Much of what is considered as "open space" in Los Altos Hills is, in fact, privately owned and maintained. Part of the philosophy of the Town's large-lot zoning concept is to preserve open space.

In addition, open-space lands have been donated to the Town and acquired over the years to enhance its rural atmosphere.

• Byrne Preserve: Located along the upper length of Altamont Road and connected to numerous Town paths. Byrne Preserve is comprised of several gifts. These include: 50 acres obtained through a donation by Albert M. Byrne to the Nature Conservancy; 25 acres given by Countess Betty Byrne Dezahara; and other small parcels which were obtained through development agreements and gifts.

• Other Town Parks and Preserves: Bicentennial Park, located at Edith and Fremont Roads along Adobe Creek is a reflective site featuring benches and a meandering path through a wooded setting.

• Juan Prado Mesa Preserve: Accessible from Dawson Drive at one end and Stonebrook Road at the other, this preserve is bordered by Hale Creek and the Neary Quarry.

• Westwind Barn next to Byrne Preserve: A facility for boarding horses and operating horseback riding programs, Westwind is operated by Friends of Westwind, a non-profit group offering special riding programs for the disabled.
  

• Little League Fields on Purissima Road: The area consists of four maintained playing fields with public facilities, which are operated through a joint agreement between the Town and the Los Altos Hills Little League Board of Directors.

• Town Riding Ring on Purissima Road: This is a public riding rink operated cooperatively with the Los Altos Hills Horsemen's Association.

• Adjacent Open Space Facilities: The Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District owns and operates significant lands adjacent to Los Altos Hills, which are enjoyed by thousands of visitors and which help provide a natural scenic vista for Town residents. Windmill Pasture is accessible from the Rhus Ridge path; the Ravensbury path reaches Rancho San Antonio Preserve; other areas of open space are connected to Los Altos Hills by roads and trails.
  

• Rancho San Antonio County Park: On Cristo Rey Drive south of the Foothill Expressway/Highway 280 interchange, this 167-acre park offers facilities for bicycling, hiking, model glider flying, photography and other recreational uses. Within the park is Deer Hollow Farm, a working farm for the enjoyment of visitors, especially children.

• Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space Preserve: Comprising an overall 567 acres adjacent to Los Altos Hills, the preserve offers nearly 10 miles of hiking and equestrian trails. The vast acreage is preserved through the Open Space District and funded through property taxes that help to maintain the beautiful backdrop to Los Altos Hills.

• Hidden Villa on Moody Road: This 1,600-acre land preserve contains an educational farm, wilderness area, visitor center, nature shop, trails, and a youth hostel. The property was a gift from Frank and Josephine Duveneck and is owned and operated by the Trust for Hidden Villa, a non-profit corporation. Annually, 40,000 people visit Hidden Villa. The hostel is available for day or overnight use, and the farm and hiking trails are open to casual visitors every day except Monday.
  www.hiddenvilla.org