All activities begin at 9:30 a.m. unless otherwise noted. There are fees for each hike. Please see below.
Saturday, Oct. 9
Angel Island and Blue Angels Air Show
This will be a spectacular day!
We’ll take the ferry from Tiburon to Angel Island, where we will watch the Blue Angels air show. We’ll hike over to the viewing spot, which offers the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop. The hike will be a short one, with limited elevation gain. The path is jogging stroller friendly.
This is one of those very special Bay Area experiences so do not miss out!
Please book your ferry tickets ASAP (the 10 am ferry is now sold out; please let me know if you book for later and I will put together a map of the hike).
Ferry tickets: https://angelislandferry.com/schedule/
Fleet week: https://fleetweeksf.org/
Angel Island State Park: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=468
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Distance: 2-3 miles
Elevation gain: 500 ft.
Est. calorie burn: 500 calories (at least, the apps can’t figure in the weight we carry!)
Manageable for jogging strollers
Kid-friendly features: Planes! Ferry ride! Exploring and playing in the dirt
Bring: Water, blanket for picnic, hat/sunscreen, lunch
Sun? Mostly exposed
Drive: 90 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point (Tiburon ferry): https://goo.gl/maps/PQ3S6JzA9LGWd1tE8
Saturday, Oct. 16
Swing Surprise in Portola Valley
A sweet off the beaten path hike through a forest of blue, black, valley and ancient coastal live oaks and madrones with stunning views of the Santa Cruz mountains. There is a sweet surprise — three swings! — along the route that you won’t want to miss. Plus, Coal Creek, at the trailhead, is flowing — just the right amount for our toddlers to play in. It will be so much fun! Afterward, those who are interested can head to nearby Alpine Inn for a snack (yummy tacos, wood-fired pizza and refreshing juices).
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Distance: 2.2 miles
Elevation gain: 450 ft.
Est. calorie burn: 500 calories (at least, the apps can’t figure in the weight we carry!)
Manageable for jogging strollers
Kid-friendly features: Swings and water play!
Bring: Water, blanket for picnic, hat, mid-morning snack
Sun? Partly shaded
Drive: 25-30 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point (Lake Trail trailhead, Portola Valley): https://goo.gl/maps/CPbSJTZpDwhWqXnXA
Saturday, Oct. 23
Halloween at Deer Hollow
This will be a Halloween costume hike (adults, too!) at Rancho San Antonio. A mostly gentle hike (after the first hill!) through the oaks and grassland to an open-air barn, where we can have a snack/lunch, and then we’ll head to the farm for the annual Spooky Times!*
We can also shorten this hike to 2 miles if the group prefers.
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Distance: 3 miles
Elevation gain: 450 ft.
Est. calorie burn: 400 calories (at least, the apps can’t figure in the weight we carry!)
Manageable for jogging strollers
Kid-friendly features: Visiting the animals at Deer Hollow farm, exploring and playing in the dirt.
Bring: Lunch (we’ll picnic in an open-air barn)
Sun? Partly shaded
Drive: 25-30 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point (equestrian parking lot at Rancho): https://goo.gl/maps/GJaPp6n8dmwtfKfa8
*Tickets for the Spooky Times event: $7 per person, $5 with costume and children under 1 are free. No preregistration required. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 30
Stunning Ocean Views in Pacifica Park, Home to Endangered Species
A short but rewarding hike in Milagra Ridge park that’s home to a number of endangered species, including California red-legged frogs and San Bruno elfin and mission blue butterflies.
Apart from the animals and the views, there are also former military bunkers and a rock spiral for family and kids to explore. There are steps on this hike so strollers are not recommended.
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.4 miles
Elevation gain: 250 ft.
Est. calorie burn: TBD
Strollers are not recommended
Kid-friendly features: Exploring and playing in the dirt, rock spiral, simple art project
Bring: Lunch (we’ll picnic in the park)
Sun? Mostly exposed
Bathrooms: No
Parking: Street
Drive: 40-45 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point (Connemara Dr.): https://goo.gl/maps/CzKxdUdzBVc5dApX8
Saturday, Nov. 6
Chestnuts! Lake! Sublime Fall Hike!
A double header: First, we collect chestnuts at Skyline chestnuts. Then, we head down the road a few minutes to a sweet, sublime hike in Skyline Ridge.
