Monte Bello Open Space Preserve

My very favorite preserve in the Bay Area. Golden hills paved with walking and biking trails with gorgeous views of the peninsula and surrounding preserves. Go at dusk, the evening sky is sensational here.

Monte Bello OSP is one of several open space preserves that hug the top of the Santa Cruz range without reaching too far down into the valley below. (Minimum elevation is 1600 feet). Other parks of this type include Russian Ridge, Long Ridge, and Skyline OSP.
The major feature in this park is Black Mountain, the tallest peak in the immediate area at 2812 ft above sea level; and featuring 360 degree views (and more than a few radio antennae). To get here from the Rancho San Antonio side, it’s a 2500 foot climb and at least a ten mile round trip. From Monte Bello OSP, however, it’s only a 700 foot climb and a 5 mile round trip. So next time someone says they «climbed Black Mountain», ask them this: «The hard way, or the easy way?»
The preserve itself encompasses a long upland valley and ridge. The valley is forested, mostly mixed deciduous and conifer, whereas the ridge is exposed grassland and scrub, punctuated by live oaks; There aren’t as many redwoods as some other OSPs in the area. (Interesting factoid: This high valley is the source of Stevens Creek, which eventually travels down through Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Mountain View before emptying into the bay near Moffet field).
In my opinion, the main downside of Monte Bello is the scarcity of trails for it’s size. The preserve itself is very large — 3400 acres. But there are only two main trails stretching down the length the park; one on the ridge top (Monte Bello Road and Waterwheel Trail) and one on the valley floor (Canyon Trail). Both of these trails head southeast from the main parking area and then each reaches a dead end at a road. These trails never meet, nor are there spur trails that connect them (nor do roads connect them). It’s a damn shame for those of us who prefer long loop hikes; and it would be such a straightforward fix (the trails get within 0.5 miles of each other)
The northwest corner of the park does offer several loop hikes, but these are less than 4 miles total, even when you get creative; they can get a little longer if you include the summit of Black Mtn. My favorite trail on this side of the park is the Nature Trail, which passes through the deepest part of the forest and skirts the very upper reaches of Stevens Creek. A good trail to check out with kids; it’s close to the parking lot and has signs explaining natural features.
All in all, Monte Bello is an average OSP for the Santa Cruz mountains. The lack of long loops keeps it from being on my regular rotation (hiking or mountain biking). But it’s nice to visit once in a while, especially if clear skies make the Black Mtn views worth the climb up.
Hike Spot Checklist:
– Parking: A large dirt lot plus a little roadside parking
– Bathrooms: Yes; single pit toilet at main entrance
– Potable water: No
– Maps provided: Yes, at parking lot
– Highlights: Views from Black Mountain

Came here for a ~3 mile loop hike down Stevens Creek Nature Trail and back up the Canyon Trail. Do NOT follow Google Maps to lead you here if you’re coming from the north — take 280S, exit Page Mill, and travel south for about 20 – 25 minutes. The parking lot will be on your left and is very well marked.
I came here on a Sunday around 2pm and had no problems parking; plenty of available spaces. The parking lot area is uncovered so very hot; once you start down Stevens Creek, it is shady. However, if you go back up Canyon Trail, you will be exposed to sun for a bit, so don’t forget your sunblock.
There was no water fountain, but there was a bathroom facility. The loop I did was easy/​moderate and not busy at all. No major gems on the hike, but it’s a good hike to do if you’ve already done all the more famous hikes of the bay area.

lush. what a cool lily pond there is. lots of variety. Plenty of shade. Idyllic

Brief but awesome hiking date out here! Beautiful views, tons of biodiversity, great little quiet areas for picnics or wanders, and an incredibly comprehensive map/​guide/​short novel about the place (not actually a short novel, but that’s how filled with information it is)! Awesome signage, too, if you want to learn about the flora, fauna, and some history! A bit of a drive, though, and you have to pass quite a bit of private and exclusive land. DON’T FORGET TO BRING WATER!

We did a 2.5 hour round-​trip hike up to Black Mountain starting from the Page Mill parking lot. It was thick fog on the way up but the trail had beautiful views with the landscape fading in and out of the mist. On the way back (the same route) the fog cleared and we could see beautiful scenery throughout. The route we took starts at a higher altitude and goes along the ridge so it is an easy to moderate hike. Please look this up on a map before starting out.
The parking lot is on the south side of Page Mill and has a pit toilet. Start at the trail that goes out of the southern tip of the parking lot and bear left/​east toward Stevens Creek Nature trail. Great view at this spot. Then do the Canyon Trail, Bella Vista Trail, Old Ranch Trail and follow signs to the camp. Toilet here too. From the camp follow signs for Monte Bello Rd trail which takes you to the top of Black Mountain.

