The staging area is all dirt, some gravel. There's one big space marked 'Equestrian Parking' but if a rig is in there, go past and make a right into the dirt parking lot -- there's a little sign on fence post that again says 'Equestrian Parking'. The parking lot makes a loop so one doesn't have to back out.

Most of the trails are open to hikers and equestrians and a few allow bikers on them. But, expect to see bikers anyway. The day I was there, from the equestrian staging area which is part of a multi-use area I met two bikers coming down the hike-horse trail. They rode on over the bridge and down to the main paved parking lot. (Which by the way is about a city block away with nice bathrooms!) Like all trails in the Bay Area you're bound to see users in areas they aren't suppose to be in -- so remember that.

The County Park section is about 165 acres but combined with the 3,800 acres of Open Space, the trails offer a wide and diverse environment. Hours are from dawn to one half-hour after sunset -- then the gates get locked! NO DOGS ALLOWED and its best to leave 'em home anyway because there is no shade in the parking lot and it gets HOT! In fact, temperatures can go over 100 out on some of the trails so the best time to plan a ride is early morning or watch the fog on the hills to determine if its a good day for a ride.

Fog from the ocean spills over the hill ridges. If one sees a good layer of fog with a lip hanging into the valley, it's a good day for a ride at Rancho San Antonio. Breezes will be blowing and the temperatures about 80. Again the day I was there, the fog was hanging on the hills, a good breeze was blowing, temperatures in the high 70's, low 80's and a great day for a ride!

The bridge!  You have to cross it to begin trail riding

There could be one 'minor' obstacle to getting onto the trails though. The bridge! From the staging area over the creek and to the trail is the bridge. It's arched in the center. About six feet wide with 5 foot sides covered with chain link fence. It has brush growing in it but it's still a bridge.

Bridge decking is 12 inch planking with 1-1/2 to 2 inch spacing between boards and it makes noise! One gal I talked to had been there for "at least two hours" trying to get her horse over the bridge. But "it's a good way to train a horse to cross a bridge and at least we're not on the other side, tired and trying to go home" she stated. (She did get the horse over the bridge and after 5 or 6 back and forth trips, loaded up and went home adding "We'll come back again!".)

After crossing the bridge, head straight up the trail (don't go right). Climbs will be about 600 to 1200 feet overall so I'd suggest a breast collar, a canteen of water, a hat and horse shoes. Trail treads are dirt with some pretty good size gravel in places. So take a hoofpick also to remove any little gravel pieces that wedge between frog and hoof wall or under shoe.

About a half mile up the Coyote Trail from the staging area one will encounter the first trail division. Go left, down the hill and through the gate one will ride the PG& E trail and you're now in the Open Space Preserve. From this trail one can make one big loop or turn off onto another trail for another loop.

One tricky spot, about 1.6 miles down the trail is a 'Y'. If you go left you'll still follow the PG&E trail for about another 2 miles to the Vista Point. It's a beautiful ride but it gets hot. I turned right at the 'Y' and went up to the Wildcat Loop, to that Vista Point (one can see all the way across the Bay to Mission Peak and on a clear day Mt. Hamilton and even Mt. Tamalpais), then right again to the High Meadow Trail, past Deer Hollow Farm along the Coyote Trail and back to the staging area. Total distance about 7 miles.

If one rides the whole PG&E Trail, distance is about 4 miles from the gate then up to the Upper High Meadow Trail and back to Wildcat Loop Trail. Total distance that way is about 12 miles back to the staging area.

The equestrian 'rest area' with bench, water trough, usually in the shade

Once back and over the bridge, take a few minutes before loading up for home and let the horse relax. Coming off the bridge back into the staging area and to the left is a bench and a water trough (filled with water when I was there but I still bucket watered) in the shade. Enjoy the breeze, have a cool drink and let your favorite trail horse relax. This is a long ride and your friend has accomplished his task well -- so give him a break before trailering and just enjoy the feeling of 'horse and rider'.