotten corners and less-traveled areas. There is a hidden, large sandstone rock climbing area called 'Eagle Peak' that provides some fun scrambling and more great views, plus the 'Ward Rd' trail provides a less-traveled, back entrance to Portola Redwoods SP. There are also some unmarked trails to lovely areas that are best kept a secret. Loop Hike Ideas: -- For a short (4-5 miles) and mostly forested loop: starting from Grizzly Flat, stick to the Peters Creek and Long Ridge Trails, making sure to enjoy the views at the Wallace Stegner Bench on the journey. -- For a longer 'lollipop' hike, add a there-and-back section to the loop above to reach the Turtle Rock overlook on the Hickory Oaks Trail (add'l 1.5 miles) -- Or to visit four parks and three counties, start at Saratoga Gap and loop through parts of Castle Rock SP, Long Ridge OSP, Upper Stevens Creek CP and Saratoga Gap OSP (7-11 miles depending on the route) Hiking Spot Checklist for Long Ridge: -- Parking: Roadside only - 2 entrances on Skyline Blvd; the main one is at Grizzly Flat, 3.3. miles south of Page Mill Rd intersection. (The south end can also be accessed via parking at Saratoga Gap) -- Bathrooms: No -- Potable water provided: No -- Maps provided: Yes -- Highlights: Commanding views; nice variety; not very crowded My Peninsula Hike Collection is here: (https://www.yelp.com/collection/qBI6U6Lz9LJQjnGjFW6ubg) read more

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The Stegner Bench is what wooed me into curiosity. When you hear of a great view, you want to find out if its really that amazing. Well I can say it was! Well worth the trip. We took the recommended route starting at Grizzly Flat/Upper Stevens Creek County Park to Long Ridge trail. Heading towards the lookout where Stegner Bench sits, then continued on until we reached Peters Creek trail until you eventually come to the point where you started. The first part of the Long Ridge trail had only one uphill climb, then it was moderate after that. The Peters Creek trail was much less up and down, with wide, flat trail for most of the way. Too bad that the creek doesn't have any water. The only confusing part of the hike was when you get to the sign where you have to go right to Peters Creek. You see a sign that says STOP private property ahead. Just continue past the little lake area and keep left. There is a gate to the right where the private property is. I'm sure it gets a lot of traffic during the weekends. We went on a Wednesday and saw a few ppl on mountain bikes and a few hiking alone, but it was mostly very serene with it seeming we were all alone. A few gray squirrels reminded us that we weren't. One of the things I'll remember the most is how the wind would sweep through, and the sound of the leaves creating a wave of the most beautiful sound. It almost sounded like water. It's a preserve so don't plan on seeing any restrooms. read more

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Compared to some of the other open space preserves along Skyline Boulevard, like Russian Ridge, Purisima Redwoods, or Windy Hill, Long Ridge OSP perhaps gets less attention than otherwise would be the case for such a pretty and scenic location. Often, its trails are used by mountain bikers as part of longer routes that also include stops in Stevens Creek Canyon or Monte Bello Ridge. Trail runners also enjoy Long Ridge for its moderately steep climbs (compared with Purisima, for example) and long ridgeline trails, which offer ocean views and very nice looks at Butano Ridge along the way. For hikers, it's best to come here in winter and early spring, when the hills are verdant, wet, and green. Or in summer, when the oat grasses are dry and golden and wave in the breeze while fog creeps up from the coast, quails and wild turkeys scurry about, and dragonflies and other insects flit about in the sunshine. The loops are generally less than 10 miles, and can be done in 3 hours or less. There are three benches along the main ridge for resting, having a drink of water, and taking pictures. The Wallace Stegner bench is a favorite of mine, for its sturdy stone construction, its commemorative plaque, and its attractive views looking towards the Pacific. Any way you look at it, Long Ridge is a treasure of preserved nature, one that is all the more special because of how close it is to Silicon Valley and the rapidly filling Bay Area. I sometimes feel bad for the trail runners and especially the bicyclists I see here while hiking. They seem so focused on getting a workout or not crashing their expensive, 2-wheeled vehicles that they miss out on the many millions of little things that make Long Ridge so special. Hiking speed is the best for that! read more