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.4 miles
Elevation gain: Minimal (pretty flat)
Est. calorie burn: TBD
Kid-friendly features: Water, exploring and playing in the dirt, story time
Bring: Blanket for picnic, mid-morning snack, hat/sunscreen
Sun? Trail is mostly exposed
Stroller-friendly? Yes, including double strollers
Bathrooms: Yes
Parking: Yes
Drive: 35 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point (22322 Skyline Blvd La Honda, CA 94020): https://goo.gl/maps/Xo7G9JEDeCTvPYyUA
PLEASE NOTE: The season is short for chestnuts and unpredictable due to drought and wildfire. Last year, visitors swamped the site and chestnuts often were sold out by late morning. Last year’s opening day was around Halloween. If the farm is closed or sold out, we’ll go straight to the hike (meeting point: Skyline Ridge Parking Lot, 22000 Skyline Blvd, Los Gatos, CA 95033). If there is a change to the plan, I’ll send an update in the Mommy & Me Hiking WhatsApp chat.
Saturday, Nov. 13
A City of Monarch Butterflies in the Trees
Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz is one of the popular winter stops for the Monarch butterflies in the Golden State. Officials say that 8,000 Monarch butterflies called the park home in 2016. It is the only State Monarch Preserve in California and is known as a “Monarch maternity ward.” The park offers educational information on the butterflies and their migration, their food sources, life span and more. After our hike through the Monarch trail, we’ll head to the beach for a picnic and to check out the tidepools. It will be a terrific day out for the family!
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1 mile
Elevation gain: Minimal (pretty flat)
Kid-friendly features: Water, exploring and playing in the dirt, story time
Bring: Beach items like a tent, blanket for picnic, lunch, hat/sunscreen, swim clothes
Sun? Partly shaded
Stroller-friendly? Challenging in some places due to rocky terrain
Bathrooms: Yes
Parking: Yes
Drive: 50 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point (parking lot): https://goo.gl/maps/bRu4nAzNkcjNti2e6
State parks entry fee: $10
Saturday, Nov. 20
Towering Redwoods in a Shaded Sanctuary
Many of my hiking regulars know how much I love Wunderlich Park! The sun peeking through the forest, the familiar scent of the Redwoods, the trail carpeted with Redwood needles … the lovely meadows and awesome wildlife, including deer, snakes and bunnies. Once under the Redwood canopy, you feel as if you’ve entered a sanctuary. The park was once part of the Folger family ranch, and you can see some of the estate stable and other buildings as we begin our hike.
There are several options for our hike. We’ll go for the shortest and see if the group wants to carry on further.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 2.9 miles
Elevation gain: 650 feet
Kid-friendly features: Exploring and playing in the dirt, story time, simple art project (sunprints)
Bring: Blanket for picnic, lunch, hat/sunscreen
Sun? Partly to mostly shaded
Stroller-friendly? Challenging in some places due to rocky terrain
Bathrooms: Yes
Parking: Yes
Drive: 25-30 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point (lower parking lot): https://goo.gl/maps/zCk9dBUAE56quwW96
PLEASE NOTE: Parking is limited at Wunderlich. I recommend carpooling and/or getting there early. If we can’t find parking, we’ll head over to nearby Thornewood park and do the 2-mile hike from the lower parking lot. If there is a change to the plan, I’ll send an update in the Mommy & Me Hiking WhatsApp chat.
Friday, Nov. 26
#OptOutside on Black Friday at Saratoga’s Enchanting Villa Montalvo
Spend Black Friday in the great outdoors with family and friends, burning off some of that Thanksgiving meal and enjoying what nature has to offer.
A lovely hike through an enchanting Redwood grove at Villa Montalvo. Signs with motivational sayings inspire you on the climb to the lookout point, where you’ll get a stunning view of the Silicon Valley.
Afterward, we can enjoy a picnic and story time on the lawn, and the kids can play in the mermaid water fountain or families can do a simple art project. Last time, there was a free small art exhibit on the lawn.
Hike has steep initial climb to an amazing viewpoint, then is downhill/flat the rest of the way.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 2 miles
Elevation gain: 400 ft.
Est. calorie burn: 400 calories (at least, the apps can’t figure in the weight we carry!)
Kid-friendly features: Water, lawn, story time, simple art project
Bring: Kid swimwear, change of clothes, blanket for picnic, hat and Thanksgiving leftovers
Sun? Mostly shaded
Stroller-friendly except for some steps plus a few sharp descents (not suitable for double strollers)
Bathrooms: Yes
Parking: Yes
Drive: 25 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point is parking lot 2: https://www.montalvoarts.org/visit.html
Saturday, Dec. 4
The San Andreas Fault Splits this Otherwise Tranquil Preserve in Los Trancos
This is one of those hidden gems nestled between Foothills and Monte Bello. Almost entirely shaded, except for a few stretches of sun in the beginning and the middle, it’s home to a quiet forest of oaks, madrone, Douglas firs, Steller’s Jay and mule deer, and so much more! The San Andreas Fault, one of the world’s longest and most active faults, also splits the preserve, and will learn about some of the geologic findings by a local professor and his students.
