Deer Hollow Farm

Deer Hollow Farm is the destination most children remember from Rancho San Antonio. It is a working homestead tucked into a valley of the preserve, with old ranch buildings, a garden, an orchard and pens full of animals. You cannot drive to it. You walk about a mile in from the parking lot, which is part of the appeal: by the time you arrive, the parking lots feel far behind.

The farm is free to visit five and a half days a week. This guide covers the hours as published by its operators, how the walk in works, what you can see, the rules and how to get there from Palo Alto. For the trails beyond the farm, see our Rancho San Antonio guide.

What Deer Hollow Farm is

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, known as Midpen, describes the farm as a 160-year-old working homestead on a historic 10-acre site, with turn-of-the-century ranch buildings, an organic garden and farm animals. The nonprofit Friends of Deer Hollow Farm says it is home to 75 to 100 farm animals and draws around 130,000 visitors and 5,000 school children a year. Midpen also highlights the restored Grant Cabin on the site.

It is a joint effort. The City of Mountain View's Recreation Division manages the farm's programs, even though the farm is in the hills above Cupertino. Funding comes from Midpen, Santa Clara County, the Friends of Deer Hollow Farm, the Town of Los Altos Hills and the City of Cupertino. The Friends group notes that Santa Clara County grants that paid for student scholarships are ending in 2026 because of federal budget cuts, so donations matter more than usual this year.

Hours

Both Midpen and the Friends of Deer Hollow Farm publish the same schedule:

The surrounding preserve keeps longer hours, from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, so you can still hike past the farm when it is closed. You just will not see the animals up close. Midpen lists a volunteer maintenance day for siding work at the farm on November 9, 2026, a Monday when the farm is closed anyway.

The walk in

Midpen puts the farm about one mile from the main parking lot, Lot 1. That makes a visit roughly two miles on foot, out and back. The route follows a wide, gently graded farm road through the county park and into the preserve, with oak woodland and open meadow on either side. Our Rancho San Antonio page describes it as a good walk with young children.

1. Park. Lot 1 is the main lot and the one Midpen measures from. It has 80 standard spaces plus accessible and equestrian spaces.
2. Follow the farm road. Signs point the way. Bikes share part of the road, so keep kids to one side.
3. Arrive at the farm. Look around the buildings, pens and garden from the paths.
4. Return the same way or extend. Fit families can add the Wildcat Loop, which leaves near the farm.

Allow about two hours for the walk, a look around the farm and a snack. Small children walk slowly and stop often, so budget extra time and bring water. Shade is patchy on warm afternoons.

What you can see at the farm

Expect a working farm, not a petting zoo. Midpen notes that the buildings and pens are closed to the general public. Casual visitors watch from outside the enclosures and read the signs. With that in mind, there is plenty to look at:

• Farm animals. Midpen's photos show sheep. Our Rancho San Antonio guide lists a cow, pigs, goats, sheep and chickens among the animals.
• The garden and orchard. Volunteers tend a garden and orchard that visitors can view.
• Historic buildings. Turn-of-the-century ranch buildings and the restored Grant Cabin give a sense of life on a 19th-century homestead.
• A self-guided tour. Midpen describes the visit as a self-guided tour, with signs explaining the farm.

Hands-on time with animals comes through the farm's school field trips and youth programs. The Friends group says the farm offers seven weeks of youth camps each summer. Registration runs through the City of Mountain View. Our guides to nature programs for kids and summer camps list similar options closer to Palo Alto.

Rules to know

• No dogs. Dogs are not allowed in Rancho San Antonio Preserve. Service animals are accommodated.
• Pack out your trash. Midpen says there are no garbage cans at the farm or in the preserve.
• Groups need a permit. Groups of 20 or more need a Midpen permit to visit the preserve or the farm.
• Bikes stop at the farm. Bicycles are allowed on designated trails only and not west of Deer Hollow Farm. Helmets are required and the trail speed limit is 15 mph.
• Respect the pens. Do not feed the animals or reach into enclosures.

Restrooms are available in the preserve. Bring water, since drinking water is scarce on Midpen land.

Getting there from Palo Alto

Rancho San Antonio sits in the foothills where Cupertino, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills meet. From Palo Alto, take Interstate 280 south and exit at Foothill Boulevard. Midpen's directions say to go south about 0.2 mile and turn onto Cristo Rey Drive, which leads to the county park entrance and the parking lots. Without traffic the drive takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

Parking

Parking is the hard part. Midpen warns that the lots can be congested at busy times. It lists six numbered lots plus a small Rhus Ridge lot at the preserve's north end. A sign at the entrance gate shows live space counts and the same information is online at Midpen's parking page. Weekend mornings fill fastest. Weekday visits, especially Tuesday or Thursday mornings, are much easier.

Midpen encourages biking, walking or rideshare to cut down on cars. If you are staying nearby for a family trip, you can compare hotels near Los Altos and Cupertino to be close to the trailhead.

Pairing it with other outings

• More farm time. Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills is another farm and wilderness preserve a short drive away.
• A Stanford farm. The O'Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm shows a very different, university-run kind of farming.
• Lunch in Los Altos. Downtown Los Altos is about ten minutes north. Our Los Altos guide covers it.
• A longer hike. Our hiking guide ranks the best trails at Rancho and elsewhere near Palo Alto.

For more ideas with children, see Palo Alto with kids and our page of things to do with toddlers.

Frequently asked questions