Mindego Hill is a stunning 1,047-acre property located on the San Francisco Peninsula. This distinct landmark, set against the redwood–draped green–black ridges of the Santa Cruz Mountains, looks out over the western–facing flank of Skyline Ridge.

Currently a working ranch, Mindego Hill lies close to Silicon Valley near the intersection of Skyline Boulevard and Alpine Road. Breathtaking panoramic vistas unfurl from its 2,143-foot summit, including views of Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, San Gregorio Creek Valley, Pomponio Creek Valley and, on the far western horizon, the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

A Bountiful Home for Wildlife and Plants

Mindego’s grassy slopes, forested canyons and windswept ridges provide critical habitat for a diverse population of wild animals. Mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats, meadow mice, pocket gophers, badgers and dusky-footed woodrats are just some of the mammals that call this paradise home.

Birds, too, flock to Mindego Hill. Raptors such as red-tailed hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, golden eagles, Cooper’s hawks, white-tailed kite and peregrine falcon coast overhead, while spotted towhee and California quail skitter through the brush. Other fascinating creatures—including western rattlesnakes, blue-bellied lizards and the rare and endangered San Francisco garter snakes and California red-legged frogs—slither, crawl and hop across the land.

These animals make their home in Mindego Hill’s open meadows, swaying grasslands, towering redwood and Douglas-fir forests, and sparkling creeks and streams. Native grasses such as purple needle grass, blue wild rye, California oatgrass and Idaho fescue cover the hillsides. In the spring, eye-popping wildflowers such as owl’s clover, ruby chalice clarkia, California poppy, blue-eyed grass, suncups, Johnny jump-ups, checkerbloom, yarrow and sky lupine erupt in vivid color.

Trees of all kinds cover the land. Canyon bottoms support several tree species including red alder, big leaf maple, arroyo willow, coast redwood, Fremont cottonwood and creek dogwood, while steeper hillsides support Pacific madrone, tanoak and California bay laurel. Quintessential California oaks—including canyon live oak, coast live oak and blue oak—abound, giving Mindego its distinctive Western feel.

POST’s acquisition of Mindego Hill will protect four miles of tributaries to San Gregorio Creek providing habitat for threatened steelhead trout and Coho salmon. The land is the primary watershed for two sparkling waterways: Mindego Creek and Alpine Creek. Two spring-fed lakes, Mindego Lake and Knuedler Lake, provide not only suitable habitat for riparian wildlife but also drinking water for the herd of white, hump-backed Brahman cattle that currently grazes on the land.

A Paradise for People

Once POST’s protection of the property is complete, Mindego Hill is poised to become an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, promising miles of recreational enjoyment for casual and experienced hikers alike. With the addition of Mindego to the area’s existing network of protected lands, the property’s winding ranch roads and summit trails are likely to connect to neighboring Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, significantly expanding local trail systems.

But before that can happen, POST must oversee the transfer of Mindego Hill into public ownership, a lengthy process that can often take several years. POST’s campaign to protect Mindego Hill seeks to accelerate this process. With your help, Mindego can enter into public ownership as quickly as possible. Make your gift today and help POST open up the awesome beauty of this classic California landscape, up close at last.