Skyline Ridge covers 2,143 acres of ridge views, meadows, a pond and a lake that draws migrating birds. Wikipedia says the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District preserve has about 12 miles of trails. Some of the land once belonged to James Rolph, who was mayor of San Francisco and later governor of California.

Easy loops

  • Alpine Pond Loop: a short loop around the pond where kids can look for pond creatures. Midpen says it's suitable for wheelchairs and strollers
  • Horseshoe Loop: an easy, gently graded loop around Horseshoe Lake with some paved sections, benches and views
  • Ipiwa Trail: a trek up a section of the Bay Area Ridge Trail with views of the Lambert Creek watershed, Butano Ridge and Portola State Park

Each lake has two picnic tables. The ones at Horseshoe Lake are shaded by oaks, and the ones at Alpine Pond are sunny. Self-guided multimedia nature tours cover Alpine Pond and nearby trails.

Daniels Nature Center

The David C. Daniels Nature Center overlooks Alpine Pond and has hands-on displays for kids and adults. Wikipedia says the Peninsula Open Space Trust helped pay for it. Midpen has posted that the center is closing for the season soon, so check its site before planning a visit around it.

For a longer day, the Ridge Trail continues to Long Ridge Preserve.