48 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} TRAILS blooming good hikes words by LINDA HUBBARD There’s a show taking place on the Peninsula— and it’s all yours for free, or nearly so. Thanks to the winter rains, wildflowers are springing up all over our local nature preserves. A kaleidoscope of color sweeps the landscape with sunset orange California poppies, the yellow and white petals of tidy tips and spiky stems of purple lupine. Now—while skies are likely to be clear, ahead of summer’s fog—is a great time to lace up your trail shoes or hiking boots and see them up close. For a bounty of blooms and scenery that puts a spring in your step, visit these four parks offering distinct experiences, from a good ramble to more strenuous outings. A gentle reminder for visitors: take photos not flowers. Leave plants and wildlife undisturbed so that everyone can appreciate them. spot wild turkeys and deer, and may even catch a glimpse of a coyote or bobcat disappearing into the purple needlegrass and blue wild rye. GOOD TO KNOW + The main parking lot has an interpretive center and is located at 1530 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto + Terrain is packed gravel with a few rocky sections + Open to hikers, cyclists, equestrians and leashed dogs + Restrooms located at the parking lot + Find more information and a trail map at cityofpaloalto.org/parks ENID PEARSONARASTRADERO PRESERVE Ten and a half miles of trails loop up and around a nice mixture of oak woodland and grassland. This City of Palo Altoowned, 622-acre preserve is at its greenest in March—and punctuated with wildflowers. It’s named for former City Councilwoman Enid Pearson, who was instrumental in passing the 1965 ballot measure that prohibits Palo Alto from selling any park land without voter approval. Set your sights on a number of good hilly loops, or take an outand-back trail along Arastradero Creek for gentler terrain. Firsttime visitors may be surprised to encounter so much wildlife so close to suburbia. You’re likely to
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