October/November 2018 63
MILA HOFMAN @MILA_HOFMAN
ANYONE WHO LIVES near Mountain View or
Palo Alto is well acquainted with Black Mountain,
a distinctive peak that forms a high, rounded
backdrop in the western hills. The mountain
anchors the background of the lives of thousands
and stands guard over Monte Bello Open Space
Preserve. A hike to its summit offers the chance to see deciduous
oaks and big-leaf maples wearing their colorful fall coats. Backpackers
can turn this day hike into an overnight trip with a permit
for Black Mountain Camp, the only backpacking camp in the
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.
Begin at the preserve’s main entrance on Stevens Creek Nature
Trail. The path leads a few hundred feet to a stone bench and
overlook. There you gaze at the source of Stevens Creek, which
follows the San Andreas fault zone. Mount Umunhum and Shotgun
Valley appear far in the distance.
MODERATE
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
PALO ALTO » 5.8 MILES ROUND-TRIP
Surveying the
panorama at
Monte Bello
Open Space
Preserve