If you are looking to do a 2~3 hours hike, here is a good one at the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
This is a 6.5 mile loop hike.
The preserve map can be found here:
— Start from the trailhead on to White Oak Trail.
— At 2 miles following the trail signs for Stevens Creek Nature Trail and Canyon Trail.
— At 2.9 miles turn right and head south on Canyon Trail.
— At 3.1 miles, turn left at the Indian Creek Trail junction. This is where you will climb for about 750 feet and can be quite grueling on a hot summer day.
— At 4.1 miles, turn left following the signs to the backpack camp.
— At 4.2 miles, turn left when the path ends at a T junction
— At 4.3 miles, take the Old Ranch Trail.
— At 4.9 miles, take the Bella Vista Trail.
— At 5.7 miles, Bella Vista Trail ends and turn right on the Canyon Trail
— At 5.9 miles, take the trail signed «to Monte Bello Parking Lot».
— At 6.2 miles, Stevens Creek Nature Trail heads back down into the canyon. continue straight, back to the parking lot.
The toughest segment of the hike is a one mile steady ascent on Indian Creek Trail. Total elevation change is about 1000 feet. Preserve elevation ranges from about 1800 to 2800 feet. This hike begins at about 2200 feet, drops to 1800 feet, climbs to 2680 feet, then descends back to the trailhead.
To get here from Interstate 280, exit Page Mill Road. Drive west on Page Mill for about 7 miles up the narrow winding road to the preserve entrance on the left side of the road.

Monte Bello has beautiful views and several different trails that are fairly well marked. I went on a hike that was about 3.5 miles and not very challenging (I thought it was a lot easier than the Stanford Dish).
What I did not like was getting there. as in, the drive over there. It is in Palo Alto, but up in the hills. I got car sick because the roads are very windy. So, beware!
Also, there were very few people. This could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what you like, of course. It was nice that we only saw a few people the entire time but at times it made me uncomfortable. I definitely wouldn’t want to hike or run alone here (although I did see one older man doing that).
Bring water with you (didn’t see any water fountains) and a jacket in the winter months because it can get very cold/​windy, even if it sunny outside.
Overall, this is a nice place for a hike. I think that personally I would prefer Rancho San Antonio (which seemed similar to me, but with more people) or the Stanford Dish (which has no shade unfortunately and less scenery but is more challenging in terms of a workout).

One of the best OSPs.
It is in the center of South Skyline Region, it is connected to Rancho San Antonio, Upper Stevens Creek county park, Skyline Ridge OSP.
I usually starts at Rancho and climb up to Black Mountain. Then, go into MOnte Bello OSP. On canyon trail, hikers are rare and tree covered. very quiet. I prefer open spaced region like Old ranch, Indian Creek, Skid road trail areas.

Coming from the 280N, exit Page Mill rd and make a left. Then expect to drive for at least 20 – 25 more mins on Page Mill road. This open space preserve was way at the top and the roads were narrow and winding with speed limits ranging from 20−30mph. If you are anything like me, C.A.F.D. (crazy asian female driver), you’ll have to be extra careful because you’re sharing a road with bikers, squirrels and skunks. I saw me a few of the latter two as roadkill, so drive safe! You’ll also feel like this road will never end, but it does and there’s a small sign on the right side of the road that will point you to the left, saying that the space is on your left.
The parking lot is pretty spacious and there’s also a sh/​im bathroom right before you hit the trails.
Reception is poor once you are there. Bring a jacket/​wind-​breaker because it tends to get a bit windy. Hats or some shade protection for the eyes and face are appropriate because there’s a bunch of parts that don’t have shade when hiking. There were a few signs before heading onto the trail that suggests that mountain lions can be spotted, so beware. I saw a few tarantulas but no mountain lions, whew! The hike I chose was pretty easy, with a bit of elevation but it’s definitely do-​able for all. Love the quietness and peacefulness and the oneness with nature. Views of course, were panoramic and lovely.
It was just the driving that set me back from ever going on this hike. I’ve heard good things about it from friends that have done it. Overall, it’s pretty straight forward but you’ll just have to prepare yourself to drive awhiles after you exit the freeway, so make sure your gas tank is not running on low, yikes!

