BLACK MOUNTAIN - RANCHO SAN ANTONIO OPEN SPACE PRESERVE
Rhus Ridge to Black Mountain Trail | Los Altos Hills, CA
★★★☆☆
A glute awakening resulting in striking Silicon Valley panoramas.
Last hiked 1/16/21
Length: 9.8 mi.
Gain: 2360 ft.
Type: Out and back
Difficulty: Strenuous
Crowds: Moderate
Dogs: No
THE RUNDOWN
Rise and climb, sleeping beauty! Tackle this trail for a rewarding glute/quad burn and some steep inclines that get your blood pumping. It’s a great way to start your day with a productive workout.
The Rhus Ridge parking lot is located off of a narrow, private road that’s easy to miss. This lot contains only 10 parking spots, so it’s best to arrive before 8:30am on weekends. If luck isn’t on your side, look for street parking in the surrounding neighborhood, or park at Foothill College (though this adds 1.6 mi. round trip).
Park Hours: Sunrise to half hour after sunset
Fees: None
Trailhead: At the parking lot off Rhus Ridge Rd.
Restroom: No
Rhus Ridge and Black Mountain Trail pass through just a tiny sliver of the park (it’s huge!). Many more trails are accessible from the main east entrance of the park in Cupertino, but these lots fill up by 8:00am on weekends.
Get ready for a virtually continuous 5-mi. climb from the trailhead! We promise it’s worth it, though.
Parking is located off of a narrow, private road that's easy to miss. Arrive before 8:30am on weekends for a chance to secure one of only 10 spots.
STEP BY STEP
↑ Proceed to Rhus Ridge Trail from the parking lot.
Note: On your left, you’ll see a small private residence. Proceed quietly and respectfully, and don’t feed Gizmo the horse, as friendly as he may be!
→ At the junction, make a right onto Black Mountain Trail.
↑ Continue up Black Mountain Trail.
← Turn left briefly onto Montebello Road to reach Black Mountain Peak.
↓ Double back to return from whence you came!
There's something magical about emerging from a tree tunnel and stepping into early-morning blue hour.
Stroll beneath trees draped with lichens before you tackle some steep climbs.
Black Mountain's most impressive feature is its panoramic views of the Bay. See how many Bay Area landmarks you can spot!
MUSINGS
As you set out via Rhus Ridge Trail, you may feel like you’ve gone on the wrong path when you pass by a small private residence on the left. Don’t worry, you’re going the right way! Make sure to be respectful as you pass through (masks currently required during COVID-19 pandemic).
The climb starts right away. Within the first half mile, you’ll already be able to enjoy some lovely views of the Los Altos Hills.
As you turn onto Black Mountain Trail, the trail offers a bit of reprieve with a softer and more manageable incline with a few gentle downward slopes scattered throughout.
Enjoy the softer inclines while they last, because the intensity kicks up a notch as you approach the peak. The trail widens into a fire road and the climb becomes more strenuous. Just remember: with each foot of vertical gain, the views get better and better. We were able to spot an old limestone quarry, Moffett Field, the Stanford clock tower, and even downtown San Francisco, amongst many other Silicon Valley landmarks.
After you pass by the broadcasting towers at the top of Black Mountain Trail, make a quick left onto Montebello Road to catch a breather at Black Mountain Peak.
As you return to the parking lot, take this chance to re-experience the wonderful views of Silicon Valley that lie before you (no more spinning around to look backwards at the view)!
The majority of this trail is somewhat shaded, though you’ll encounter sunnier portions that we imagine would be pretty rough on a summer day, particularly when coupled with steep climbs. We chose to hike Black Mountain in the winter, and we were pretty happy with our decision.
The Permanente limestone quarry becomes visible as you near the peak.
Mid-morning dappled light - always a lovely sight.
MORE INFO
Some Reminders
Check the weather before you head out. Summers can get dangerously hot, and portions of this trail have sparse coverage.
Helpful Resources
This hike was inspired by Redwood Hikes’ description here.
Official park site here.
Keep in mind that this hike passes through just a tiny sliver of the park (it’s huge!). You may be interested in other parts of the park that we haven’t touched upon. There’s a main parking lot off Cristo Rey Dr. in Cupertino, but these lots fill up by 8:00am on weekends. However, many more trails are accessible from this main entrance.
Good Eats
Sushi Tomi is located in nearby Mountain View. They serve quality Japanese food, whether you prefer traditional Japanese or somewhat Americanized options.