Loved this hidden trail that was super easy to find! It was a ridiculous hot day, but the surrounding tall trees offer SO much shade that you forget about the heat. There is easy accessible parking, however there aren't too many parking spots. We refreshed our hands in the cold mini waterfall and had a cute photo opportunity. The hike is fairly easy for beginning hikers. There are areas that can be steep but there are many flat areas to take a break. We did miss a signed etched in a tree log and missed a pathway. But overall, a straight shot up and back, easily an hour or so round trip! read more

Thornewood Preserve - Parks Near Me - Woodside, California

Lovely hidden trail with beautiful views and a true forest bathing vibe. It was a bit confusing making our way on the trail as we hit a few dead ends but really great views. read more

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There is less parking than the reviews imply. The hike is nice but short. There is NO lake at the end of the trail, just a small marsh. Be sure to give hikers in front of you adequate space otherwise you will be breathing dust the whole time. Always check the forecast ahead of time because there are a good number of spots that get very hot. read more

Thornwood preserve is a small, yet pleasant area for a short hike. There are just a few trails here. They are reasonably easy to hike, so good for beginner hikers. After the entrance, there is a windy, paved road to take you to the parking lot. There are only spaces for about 12 cars. The entrance is off a super windy road. Be careful about all the bikers. The day that I visited, on a Saturday, there were tons of bikers everywhere. Note that no bicycles are allowed on the trails. As far as I can see, there are no facilities or drinking faucets here. So overall, a pleasant place to visit, but honestly, not anything special. read more

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Careful to not pass up the entrance on the winding road. Great small trail. Mostly covered by the shades of trees on a sunny day. The redwoods are beautiful. The highlight is the lake which is at the dead-end. More of a pond than a lake. This is very short trail but rewarding if you like nature. read more

Thornewood Preserve - Easy walk and mostly shaded - Parks Near Me - Woodside, California

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I've seen the little sign for "Thornewood Open Space Preserve" many times when driving up Highway 84 toward Skyline. Finally, curiosity got the best of me, and I went in one December morning. The Thornewood Preserve is a little piece of land with a thick, deep, overgrown forest of laurel. You're never really away from civilization: if you park in the lot off Hwy 84, you can hear the traffic when you first start hiking, and at one point, you can see the houses from the surrounding private property. And there are only two trails here. Schilling Lake is not really taken care of. Hence, the three star rating. Still, it's a pleasant getaway. The Bridle Trail angles up from Old La Honda Road to the Schilling Lake Trail, but not too steeply. It takes you through a nice redwood forest, and this is my favorite part of the park. I ended up stopping at the base of one redwood tree, spent some quality prayer time here. Note that this was once the estate of Julian Thorne, hence the brick gateway at 895 Hwy 84. His house is off limits to the public. Another note: It appears that you can take tiny Grandview Drive, and then turn onto Espinosa Road, and this dead-ends near Schilling Lake. I don't know if you can get in legally from this spot. Not a lot here at Thornewood, and not much chance to hike off all that food you ate at Alice's. But it's enough to give you a nice retreat if you're in the area. read more

Thornewood Preserve - One of the redwood groves on the Bridle Trail. - Parks Near Me - Woodside, California

Great, clean, moderate length hike that is not too hot, offers lots of tree-shaded views, and not overrun with foot traffic yet. Notes: 895-897 entrance is our usual way to get in. The hike starts fairly level but descends into the woods down several switchbacks, does a small creek crossing, and you turn at the clearing near Old La Honda and come back uphill through those switchbacks to get to the parking. There is an alternative entrance from Old La Honda with a questionable number of parking spots, but doing this hike out / back from that entrance will allow you to return mostly walking downhill instead, which might be physically easier for some casual hikers. Pros: * The hilly portion of this hike is very well shaded -- as such, this hike is a great all-season winner. This trail was a saving grace for me to get some active time with family during my pregnancy when several nearby trails (i.e. Windy Hill, Purisma Creek) were too exposed or hot to do as of May. Our 3-year old enjoys riding in the carrier for this hike :) * Not too much foot traffic as it's not as well-known as other nearby Woodside trails. Not a whole lot of bike traffic either compared to El Corte de Madeira or Purisma Creek. * Decent hilly workout but not too punishing compared to the uphill climb coming back from Purisma Creek. * Dogs allowed, but the trail has been respectfully kept clean! Cons: * Doing the hike from the 895-897 side as an out and back can be a little tiring as you will be doing the return leg of the hike uphill for the most part. * May not be the greatest for small children or the inexperienced hiker due to some uneven parts of the trail on the switchbacks, and a very small creek crossing close to the end of the trail at Old La Honda. * Parking on the 895-897 side has a real lot, but the lot is narrow. Maybe 10 cars or so of space if everyone does their share to park closely, but there's always that one car that takes up 2 spots worth of space for themselves. Backing out of these spots may take some skill, so think before you park -- make sure you park in a way that is conducive to you leaving, I've seen some people take a really long time trying to get out of a parking spot here. read more

