Some Days Really Shine

Thornewood Open Space Preserve, Woodside, CA.........Conveniently located in the hills above the Town of Woodside and ideally situated for a quick... more

by Laurie Search

Title

Some Days Really Shine

Artist

Laurie Search

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photography

Description

Thornewood Open Space Preserve, Woodside, CA.........Conveniently located in the hills above the Town of Woodside and ideally situated for a quick morning or afternoon getaway, Thornewood is a 167-acre preserve offering nice, easy hikes or horseback rides through beautiful surroundings. The preserve's ¾-mile Schilling Lake Trail gradually winds through sunlit canopies of big-leaf maples and moss-covered oaks and ends under the shade of the giant redwoods that surround the lake. Schilling Lake is an excellent site to view waterfowl during their migration, so please be sure your dog is on leash and at your side when visiting this sensitive wildlife habitat area..........The ¾-mile Bridle Trail, completed in 2010, winds through second growth Douglas fir and redwood forest and emerges in oak and madrone forest to connect with the Schilling Lake Trail. Funded in part by State Proposition 50 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), this new trail creates safe equestrian, hiking, and dogs-on-leash passage through Dennis Martin Creek while reducing sedimentation to the aquatic environment. Because much of the path passes beneath dense forest canopy, the trail remains wet for long periods of time and may close seasonally due to concerns for public safety and environmental protection..........Elsewhere on the Preserve, the Thornewood House, surrounded by 3.5 acres of landscaping and a breathtaking view of the valley, is an example of estate life of the 1920s. This 87-acre estate was willed to the Sierra Club Foundation and later given to the District. Currently, the house and 10-acre private leasehold are being restored and are closed to the public. However, the remaining 77 acres of the estate, including an easy walk along wooded trails leading to Schilling Lake, are open to the public throughout the year.

Uploaded

October 16th, 2013