I’ve spent a lot of time on Skyline Ridge exploring the various open space preserves, but since I’m lazy, I hadn’t yet made it to the top of Black Mountain. So far as I know, the easiest path to the top is from Monte Bello, where you can hike 4.5ish miles roundtrip with an elevation change of about 1000 feet to experience the spectacular panoramic views.
…So they say.
I’m extremely heat sensitive and this trail is almost completely exposed, so I was saving this for a cooler day. As it turned out, our first hiking day that fell officially into Summer 2013 was forecast to be gloriously cool so we headed to Monte Bello. It was indeed gloriously cool… and completely socked in. We’ll have to head up there another time to see what that view is all about, though, because we couldn’t even see the adjacent hillsides on our hike.
I look forward to returning on a clearer (but still cool) day to enjoy the view.

If you are in the mood for a quiet hike with amazing views, check out Monte Bello Open Sapce (italian for beautiful mountain)~ hike up the hillside approx 500ft elevation gain, likely you won’t be running into many people. I love the hike in Monte Bello, often hiking all the way up to Black Mountain which provides stunning views of both Santa Clara Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountain Range. Pack a snack, bring your water, and enjoy! Most of the hike is unprotected by trees, so wear your sunscreen~*

Where is this place? Palo Alto? Cupertino? Los Altos? La Honda? Los Gatos? If you ask Google Maps, different parts of the preserve fall within different city limits! I don’t think it’s clear to Google, nor to anybody else.
GETTING THERE:
— — — — — — — — -
Getting to Monte Bello requires driving a few miles on windy Page Mill Road, but like all good things that have to be worked for, it’s worth it! If the beautiful scenery here doesn’t evoke some feelings of joy in your heart, God help you.
The parking lot is on the south side of Page Mill, opposite from the lot for Los Trancos Open Space Preserve. You’ll know you’re there when you see this sign:
Monte Bello’s lot holds a decent amount of cars, about twice as many as Los Tranco’s lot. A pit toilet (outhouse) can be found in Monte Bello’s lot. Running water is absent.
TRAILS:
— — — — — — — — -
The elevation is relatively high already (you’ll realize that as you’re driving up Page Mill), so the trail inclines aren’t too steep here. There isn’t really a loop that will take you all around the whole preserve. Instead, the Canyon Trail runs down the center of the preserve with, you guessed it, canyon walls on both sides. Following this trail will take you into Steven’s Creek County Park.
Alternatively, following the Bella Vista Trail or the Indian Creek Trail will take you to the Black Mountain Backpack Camp (
), where there are a few small camp sites, a pit toilet and even a working payphone!
From the camp, you can continue along Monte Bello Road to reach the summit of Black Mountain, where you’ll find some unique rocks and a not-​so-​spectacular view (
). If you head north along the Black Mountain Trail, you’ll reach Rancho San Antonio. Don’t you love how all these preserves are inter-​connected?
GOOD VIEWS:
— — — — — — — — -
So where are the good views? The Indian Creek Trail looks out over the canyon, providing a nice view (
) that gets better as you keep climbing (what a great motivator!). The view from the Bella Vista Trail isn’t too bad, either.
But the best view is probably right near the start of the hike (
), where the Stevens Creek Nature Trail and the Canyon Trail diverge. From here, you’re looking straight down the middle of the downward-​sloping canyon. Great place for a photo op.
Just bring a jacket and a hat during the winter, because it can get quite windy and chilly!

I first came here something like eight years ago. Actually, this was the first time that I’d ever been on any camping trip and I remember learning how to do all of the basic fundamental stuff like lighting a match (burned my hand, whoops).
Anyway, this place is too scenic. I particularly remember one sunset where we were sitting under one of those trees gazing out into the open space. The place was high enough to be above the clouds and most of trees so you couldn’t really see anything other than this blanket of whipped cream with small pieces of broccoli sticking out. It was a view of epic proportions.
I just came back for the first time in eight years today. The hike is really green. There’s lots of bikers so you’re constantly jumping to the side of the trail. Altogether a fun, but very different experience than backpacking.
Anyway, this place rocks. It’s better than both foothill park and arastradero preserve (keep driving up there, it’s worth it!)

