This page briefly describes the issue over Stanford's proposed trail routes.

To attempt to comply with conditions of the General Use Permit recently granted by Santa Clara County to Stanford, Stanford has proposed 2 trail routes through its lands. The first, C-1, follows Sand Hill and Alpine Roads, perhaps as a sidewalk or at best a path bordering the road. The second, S-1, follows Page Mill Road, then at the light near the top of the hill goes South East into the hills to end up where Arastradero Road crosses under 280. The problems are that
• Stanford's proposed trails are not nature trails but make users walk along the road, where they will hear, smell, and be poisoned by all the cars going by.
• These trails also do not connect to trails in the Arastradero Preserve, and do not connect well with the regional trail network.

Stanford Open Space Alliance and others have proposed alternative trail routes that take hikers into the foothills, cross 280 at cattle undercrossings where there are no vehicle conflicts, and link up with Arastradero's and the region's trail networks.

• You can view an arial photograph overlaid with Stanford's boundary and Stanford's proposed trail routes (5.5MB).
• You can also check out Stanford Open Space Alliance's proposed alternative layout.

There is an important county meeting TONIGHT, November 15, 2001, at 7:00 PM, in the Oak Lounge of the Tressider Student Union on the Stanford Campus. There will be presentations and opportunities for people to give input to the County on what trail routes they would prefer.

You can also get more information from Peter Drekmeier, of SOSA, at 223-3333

You can email me at cdelabea@harris.com

Last edited, 11/15/01.