Stanford Dish Trail (No Dogs Allowed) 2015-03-28

It was a beautiful spring day to hike a Bay Area classic that has so far eluded us – Stanford Dish Trail. Jaya and Jana were my hiking buddies today with Apollo chilling out at home after having a double breakfast. 

The paved blacktop trail takes you around the radio telescope that is still actively used and goes by the popular name of “the Dish.”

Neither dogs nor bicyclists are allowed here, making this trail - more a well paved road than a proper hiking trail - popular for joggers and walkers. The four mile trail is a completely exposed, so it's best done when it is not too hot. Street-side parking is available on Stanford Ave off Junipero Serra Blvd in Palo Alto.

The walk nevertheless offers panoramic views of Stanford, bay bridges, the East Bay, as well as Arastradero Preserve and beyond on the other side. 

View of the Dish, Stanford clock tower, Jaya and Jana debating

I’d recommend doing the hike as an anti-clockwise loop for to take in the best views offered on the hike, especially of Stanford University and the bay.

Our hike was especially interesting today with several engaging conversation topics between Jaya, me, and our fast maturing Wildcat daughter, Jana. 

With each of us standing on different ends of the spectrum on economic systems, we had a healthy debate on the merits and lack thereof between capitalism, socialism, and communism. We also put Jana in a spot to arbitrate between debates Jaya and I have all the time and she was ever so tactful in keeping both mom and dad happy :)

We covered 4.5 miles at a leisurely pace of about 3 mph. Here are some more pictures from the hike.

#StanfordDish