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    Thornewood Preserve

    4.2 (30 reviews)

    Thornewood Preserve Photos

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    Chris L.

    Thornwood preserve is a small, yet pleasant area for a short hike. There are just a few trails here. They are reasonably easy to hike, so good for beginner hikers. After the entrance, there is a windy, paved road to take you to the parking lot. There are only spaces for about 12 cars. The entrance is off a super windy road. Be careful about all the bikers. The day that I visited, on a Saturday, there were tons of bikers everywhere. Note that no bicycles are allowed on the trails. As far as I can see, there are no facilities or drinking faucets here. So overall, a pleasant place to visit, but honestly, not anything special.

    Easy walk and mostly shaded
    Roy A.

    Careful to not pass up the entrance on the winding road. Great small trail. Mostly covered by the shades of trees on a sunny day. The redwoods are beautiful. The highlight is the lake which is at the dead-end. More of a pond than a lake. This is very short trail but rewarding if you like nature.

    One of the redwood groves on the Bridle Trail.
    Ron L.

    I've seen the little sign for "Thornewood Open Space Preserve" many times when driving up Highway 84 toward Skyline. Finally, curiosity got the best of me, and I went in one December morning. The Thornewood Preserve is a little piece of land with a thick, deep, overgrown forest of laurel. You're never really away from civilization: if you park in the lot off Hwy 84, you can hear the traffic when you first start hiking, and at one point, you can see the houses from the surrounding private property. And there are only two trails here. Schilling Lake is not really taken care of. Hence, the three star rating. Still, it's a pleasant getaway. The Bridle Trail angles up from Old La Honda Road to the Schilling Lake Trail, but not too steeply. It takes you through a nice redwood forest, and this is my favorite part of the park. I ended up stopping at the base of one redwood tree, spent some quality prayer time here. Note that this was once the estate of Julian Thorne, hence the brick gateway at 895 Hwy 84. His house is off limits to the public. Another note: It appears that you can take tiny Grandview Drive, and then turn onto Espinosa Road, and this dead-ends near Schilling Lake. I don't know if you can get in legally from this spot. Not a lot here at Thornewood, and not much chance to hike off all that food you ate at Alice's. But it's enough to give you a nice retreat if you're in the area.

    Allows dogs.
    Joyce H.

    I love checking out Open Space Preserves and Local Parks. This one was really cool because it was filled with amazing redwood trees and maples. Thornewood is a 167-acre preserve but only contains two hiking trails: Schilling Lake trail and Bridle trail. The trails are well maintained, easy to follow and so worth checking out. The lake is currently filled with what looks like red algae (Sept. 2019) but it's still pretty neat to see. If you start at the main parking lot and do both trails and back, it makes a great 5k hike. Doggy friends are welcome on these trails, if they are on-leash. It's also open to horses.

    Only 0.7 mi to Schilling Lake 5-29-21
    Korina Y.

    5-29/21 The entrance to the park is easy to miss . Right off 35 just around the bend on this winding road. You'll see brick walls( there's a small sign ) , that's where you turn off. The road to parking is very narrow barely one car fits , but it's supposed to be two -ways . Parking lot is small , maybe it's for less than 10 cars . Don't let that deter you from hiking here because it's an easy 0.7 mile to the Schilling Lake ( which is more like a small pond ) but the view of the bay from the trail is well worth it. You can clearly see the Stanford Hoover Tower from some area of the trail on clear days. This trail was busier than I thought , I wasn't expecting to see anybody but maybe saw about 20 people. I am not sure if you can call schilling lake a lake , it's really a small little pond but the area near the pond is really pretty with tall redwood grove. It's worth a stop after hiking at El Corte de Madera Preserve since it's close by , and off same road (35). Trail rating : 7/10 Hikers : around 20 Deer : 0 Kids friendly but NOT stroller friendly Distance : 1.4 mile out and back to the end of the trail

    Free parking
    Ann L.

    Thornewood OSP is a small park in Woodside, they have FREE parking, look for the brick wall marked 895-897, you'll see park sign, and parking is enough for about 12 cars. I recommend parking at Old La Honda Rd but that's not an official parking and maybe only 3-5 cars can park on that Fire Road Entrance. If you park at Old La Honda Rd you walk uphill along the trail, then you can go to Schilling Lake, then it's all Downhill back to the car. We parked at the 895-897 entrance and did the Schilling Lake first, it's more a swamp, no swimming & no fishing. It's protected for the ducks & birds. Then we did the Bridle Trail which was all downhill, near the bottom is a seasonal waterfall from the Creek, then saw the parking. There is only 2 trails at this park, so we had to walk back Uphill to get the car. No bathrooms & No drinking water. Dog on leashes are allowed here.

    Entry way
    Angelica A.

    Beautiful small hidden location tends to be a bit dark because of so many trees to cover shade. Theres a small space for free parking inside. Great private location if u want something not as popular as other locations

    Foresty trail
    Lucy H.

