The late Spring, early Summer season is the perfect time to hit the trails and ground into great outdoors in your neighborhood.  Start the month off right by celebrating National Trails Day on June 2nd.  National Trails Day is celebrated throughout the United States to promote awareness of the wide variety of benefits that trails provide, encourage people to discover their local trails, raise awareness of trail issues, and instill excitement for the outdoors.   

Find the National Trails Day events closest to you here.

We love to celebrate and explore the incredible abundances of open preserves and trails that surround Skylonda.  With over 20 preserves quickly accessible from the lodge, we have a lot of reasons to be grateful to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District for protecting and maintain 100 of miles of trails for our staff and guests.

Some of our favorites:

• El Corte De Madera Creek (3): our next-door neighbor reserve, El Corte De Madera features miles of lush, canopy covered redwood trails and a number of remarkable features.  One of our favorites, the Tafoni Sandstone Formation, is a collection of large sandstone boulders that have naturally eroded over thousands of years to create small, shallow caves in the rock, as well as lacy “fretwork” resembling a stone honeycomb.

• Purisima Creek Redwoods (13): a local favorite, Purisima Creek Redwoods offers expansive views of Half Moon Bay along ridgeline trails, as well as deep dives into the mountain valley, taking hikers along the soul-stirring Purisima Creek.  This hike features a significant population of Coast Redwoods, one of the oldest species of trees in the world. 

• Russian Ridge (16): offering overviews of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the West and Silicon Valley to the East, Russian Ridge sure to make you smile.  This top-of-the-world, ridgeline preserve features a diverse plant community and is known for its vibrant display of colorful wildflowers.  And because you’ll be way up, it’s one of the best places in the Bay area to see raptors, red-tailed hawks, and other birds of prey.

Guest of the Skylonda Program can expect to have some substantial hiking experiences with the Skylonda Staff during their visit.  Our guided hikes take guests deep into the forest for intentional hikes that stimulate a healthy mind and body.

Sometimes, all you need is to unplug and connect back into the earthy elements.  Our hikes offer this experience with a touch of ease, helping you make the most of your time outdoors.