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My usual haunts for hiking are in the east hills, where I enjoy open vistas on most every trail. When I want more greenery and shade, I head over to the Santa Cruz Mountains. Imagine my delight when happening on the Long Ridge Loop in the Long Ridge Open Space Preserve--both forest and views! The 4+ mile loop on the Long Ridge and Peters Creek Trails gives you a little of everything, forests and shade, water (both a pond and stream), modest climbs for cardio, and magnificent views of the Butano Ridge to the west. The trails are well-maintained and, though we were there two days after it rained, there was little mud. My only complaint is that there are no restrooms at the trailheads, so you know what happens. read more

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Went to Long Ridge OSP on Sun 2/1/15 for a short 6 miles hike with folks. Parking is on Hwy 35 at Upper Stevens Creek County Park, Long Ridge is across the street. No bathrooms (just find a tree) and No Water - bring your own. Did Peter's Trail where you walk by the Jikoji Zen Center lake - No swimming allowed, private property, water is dirty anyways. Then we did the Long Ridge Rd, we turned Left and had lunch at Roderic Annabele bench - seats 3 people, others sat on the giant rock boulders. Did some more trails, ended up at Wallace Stegner, an author, memorial bench. Lots of mountain bikers here, not many hikers. read more

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Perhaps the best Pacific vistas to be found along the wonderful stretch of paved highway that is Skyline Boulevard are to be found here, at Long Ridge Open Space Preserve. From the Grizzly Flat parking trailhead, it is a leisurely stroll alongside Peters Creek, past the Jikoji Zen Center pond, up to the rolling open hills and expansive ocean and redwood panoramas along Long Ridge Road. Following Long Ridge to its connection with the Hickory Oaks Trail allows you to rest at a beautifully situated bench with views that always - always - astound. When you have soaked up your weekly fill of silence and solitude, you can return to the trailhead be retracing your steps along the Long Ridge Trail back to Peters Creek. It's simple. It's uncluttered. It never ceases to cleanse the spirit, restore the mind, and reinvigorate the body. It's as cathartic as hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains gets. And if you've never been up here before, Long Ridge offers all of the best of the preserves at a fraction of the effort you would need to expend at Purisima Creek Redwoods, El Corte de Madera, or Russian Ridge. Springtime is amazing here: green, lush, winds gusting from Monte Bello Ridge and Silicon Valley, fog crawling up the mountains from the coast, lupines blooming as early as late February. There is no better way to experience the unique nature of the Skyline than while walking the open spaces of the Long Ridge. Some days, when wind, sun, grass, and sky are all in near perfect alignment, you will never want the walk to end. read more

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The brochure for Long Ridge says it has "something for everyone". Indeed, if you take the Peters Creek-Long Ridge loop, you'll feel you're in the every-preserve: dappled by variety but short on superlatives. Follow shady Peters Creek valley to gorgeous Jikoji Pond (private property so you only get a fleeting glimpse), then up onto Long Ridge where you get views down grassy hillsides towards the ocean for a while before the generic oak forest closes in, and finally dropping back to Peters Creek again near the trailhead. There are also several extended hikes you can put together here--like a 10-mile loop that crosses Skyline Boulevard into adjacent Upper Stevens Creek County Park. Also, being at the headwaters of Pescadero Creek, you can actually hike down into Portola Redwoods State Park from here. read more

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I came here early on Friday morning around 7AM and on the drive up, I saw the cloud is covering the Santa Cruz Mountain and I was excited to see it. When I got to Long Ridge, the "parking lot" is just a dirt lot and I was the only on there. It took me 2 miles to get to the view point, I was getting irritated because I thought I was going to miss the view. But at 2 mile mark, I was able to get great view of the thick, fluffy cloud covering the Santa Cruz Mountain, It was GLORIOUS! The rest of the hike are all in the forest, most of the trails are flat, and I was even able to do a light trail run. Overall, I think the best time to come is in the morning, the view is just outstanding. read more

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As I drove to one of the many trails for the first time I slowed down dramatically, not only because of the adorable cottages in the area and quaint summer homes, but due to the gorgeous greenery, trickling water, and soothing creeks. My dog also loved the scenery and kept sniffing the glorious scents of the woods. I stopped several times to take pictures but was disappointed that the beauty of the preserve could not be captured by a lens. I did not have a plan or a map when I arrived but found an uphill trail surrounded by trees and a gorgeous view of Sunnyvale. My dog tire easily on this particular path, and that is saying a WHOLE lot! I hiked for about forty five minutes and turned around when my dog refused to go any further because of the heat, I recommend going early morning in the summer and spring. I plan on going back a bit more prepared and attempting another path. read more

