Los Altos Hills
Los Altos Hills is considered one of the premiere places to live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Wealthy San Franciscans attracted to the area during the Gold Rush period built summer estates in Los Altos Hills. A few of those still standing have become historic landmarks.
The primarily residential community of Los Altos Hills is 8.4 square miles in area with nearly 8,000 residences. An additional 5.8 square miles of unincorporated land adjacent to the Town’s boundaries have been designated by the County of Santa Clara as being within Los Altos Hills’ “sphere of influence.” Due to the no industrial or commercial zoning rules, Los Altos Hills shares the adjacent downtown of Los Altos for shopping and entertainment.
The Town is distinctive because of its rolling hills and picturesque valleys. Numerous creeks and densely wooded areas provide pleasant visual diversity. Many homes have picturesque views of mountain valleys or the San Francisco Bay. Part of the philosophy of the Town’s large-lot zoning concept is to preserve open space with one-acre minimum density. Development constraints are considered more liberal in Los Altos Hills than nearby Portola Valley or Woodside, so it is not uncommon to find a large, newer estate, adjacent to a more modest, older farm house.
Los Altos Hills offers numerous outdoor activities including horse back riding lessons for children and adults at Westwind Barn.
Rancho San Antonio County Park: 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 helps to maintain the beautiful, scenic vista for Los Altos Hills town residents.
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.
A very special feature of Los Altos Hills is the Pathway System. Approximately 90 miles of roadside and off-road paths meander through the hills and valleys of the Town. This network has been designed over many years to provide non-vehicular access to the Town for walkers, runners, bicyclists, and equestrians.
Los Altos Hills is supported by two of the state’s top school districts. Palo Alto Unified and Los Altos School Districts. Additionally, Los Altos Hills is home to prestigious, private schools whose students frequently matriculate to universities of ivy league status.
