Foothills Nature Preserve

Daily Vehicle Entrance Fee is As Follows:

• $6 per vehicle (9 passenger or less capacity)
• $30 per vehicle (10-24 passenger capacity)
• $60 per vehicle (25 or more passenger capacity)

Free Entry for Pedestrians and Bicyclists:

• There is no fee for pedestrians and bicyclists. Please note parking on Page Mill Road and other local roadways is prohibited. Vehicles parked illegally may be cited or towed. 

Free Vehicle Entrance Days:

Free entry for vehicles will be granted annually on the following days:

• The 1st Friday in October  
• The 1st Saturday in December
• The 3rd Monday in January
• The 1st Tuesday in March
• The Last Wednesday in April
• The 3rd Thursday in June 

Annual Passes Can Be Purchased the Following Ways:

• Online via the Enjoy Online activities and programs registration site. Purchase your annual pass today!
• By phone, please call (650) 463-4949.
• In person at Lucie Stern Community Center.
• Active military, veterans, students, and people with disabilities: Please 
• Low income visitors: (Apply now for a free annual pass) After application approval, your annual pass can be obtained online, via phone, or in person.

Foothills Nature Preserve Annual Pass

Free Two-Week Vehicle Passes are Available at Palo Alto Libraries:

Starting January 15th, 2025.

• Passes are available at all library locations. 
• Palo Alto residency is not required.
• You must have a Palo Alto Library card to check out a pass. Temporary cards are available.
• Passes may be checked out for a two-week term, they are non-renewable. 
• When staff is present at the Foothills Entry Station, passes must be presented for inspection. 
• When staff is not present, please leave the library pass on the dash of your vehicle or hanging from the mirror where it will be visible to staff checking for parking pass compliance. 

• The land for Foothills Nature Preserve was sold to the City of Palo Alto by Dr. Russel Lee, founder of the Palo Alto Medical Clinic, and his wife Dorothy in 1958, on the condition that it be preserved as open space. The park was formally dedicated in 1965. The Interpretive Center in the park is housed in a building originally built by the Lees as a horse stable. For more information, see the Palo Alto Historical Association's chapter on Foothills Park in their city history.
• On February 21, City Council adopted an ordinance to change the name of Foothills Park to Foothills Nature Preserve. This will take effect April 8.

These are a few of the rules to help everyone enjoy this nature preserve:

• Dogs are not permitted anywhere in Foothills Nature Preserve on weekends or city holidays. Dogs are only permitted on weekdays and must be on a leash under physical control at all times. More information is on our Dogs page.
• Horses are not permitted anywhere in Foothills Nature Preserve. 
• Bicycles are allowed on paved roads only, and not on trails. All bicyclists must wear helmets.
• Coasting devices (i.e., skates, roller blades, scooters, and skateboards) are not allowed in Open Space.
• Fires and barbecues are restricted to designated areas. Staff may restrict usage depending on fire danger.
• Use park barbecues for charcoal fires only; no wood fires.
• No collecting of plants or animals.
• No smoking anywhere within Open Space nature preserves.
• No remote-control devices, for articles such as boats, planes, quadcopters or drones.

For more information, please visit our Rules and Regulations page or contact the rangers at 650-329-2423.

Hiking Trails: There are fifteen miles of hiking trails, which offer a variety of hiking experiences. The longest hike is the Los Trancos Trail, which is 7.5 miles. The Toyon Self-Guided Nature Trail enables you to learn about nature at your own pace. See the Foothills Nature Preserve trail map for more information. 

Lake, Fishing, and Boating: Fishing is permitted in Boronda Lake. All anglers age 16 and over must have a California Sport Fishing License. Fish species in the lake include bass, and sunfish. While swimming is prohibited you may enjoy the lake with your non-motorized and hand-launched boat. Canoes are also available for rent on the weekends and holidays from May 1st to October 31st, weather and staffing permitting. 

Picnic Areas: Five picnic areas are first-come, first-served, and there is one picnic area that is by reservation only. Tables, barbecues, and water are available. Groups at the non-reservable picnic areas may not exceed 24 people (adults and children, residents and non-residents included). Groups of 25 or more people must have a reservation in advance for the Oak Grove picnic area. 

Camping: Towle Camp is a seasonal campground available for tent camping from May 1 to October 31. To make a reservation for camping, use the city's online reservation system. For more information, visit the Foothills Towle Campground page or call 650-329-2423. 

Nature Interpretive Center: The Nature Interpretive Center has exhibits and maps and is the starting point for many nature walks. There is a meeting room available for rent. For more information, see Foothills Interpretive Center Meeting Room Reservation Information.

Nature Programs: Ranger-led activities are available throughout the year in Foothills Nature Preserve. See the Activities and Programs page for more information.

Groups of 25 or more people:

Are prohibited unless they have the following:

• A reservation for the Oak Grove Group Picnic Area (150 People Maximum). Please see the Oak Grove Webpage for more information.

or

• A Special Use Permit (Gathering Permit)

• Weddings and picnic groups of 25 or more must reserve the Oak Grove Picnic Area. Maximum group size for this permit is 100 persons for recreational activities.
• Please contact open.space@cityofpaloalto.org at least two weeks before your planned event to secure a permit.
• there is no fee for this type of permit.

Commercial Use Permit:

Under the authority of PAMC 22.04.160 the city manages all commercial activities on Open Space lands in order to protect our shared natural resources and the enjoyment of all visitors to the preserve(s). This permit is intended to help regulate summer camps, after school programs, or other business ventures on Open Space lands to are in alignment with the department's mission. 

• A fee is assessed based on the Palo Alto Municipal Fee Schedule.
• Commercial Use Permits are not issued for weekends or City recognized holidays.
• Please contact open.space@cityofpaloalto.org at least one month before your planned event to secure a permit.

The Foothills Nature Preserve Dam (Boronda Lake Dam), is an earthen dam that retains water within Boronda Lake for recreational purposes, but it can also serve as a water source for wildland fire fighting. The lake makes Foothills Nature Preserve a community treasure, and means that it comes under State regulations for dam safety.

The State of California classified the dam as a "High" hazard, requiring the City to have an Emergency Action Plan that identifies the hazard, incorporates an inundation model, shares roles and responsibilities of potentially impacted jurisdictions and agencies, and more.

An inundation study completed in 2022 shows potential areas of significant flooding to include land immediately downstream of the dam, at the confluence of Buckeye Creek, and within the footprint of the Foothills Nature Preserve maintenance facility buildings. Flooding in these areas is generally constricted by topographic features such as steep adjacent slopes or man-made features like an existing berm at the Ranger's Workshop. Depths were estimated to reach up to 6 feet, and up to 3 feet within the central meadows of Los Trampas Valley.

The study also shows that potential dam breach flows greater than 1 foot in depth may continue to the confluence of Buckeye Creek with Los Trancos Creek. It also extends downstream to the confluence at Los Trancos Creek and San Francisquito Creek, with flows continuing to slightly before the intersection of San Francisquito Creek and State Route 82 (El Camino Real) in Palo Alto and Menlo Park. Properties adjacent to Los Trancos Creek and San Francisquito Creek could potentially be impacted by the downstream flow of water.