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Mitchell Park

Announcement

The water play feature at Mitchell Park is currently closed. We will review covid and drought restrictions after June 15th before re-opening the water play area.

21.4-acre district park that offers a wealth of active recreational opportunities.

History

Mitchell Park is named for J. Pearce Mitchell, a Palo Alto City Councilmember for 31 years and a two-term mayor. Mitchell was born in Rhode Island in 1880. He came to California in 1896 and earned a bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. from Stanford. For many years he was a Stanford professor of chemistry as well as Stanford Registrar. Mitchell died in Palo Alto in 1973.
Mitchell Park received national and international acclaim when it opened in 1957. Designed by Robert Royston, it was a new kind of park, with a variety of recreational activities geared to people of all ages. The park map featured 29 activities that included above ground “gopher holes” and a miniature freeway system in the tiny tot area; a circular slab for roller skating; and designated areas for shuffleboard, bocce, tennis, and picnicking. Over the years the park’s glory faded as budgets became tight. Funds finally became available in the 1990s to upgrade Mitchell Park “infrastructure” and Mitchell Park amenities.
In 1969, as part of Palo Alto’s 75th anniversary, El Palo Nuevo, a Sequoia Sempervirens, was planted in Mitchell Park as a companion tree to El Palo Alto. A plaque locates the site.
Recently added is the Magical Bridge Playground the nation's most innovative inclusive playground, designed and built for visitors of ALL abilities. Opened in April of 2015, it is a new kind of playground - one, where everyone can play.

Magical Bridge Playground

The flagship Magical Bridge Playground opened to the public in April 2015 in the heart of Silicon Valley. Located in Mitchell Park in Palo Alto, California, Magical Bridge is heralded as the nation’s most innovative and inclusive playground, attracting visitors of all ages and all abilities.
Learn more about the Magical Bridge Foundation, a non-profit that partnered with the City to make this playground a reality.