Los Trancos Open Space Preserve was located six miles west of I-280 on Page Mill Road; which was narrow and curvy. Hiking was the only activity allowed in the park. Parking was free and the lot was large. There was no water or restrooms. Our cell phone service was very weak.
We hiked a total of 2.1 miles with an elevation range of 300 feet.
We started with a 1.4 mile counterclockwise hike around the Franciscan Loop trail.
After a few hundred feet, the trail dropped down into a dense forest canopy and, thus, it was very well shaded with only limited views of a nearby ridge.
We saw an abundance of Poison Oak near the edge of the trail.
The trails were mostly smooth, clearly marked, and well maintained.
The diversity of trees was fun to see, especially since some of them showed effects of earthquakes and lightning strikes.
The next picture features one of the few sections with an open landscape.
Near the end the Franciscan Loop we turned right onto the San Andreas Fault trail; which was a 0.7 mile loop.
It featured interpretive stations, detailed in a brochure, that described the geological history of the area and its earthquakes. Our children enjoyed learning about the past earthquakes and the fault line.
We completed the last stretch of the Franciscan loop and headed back to the parking lot.
In sum, we found this preserve to be peaceful because we didn’t see anyone else on the trail. The only thing it lacked was views of the surrounding area.
Two Knobby Tires 