This is a super pretty looped hiking trail on a hill. It’s very tranquil and we didn’t come across too many other hikers– maybe three or four groups on a Sunday.
The views are far-​reaching, and the hike itself isn’t strenuous at all. Though, because it’s half uphill, if strenuous is what you desire, just run the trail. :)
Also, it goes without saying that it gets pretty windy/​cold at the top of the hill.

Super cool little hike. We saw this from 280 and it looked like it was worth a stop. This is part of Standford’s ranch, there is a lot of horses and cows and the smell of «farm» or «poo» or whatever you want to identify it with is definitely present through most of the trails.
None the less it is still very pretty and you can do about a 3 miles round trip hike around the ranch and even extend it further as the land continues on.
It is also good for bikes as a lot of it is paved.
Definitely worth the stop, oh and there are bushes if you have to pee.

Trick or treat? Here, no matter what time of year or day, it’s a treat. Definitely a treat!
I liked Monte Bello well enough the first time, a memorable suffer-til-you-can’t-walk-no-more July summer scorcher that saw me drag myself, trekking poles, and Berghaus daypack up and down Black Mountain in the late afternoon heat. Sure, it was all in good fun, but I could not exactly stop to smell the chapparal, if you know what I mean. I had no time to take pictures, it was a hard slog to the top, and I was alone. So the joys of Monte Bello unfolded inside my head and were measured in accumulated salt stains and persistent perspiration that washed SPF 30 sunscreen into my burning eyes.
Fast forward to Halloween 2010. It’s 9:50 AM, temps are in the 50s, and rising ever so slightly into the upper 60s. The skies are crystal, since it rained the day before. The trails are ablaze in autumn glory — even the poison oak is playing its Kodachromatic part (Simon and Garfunkel are singing to me), dressed to the nines in orange, red, and yellow. The fields are straw colored gold (now it is Sting and Seven Summoner’s Tales), the trees are bursting with red and orange berries, leaves are yellow and red and falling, there are olives (!) growing from wild, abandoned trees on Waterwheel Creek Trail, the paths are brown and soft from the rains, there are blue skies all the way to downtown San Francisco and Oakland, to Mount Umunhum and the East Bay Hills, to Moffett Field, Hoover Tower, and all the Skyline parks and open spaces, even the Pacific horizon is readily visible at times (It’s now Johnny Nash playing on my mind’s internal iPod Touch).
Traffic is light: mountain bikers, a few bunches of hikers, some trail volunteers, groups of unfazed grazing deer, a baby rattlesnake in its hole, birds, and lots and lots of fresh air and free open space. All the while, the lush greens of the Upper Stevens Creek canyon beckon 1000s of feet below while you cruise the ridgeline on Monte Bello Road.
We hiked in from Page Mill Road all the way to Ridge Winery, where I had a $ 40 flight of four of the best wines you are ever likely to try: a 2007, 1994, 1992, and 1991 Monte Bello, all upper 90 point stunners. The ’92 (retails $ 175 for a 375 ml half bottle) is superb, btw. And on our way back to the car (time to work off the alcohol, bonus!), we discovered a chestnut tree growing wild, its seed pods bursting. We stopped to collect a few handfuls, and then moved on down the 2812 foot mountain via scenic Indian Creek Trail. But it’s all scenic here, really. As I descend, it’s Steppenwolf’s «Born to be Wild» setting a mighty metronomic pace.
A hale and hearty Halloween hike in a pristine preserved open space with 360 degree panoramic views of the entire Bay area and Peninsula? Plus the free chestnuts and killer red wines? And time to talk, to snap pictures, and admire the views?
Priceless.
And no costumes needed, either.

I hiked here once in early spring two years ago and don’t quite remember all the fine details by now. I was not Unilocaling back then. Luckily I took some photos.
All that I can recall was that it was a very pleasant hike. The beautiful Santa Cruz mountain range presented us with grand vistas of the bay and of the preserve itself. We hiked leisurely for about five or six hours, starting from the parking lot all the way to the top of Black Mountain and back. We descended from the parking lot to the valley below which was cool and shady. As we left the valley and ascended toward Black Mountain, it got steeper and steeper and there was little or no shade for quite some time. Thus, a hat and plenty of water were essential to keep it a pleasant hike.
The spring weather was chilly and hazy in the morning. Gradually the sky turned sunny blue and it became pleasantly warm as we were climbing up. I imagine it can be quite hot in the summer and fall when there is no fog.
I will update with more detail later if I can jog my memory. Noelle did a great job writing a much more informative review than this one. There is also another Monte Bello entry in Unilocal with a few more reviews. (
). In the mean time I let my photos do the rest of my Unilocaling :-)

