In 1775 and 1776, the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition traveled from Sinaloa and Sonora to San Francisco, following existing Indigenous trails, and its families reached the San Francisco area on June 27, 1776. The National Park Service now marks the route as a 1,200-mile historic trail between Nogales, Arizona, and the Bay Area. Since August, part of that route has been officially recognized in Los Altos Hills. The Council directed that it be marked on the Town's own pathways map with as few wooden signs as necessary.
The Town Council set it up that way on purpose. On August 20, 2026, it made the same kind of decision twice: once for the Anza Trail and once for Westwind Community Barn. Each time it chose the more limited option after hearing from neighboring residents. That choice shapes what the next six weeks look like for anyone who walks, rides, or brings kids to the barn.
A historic trail with as few signs as necessary
The Council voted to give the Juan Bautista de Anza Historic Trail local designation. It also had to decide whether to seek National Park Service certification and a place on the Santa Clara Countywide Trails Master Plan map. According to the meeting minutes, staff presented a revised route along Moody Road because the Town has no trail easements on Rhus Ridge Road.
Council members and members of the public raised concerns about regional or national promotion. They worried it could bring visitors who don't know the Town's pathway system, along with privacy, parking, traffic, maintenance, and neighborhood impacts. Mayor Bhateja said he supported recognizing the route's history locally and proposed limiting the designation to the Town's pathway system. Public commenters suggested small markers or badges on existing pathway posts in place of larger trail signs.
The motion passed 4-0-1. The minutes record it this way:
"Mayor Bhateja moved to approve the local designation of the Juan Bautista de Anza Historic Trail, utilize as few wooden signs as necessary to identify the route, and identify the trail only on the Town's pathways map without pursuing broader promotion."
If you already walk Moody Road, a stretch you know well now carries a 250-year-old story. Under the Council's direction, the route is to be identified only on the Town's pathways map, which residents can find through the Pathway System page.
The barn kept its limit of five shows a year
The same evening, the Council held a public hearing on renewing the Conditional Use Permit for Westwind Community Barn at 27210 Altamont Road. The original request would have given the barn more room to operate. The final motion gave less.
| Item | Requested modification | What the Council adopted |
|---|---|---|
| Horse shows per year | Increase from five to eight | Maximum of five |
| Permit review | Change annual review to a ten-year renewal term | Annual compliance review by the Parks and Recreation Committee |
| On-site oversight | Remove the 24-hour attendant requirement | Discussed replacing it with security-camera monitoring |
Staff recommended keeping the five-show cap after talks with the concessionaire, neighboring residents, and Town staff. Staff told the Council that several cameras with monitoring capabilities had been installed at the barn. Vice Mayor Swan asked whether camera monitoring would be enough to catch a health emergency involving an individual horse. Mayor Bhateja explained that the annual review came out of discussions with neighbors who wanted a way to check compliance proactively, so the barn isn't reviewed only when someone complains. The motion passed 3-1-1.
Both votes gave formal standing while leaving scale and impacts on adjacent streets under the Town's ongoing review. The barn's biggest public afternoon of the year is a Town-run event.
Barn Lighting on December 6
The Town calendar lists Barn Lighting at Westwind Community Barn on Sunday, December 6, 2026, from 2 to 5 p.m. The listing invites people to "come together with friends and neighbors." It promises hot chocolate or wine, cookies and Mister Softee's, holiday games, craft tables, face painting, pony rides, a petting zoo, and photos with Santa, with a countdown to the barn lighting at 5 p.m.
Earlier this fall, the Town calendar listed the 3rd Annual "Pet a Pony" Day at Purissima Park on October 4 and a Halloween Costume Game Night in the Town Hall Council Chambers on October 17.
The pathways are changing one segment at a time
The Town is adding to its pathway network one road segment at a time, and each piece depends on permits and easements. Two projects show the range.
The Magdalena Road Pathway is the one that has broken ground. A May 2026 Public Works update describes a planned 1,300-linear-foot roadside pathway, and says the Council approved plans and specifications and authorized formal bidding on May 14. The bid documents set a bid opening of June 9, 2026. The scope includes clearing, grading, tree removal, retaining walls, and a Type 2B pathway surface. At the August 20 Council meeting, Public Works Director WooJae Kim reported that construction had begun in early August and was expected to finish by the end of September.
The Summerhill Pathway is further out. At the May 14 meeting, Council members said it was not ready to proceed because required permits had not been secured. In August, Director Kim reported that Santa Clara County would not waive ADA requirements and that the Town's consultant was preparing revisions and an updated cost estimate. The September 17 Council agenda included a design-agreement amendment that would add $17,000 for accessibility requirements, raising the agreement ceiling to $68,780 and extending its term to December 31, 2027.
The Pathways Committee keeps the smaller segments on its monthly agenda. Its October 26 agenda listed updates on Magdalena Avenue, on Altamont Road between Moody Road and Corbetta Lane (including the removal of a large eucalyptus), on the path from Old Page Mill Road to Christopher Lane, and on the De Anza Trail. It also listed discussions of pathway reconstruction and pathway standards. At Byrne Preserve, restoration work is ongoing, and the Town extended its Grassroots Ecology contract through June 30, 2027.
Dates to plan around between now and the lighting
- Early November, Hidden Villa Trails Volunteer Day. Hidden Villa's upcoming programs page listed a free, three-hour trail maintenance session on November 3, with no experience required. Check the page for the next session if you miss that one.
- Monday, November 23, Pathways Committee meeting. It runs 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Chambers Conference Room at Town Hall. This is the place to bring up a pathway issue that isn't on the agenda: the committee allows two-minute presentations from the floor.
- Saturday, November 28, and Saturday, December 5, Hidden Villa Wreath Making Workshop. The workshop listing shows sessions from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on November 28 and from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on December 5, at $100 per person for ages 10 and up. Confirm registration before you go.
- Sunday, December 6, Barn Lighting at Westwind Community Barn. It runs 2 to 5 p.m. at 27210 Altamont Road, with the lighting countdown at 5 p.m.
If your weekend walks take you up toward Rancho San Antonio, the Rhus Ridge parking area has nine spaces plus one ADA space, according to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Midpen notes that trail status in its preserves can change without notice, so check its trail conditions page before you head out.
Here in Los Altos Hills, Moody Road now carries the Anza name, the barn still allows five shows a year, and the Magdalena Road pathway has been under construction since August. If you own a home along one of these pathways and want to know how the Town's pathway work might affect your property's presentation or timeline down the road, Annemarie Heynig can walk you through it. Schedule a free consultation.
