Windy Hill offers plenty of hiking variety. Three long loops and three short loops depart from trailheads near the preserve's highest and lowest elevations. Spring Ridge, Hamms Gulch, and Razorback Ridge Trails sprawl east to west across Windy Hill's slopes. Combine any of those trails with Eagle and Lost Trail for loops ranging from about 7 to 8 miles. Sausal Pond Loop and Anniversary Trail provide gentle and easy exercise treks of about 1 and 1.5 miles respectively. If you're planning on a long loop, note that Spring Ridge Trail, unlike Hamms Gulch and Razorback Ridge Trails, climbs rather steeply up to the summit. If you're visiting in springtime, Spring Ridge Trail is the trail most likely to provide wildflowers; it ascends through grassland, while the other long trails at Windy Hill spend most of their time under tree cover. Lost Trail is a Bay Area Ridge Trail segment.
     Begin at the junction just east of the information signboard. (If you wish to hike the entire Ridge Trail segment at Windy Hill, turn left and make the quick climb up to the top of Windy Hill, and continue to the trail's end at the preserve boundary on Skyline Boulevard. Then retrace your steps to this junction. Note that the summit is exposed to the elements, so in the winter it gets pretty cold when windy.) Turn right on Lost Trail. After a few feet, a seasonal gate advises that the trail is closed to equestrians during wet winter months (open to hikers, but closed to cyclists year round). The narrow path is lined with Douglas fir, tanoak, California bay, coyote brush, and blackberry brambles. Lost Trail continues on a level grade, emerging into grassland dotted with coyote brush. On a clear day, you'll have sweeping views past the forested gulches on the left, all way down to the valley and possibly beyond. A look back over your shoulder to the north should reveal the preserve's highest point and namesake, grassy Windy Hill. After curving around the mouth of Hamms Gulch, Lost Trail steps back under the canopy of some huge old Douglas firs and coast live oaks. Look for pink-flowering currant in late January. At about 0.4 mile, Hamms Gulch Trail begins on the left side of the trail at a signed junction. Continue on Lost Trail.
      Lost Trail leaves the woods and winds through coyote brush. If the trail surface is muddy, you might see bobcat prints. At about 0.6 mile, Lost Trail reaches a signed junction with a broad service road. Continue straight on Lost Trail. The path begins a gradual descent through coyote brush, coast live oak, monkeyflower, and sagebrush. In late winter blue witch nightshade threads itself through the branches of blackberry shrubs. Willows thrive in damp spots on the side of the trail. A forest of Douglas fir, tanoak, and California bay trees welcomes you into shaded woods. In the understory, look for ferns, wild rose, huckleberry, honeysuckle, common snowberry, creambush, hazelnut, thimbleberry, gooseberry and currant. Lost Trail follows the contour of the hillside, keeping a mostly level course. In a few spots, winter storms create small waterfalls as rain rushes downhill from the ridge. A few old bigleaf maple trees litter the ground with loads of colorful leaves in autumn. If you hike this trail in late January, it's a bit like a treasure hunt: what early spring wildflowers can you spy? Forget-me-not (an alien plant) is common, but you might also catch glimpses of hound's tongue and strawberry. At about 2.1 miles, Lost Trail meets Razorback Ridge Trail at a signed junction. Lost Trail continues another .4 mile, before ending at a pullout on Skyline Boulevard (if you're determined to hike the entire Bay Area Ridge Trail segment, continue to the end of Lost Trail, then retrace your steps). Retrace your steps back to the trailhead.

Total distance: about 4.2 miles (6.4 miles if you hike the whole ridge trail segment)
Last hiked: Friday, January 19, 2001


Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page

	Web www.bahiker.com