The World According to Noelle
~Allergic Girl’s Guide to Life~
«Allergy Girl– The Unexpected Hiker.» Noelle W.
Directions From 280 North
–Exit Page Mill Road.
–Turn left onto Page Mill Road.
–Drive about seven miles.
–Destination on left hand side of road.
–Parking lot small (best to carpool)
–One Portable Restroom (no sink for hand washing).
Destination:
Black Mountain
We took a Sunday Hike. We were in rather large group. The journey commenced around 11:15 a.m. It was a bright, sunny and rather warm day. It started at a rather fast clip our hike, until my asthma kicked into play. We slowed down and the rest of the group went ahead. There was some small spots of shade but a good portion of the way to Black Mountain was trekked in the glorious California Sunshine. I was prepared– wearing a dry fit shirt, shorts, a baseball cap, sunblock, hair in pony tail, bottle of HOH in hand.
We trekked:
Canyon Trail
Bella Vista Trail
Old Ranch Trail
Indian Creek Trail
Monte Bello Road
A word to the wise– use the portable restrooms at Old Ranch Trail before going to Indian Creek Trail. Its an extremely steep incline to Black Mountain. We reached Black Mountain and met up with our group. We sat on some rocks and ate our lunch. After lunch we admired the view of the San Francisco Bay albeit a tad hazy. The elevation at Black Mountain is around 2,800 feet. There were a few group photos taken and we made our journey back to the parking lot.
We trekked:
Monte Bello Road
Indian Creek Trail
Canyon Trail
I was elated that Indian Creek Trail was downhill at the start and a good portion of it was in the shade. Do note– there are no trees on Black Mountain ((thus no shade)). Towards the end of Indian Creek Trail there were extremely steep inclinations ((seriously not for the faint of heart)). Along the entire hike I slightly slipped every now and then, but somehow caught my balance. I was wearing leather walking/​tennis shoes (new balance) — which was not good because my soles were smooth. I highly recommend wearing hiking shoes — hiking or tennis like with a sole that can properly grip the different trail surfaces. Not being an expert hiker I was learning much on this journey. The last portion of Indian Trail and the entire Canyon Trail was extremely difficult for me– due to the steep incline and my asthma. My friend was extremely kind and patient making sure we rested so I could catch my breath.
Halfway through Indian Trail we spotted a family of deer– a truly beautiful site to see. Canyon Trail lacked any shade– but there were a few benches where we rested along the way. The landscape on Canyon Trail is dry tall grass and we spotted the occasional California Poppy. The tall grass reminded me of Willa Cather’s book «My Antonia».
There was a point in this hike where I was getting the chills, feeling dizzy and looking pale– which were signs of dehydration. Obviously, I didn’t drink enough water before my hike and what water I did have was drunk exceptional fast due to the hot weather. Perhaps hiking during the time when the sun’s rays are the hottest didn’t help. He told me next time– we can hike in the morning when its cooler (his friend organized this hike). 45 minutes into the hike we almost turned around. I didn’t want to turn around. I wanted to challenge myself. I couldn’t have met the challenge without my friend patiently hiking with me.
We didn’t plan the hike, nor the way we came back to the parking lot. It was extremely challenging– Canyon Trail. The trail markers on the way back were not written very well and at times confusing. When hiking this trail be sure to have a print out of the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve. Sprint and Verizon cell phones do not get reception in most of the Open Space Preserve.
Essentials for people hiking to Black Mountain — Good hiking shoes, lots of water, a hat, sunblock.
Note that the trails to Black Mountain and back are challenging. Taking Indian Creek Trail to Canyon Trail is more difficult than going back via Old Ranch Trail and Bella Vista Trail. Next time I will definitely bring my asthma inhaler and reapply sunblock! I survived the steep, a little over six mile hike– that’s attributed to a little determination and my good friend =) by my side!
Noelle’s Notes
Extremely Beautiful Views of the Bay
and natural open space preserve.
Noelle’s Post Secerts
Sans the sauce =) lol.

Scenic, beautiful, free, low traffic.
Highly recommended. Check out the featured hike at Bay Area Hiker for an especially epic hike:
This may not be the most iconic hike in the Bay Area, but it’s definitely right up there in quality.
Have to love the Bay Area nature. Another great cog in the tapestry of beautiful parks, trails, and protected lands.
Did I mention it’s FREE? That earns it 5 stars.