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This is a great place to visit if you enjoy the outdoors, fresh air, hiking, biking and scenic views. Parking available at the top of highway 9 and 35. There are another 2 parking spots heading north on 35, one about 2 miles up the road 'side of the road parking' and the other is the grizzly flat parking area. Pick up a map and start your trek. There are a lot of mountain bikers here, so keep an eye out for them. Most are cautious when passing you on the trial, but you still need to watch for them as some of the trails are narrow 'single track'. Starting from 9/35, you can cross over 9 and take the single track to 35. Then crossover the highway up the fire road and onto the longridge trail. Proceed until you make it to the look out bench for great views of the Santa Cruz coastal area. You will often see a fog inversion layer in valleys below the mornings. If you still want to hike a little more, take the Peters Creek loop and head back to the car. Bring lots of water, sunscreen and maybe an energy bar/snacks as hit gets really hot in the summer. There is another hiking trail that heads towards Castle Rock if you head south from the main parking lot of 9/35. There are no bikes allowed on these trails, so you don't have to worry about getting hit by them or moving to the side of the trail. Great views of the entire south bay. This is by far my favorite local place to bike and enjoy the outdoors. Burn some calories from all of those restaurants you visited on Yelp! read more

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One of the best scenic ridge trails I have ever hiked. You can hike on a ridge, the scenery is grreat. I really like undulating hills and moutains in the distance. This is connected to Stevens creek coounty park and Skyline ridge OSP, so you can combine the hiking route. read more

Finding a good hiking trail that is not overrun with other outdoor enthusiasts, particularly on a weekend, can be challenging. Discovered Long Ridge with my husband while cruising along Highway 9. Although there were 10 other cars in one of two lots across the street from each other, we didn't see many people on the trail. Long ridge offers different levels of difficulty depending on the trail you select. At one point, the trail bisects into two- where one trail leads up a steep mountain, and veering left yields more of a flat trail. We opted first to do the flatter option, which does have some elevation gain. The absolute reward of this hike is the stunning view of skyline Ridge. We created a loop, and added an additional mile by traversing the steep incline trail which connects with the main trail. That steep trail on the right parallels some houses. Your experiences may depend on personal preferences, route, timing, luck and transportation methods. Bicycles and horses are permitted on various trails. That steep mountain, for example, is very appealing for downhill cyclists. This could be dangerous if you are hiking up and they are riding down. We were lucky in the sense that we only encountered stopped bicycles and horse poop. dogs are welcome on the trail, but there are signs posted that require dog owners to pick up the poop. The signs don't require horse owners to pick up horse poop, which I thought was pretty funny. Overall, this is a great trail with shaded portions and even a small body of water. Look closely... You might see some turtles. The view from the top is stunning. Definitely worthwhile! read more

If you ever wonder what heaven might look like, you should head on over and check out Long Ridge Open Space Preserve. This place is seriously amazingly beautiful. Like jaw dropping, crap your pants, holy cow did I just die and go to heaven kind of beautiful. The preserve is jam packed with trails that criss-cross across sun drenched rolling hills and dip into cool lush forested valleys. You pass by ponds and cross over streams. You change elevation frequently. Nature abounds and you feel like you are hours away from any major city, yet it's only a short drive to Silicon Valley. These trails will delight any outdoor lover, hiker, jogger, runner, mountain biker, and horseback rider. I am a horseback rider and train for endurance and recreationally trail ride. I can say that the trails here are some of te best I have seen. There are miles and miles of trails that can be combined in long and short loops so that riders and horses of all fitness levels can find a route that works for them. Ample trailer parking area (designated lot on map). The trail has some grassy areas that you can stop at let your horse get a snack and several areas where you can stop and let your horse drink. Several benches are along the trail in scenic overlook spot, which make for a great place to stop and eat lunch. Dont be surprised if you see lots of wildlife. Birds, squirrels, coyotes and more. On my ride we did actually see a coyote eating something. He was quite beautiful. This preserve is one of the most beautiful places I have ever ridden or hiked at in the whole country!! I'm in love! read more

