Stories

Stay safe and healthy. Midpen closures, event and activity cancellations.

Discover the wonders of water along the Stevens Creek Nature Trail in the rainy season at Monte Bello Preserve.

Discover a magical vista you can enjoy with that special someone in a Midpen preserve near you, whether you are first-time hikers or experienced outdoor enthusiasts.

Great places to explore in Midpen preserves when the water is flowing.

To maximize a safe and enjoyable visit to open space in all seasons, here are some things to know before you head out to the preserves.

Since first opening to the public in 2017, we find the public enjoying the La Honda Creek Preserve in a surprising way—as a new birding hotspot.

In May of 2021, we broke ground on a new 1-mile, easy-access loop trail from the Sears Ranch Road parking area in La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve. Once complete, the trail will be allowed to settle over the winter before opening to the public in 2022.

Join Midpen Interpretive Specialist Ellen Tjosvold and California State Parks Interpreter Alex Trudelle on a video exploration of two unique tafoni sandstone formations in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Midpen recently expanded El Sereno Open Space Preserve, one of the agency’s oldest preserves, to more than 1,600 acres.

From late summer through February, slow-growing, drought-adapted California buckeyes drop their leaves and go dormant.