Trail Trek Thursday

Thursday, January 29, 2026

9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Long Ridge Preserve

Approximate Total Miles

7.5

Trail Treks, scheduled on the last Thursday, provide exercise-focused hikes and opportunities to discover Midpen's beautiful preserves.

Join Docent Naturalists Bobbie Riedel, Nick Yatsko, and Nancy Weintraub for a moderately paced, out-and-back trek along the Hickory Oaks Trail and down Ward Road to the Ward Truck Trail. Your route starts off partially shaded but quickly leaves the canopy behind and follows the ridge around grassy hills with views over the forested Santa Cruz Mountains before descending to the boundary of Portola Redwoods State Park. You’ll stop for a lunch before tackling the 1,600-foot climb on the return.

Where to Meet

Meet at Hickory Oaks Roadside Parking; 5.1 miles south of Page Mill Road or 1.3 miles north of Highway 9 on the west side of Skyline Boulevard.

Link to Google Map

To ensure your experience on a docent naturalist outing is enjoyable please review these activity guidelines.

For more information about trail characteristics for this event, check out the Midpen Trail Explorer app. To learn more about ADA accommodations for events, or make an inquiry with the ADA coordinator, visit our Accessibility page.

If your activity requires registration, please be sure to cancel your reservation (from your confirmation email) if you are no longer able to attend so others can participate.

After your participation on a guided activity please share your feedback — your input is meaningful to our volunteers and program staff – thank you!