The district's preserves stitch together a nearly continuous corridor from the baylands at sea level to the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. They range from Ravenswood's salt marshes on the Bay shore to Russian Ridge's wildflower meadows along Skyline Boulevard, from the old-growth redwoods of Bear Creek to the coastal grasslands of Cloverdale Ranch near Pigeon Point Lighthouse. In total, the district maintains 259 miles of hiking trails, 163 miles open to bicycles, 223 miles to equestrians, and 63 miles to leashed dogs. Preserves are deliberately undeveloped -- most have only a parking area, trail signs, and possibly an outhouse. All are open from dawn to half an hour after sunset.

The district's park rangers are sworn peace officers who patrol the preserves and provide emergency response, trail maintenance, and visitor education. Unusually for law enforcement in America, they do not carry firearms. They wear tan and green uniforms with a gold seven-point star badge bearing an enameled California state seal. Dispatch services are provided by the Mountain View Police Department under contract. The rangers' unarmed status reflects the district's character: these are places for walking, not warfare, though the occasional mountain lion encounter keeps things interesting.

The district serves a tax base of about 550 square miles and 763,000 people. Revenue for fiscal year 2025-2026 was projected at $94.4 million, with $82 million coming from a portion of property taxes. The remainder comes from state and federal grants, private donations, and rental income from agricultural leases on some preserves. That nearly $100 million annually flows to open space preservation in one of the most expensive real estate markets on Earth says something about what Peninsula residents value. Every acre the district protects is an acre that will never become an office park, a subdivision, or a data center. In a region defined by development, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is the organized resistance.