Look for seeds, berries, and other fruits on this loop hike with Docent Naturalists Susan Bernhard, Ann Reisenauer, Noa Doitel, and Maureen Draper. You’ll see native plants poised for new growth at the start of the cool wet season and potentially find fungi, acorns, and seeds—if the wildlife hasn’t already harvested this year’s crop. You’ll hike along the Peters Creek Trail, pass Jikoji pond, and absorb views of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the ocean if the afternoon is clear. After a snack by the Wallace Stegner bench, you’ll return on the Long Ridge Trail.
Meet at Peters Creek Roadside Parking, on the west side of Skyline Boulevard, 3.6 miles north of Highway 9 or 3.3 miles south of Page Mill Road. If you are coming from the north on Skyline Blvd., the pullout is just past Portola Heights Road on the right. From the south, the pullout is near the Palo Alto city limits sign on the right. There is additional parking across Skyline Blvd. at the Grizzly Flat trailhead (Santa Clara County Park).