I love checking out Open Space Preserves and Local Parks. This one was really cool because it was filled with amazing redwood trees and maples. Thornewood is a 167-acre preserve but only contains two hiking trails: Schilling Lake trail and Bridle trail. The trails are well maintained, easy to follow and so worth checking out. The lake is currently filled with what looks like red algae (Sept. 2019) but it's still pretty neat to see. If you start at the main parking lot and do both trails and back, it makes a great 5k hike. Doggy friends are welcome on these trails, if they are on-leash. It's also open to horses. read more

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5-29/21 The entrance to the park is easy to miss . Right off 35 just around the bend on this winding road. You'll see brick walls( there's a small sign ) , that's where you turn off. The road to parking is very narrow barely one car fits , but it's supposed to be two -ways . Parking lot is small , maybe it's for less than 10 cars . Don't let that deter you from hiking here because it's an easy 0.7 mile to the Schilling Lake ( which is more like a small pond ) but the view of the bay from the trail is well worth it. You can clearly see the Stanford Hoover Tower from some area of the trail on clear days. This trail was busier than I thought , I wasn't expecting to see anybody but maybe saw about 20 people. I am not sure if you can call schilling lake a lake , it's really a small little pond but the area near the pond is really pretty with tall redwood grove. It's worth a stop after hiking at El Corte de Madera Preserve since it's close by , and off same road (35). Trail rating : 7/10 Hikers : around 20 Deer : 0 Kids friendly but NOT stroller friendly Distance : 1.4 mile out and back to the end of the trail read more

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Thornewood OSP is a small park in Woodside, they have FREE parking, look for the brick wall marked 895-897, you'll see park sign, and parking is enough for about 12 cars. I recommend parking at Old La Honda Rd but that's not an official parking and maybe only 3-5 cars can park on that Fire Road Entrance. If you park at Old La Honda Rd you walk uphill along the trail, then you can go to Schilling Lake, then it's all Downhill back to the car. We parked at the 895-897 entrance and did the Schilling Lake first, it's more a swamp, no swimming & no fishing. It's protected for the ducks & birds. Then we did the Bridle Trail which was all downhill, near the bottom is a seasonal waterfall from the Creek, then saw the parking. There is only 2 trails at this park, so we had to walk back Uphill to get the car. No bathrooms & No drinking water. Dog on leashes are allowed here. read more

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I went hiking here, theres not a lot to differenciate it from other nearby parks, but i'm glad there are additional trails, parking lots, and preserved forest. read more

Beautiful small hidden location tends to be a bit dark because of so many trees to cover shade. Theres a small space for free parking inside. Great private location if u want something not as popular as other locations read more

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Such a wonderful place to go hiking. We found a banana slug and and the trees were super Duper pretty like really pretty. My dog enjoyed the hike very much we would definitely go back again when it's less muddy there's also a couple of little ponds everywhere and it has such a majestic forest feel I would definitely go back again. read more

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Thornewood is a tiny open-space preserve just above the Valley of Woodside. A short hike (under a mile) will bring you to a small lake surrounded by redwoods. A good choice for those in need of a short but sweet getaway. Another trail (the bridle trail) leads downhill from the lake area, through redwoods and eventually down to old La Honda Rd. where there is a little roadside parking. Dogs are permitted, but only on a leash. The parking lot holds about 10 cars. The main entrance is hard to find! Look for a brick gate structure marking the entrance road off La Honda Rd (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/thornewood-open-space-preserve-woodside?filter_by_userid=True&select=1AniFyX2i2LvlKA2565FrA&userid=ZXNwO2bY3QTYP0k_5bhG1A#MzHp_LInNW1nzvLFxB98BA). The park label is visible only after you enter. Hiking Spot Checklist: -- Parking: Small paved lot inside main entrance -- Bathrooms: No -- Potable water: No -- Maps provided: No -- Highlights: Lake My Peninsula Hike Collection is here: (https://www.yelp.com/collection/qBI6U6Lz9LJQjnGjFW6ubg) read more