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.4 miles
Elevation gain: 320 ft.
Est. calorie burn: 340 calories (at least, the apps can’t figure in the weight we carry!)
Kid-friendly features: Story time, simple art project, exploring and playing in the dirt at our picnic spot
Bring: Blanket for picnic, hat and Thanksgiving leftovers
Sun? Mostly shaded
Stroller-friendly except for some steps plus a few sharp descents (not suitable for double strollers)
Bathrooms: No (but a few minutes drive away at Monte Bello park)
Parking: Yes
Drive: 25-30 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point (Los Trancos Roadside on Google): https://goo.gl/maps/eNs7qNbAZhCEBnsZ8
Saturday, Dec. 11
Oceanic Sandstone, a 1,700-Year-Old Redwood and a Memorial
A 3-mile hike to sandstone formed when this preserve was under the ocean (!), a 1,700-year-old Redwood, and the site of a tragic plane crash in the 1950s. We’ll picnic and I’ll do story time.
For those who are interested, we will stop afterward at iconic Alice’s Restaurant for a snack. The kids can play on the lawn there and in the water fountain.
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3 miles
Elevation gain: 500 ft.
Kid-friendly features: Exploring and playing in the dirt at our picnic spot, story time. Water play at Alice’s
Sun? Partly exposed
Bring: Blanket for picnic, lunch, hat/sunscreen
Stroller friendly
Bathrooms: No (but at main parking lot a mile down the road)
Parking: Yes
Drive: 35 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point: CM02 on this map or input Methusaleh tree into Google maps
Saturday, Dec. 18
Newborn Elephant Seal Pups, Mating Battles in Año Nuevo
We live in such an amazing corner of the planet! From December through March, northern elephant seals come ashore in Año Nuevo to give birth and mate. Bull seals engage in battles to establish dominance and for breeding access to females. Elephant seals can make sea lions seem tame. Once an endangered species, elephant seals number around 200,000.
I am working with the state park service to see if we can get a guided tour for our visit. The only way to see elephant seals during this time of the year is on a guided hike, which usually lasts about 2 hours and can be 3-4 miles long. I’ll try to get ours to be little-kid specific (shorter tour). There is a a lot of great information on the California State Parks website.
Afterward, those who are interested can go to the lovely town of Pescadero, which is home to an incredible woodworking shop (Made in Pescadero), a 130-year-old tavern serving delicious food (some grown in their garden, Duarte’s) or buy artichoke bread at Arcangeli’s.
This is another must, must see! Please RSVP by Oct. 29 so I can give the state parks a headcount.
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3-4 miles (will finalize with state parks)
Elevation gain: To be determined
Kid-friendly features: Animals! Sounds, sand and fun
Sun? Exposed
Bring: Snacks, hat/sunscreen (Parks ask that you don’t bring umbrellas or food, and strollers can only be used for about the first mile)
Stroller friendly
Bathrooms: Yes
Parking: Yes
Drive: 70-80 minutes
Meeting point: https://goo.gl/maps/Cton8JjD9BzNfw1x8
State parks entry fee: $10
Saturday, Jan. 8
A New Year in Muir Woods: Taking a Lesser Traveled Route to the Giants
No one wants to fuss with parking and reserving a shuttle to Muir Woods. Years ago, I found a back way in that does require some hiking. We’ll start with a panoramic view of Muir Woods and then head down into the forest. The trails are narrow with some hairpin turns so I do not recommend strollers, front-facing carriers or backpack carriers are the best.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 3.8 miles
Elevation gain: 735 ft.
Kid-friendly features: Exploring the Redwoods and playing in the dirt
Sun? Partly exposed
Bring: Blanket for picnic, lunch, hat/sunscreen
Strollers not recommended
Bathrooms: No (at main park entrance)
Parking: Yes
Drive: 35 minutes from Mountain View
Meeting point: https://goo.gl/maps/dmNDZPevpoPRKSYr7
PLEASE NOTE: If we need to switch to another trail, the alternate is nearby Tennessee Valley, where a 2-mile hike takes you to an incredible beach (R/T 4 miles).
FEES
$35/drop-in
$120/passbook of four hikes
If you are a lifetime member of Blossom Birth, you can 10% off a drop-in or a passbook. If you are not a member of Blossom Birth, they are offering $10 off of their lifetime memberships. Learn more.
*Schedule subject to change due to weather, fire
Mommy & Me Hiking 