What? :
This open space preserve is a nice section of the skyline ridge trail.
The landscape has many open space grass landscape with viewpoints to the ocean at the west and some forest trails. you can also hike here in the forest and along the nearby creeks.
This is a perfect destination for a spring afternoon, many flowers at the grasslands and sunset views to the west.
Where? :
The best way to access this open space is to park your car at Hickory Oaks Trail Head on the side of 35 road, this is 1.6 miles north of Saratoga Gap (only few parking spots are available on the road side).
My Thoughts:
I really like this park and visited here many times.
The small parking near the road indicate that you will see only few other visitors.
The hike is a good combination of forests, hills, open sections that provide vista landscape viewing points (good location for sunset...).
I also used to come as part of mountain bike rides, starting at Saratoga gap all the way to the Russian Ridge park.
The Hikes:
From
the roadside parking on highway 35 you can go west into Long Ridge Preserve section or east, down into Upper
Stevens Creek County Park.
Usually when I'm here I heading west and north.
Long Ridge Preserve
Start from hwy #35 gate and reach Hickory Oaks trail.
Turn right and walk from here as far as you want.
If you will turn here left a 1.7 miles hike will take you to Saratoga Gap junction.
A recommended 2-3 hr hike:
Take Hickory Oaks trail north, after 0.2 mile take left on the fork and reach the first viewing point.
Keep north on Hickory Oaks trail and keep going on the ridge (do not go down), trail is connecting to Long Ridge rd.
Keep walking on Long Ridge trail, you can find many viewpoints along this trail section.
The trail will go down and will connect to Peters Creek trail.
Here
you start to hike back, just keep going on Peters Creek trail south, you will reach a small pond
and the trail will turn right and climb back to Long Ridge Rd.
Turn left
on Long Ridge Rd. and hike back all the way to your parking spot.
Another option to explore is to take the Ward Rd Trail that is going all the way down to Ranch Spring Trail loop. This is a nice loop in deep forest but after finishing the loop section you need to hike back to the ridgeline.
from here you can even keep going down the ridgeline and find the trail that connect you to State Creek trail that will lead you to Portola Redwoods State Park.
This is less visited section of the preserve and you probably will not see other hikers here.
Upper Stevens Creek County Park access:
This remote and not so much visited section of the park is accessible by Table Mountain Trail or Charcoal Rd trail.
Trails are going steeply down from the ridge into the canyon below.
It is a very steep climb up on your way back.
The trail keeps going down all the way to Stevenses Creek water crossing where it connected to Canyon Trail.
www:
https://www.openspace.org/preserves/long-ridge
Map:
https://www.openspace.org/sites/default/files/map_LR.pdf
Additional Pictures:
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