Dog-friendly hike — YESSS. 5 stars for Rachelle R. who posted a photo of the entrance — we would have definitely missed it, otherwise. The poorly-marked entrance is likely also what keeps this hike so great. The trail is not as populated as others in the area, which means you can have a very peaceful time here. The lot fits only 5 – 6 cars, so I’m sure that helps, too. Very happy to have found this place. Coming from CO, we struggled to find a pet-friendly hike, even on-leash. Woodside is one of my favorite areas to hike, so being able to bring along the four-legged kids makes this trail my favorite of all.
Erika L.
Place rating: 5 San Carlos, CA
I am kind of hesitant to give this park a five star rating as I love this place; I love that it is quaint and that it is not innondated with people. The park has two entrances. It is located in in a dale which supports a beautiful costal redwood ecosystem. From the bottom, the trail is a about a mile to the top. Also, it is important to stay on the trails or you may find yourself in someone’s back yard.
Stephanie l.
Place rating: 3 San Francisco, CA
This is a beautiful little trail, but I probably won’t take my two dogs here again. The trail is surrounded by massive amounts of poison oak, and even though the dogs were on leash, there was no avoiding it, as the trail is pretty narrow. I also pulled a total of eight ticks off of them when we got home. Maybe in the winter when the poison oak has died back a bit???
Rachelle R.
Place rating: 5 Belmont, CA
I went on a hike with my friend and our dogs last weekend and I was so happy we decided on Thornewood. We missed the entrance on the first pass but we’re able to find it once we turned around(look for the red brick entrance). The parking lot was pretty small but luckily there were only two other cars on the lot. The hike was so beautiful, there were wild flowers on the side of the trail and it was much greener at the start of the trail than I expected. Once we got a bit farther on our hike we were in the trees and the flowers and greenery began to fade, but it was just as beautiful in my book. My dog might have enjoyed this hike more than I did because we saw three other dogs on the trail. I highly suggest Thornewood for your next hike with your dog!
Juliana C.
Place rating: 3 San Jose, CA
Cute short walk with a couple of key benefits… It’s short, so low-impact hikers, kids or newbs need not stress. It’s a good length for small dogs who might normally find any«hike» proper to be too long. There’s one lovely spot mid-walk with a big view of the Bay and Stanford, lovely(nowhere to sit really but the view is still good). Lastly, the dense redwoods upon arrival at «the lake» are very pretty and you’re far enough away that you get a nice dose of woodlands quiet. The less than lovely things — not deal killers but unhelpful… First, remember that in Fall when we all love to hike the hills, the«lake» is really a soupy, green hole of standing water… possibly more algae than water really. It’s just nature being nature, but it’s best you don’t expect a «lake» per se. Second, there is nowhere at all to lay a blanket or sit. The one area at «the lake» that would be good for that has been«closed for restoration.» People are ignorning the sign, but it’s effective enough. The message is «Keep moving.» So this isn’t a place to bring a sandwich and sit down, even a little. You’ll feel like you’re sitting in the way of hikers… whether or not any come by. It’s quiet, so it has that advantage.
Paulina T.
Place rating: 4 San Jose, CA
I like this hidden gem found up & down windy roads. FYI, after you find the narrow brick entrance, it’s a narrow lane that really only fits one car that leads you to the parking lot. Watch out for cars coming the opposite way. The lot realistically only fights 6 – 7 cars. Great trails for quick hikes. There’s really no way to get lost, which is always a plus! :)
E B.
Place rating: 4 Granada Hills, CA
Great, short, super easy, dog friendly, well marked 2.5 mile-ish rt trail. I’m mostly writing this review because I found a map of the area & a great description of how to find the entrance(that I’ve copied below). Access to the preserve is through a brick gate on the south side of La Honda Road(Highway 84), 1.6 miles past its intersection with Portola Road in Woodside. A narrow driveway winds through the woods for 0.3 miles before reaching the parking lot located on the west side of the driveway. Parking for approximately 12 cars is available here.
