Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and Equine Trail Access

By Laura Matthews

As a trail rider I cherish the preservation of our land for equine use. I want to share with you some of the things I know about Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (AKA Midpen). The organization was created in 1972 with a purpose of creating a regional greenbelt of unspoiled public open space lands. Currently Midpen has 21 preserves open for us to enjoy with our horses. Of the 220 miles of multi-use trails there are more than 150 miles open for equestrians. Many of the preserves border County, State, and National parks thus increasing the miles we can cover. Most the District’s open space preserves are open to horses. Their maps are well documented and include designated trails for equestrians, parking, and water trough locations.

I hope to give you a brief overview of the preserves that I visit regularly. My goal is to have visited all 21 preserves within two years. I will list all the preserves currently open to equestrians at the end of this article.  Midpen has a very informative and functional website. Check it out at www.openspace.org. I hope you get out to enjoy at least one of these wonderful places and remember that as our State grows these areas will be a greater gift to all who frequent them. So let’s ride!

Rancho San Antonio, Monte Bello, Russian Ridge, Saratoga Gap, Skyline Ridge, and Long Ridge are special because they are all adjacent to one another, and they provide corridors that connect them for equestrian use. This combination of open space will provide you with miles of trails to use and, since it includes a lot of ridge trails, the views are great. The best thing about the ridge trails is that they provide a place to ride when the weather is cool and wet. These trails are dry when everything else is wet and closed, they keep me in the saddle all winter and the early spring months. Equestrian Parking: The Skyline Ridge and Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve have equestrian parking lots. Skyline Ridge will accommodate rigs of all sizes. Rancho San Antonio is smaller but it’s easily accessible from 280.

 Sierra Azul is the largest of the District’s Preserves, it encompasses 18,000 acres. It is divided into four areas: Kennedy Limekiln, Mount Umunhum, Cathedral Oaks, and Rancho de Guadalupe. Kennedy Limekiln and Mount Umunhum are open for equestrian use. There is a trough on the Limekiln Trail and the Mount Umunhum trail for your horse, not potable. These trails are built for the equine athletes of our community, lots of hills and steep declines. There is ridge trail that runs from Los Gatos to Almaden, Woods Trail ends up at Almaden Quicksilver County Park where you can ride it all the way through to Almaden Road. This preserve is a gem for me in the wet months; it’s miles of trails and sweeping vistas that always take my breath away. Equestrian parking: There are choices for parking depending on the area you want to start. Hicks Road has an equestrian lot within Quicksilver. There is limited but available parking on Alma Bridge Road next to Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos. I usually park on the shoulder; there are several wide areas to pull in a rig. There are several parking lots on the borders of this preserve, but they may not all be suitable for your size rig.  Something to try: If you want to ride Point to Point, instead of a loop) there is an equestrian lot at Quicksilver in Almaden and you can get picked up at Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos!

Sierra Azul Kennedy Trail on a wet March day:

Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve will be open for public access beginning June 8. This preserve is home to our friends at Bear Creek Stables, so horses are included in the long-term plan. Approximately 6 miles of new trail will be open for hikers and equestrians.  The Alma College parking lot is under construction now at the preserve entrance, and will include a 50-space parking lot, trailhead, and restrooms. The second-phase plans include a parking lot at Bear Creek Stables to expand public use.  I am fortunate enough to be able to ride through this preserve, and it’s lovely. The long-term plan is to connect this land from Lexington Basin to Skyline-Summit Area. This is to be implemented in three phases, with phase 1 completing in June 2019. This area is rich with history: it began with the Ohlone settlements between “4000 and 7000 years before the present.” In the late 19^th century the Gold Rush created demand for timber, and the Santa Cruz Mountains became a rich supply of lumber. The beauty of this land led to development by wealthy forty niner families. It has gone through many changes, including a trout farm, and an estate that provided bungalows, a mansion, experimental farms, and gardens. The Estate also included a study of horse breeding, which is now Bear Creek Stables. In 1934 the property was purchased by the Jesuit Order for use as Alma College, which was active until 1969. There are remnants of all its incarnations at this wonderful preserve. I hope to provide you with updates as we see the full potential of this place unfold. Equestrian Parking is available by permit only at Bear Creek Stables. Permits are free and available online at https://www.openspace.org/visit-a-preserve/permits

