The Stanford Dish

This trail is named after a radiotelescope that is still in use for research at Stanford University. The land around the telescope offers beautiful views of the hills all around, with the Santa Cruz mountains to the west and the Diablo mountains across the bay to the east. This 4-mile hike is free to the public. Check Stanford's website for times when the trail is open. There is almost no shade on this hike, so make sure you wear sunscreen and/or a hat and bring lots of water. There is one water fountain, but you will find yourself wanting more than that when you are climbing up the gentle, rolling hills!

Trail map by http://www.everytrail.com/guide/the-stanford-dish-hike

If you work on campus, this is an extremely easy hike to get to. The whole trail is paved, and it gets 1,500-1,800 visitors a day for the short hike. It's not as natural or wild an experience as you can get from one of the many parks that line the bay area, but it is super accessible.