Natural Lands
Spanning more than 650 acres, Filoli’s Natural Lands are expansive, boasting six distinct ecosystems and two hiking trail loops. They provide habitat for many animals, including deer, turkeys, banana slugs, and dozens of bird species.
By the Numbers
Geography
Filoli has a unique natural environment due to its location in the San Mateo Creek watershed and along the San Andreas Fault. As you walk over Fault Creek Bridge on our Trails, you will pass from the North American Plate to the Pacific Plate and cross the San Andreas Fault. The Bourns experienced their first quake at Filoli the very month they moved in, though it caused little damage due to the House’s steel superstructure.
The Woods
The Filoli’s Natural Lands boast a variety of ecosystems within a compact area, including oak-madrone forests, redwood circles, chaparral, and riparian zones. There are also natural springs and creeks, a reservoir, and cultivated grasslands. As you walk the trails, notice how the light and temperature changes as you pass through these different areas.
Wildlife
While many animals are nocturnal or elusive, you may spot some of Filoli’s permanent residents as you explore the Natural Lands, including deer, turkeys, banana slugs, and dozens of bird species. During winter, keep your eye out for the poisonous California newt—identifiable by its orange belly!
Horses at Filoli
When the Roths purchased the estate in 1937, Lurline brought many brood mares with her, about 40 at the peak. The studs and competition horses were kept at their nearby Why Worry Farm and show stable. The green horse fences and feeding troughs date from the Roth period.
The Fields
Over the last 150 years, Filoli’s fields have been heavily grazed by a variety of animals: first by the native black-tailed deer and later by domestic farm animals introduced by the Spanish. This 1920 photograph shows that the Bourns grazed sheep on the property.