Arastradero Preserve - #ArastraderoPreserve

Norcal - San Mateo County - Palo Alto NickNames: #ArastraderoPreserve

Arastradero Preserve is located between Alpine Rd. and Page Mill Rd, just west of the 280 (technically south of the 280 at this point, but to avoid confusion, it's towards ocean off the 280).

From 280 south, exit Page Mill Rd, and head west. Make a right on Arastradero Rd, and park in the lot on the right side of the street. Alternatively, exit Alpine Rd, and make a left on Arastradero rd.

2 Review(s)Login

• Trail Update6/2008-The last time I went to this trail, workers are pathing the trails and certain parts are really sandy.
  Maddog a 37 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a Cannondale Super V 900 ('98) from Mountain View

  Posted:08/28/2008

• Trail UpdateStanford/Arastradero Loop-This is my mid-afternoon ride from work. I work at Stanford, and take Caltrain to work, which limits me to rides from campus. Arastradero is small, but there is a high singletrack:preserve acerage ratio here, and everything is open to bikes (unless marked closed seasonally).

  You will likely see no one out there, even on nice days, and I have seen wildlife every time I have ridden there: wild turkeys, deer, squirrels, hawks, etc. There is also a *stupid* amount of poison oak starting to sprout, so I suspect it will be an itchy spring.

  Here's the loop:

  Get to the Alpine/Junipero Serra intersection, and head under the 280 on Alpine Rd. Continue on Alpine to Arastradero Rd, make a hairpin left turn. Ride Arastradero Rd. until a trailhead appears on the right side of the street - this is the Woodland Star trail. Make a right on the fireroad, and another right on the Woodland Star ST. This ST will switchback up to the Meadowlark FR. Go L on meadowlark FR, ride this until you reach the second trailhead for the Bowl Loop trail, about 0.5 mi. Make a right on the bowl loop trail, play around on the easter eggs around there, and climb the bowl loop up to the bowl and back down to the first gate of the bowl loop you passed when climbing
  Meadowlark. Make a right on Meadowlark FR, and continue past the bowl loop trail to Woodrat ST. Go Right on Woodrat, ride this down to the Arastradero Creek FR. L on Arastradero Creek, L on Acorn back up to Meadowlark FR, L on Meadowlark, R on Ohlone ST, which drops you to Gate B at Arastradero Rd. There is an unsigned ST used heavily by the equestrian folks to the right of Gate B, take this, and it parallels the road for a long ways - very fun descent. Go right on Portola Pastures ST, climb this back to Meadowlark, L on Meadowlark ST, which dumps you out on Meadowlark FR. Rip down this steep section of the FR to the gate back on Arastradero Rd, make a right on Arastradero, L on Page Mill, under the freeway, make a L on Old Page Mill Rd, and ride this back to Junipero Serra Rd. L on Junipero Serra Rd to get back to where you started.

  Or you can go the link below and figure out your own loop.

  Be the ball.
  
  Ride rating: Intermediate
  Ride distance: a few miles Elevation change: not tons, but enough
  Singletrack=mostly% Dirt Road=a little%
  El Santo URL: Arastradero Map

  Posted:02/17/2005