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Just because it’s a little chillier outside doesn’t mean you can’t bundle up and spend time moving and learning outdoors in Silicon Valley.
From Daly City to Los Gatos, a lot is happening outdoors this winter. Learn about upcoming nature walks, playground reopenings and more below.
Outdoor events
Wellness Wednesdays and woodland creatures-themed weekend, Woodside
Filoli is hosting a monthly series of wellness events on Wednesdays in its garden. There will be two tai chi classes on Feb. 18 and two yoga classes March 18. Filoli’s watercolor workshop in April is already sold out.
Tickets are $20 per activity, but attendees must also purchase Filoli admission for the day of the event. Register at filoli.org/wellness-wednesday.
Filoli will host a woodland creatures-themed weekend Feb. 21-22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with hands-on crafts, storytelling and nature walks.
More information can be found at filoli.org/winter. Cost is included with general admission tickets.
Year of the Horse hike, Redwood City
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with docents Catherine Xun, Jianfei Hu and Susan Dunn on a moderately paced 5-mile hike on the Mindego Hill Trail at Russian Ridge Preserve from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Docents will teach a few simple new year customs and provide a brief history of the Chinese-Californian experience.
The return climb is the steepest section, mainly in the last half-mile. Bring snacks or lunch.
Find more event information at openspace.org/events/guided-activities/year-horse.
Peninsula Open Space Trust’s 2026 hiking calendar
Peninsula Open Space Trust has released its annual hiking calendar, a curated list of 12 hikes across Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties within its parks.
The calendar includes a diversity of landscapes, from coastal views to redwood groves. One excursion is recommended per month. There’s information on each hike’s elevation gain, difficulty level and mileage, along with interesting facts about local plants and animals at each location.
Download the calendar at guides.openspacetrust.org/hiking-calendar-26.
Reopenings
Meadow View playground reopening, San Bruno
Junipero Serra Park’s Meadow View playground in San Bruno reopened Dec. 31 after San Mateo County installed 45-foot-long double slides to replace the original slides built in 2009. The slides are for use for 5- to 12-year-olds, according to a press release.
The county also installed a new play surface throughout the playground, as well as an ADA pathway to support access from the playground to the bathroom.
New Hoover playground ribbon cutting, Palo Alto
Hoover Elementary School in Palo Alto reopened Jan. 22 with a new inclusive playground for K-5 students.
Kindergartners now have a dedicated play space designed for ages 2-5, while older students have a playground for ages 5-12, according to a Facebook post by Specified Play Equipment Company. The playgrounds have swings, climbing structures, slides, play panels, spinners, nature play elements and musical instruments.
Projects in progress
Marchbank Field groundbreaking, Daly City
Daly City held a groundbreaking Jan. 27 for a new state-of-the-art multisport facility at Marchbank Field that will serve students, families and community members.
The city partnered with Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco to fund the $17 million project, which includes all-weather turf, batting cages, improved bleachers for spectators and facilities that will support multiple sports, as well as a new sub-drainage system, field lighting, perimeter fencing and retaining walls, according to construction managers.
“This public/private project represents more than just a refreshed athletic field but is also providing a truly world-class facility for Daly City residents that will serve generations to come,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Dave Canepa in an Instagram post. “Seeing this vision take shape is something our entire community can celebrate.”
Central Park playground renovations, San Mateo
Installation of play equipment is underway at Central Park’s “adventure village” playground located at 50 E. 5th Ave. in San Mateo, according to a January update on the city’s website.
Construction began in June 2025 and is expected to take 18-24 months to complete.
Flood Park improvements, Menlo Park
San Mateo County continues to make progress on Flood Park’s new inclusive playground, with a climbing tower, zip lines, spinners, swings and benches. Slides will arrive soon, according to the county.
The county expects construction to be completed in the spring. In 2025, crews finished building new sports courts, a bike pump track and new picnic areas.
Public access issues
Thornton State Beach, Daly City
Nearly 1,500 people have signed a Change.org petition to restore public access to Thornton State Beach in Daly City.
According to Bay City News Service, a private landowner built a chain link fence that blocks a trail from Olympic Way to the beach, the only form of public access to it.
