Atop the coastal range west of Woodside, the community's official elevation is 1,520 feet (463 m) above mean sea level (AMSL).

[2] Maps recorded as early as 1909 show it as Sky L'onda apparently derived from the crossroad names Skyline Boulevard and Woodside-La Honda Road.

Many of the area's characteristic redwood-log homes were first built in the early 1930s by a developer who subdivided a few tracts and established a water supply and reservoirs dedicated to the new community.

[3] There are a few commercial establishments at the intersection of SR35 and SR84, including two service stations, a convenience store, a real estate office, a small events center, and Alice's Restaurant.

[5][6] Already a renowned stop for motorcyclists, hikers and tourists, Alice’s Restaurant (and the adjacent buildings) was bought in the 1970s and has been family owned & operated ever since.