Palo Alto
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Description: Russian Ridge offers a wide variety of trails from dirt roads to single tracks, and from trails traversing open grass covered hills to trails in full forest shade. Difficulty ranges from easy to very difficult, depending upon the trail. The park also features Boreal Hill, one of the few spots in the Bay Area where there is a 360 degree view including the Pacific Ocean, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the San Francisco Bay. It is a very enjoyable park to ride and one that will meet just about everyone’s skill level.
Russian Ridge is the northernmost preserve in a contiguous series of adjoining Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Preserves and Santa Clara County Parks, and so rides of just about any length can be assembled. Our recommended rides stay inside Russian Ridge, except the Big Ride, which also includes a loop through adjacent Coal Creek Midpeninsula Regional Open Space.
Frequently covered in coastal fog, Russian Ridge can be cool any day of the year and is seldom hot. Restrooms are at the main parking lot and the Audrey Rust parking lot.
During the wet season: The park is open.
Directions: Recommended rides start at the main parking lot on Alpine Road very near the intersection with Page Mill Road and Skyline Blvd., (State Route 35). Google Maps location is here. Audrey Rust parking lot is a second lot on Alpine Road, 1.4 miles west of Skyline Blvd. A third entrance with roadside parking is on Skyline Blvd. 1.2 miles north of Page Mill Rd. A fourth ride-in only entrance is on Rapley Ranch Rd.
