Cobb Track and Angell Field

Cobb Track and Angell Field sits near the corner of Galvez Street and Campus Drive, beside the Stanford Visitor Center parking lot. Thousands of people drive past it every week without a second look. Yet this nine-lane oval has hosted national championships and some very fast distance races. In 2019 it even hosted a Diamond League meet.

This page covers the history of the field, the meets held there and the limits on public use. For the full picture of Stanford sports, start with our guide to Stanford sports and game days.

History

Stanford athletes first raced inside the old stadium. The 1921 bowl had a running track around its football field and it hosted some of the biggest meets in the sport's history. The stadium track stayed until the 2006 rebuild, which removed it to bring fans closer to the football field. Our Stanford Stadium page tells that story.

Angell Field opened as a separate track and field venue. Stanford Athletics says it was dedicated on March 13, 1935. It originally cost $26,000. It honors Dr. Frank Angell, who headed the Faculty Athletic Committee. The name may ring a bell in town. This is very likely the same Frank Angell who founded Stanford's psychology department, though the athletics page does not say so. That Frank Angell's shingled house still stands at 1005 Bryant Street in Professorville.

The modern venue took shape in the 1990s.

The 400 meter track carries the name of the Charles Cobb family. Every field event except the hammer throw takes place on the Otis Chandler Infield inside the oval. The pole vault, long jump and triple jump runways point in more than one direction, so officials can set competitions to suit the wind.

The meets held here

Stanford has a long record as a host. When it announced the 2019 Prefontaine Classic, Stanford Athletics listed earlier highlights: the 1941 NCAA championships, the 1932 and 1960 U.S. Olympic Trials, the 1962 U.S. vs. Soviet Union dual meet and the 2002 and 2003 USATF championships. The biggest of the early meets filled Stanford Stadium. The 1962 dual meet alone drew more than 150,000 people over two days.

The Payton Jordan Invitational

The meet most fans know is the Payton Jordan Invitational, held every spring in late April or early May. Stanford calls it the nation's premier distance running meet. Elite pros and college runners chase fast times in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters on cool, still evenings. The meet is named for Payton Jordan, Stanford's longtime coach, who also coached the 1968 U.S. Olympic track team. The plaza bearing his name sits beside the track.

The Stanford Invitational

The Stanford Invitational is usually held in late March or early April, early in the outdoor college season. It is a big, busy meet with sprints, hurdles, relays and field events running at once. Stanford Athletics sells tickets online when they are required, so check the meet page.

The 2019 Prefontaine Classic

Oregon's Hayward Field was being rebuilt ahead of the 2020 Olympic Trials and the 2021 world championships. The Prefontaine Classic needed a temporary home and its organizers chose Stanford for its facilities, weather and support. The 45th edition was held at Cobb Track and Angell Field on Sunday, June 30, 2019. At the time it was the only Diamond League meet in the Western Hemisphere, so Palo Alto briefly hosted the world's top track stars.

Watching a meet

Regular season track and field meets at Cobb Track are free, according to Stanford Athletics. Postseason meets and some special events need tickets. Day-of-meet ticket windows are on the north side of the grandstands.

• Seating. The stands hold 2,158 people in two grandstand sections along the north side. Accessible seating is between the grandstands and at each far end.
• Food. Concessions are at the northeast bleachers by the Track House parking lot.
• Restrooms are on the northwest side behind the grandstands.
• Cameras. Small cameras under 6 inches without cases are allowed. Tripods are not.

Distance races at the Payton Jordan meet often run after dark, so bring a jacket.

Using the track yourself

Stanford Athletics says the facility is open every day for campus recreation. Its page does not list public hours, fees or a public use policy. The rules can change. The athletics site has also posted summer closures for resurfacing work. Treat the track as a working varsity venue:

1. Stay off when a team is practicing or a meet is set up.
2. Keep to the outer lanes for easy running and walking, a common courtesy on most tracks.
3. Never cross the infield while throws or jumps are under way.
4. Follow posted signs. If staff ask you to leave, do so.

If you want a route that is open to everyone, the paved loop of the Stanford Dish is 3.5 miles with real hills. Our guide to running in Palo Alto lists flat routes, bay trails and other places to run.

Make a day of it

Cobb Track sits in the same corner of campus as most of Stanford's outdoor venues. On a spring Saturday you can watch a morning session at the track, walk a few minutes to a tennis match at the Taube Tennis Center and finish at a baseball game at Sunken Diamond. All three are often free or cheap during the regular season. For lunch, the cafes and counters of downtown Palo Alto are about a mile away along Palm Drive and University Avenue. If you would rather stay on campus, the student unions at White Plaza have food open to visitors. Check hours first, especially on weekends.

Getting there and parking

The track sits at the corner of Galvez Street and Campus Drive. Stanford Athletics sends spectators to the Visitor Center lot and the Varsity Lot next to the track, both reached from Nelson Road off Galvez Street. Accessible parking is on the east side of the Visitor Center lot and the south side of the Varsity Lot. Overflow parking is in the El Camino Grove lot east of Stanford Stadium. Our Stanford parking and transit guide explains how to pay.

From the Palo Alto Caltrain station, walk about 20 minutes through campus or ride the free Marguerite shuttle on weekdays. The Stanford Visitor Center is right across the street if you want maps before the meet. Families coming for a championship meet can compare hotels near Stanford on El Camino Real, which is a short walk away.

Frequently asked questions