    Such a wonderful place to go hiking. We found a banana slug and and the trees were super Duper pretty like really pretty. My dog enjoyed the hike very much we would definitely go back again when it's less muddy there's also a couple of little ponds everywhere and it has such a majestic forest feel I would definitely go back again.

    The entrance isn't exactly obvious!
    Dan B.

    Thornewood is a tiny open-space preserve just above the Valley of Woodside. A short hike (under a mile) will bring you to a small lake surrounded by redwoods. A good choice for those in need of a short but sweet getaway. Another trail (the bridle trail) leads downhill from the lake area, through redwoods and eventually down to old La Honda Rd. where there is a little roadside parking. Dogs are permitted, but only on a leash. The parking lot holds about 10 cars. The main entrance is hard to find! Look for a brick gate structure marking the entrance road off La Honda Rd (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/thornewood-open-space-preserve-woodside?filter_by_userid=True&select=1AniFyX2i2LvlKA2565FrA&userid=ZXNwO2bY3QTYP0k_5bhG1A#MzHp_LInNW1nzvLFxB98BA). The park label is visible only after you enter. Hiking Spot Checklist: -- Parking: Small paved lot inside main entrance -- Bathrooms: No -- Potable water: No -- Maps provided: No -- Highlights: Lake My Peninsula Hike Collection is here: (https://www.yelp.com/collection/qBI6U6Lz9LJQjnGjFW6ubg)

    This is the entrance. Don't miss it!

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    Ask the Community - Thornewood Preserve

    Review Highlights - Thornewood Preserve

    Lovely hidden trail with beautiful views and a true forest bathing vibe.

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    Wunderlich Park - Museum

    Wunderlich Park

    4.2(130 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    Hiked at Wunderlich Park on a sunny Saturday in March! We used AllTrails for directions and we…read morereached around 9am - to our surprise, the parking lot was full by then so definitely recommend coming earlier. There were multiple cars circling around looking for a spot as well. We ended up waiting about 30 minutes before parking. We did the Bear Gulch and Alambique trail clockwise. There are some brief steep sections, but for the most part, the trail was moderate in terms of difficulty. We didn't encounter too many people despite all the cars in the lot. We spotted a small snake on the trail and there was a lot of horse manure on the Alambique portions, so we had to watch our step closely. The trail was mostly shaded which was nice, but there wasn't much of a view. Overall, the trail was well marked and maintained (minus the manure on Alambique). Good hike for a sunny day, but the parking lot situation could be improved.

    EXPERIENCE I recently visited Wunderlich Park to visit…read moretheir museum and carriage house. I didn't go for an extensive hike but want to return someday to do so! STARS (stand out qualities) -Beautiful and well maintained park -Well preserved historical site STAIRS (areas of growth) -More signage clarifying which of two entrances to enter at TIPS -Parking is limited so good to carpool or come during weekday if you can -Try signing up for tour. I learned interesting history of Chinese laborers!

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    Huddart County Park

    Huddart County Park

    4.2(140 reviews)
    3.8 mi

    I've visited the three parks in the area, Huddart, Wunderlich, and Edgewood, and Huddart is my…read morefavorite of the three. That said, all three are great and you will not go wrong with going with one over the other. Huddart is nice because it has beautifully maintained trails that are surrounded by heavily wooded redwood trees. I came across numerous deer at the upper elevations and there were a bunch of huge banana slugs. The trails are mostly easily-walkable trails. I run on a regular basis on city streets, so even for me who does occasional hikes, it can get your heart pumping on the ascents. So if you want to spend a couple of hours here, you may want to make sure you have reasonable cardiovascular stamina before going deeper into the trails. Wunderlich has some pretty long, steep ascents, whereas Edgewood is probably the easiest to hike of the three. Huddart is in the middle. The place also a lot of picnic grounds and looks like it can be reserved for parties/get togethers. There is a six dollar cash entry fee (per car), but if you are a senior you don't have to pay. Definitely will be going back to Huddart.

    I have lived in the Bay Area for over 20 years but never had the opportunity of visiting Huddart…read morePark until we were invited to a friend's kid's birthday party there. Huddart Park is such a great place if you're craving redwoods, fresh air, and well-maintained trails. The hiking options are great for all levels, with shaded paths, peaceful scenery, and plenty of spots to stop and take it all in. The picnic areas are spacious and well-kept, making this an easy choice for a relaxed day out with friends or family for a visit or a celebration. It never feels overly crowded, and the overall vibe is calm and refreshing--perfect for unplugging for a few hours. Whether you're hiking, picnicking, or just looking for a quiet place to reset, Huddart Park is a reliable favorite and absolutely worth the visit.

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    Huddart County Park - Stinky horse!

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    Thornewood Preserve - parks - Updated May 2026

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