Monica S.
Place rating: 4 Redwood City, CA
This place is *so* easy to miss — the brick gate looks like the entryway to an estate(it is) and the sign that designates this as a park is practically hidden behind the gate. However, if you are able to find this place, you’ll discover a pleasant tiny park with a short pond hike and a slightly longer bridle trail into the redwoods. We like this place for its dog-friendliness, although we choose one of the other nearby parks when we are looking for a more substantial hike.
Jen M.
Place rating: 4 South San Francisco, CA
This was a pretty good hike that is fairly close to home, making it a nice getaway for a few hours. A few hills but not at all difficult. I took the trail to Schilling Lake. It’s cool to see such huge redwoods, and the lake itself seemed quite serene and quiet. The trail is all dirt, and was quite muddy when I was there due to recent rains. You can take your dog here, which makes it more fun for me but do note that you MUST pick up after your dog and take it home with you — there are no trash cans. Also — be aware that there are ticks! One of them hopped on for a ride home, but I was able to pull it out of my dog before it did any damage. Other Unilocalers’ directions are great — exit Woodside Road and go west for about 4.7 miles, where you will see the brick gates on the left. Parking lot is small, but there was only 1 other car when I was there.
Esther S.
Place rating: 4 Sunnyvale, CA
Wow only 2 other reviews of this place! What a hidden gem. Found this place off of the Open Space Preserve website– dogs allowed. A bit hard to find– look for a brick gate opening that looks like the entrance to a house at the address provided. Parking: Pretty limited to about 5 spaces, one of them being a handicap space but the two times I’ve been there aren’t many people. The Hike: Beginning is a bit boring but what makes this place 4 stars is the redwoods park after a mile into the hike. There’s a small lake and lots of redwood groves(still fairly young compared to other places like Santa Cruz) but still very beautiful and peaceful. Not a very big park but enough for a few hours of easy hiking and lots of places to stop and enjoy the surroundings. There are houses/private property surrounding the park and both times I’ve been someone was playing some saxophone which I really like and just added to the whole experience. I will be back =)
Glaciala A.
Place rating: 4 Providence, RI
Short hike(about 3 mimles round trip with all the different side trails). Great place to park is either off of 84 or off old la honda road. Great groves of redwood trees, saw a family of deer, a banana slug, and heard some hawks. The lake is small, but cute and you’ll be sure to see the local wildlife. Well worn paths as well which makes it easy to find the trails.
Harper L.
Place rating: 4 Menlo Park, CA
Hidden away off La Honda, Thornewood Open Space Preserve is a gem for those who crave a short hike paired with a little cardio tease and calf-work. There are two trails that I am aware of: One will bring you to a serene and modest lake and the other will bring you deep into a descent towards Old La Honda Road where you will cross a wee stream. The abundance of redwood trees can almost fool you into thinking you’ve hiked out far into the woods, but nonetheless very scenic and refreshing for city folk. As for the walk back to the main entrance, it can be challenging if you’re hightailing your return. The terrain is windy and the ground elevation often fluctuates, so mind the rocks and tree roots because they do enjoy giving you a good tumble or spill. Other facts: 1. Dogs on leads permitted 2. Brick entrance almost camouflaged from view, located at a sharp hook in the road 3. Parking lot with very limited spaces 4. Poison oak along trails 5. Mountain lions hunt from dusk to dawn 6. Sunset around 20:17 in the summer
Katie B.
Place rating: 4 Redwood City, CA
Want to go for a beautiful hike surrounded by towering redwoods and trickling creeks, but don’t want to have to drive to SC, Marin, or La Honda? This convenient hike is right off Portola Road in Woodside, and a beautiful place to take your pups for a nice, brisk hike in what feels like is a mini Muir woods. It’s relatively short(1.3 miles) and there is only one trail. It’s another great local hike for me and my doggies.
Dan B.
Place rating: 3 Redwood City, CA
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( ). 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