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I went on a hike with my friend and our dogs last weekend and I was so happy we decided on Thornewood. We missed the entrance on the first pass but we're able to find it once we turned around (look for the red brick entrance). The parking lot was pretty small but luckily there were only two other cars on the lot. The hike was so beautiful, there were wild flowers on the side of the trail and it was much greener at the start of the trail than I expected. Once we got a bit farther on our hike we were in the trees and the flowers and greenery began to fade, but it was just as beautiful in my book. My dog might have enjoyed this hike more than I did because we saw three other dogs on the trail. I highly suggest Thornewood for your next hike with your dog! read more

Thornewood Preserve - This is the entrance. Don't miss it! - Parks Near Me - Woodside, California

This place is *so* easy to miss - the brick gate looks like the entryway to an estate (it is) and the sign that designates this as a park is practically hidden behind the gate. However, if you are able to find this place, you'll discover a pleasant tiny park with a short pond hike and a slightly longer bridle trail into the redwoods. We like this place for its dog-friendliness, although we choose one of the other nearby parks when we are looking for a more substantial hike. read more

This is a great little hike spot under the trees. I enter on Old La Honda Road where there is less parking (but I've never not found a spot) because I like to climb up first and down at the end. Dogs are permitted here on leash but no dog walkers. It is a pretty hike mostly in the shade of trees so perfect for hot summer days. It isn't difficult. Shilling lake is more of a pond with a ton of red algae so it was kind of a disappointment. read more

Want to go for a beautiful hike surrounded by towering redwoods and trickling creeks, but don't want to have to drive to SC, Marin, or La Honda? This convenient hike is right off Portola Road in Woodside, and a beautiful place to take your pups for a nice, brisk hike in what feels like is a mini Muir woods. It's relatively short (1.3 miles) and there is only one trail. It's another great local hike for me and my doggies. read more

Wow only 2 other reviews of this place! What a hidden gem. Found this place off of the Open Space Preserve website- dogs allowed. A bit hard to find- look for a brick gate opening that looks like the entrance to a house at the address provided. Parking: Pretty limited to about 5 spaces, one of them being a handicap space but the two times I've been there aren't many people. The Hike: Beginning is a bit boring but what makes this place 4 stars is the redwoods park after a mile into the hike. There's a small lake and lots of redwood groves (still fairly young compared to other places like Santa Cruz) but still very beautiful and peaceful. Not a very big park but enough for a few hours of easy hiking and lots of places to stop and enjoy the surroundings. There are houses/private property surrounding the park and both times I've been someone was playing some saxophone which I really like and just added to the whole experience. I will be back =) read more

This was a pretty good hike that is fairly close to home, making it a nice getaway for a few hours. A few hills but not at all difficult. I took the trail to Schilling Lake. It's cool to see such huge redwoods, and the lake itself seemed quite serene and quiet. The trail is all dirt, and was quite muddy when I was there due to recent rains. You can take your dog here, which makes it more fun for me but do note that you MUST pick up after your dog and take it home with you - there are no trash cans. Also - be aware that there are ticks! One of them hopped on for a ride home, but I was able to pull it out of my dog before it did any damage. Other Yelpers' directions are great - exit Woodside Road and go west for about 4.7 miles, where you will see the brick gates on the left. Parking lot is small, but there was only 1 other car when I was there. read more

Dog-friendly hike -- YESSS. 5 stars for Rachelle R. who posted a photo of the entrance - we would have definitely missed it, otherwise. The poorly-marked entrance is likely also what keeps this hike so great. The trail is not as populated as others in the area, which means you can have a very peaceful time here. The lot fits only 5-6 cars, so I'm sure that helps, too. Very happy to have found this place. Coming from CO, we struggled to find a pet-friendly hike, even on-leash. Woodside is one of my favorite areas to hike, so being able to bring along the four-legged kids makes this trail my favorite of all. read more

