About Hidden Villa: HIdden Villa was established by Frank and Josephine Dujveneck in 1924 as an education organizaiton location on 1600 acres of open space in the Los Altos Hills. It has been a non profit organization since 1960 and is supported by contribuitons form individuals, foundations and corporations thorughout the Bay Area. Each year Hidden Villa serves 50,000 visitors through environmental education programs, a multicultural summer camp, community programs, the hostel, community supported agriculture and day-use hiker and farm visits.
Directions to Trail Head: To reach Hidden Villa, take Highway 280 to the El Monte/Moody Road exit. Follow Signs to El Monte Road WEST and Foothill College. Get in the left lane and drive straight past the college entrance. At the first stop sign, there are two roads to the left, Turn onto Moody Road, the one on the far left, and continue for 1.7 miles. The entrance to Hidden Villa is on the left, just beyond a small sign on the left side of the road. An overflow parking lot will be on your right just after crossing the bridge. The main parking lot is on the right just before the brightly colored administration building. Parking at Hidden Villa costs $5/car (donation), payable at the gate (probably not at 8:30) or at the map kiosk (honor system).
Hike Description: We hiked up the Hostel Trail to the summit of Elephant Mountain which has views of Mt. Tamalpias and the Santa Clara Valley. The trail continued to the west end of Rancho San Antonio Open Space where we walked down the Black Mountain Trail which lead us to the Duveneck Windmill Pasture Loop. The return back was up the Black Mountain Trail from where we had great views to the east of the Santa Clara Valley and the entire length of Rancho San Antonio. We then returned down the Ewing Hill Trail to the Adobe Creek Trail along the East Fork of Adobe Creek which lead us back to the farm. The total length of this hike was a little over five miles and took us about two and a half hours. Over half the hike was is in the shade.
What a great hike. Not only did we get to enjoy the lush hiking trails of Hidden Villa and Black Mountain but we also got to see and enjoy the Hidden Villa Farm. We passed by gardens, pastures, farm animals, and buildings at the start and end. Among the historic buildings we saw were the White House and White Barn, both of which were constructed along Adobe Creek in the 1860s.
 |
 |
Birth Place of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club - 1933 |
Original Home of Frank and Josephine Dujveneck, Hidden Villa |
 |
 |
The Garden at Hidden Villa |
The Farm at Hidden Villa |
Park Details and Maps |
| Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset |
Carpool Info: Meet at 8:00 a.m., at St. Edward's Church for carpooling, 15040 Union Ave., SJ. Exit from 85 south in the middle lane, left onto Samaritan Drive, right onto Union; in one block turn left onto Ronda, and left into the parking lot.
Driving Directions to Hacienda Trailhead: To reach Hidden Villa, take Highway 280 to the El Monte/Moody Road exit. Follow Signs to El Monte Road WEST and Foothill College. Get in the left lane and drive straight past the college entrance. At the first stop sign, there are two roads to the left, Turn onto Moody Road, the one on the far left, and continue for 1.7 miles. The entrance to Hidden Villa is on the left, just beyond a small sign on the left side of the road. An overflow parking lot will be on your right just after crossing the bridge. The main parking lot is on the right just before the brightly colored administration building. Parking at Hidden Villa costs $5/car (donation), payable at the gate (probably not at 8:30) or at the map kiosk (honor system).
|
| Hidden Villa Website |
|
| |
|
View Larger Map