San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa told the San Francisco Chronicle Wednesday that if the fence is not removed, the city intends to take it down next week.
Find the petition at tinyurl.com/thorntonbeachaccess.
Announcements
County seeks historic status for Sam McDonald Park
On Jan. 6, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution to authorize the county parks director to nominate a 430-acre portion of Sam McDonald County Park to the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1957, conservationist Sam McDonald developed plans to turn his forest property, located 3 miles west of La Honda in the Santa Cruz Mountains, into a community park. He died before realizing his dream, but he donated the land to Stanford University. Stanford sold it to San Mateo County in 1958 for use as a public park. The park opened to the public in 1970.
County Parks Interpretive Park Ranger Katherine Wright said in a press release that McDonald’s life “is inspirational and his desire to protect this natural space and share it with others in the form of a camp or park is why we can experience this beautiful place today.”
Garrison Frost, former director of communications at Save the Redwoods League, said in the press release that “what makes this park unique among others in the region is its origin and the role played by its namesake, an African American man from Louisiana who became something of a legend in the Stanford University community.”
View the nomination form here.
New interim San Mateo County Parks director
Emma Gonzalez became San Mateo County’s interim parks department director on Jan. 5.
She took over for Nicholas Calderon, who was appointed deputy county executive. Gonzalez previously served as the chief and director of Community Affairs and Programming in the County Executive’s Office. She helped lead the 2020 Census, COVID-19 outreach, farmworker housing development and other initiatives, according to the county.
In a statement, Gonzalez said, “I’m excited about the opportunity to work with park staff in continuing to provide the exceptional park services and programs the public relies upon as well as advancing capital projects scheduled for completion in 2026, including facility improvements at San Bruno Mountain State and County Park and the new Flood Park playground in Menlo Park.”
Santa Clara County parks fees changing
The Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department fees for group picnic sites and camping (tents, RVs and yurts only) will change on March 1 because of increased operating costs, according to a press release.
The county noted that pricing is still comparable to other nearby agencies that offer similar amenities.
There are fee discounts when patrons book picnic reservations Monday through Friday from March 1 to Oct. 31, excluding holidays. Reservations made before March 1 won’t be affected by the pricing change as long as no changes are requested.
More information on fees for each location can be found at parks.santaclaracounty.gov/plan-your-visit/fees.
San Mateo County Parks poster contest
The San Mateo County Parks Foundation is looking for three artists to make posters depicting Coyote Point, Devil’s Slide and Sam McDonald Park.
Applications are due March 2. Selected artists will each receive a $2,500 commission.
Apply on the San Mateo County Parks Foundation website at supportparks.org/news/calling-all-artists or contact Leslie Holzman, membership and communications coordinator, at Leslie@SupportParks.org or 650-321-5812.
Controlled burns at Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve, Los Gatos
The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District will conduct pile burns in a closed area of the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve near Los Gatos from February through mid-March. Burning is one of the several vegetation management tools Midpen uses to reduce “fuel loads,” the accumulation of vegetation, to more natural levels. It may happen Mondays through Thursdays until all piles have been burned.
The burns won’t impact open public trails, but smoke may be seen during burn periods. Crews will ignite piles in the morning and monitor them throughout the day to make sure they are fully extinguished by the evening.
Find out more at openspace.org/fire.
Bicycle Sunday canceled on holiday weekends, Cañada Road
Bicycle Sunday, the weekly event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. that allows for non-motorized use of a 3.8-mile segment of Cañada Road along Crystal Springs Regional Trail, will be canceled on holiday weekends in 2026, according to San Mateo County. The closures are to meet increased staffing needs at other parks.
Upcoming cancellation dates:
- Feb. 15 – Presidents’ Day weekend
- May 24 – Memorial Day weekend
- June 21 – Juneteenth weekend
- July 5 – Fourth of July weekend
- Sept. 6 – Labor Day weekend
- Oct. 11 – Indigenous Peoples’/Columbus Day weekend
- Nov. 29 – Thanksgiving weekend
- Dec. 27 – Christmas weekend
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