The views here depend on where you're hiking in the park. There are a lot of wooded trails where you can't see the rest of the Skyline, but most of the trails in the southern half provide a great view of the mountains to the sea. This may be a good park if you're looking to hike away from crowds. I don't know how busy it is generally, but I didn't see a single person during three hours of hiking here. It's also relatively flat, so most people should be able to handle the trails without too much effort. I did six miles, and it was probably the easiest hike longer than five miles that I've ever done. Since the views are above average and the hiking is not difficult, I recommend visiting at least once. The main parking area is across from Upper Stevens Creek and also close to other parks, so this is a great area to visit if you want to do a lot of hiking in one day. read more

Long Ridge is one of the mid-peninsula Open Space Preserves, and is right opposite to the Upper Stevens Creek County Park. It's within easy reach through Route 9 in Saratoga and then Skyline Blvd. There are parking spaces on both the Long Ridge (west) and Upper Stevens Creek (east) sides of Skyline -- not many, maybe 10-15 spots each but neither was crowded on the day. I wasn't expecting much due to Long Ridge's relative low profile, but it turns out to be quite a gem in South Bay! We went there in the afternoon of a mid-June summer day when it's pretty warm, so I chose to stay on the shaded part of the park -- on the Peters Creek trail. While most other parks in South Bay had already turned a little yellow by June, we could already see quite a lot of trees and other green plants by the trail head, The trail is overall flat (within 200-ft elevation) and stayed closed to the creek, with a nice canopy of various trees sheltering us from the sun. In fact, the flora was surprisingly lush, almost like a tiny version of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County. It's extra nice that the park wasn't crowded, but we did see quite a few mountain bikers on the way. Since the trail wasn't that wide, we had to stop quite a few times to let them pass. One could easily do a loop trail using Long Ridge Road but that part is exposed and we simply turned around around Ward Road. read more

I have been here few times for mountain biking and recently, I was there for a short hike with my family and friends to see the sunset. We parked on the side of the road and walk in for 0.5 miles to the peak where there is a nice bench for you to enjoy the sunset. Great short hike with kids or someone who are new to hiking. There is no restroom at the this place. Good mix of open and shaded trails. read more

Long Ridge Open Space Preserve - I like to ride my bike here - Parks Near Me - Cupertino, California

I came hiking here twice on this ~4.6 mile loop, and each time I found it to be such a nice treat. You get to sample both forest settings and open ridge views in along the way. If you hike in the clockwise direction once you reach the valley on the entry trail from the parking area, you make the ridgetop in about 1.1 to 1.5 miles without breaking much sweat because the grade is mostly level. As a bonus there's a bench on the ridgetop looking westward towards the ocean and the mountains in between. There is also a steep rocky grade though on the end which can be tough on the knee as a downgrade, so next time I will consider either doing the loop counter-clockwise or taking a connector path which will bypass that tough grade. read more

My all-time favorite Santa Cruz mountains hike. The bridge over Peter's Creek is very pretty, and continue along the orchard trail to Jukoji Pond. Up a short hill and you are on the Long Ridge, with great views of the ocean. Stop by Stegner's Bench for a rest or picnic, and then continue back through a madrone forest. A bit of everything. read more

Beautiful hiking spot, but rangers outnumber hikers. In the course of a 3 hour hike we were harassed by 2 different rangers at 2 different times wanting to search our bag and asking about what we were doing out there. I'm not sure why. Just remember to remain silent and not consent to an unwarranted search. It makes me sad to think that rangers used to be concerned with hiker safety, now they only seem to treat us as defacto criminals. read more

NOT dog-friendly at all, despite the official listing on the MPOS's website. We drove up from Mountain View yesterday with a visitor from Australia to walk the Long Ridge Trail, having checked the website for areas where dogs are allowed. The description of Long Ridge ("best views on the Peninsula") made it sound perfect for our purposes. Then, when we finally got there, and had hiked in a little way to where the trails split up, we encountered the "no dogs" sign on the Long Ridge Trail itself. We set off along the not-very-interesting dogs-allowed valley trail, only to come up against the gate leading to the (I think) Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve, where dogs aren't allowed either. I wish we had stuck to Windy Hill, which we know well, and has excellent views, and is less of a drive. read more