Cute short walk with a couple of key benefits... It's short, so low-impact hikers, kids or newbs need not stress. It's a good length for small dogs who might normally find any "hike" proper to be too long. There's one lovely spot mid-walk with a big view of the Bay and Stanford, lovely (nowhere to sit really but the view is still good). Lastly, the dense redwoods upon arrival at "the lake" are very pretty and you're far enough away that you get a nice dose of woodlands quiet. The less than lovely things - not deal killers but unhelpful... First, remember that in Fall when we all love to hike the hills, the "lake" is really a soupy, green hole of standing water... possibly more algae than water really. It's just nature being nature, but it's best you don't expect a "lake" per se. Second, there is nowhere at all to lay a blanket or sit. The one area at "the lake" that would be good for that has been "closed for restoration." People are ignorning the sign, but it's effective enough. The message is "Keep moving." So this isn't a place to bring a sandwich and sit down, even a little. You'll feel like you're sitting in the way of hikers...whether or not any come by. It's quiet, so it has that advantage. read more

This is a beautiful little trail, but I probably won't take my two dogs here again. The trail is surrounded by massive amounts of poison oak, and even though the dogs were on leash, there was no avoiding it, as the trail is pretty narrow. I also pulled a total of eight ticks off of them when we got home. Maybe in the winter when the poison oak has died back a bit...? read more

I am kind of hesitant to give this park a five star rating as I love this place; I love that it is quaint and that it is not innondated with people. The park has two entrances. It is located in in a dale which supports a beautiful costal redwood ecosystem. From the bottom, the trail is a about a mile to the top. Also, it is important to stay on the trails or you may find yourself in someone's back yard. read more

Great, short, super easy, dog friendly, well marked 2.5 mile-ish rt trail. I'm mostly writing this review because I found a map of the area & a great description of how to find the entrance (that I've copied below). http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_thornewood.asp Access to the preserve is through a brick gate on the south side of La Honda Road (Highway 84), 1.6 miles past its intersection with Portola Road in Woodside. A narrow driveway winds through the woods for 0.3 miles before reaching the parking lot located on the west side of the driveway. Parking for approximately 12 cars is available here. read more

Went here for a hike a few weekends ago when the weather was nice. Just like the other reviews said, it's tough finding the entrance to it. I had to go on one of the other reviews and found one with a picture of the brick entrance. It was a nice hike with flowers and a lot of greenery along the trail. First stop was the lake which looked like the home of swamp thing. We took another trail and saw some falls. Beware of going there after some rain fall. Some parts of the trail were very muddy and a little slippery. I would suggest bringing a hiking stick and definitely wear some hiking boots if you do go after it rained. read more

Thornewood Preserve - Swamp thing's pad - Parks Near Me - Woodside, California

Pint size place for a good walk, a hidden gem. Round trip resulting in sighting of three people and three canines. A clarinet floating down from somewhere. read more

Thornewood Preserve - Banana slug. - Parks Near Me - Woodside, California

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Hidden away off La Honda, Thornewood Open Space Preserve is a gem for those who crave a short hike paired with a little cardio tease and calf-work. There are two trails that I am aware of: One will bring you to a serene and modest lake and the other will bring you deep into a descent towards Old La Honda Road where you will cross a wee stream. The abundance of redwood trees can almost fool you into thinking you've hiked out far into the woods, but nonetheless very scenic and refreshing for city folk. As for the walk back to the main entrance, it can be challenging if you're hightailing your return. The terrain is windy and the ground elevation often fluctuates, so mind the rocks and tree roots because they do enjoy giving you a good tumble or spill. Other facts: 1. Dogs on leads permitted 2. Brick entrance almost camouflaged from view, located at a sharp hook in the road 3. Parking lot with very limited spaces 4. Poison oak along trails 5. Mountain lions hunt from dusk to dawn 6. Sunset around 20:17 in the summer read more

I like this hidden gem found up & down windy roads. FYI, after you find the narrow brick entrance, it's a narrow lane that really only fits one car that leads you to the parking lot. Watch out for cars coming the opposite way. The lot realistically only fights 6-7 cars. Great trails for quick hikes. There's really no way to get lost, which is always a plus! :) read more

I have lived in the Bay Area since 1984 and I have never known about this little Gem. It is perfect for a dog and a light hike. It dives you into a Redwood Forest, which was completely unexpected. The entrance comes up a little quickly, but there was parking for about 12 cars. High recommend for a light hike. read more