Full Review: Deer Hollow Farm

There is a roundabout about a mile from the turn onto Cristo Rey Drive.   

 

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           Roundabout

  

Stay on Crystal Rey Drive and look on the left for the Rancho San Antonio Park sign.

 

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              Park sign 

  

There are two large parking lots and a restroom facility.

 

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               Parking lots                                Restrooms 

  

The trail to the farm is approximately one mile.  Follow the paved trail across the bridge.

 

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                 Bridge

  

If you are walking, follow the dirt trail to the right and if you are cycling, follow the paved trail to the left.

 

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          Fork in the trail

 

In about a quarter of a mile, you will reach a sign and a dirt trail.

 

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               Park sign

 

Follow this trail for about a half mile.  There will be a couple of places where hikers can veer off to the right and continue on dirt trails.

 

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               Dirt trail 

 

The paved trail is wide.

 

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              Paved trail 

 

You will arrive at another bridge which is the start of the farm and historical site.

 

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           Second bridge

 

In 1860, Theodore and George Grant immigrated from Massachusetts to California and purchased 360 acres of land that is now Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve (from a purchase by Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District).  The Grant family owned the land for 77 years.  They raised wheat, horses and dairy cows.  There is a hay barn built by the Grants in the early 1900s which was used to shelter the cattle and store hay.

  

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        Cow and baby calf                            Hay barn

 

The historic Grant cabin was built in the 1850s and is the oldest structure at Deer Hollow Farm, and there is a blacksmith shed that was built in the 1950s.  These structures were restored between 1992 and 1996. 

 

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       Historic Grant cabin

 

There is also a nature center and a 1922 Fodorson tractor.

 

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           Nature center                                  Tractor