Things to remember before you go:

• Before you go take the time to download and print a map from the Midpen website preserve pages - Go to www.openspace.org Click on What To Do and then choose Equestrian.
• Cell phone reception may not be available, and if you lose or break your phone you’ll be glad for the paper copy. Midpen trail maps are available in GEOPDF© format, even without cell service the maps will work with your GPS signal on your phone, or you can download Avenza Maps, a free mobile app that has all of Midpen-managed preserves.
• Travel with a lead rope or detachable reins, a role of vet tape, consider packing an easy boot or tape should you lose a shoe, a first aid kit is always an added plus and don’t forget water. If you are going out on a long ride, consider a bit of water for your horse. Water is very limited in some of the preserves. Helmets are suggested but not required if you are over 18 years of age.

Equestrian guidelines while you are out on Midpen trails (a complete list of guidelines is available at https://www.openspace.org/):

• When you encounter people on the trail it’s best to inform them the safest way to pass your animal.
• If you encounter a discourteous trail user, it’s best to leave them alone. You never know what’s going on in someone’s life.
• Speed limit is 15 mph (a vigorous canter on my horse) and 5 mph (a trot) on blind turns or when passing. Long lines of sight are best for the canter or lope. No racing or reckless riding permitted.
•  Closed areas are posted for no horses. Off-trail use is strictly prohibited, so don’t get a citation.
•  Equestrians can ride on fire breaks/disc lines.
•  When necessary horses can be tethered to a tree; they should never be loose.
•  Know your and your horses’ limits.
•  Plan your ride, know the trails you’ll be riding, and the mileage. It’s best to leave this with your emergency contact. Carry a card that lists your emergency contact on your person.
•  While on a trail be aware of where you are, and read the gate numbers; they will help in case of an emergency.
•  In the event of an emergency, call the District’s emergency dispatch center at 650-968-4411 or 911.

Note Worthy Items:

There are docent-led rides for equestrians, so check the website. So far this year, there was the Views from the Saddle ride at Rancho San Antonio on April 11^th. This is a leisurely 10-mile ride to look at the early wildflowers and views of the Bay Area. In May there is Aerobics For Your Horse, which features a ride to Mt. Umunhum in the Sierra Azul Preserve. The current calendar is posted at https://openspace.org/what-to-do/calendar Check it regularly. Every month new activities are added.

During the rainy winter months, equestrian trails are often closed. Trail Conditions are updated regularly. Visit the following website to check on closures and scheduled maintenance. https://openspace.org/visit-a-preserve/trail-conditions You can also call the Trail Conditions Hotline at  650-691-2150 (enter option 3) or the District administrative office at 650-691-1200 during regular office hours.

Midpennisula Preserves:

Equine Preserves within Midpennisula:

1   Bear Creek Redwoods * (Closed until late spring of 2019)
2   Coal Creek
3   El Corte de Madera
4   El Sereno
5   Foothills
6   Fremont Older
7   La Honda Creek *
8   Long Ridge
9   Los Trancos
10 Monte Bello **a
11 Picchetti Ranch
13 Purisima Creek Redwoods
14 Rancho San Antonio **b
16 Russian Ridge
17 Saratoga Gap
18 Sierra Azul **c
19 Skyline Ridge **
20 St. Joseph’s Hill
22 Teague Hill

23 Thornewood

24 Windy Hill

Footnotes:
        * Accessible by permit only
        ** Designated equestrian parking available
        a   Available by permit

b   Rancho San Antonio County Park access
c    Almaden Quicksilver County Park access