A 150-foot radio telescope dish sits atop the Stanford foothills, surrounded by a popular 3.5-mile loop trail through rolling grasslands. The trail provides sweeping views of the Bay Area from the San Mateo Bridge to the South Bay salt ponds. Wildflower blooms cover the hillsides in spring.
Photography Guide
Best Time
golden hour
Crowds
Busy
Shot Types
widelandscape
Best Seasons
springfallwinter
Practical Tips
Access is from the Stanford Avenue gate, open sunrise to sunset. No dogs, bikes, or running are permitted on the trail.
Is it a good day to go?
7-day outlook
Mild, dry days with light winds are the most comfortable for a visit.
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Verdicts weigh the forecast against the conditions that suit this spot.
Gallery
A winding paved trail cuts through sunlit grassy hills toward the large Stanford Dish radio telescope on the right, with a few walkers scattered along the path. Low golden light casts long shadows across the rolling landscape under a clear blue sky. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A winding paved trail curves through sunlit green hills and past a large leafless oak tree, with the Stanford Dish radio telescope visible in the distance. Golden-hour light warms the grass and branches under a clear blue sky. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A paved trail leads through rolling green and tan grasslands toward the Stanford Dish radio telescope on a hill at left. Bare winter trees and low golden light cast long shadows across the open landscape under a clear blue sky. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A large radio telescope dish rises on a grassy hillside under a clear blue sky, with a winding trail cutting through the rolling winter-green grasslands below. Sparse trees and low ridgelines frame the wide landscape in soft golden light. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A wide view of the Stanford Dish rises on a distant hill under a pale, clouded sky, with layered green grasslands and oak-dotted rolling hills stretching across the foreground. A paved trail cuts along the bottom edge, leading through the open landscape. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A huge white radio telescope dish rises above rolling green hills, with a paved trail curving in from the foreground and a few bare trees scattered across the grassland. The sky is overcast and pale, giving the scene a cool, muted winter feel. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0The Stanford Dish rises above a grassy hillside, its pale blue steel frame and mesh radio reflector standing out sharply against a clear blue sky. A few trees, low shrubs, and a fenced trail line the foreground, with the late-day light giving the scene a crisp, open feel. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A winding gravel trail curves through green rolling hills under a pink-and-lavender dusk sky, with the Stanford Dish visible on a distant ridge. A fallen log lies across the foreground, and scattered trees line the open grassland. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0The Stanford Dish rises on a grassy hillside under a clear blue sky, its white radio telescope framed by rolling green-brown hills and scattered trees. Late-day sunlight warms the open grasslands, with the trail curving through the foreground toward the overlook. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0The Stanford Dish rises above a grassy hillside, its white lattice dish and pale blue support structure standing against a clear blue sky. A fence and scattered trees line the foreground, with warm late-day light giving the rolling grass a soft golden-green tone. Photo: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
