View Stanford Dish - September 2012 in a larger map
What
- Hiking
- View of the Bay Area, Dumbarton Bridge
- Wildlife - Squirrels, Lizards
More Info
- Free admission
- No restrooms
- No biking
- No dedicated parking space
I
had been planning to hike the Stanford Dish for a very long time and jumped up
and down merrily when a meeting invite that read “Annual Company Hike –
Stanford Dish” came to my calendar. Believe it or not, I was on the fence until
30minutes before everyone stepped out to carpool to the Dish. I knew that the
trail is not shaded and I did not really want to hike in the hot sun and get
burnt. But, as I know “me”, I came prepared with my sunscreen lotion, cap and
comfortable clothing and on the whim decided to join the group.
Stanford
Dish Trail
Length:
3.5 miles; Elevation: 515 feet; Time: 1.5 hours; Difficulty: Easy
There
are a few entrances to the park; we parked at the intersection of Junipero
Serra Blvd and Stanford Ave. There is no dedicated parking lot, so one needs to
find parking on the streets. Several streets have permit parking, so unless you
want to get your car towed you do not want to park there. Parking is really a devil
of a job.
Stanford Dish trailhead |
The
trail started with a fairly steep and continuous ascend for a while and in a
few minutes we were at an elevation, looking at the beautiful Bay Area. It so happened
this was the day that the Endeavor Space Shuttle was flying over the Bay Area
to Los Angeles. At exactly 10.30am, we saw the space shuttle flying all the way
from Redwood City to the south.
Hazy View of Endeavor Space Shuttle |
After
watching the space shuttle fly by, all of us in the group started together and
eventually everyone got split up into smaller groups. The trail soon split into
two and we took the one to the left. After the first steep ascend, the trail
was so gradually ascending that I hardly noticed. I was so keen on looking
around and trying to identify landmarks that I knew and taking pictures. The
Dumbarton Bridge was clearly visible from the trail. I even captured a hazy
view of the iconic Oracle buildings in Redwood City.
Stanford Dish |
The
trail is mostly barren and not rich in wildlife. However, there were lots of
squirrels running around everywhere. The Dish could also be seen from several
points in the trail.
After
crossing the Dish, the trail gradually descended. I thought I almost reached
the parking lot and thought that the hike was a cake walk. Oh boy, I was wrong.
The last leg of the trail was exactly when the fun began. The trail alternately
ascended and descended and made me palpitating. At the end of the hike, I
thought it was a decent workout.
Last leg of the trail |
Tips
- Not a summer hike because the trail is not shaded at all
Useful Resources
Nearby Locations
- Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
- Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Thornewood Open Space Preserve
- La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve
- Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
- Portola Valley Ranch
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