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They rose out of nowhere as we came up for air after a steep milelong climb: the Coastside’s emerald green rolling ridges. Having grown up on the Peninsula, I’ve seen this view on countless occasions, but it was my first time from this very spot.
The Western Meadowlark Trail is one of four new multiuse trails in the 6,500-acre La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve located above Woodside and Portola Valley. The 6 miles of additions link up to existing trails and lace through the center of Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s second-largest preserve across grasslands and past redwood and oak forests. The area was previously inaccessible to the public.
“One of the main things that is really special about opening these new trails is the connectivity that they take two small, separate trail systems within this very large preserve and connect them into one whole interconnected system,” said Leigh Ann Gessner, a public affairs specialist with Midpen, which owns and manages the preserve.
On the north side of the preserve, hikers can reach the new Coho Vista Trail a mile into the preserve from the small lot on Allen Road off of Skyline Boulevard. Parking on the gated private road can accommodate a half-dozen vehicles. Access is only granted to visitors who’ve acquired a free permit from the district. Permits should be requested at least 48 hours in advance, according to Midpen’s website.
For visitors willing to brave the 1,200 feet of elevation gain (or for those who failed to secure a permit far enough in advance) the free Sears Ranch Road parking on the southern side of the preserve has 23 spots. My hiking partner and I set off from this lot.
Recreation meets conservation grazing
To my delight, there were cows everywhere. Munching away at grass in the distance or staring at us as we circumvented those sitting on the wide trail, unbothered. The occasional calf trotted away as we strolled by. They’re all working cattle, part of Midpen’s conservation grazing program that launched after the agency expanded to the coast in the mid-2000s. The district leases land to ranchers, like ones at La Honda Preserve, “and they are able to continue that Coastside legacy of agriculture,” Gessner said.
It’s also a handy land management tool. The cows mow at the grass, controlling it in ways that fire or natural wildlife herds historically used to, she added.
“So it’s kind of cool for visitors to be able to see it,” Gessner said. “There’s not a lot of places in Midpen preserves where the public access and the conservation grazing are balanced and sharing the same space. This is one of them.”
Hikers walk along the Lonely Forest Trail in La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve in San Mateo County on Jan. 17, 2025. Photo by Magali Gauthier. 
A banana slug slides over needles and leaves on the Lonely Forest Trail in La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve in San Mateo County on Jan. 17, 2025. Photo by Magali Gauthier. 
Shadows on trees seen along the Lonely Forest Trail in La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve in San Mateo County on Jan. 17, 2025. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
Surrounded by our bovine friends, we reached the Lonely Forest trailhead after a quick sunny 1-mile jaunt along Harrington Creek Trail. Here, the footpath gave way from a flat, gravely road to a narrower dirt track snaking around hills as we steadily climbed.
About 15 minutes later, the trail plunged into an intermittently shaded descent that led to the trail’s namesake. We instinctively lowered our voices as the redwoods soared around us like a cathedral. A stream whispered nearby. We sidestepped a banana slug inching its way around fallen needles and leaves.
The corridor through this second-growth redwood grove rose and fell for what felt like half a mile before hitting a winding ascent under a thick oak canopy. It doesn’t take long from here to emerge into the sun and arrive at a gate marking the end of the Lonely Forest Trail.
Choose your own adventure
At this point, visitors on foot can choose their route: Head right onto the Lone Madrone Trail or turn left to begin the Western Meadowlark Trail. The paths are about the same length, forming a 2-mile loop.
However, cyclists must follow the Western Meadowlark Trail and horseback riders are required to use the Lone Madrone Trail. It’s the only part of the new hike system where these distinctions apply, as both the Lonely Forest and the Coho Vista trails allow bike and equestrian use. (It’s worth noting that dogs are not permitted on any of the new hikes.)
We turned right, heading inland in search of the preserve’s 125-year-old Red Barn — I’d been told there’s a unique point of view of the historical landmark from up here. After a steep, short descent, a strenuous milelong climb commenced.
The barn eluded us on this side of the loop, but we were treated to a panoramic vista of the coast at the top. We took a break, crunching away on Fuji apples as we took in the landscape.
“So the terrain is fairly steep,” Gessner said. “But I think our staff just did a really beautiful job at routing the trail to be an enjoyable experience and trying to keep the grade at a comfortable level as much as possible and go by really interesting landmarks and views.”
Here, visitors can continue up the final new milelong hike, the Coho Vista Trail, toward Skyline Boulevard. Feeling satisfied by the vista and mindful of a 49ers game in four hours (plus a one-hour drive home to San Francisco), we decided to forgo this final section and instead headed straight onto the Western Meadowlark Trail.
Low and behold, as we wound around one of the bends on the freshly constructed path, there was the Red Barn, vivid against its forest backdrop. We retraced our steps back to our car feeling we’d seen everything we came for. The roughly 9.5 miles we trekked took us around five hours.
Hikers should note that there is no running water, trash cans or picnic tables at the preserve. There is a dry restroom at the Sears Ranch Road parking lot.
“Midpen embraces a ‘leave no trace’ ethic, so visitors are encouraged to be prepared with what they need for their outing (water, food, clothing, maps etc.) and pack out what they pack in,” Gessner said in an email.
More to come
The new trails were funded by the 2014 voter-approved Measure AA, according to a Midpen press release. The $300 million general obligation bond allows the district to buy open space, protect land and expand public access. Planning for the new trails started in 2022 with construction occurring intermittently in 2024 and 2025.
Midpen has continuously worked on La Honda Preserve since its opening in late 2017, Gessner said. Though new multiuse trails and infrastructure are still years out, she confirmed there are projects in progress, like expanding the Driscoll Ranch public access and connecting it to the preserve’s upper area.
“It’s a wonderful gift these days to be able to get new recreational trails in the Bay Area to explore,” Gessner said.
For more information on La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve, including driving directions from freeways, visit openspace.org/preserves/la-honda-creek.
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