Ever thought of going for a run along the San Andreas fault? Maybe it’s not your first choice in case Mother Nature decides to shake things up, but there are plenty of places to run in the Menlo Park area. Whether you’re looking to hit the pavement or nature trail, here are some fun options.
Running Trails in Parks and Open Spaces
Courtesy of Trailstompers, the Bay Area’s most comprehensive online guide for trail running and hiking, these are the Peninsula parks and open spaces where you’ll want to run. “From redwood forest to open grassland, shaded gulches to ridge top vistas, the Peninsula has it all.” And you don’t have to go far—they are just outside Menlo Park.
- Palo Alto Baylands Preserve (Palo Alto)
- The Stanford Dish (Palo Alto)
- Pearson-Arastradero Preserve (Palo Alto)
- Los Trancos Open Space Preserve (Palo Alto)
- Palo Alto Foothills Park (Palo Alto)
- Coal Mine Ridge & Portola Valley Ranch Trails (Portola Valley)
- Coal Creek Open Space Preserve (Portola Valley)
- Pescadero Creek County Park & Portola Redwoods State Park (Portola Valley)
- Windy Hill Open Space Preserve (Portola Valley)
- El Corte De Madera Creek Open Space Preserve (Portola Valley)
- Wunderlich County Park (Woodside)
- Huddart County Park & Phleger Estate (Woodside)
- Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve (Woodside)
- Edgewood County Park and Preserve (Redwood City)
- Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve (Redwood City)
- McNee Ranch State Park & San Pedro Valley County Park (Pacifica)
- San Bruno Mountain State and County Park (Daly City)
Explore with this interactive map and find all of the favorite runs listed by difficulty.
Running Clubs
If you want to experience all the best routes with other runners, train for a marathon or simply get in on the best races and events in town, join a running club. You’ll find something for all ages and abilities:
Don’t forget about the San Andreas…
If you really want to step foot on the 810-mile San Andreas Fault, try the San Andreas Fault Trail at Los Trancos Preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Palo Alto. If you go to Montebello Open Space Preserve in Palo Alto, you’ll even see it emerging above the sag pond. Both spaces offer amazing trails and views, so you definitely won’t be disappointed.