Italian for "beautiful mountain," Monte Bello Open Space Preserve is a place of rolling grasslands, dense creekside forests, and spectacular vistas. The 2,758-acre preserve is one of the District's richest in wildlife and ecosystem diversity. Hawks soar overhead, bobcats hunt, and deer browse. The preserve encompasses the upper Stevens Creek watershed from Monte Bello Ridge to Skyline Ridge. The Stevens Creek riparian corridor is considered to be one of the finest in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Monte Bello Ridge and Black Mountain provide the scenic backdrop to the communities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Cupertino. Settlers to this area named one of their towns Mountain View because they had a view of Black Mountain. From the top of Black Mountain, you can see an incredible view of Santa Clara Valley and over to the Mt. Hamilton Range. On clear days, you can see beautiful sunsets from the Black Mountain backpack camp. Or, you can watch the fog roll in from the coast. As the fog breaks like a giant wave over the peninsula, you can see why it is often referred to as "waterfog." Stevens Creek follows the San Andreas fault through the preserve. From the Vista Point at the start of the Stevens Creek Nature Trail, look down Stevens Creek Canyon to see Mt. Umunhum and Loma Prieta, the site of the 1989 earthquake. For more information about earthquakes, visit the self-guided San Andreas Fault Trail at Los Trancos Open Space Preserve across Page Mill Road. (A brief description of fault features at Monte Bello is on "The San Andreas Fault and the San Francisco Bay Area" page at a site sponsored by the Stanford Exploration Project, a Geophysical research consortia at Stanford University.) Approximately fifteen miles of trails are available for you to explore. The Stevens Creek Nature Trail is three miles round-trip, descending into the forested canyon, along the creek, and back up through grasslands. The trail takes you through many of the diverse ecosystems found on the preserve. In the grassland, you are likely to see red-tailed hawks or turkey vultures soaring overhead, or a coyote or bobcat hunting for rodents in the fields. Herds of black-tailed deer are often seen in the grassland in the fall during the mating season. Mountain lions have been spotted occasionally on this preserve. As the trail descends into the forest, the temperature drops, the air becomes moist, and the scent of bay trees pervades the air. The forest and riparian corridor running along Stevens Creek provide a lush environment for many species. Here you will find many ferns, Douglas firs, and herbs. Canyon Trail is a popular route for cyclists. The old road descends 400 feet from Page Mill Road into the Stevens Creek canyon through cool forests. This trail is the spine of the preserve trail system. From here, you can connect with many different trails to bring you up to the top of the ridges. The Bella Vista Trail and Indian Creek Trail bring you to the top of Monte Bello Ridge and on to Black Mountain. Grizzly Flat Trail or Table Mountain Trail will take you through Upper Stevens Creek County Park to Skyline Boulevard, where you can make connections to Long Ridge or Saratoga Gap open space preserves. Monte Bello is surrounded by other open space preserves and parks making trip options nearly limitless. Black Mountain Backpack Camp The Black Mountain backpack camp provides visitors with a camping site just one half-hour away by car from the cities below. It is the only site on District lands where visitors can spend the night under the stars. The camp often serves as the first stopping place for backpackers wishing to hike from the valley to the coast. Six campsites are available to the public for one or two overnight stays throughout the year. Visitors must obtain a permit in advance from the District office. The camp is a 1.5-mile hike from Page Mill Road, including a 500-foot uphill climb from the parking lot. Chemical toilets and water for washing are provided. Campers must carry in their own drinking water. Campfires are prohibited. Please call the District office for more information or to obtain a permit. Directions: The preserve's main vehicle entrance is on Page Mill Road, 7 miles west of Highway 280 and 1 mile east of Skyline Boulevard. Parking is available for 45 cars.