Matadero Creek
| Matadero Creek Arroyo del Matadero, Crosby's Creek, Madera Creek | |
|---|---|
Beaver recently recolonized Matadero Creek in the Palo Alto Baylands. Courtesy Bill Leikam September 2022 | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Santa Clara County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains |
| • location | Los Altos Hills, California |
| • coordinates | 37°22′01″N 122°09′04″W / 37.36694°N 122.15111°W |
| • elevation | 640 ft (200 m) |
| Mouth | Palo Alto Flood Basin, then Mayfield Slough, then southwest San Francisco Bay |
• location | Palo Alto, California |
• coordinates | 37°25′27″N 122°08′01″W / 37.42417°N 122.13361°W |
• elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Arastradero Creek, Santa Rita Creek via the "Stanford Channel" |
| • right | Deer Creek |
Matadero Creek is a stream originating in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The creek flows in a northeasterly direction for 8 miles (13 km) until it enters the Palo Alto Flood Basin, where it joins Adobe Creek in the Palo Alto Baylands at the north end of the Mayfield Slough, just before its culmination in southwest San Francisco Bay. Matadero Creek begins in the city of Los Altos Hills, then traverses the Stanford University lands and Palo Alto.