179. Windy Hill Russian Ridge Coal Creek Coal Mine, Portola Valley, CA

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Hiking for Windy Hill Russian Ridge Coal Creek Coal Mine, Portola Valley, CA is about 16 miles and about 3500 feet elevation gain. The town of Portola Valley is a runner's and hiker's paradise, with as many miles of trails as there are paved roads. In addition to the nearby open spaces, Windy Hill Open Space Preserve and Coal Creek Open Space Preserve, the town also maintains its own network of trails. The trails are interwoven throughout the town, connecting to residential streets. The highlight of the Portola Valley trail system is Coal Mine Ridge. This 400-acre wooded ridge, located between Alpine Road and Los Trancos Road, contains about ten miles of trails. The elevation varies from about 700' to 1200', and the trails are primarily singletrack. The trails are shaded, which makes Coal Mine Ridge a great place to run during the hot summer months.

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The name "Coal Mine Ridge" comes from a low-grade coal mine that was opened on the ridge in 1855. However, a massive landslide in 1890 buried the mine, which never produced high-quality coal anyway. One of the highlights of the area is the Old Spanish Trail. The first record of this trail occurs in an 1823 account of Spanish soldiers pursuing Pomponio, an escaped mission Indian who was on a crime rampage. Historians believe the soldiers rode up the Old Spanish Trail to his hideout in a deep, rocky gorge west of Skyline. Today, the Old Spanish Trail offers some of the best views in Coal Mine Ridge, with vistas extending all of the way to San Francisco on a clear day. There are a few different trailheads for the Coal Mine Ridge trails. The most accessible is the Alpine Trailhead near the intersection of Alpine Road and Willowbrook Drive in Portola Valley. Roadside parking is available near the trailhead.

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