0.7 mi/0.5 hr
in Mount Diablo State Park near Walnut Creek
From the parking lot, start your visit to the 3,819-foot summit of Mount Diablo by making the short walk to the old lookout station. Head up the stairs to the lookout perch that towers over the San Joaquin Delta and Sacramento Valley. From each side of the lookout, you get a chance to see long distances that encompass a vast, far-reaching landscape. On clear days in spring, the snow-covered Sierra Crest looks so close you feel like you could reach it in one giant leap.
As you drive in on the one-lane road, you’ll see two lanes come together; once the two-lane road starts, you’ll see the trailhead for the Mary Bowerman Trail. The trail runs on the shoulder of the summit in a clockwise route; the first half of the trail is wheelchair-accessible. It offers a variety of views every step of the way. You will see some fire damage, both on the south flank and into the valley below as well. It takes about a half hour.
The best time of year for this hike is in late March and April, when the hills glow neon green and the skies are often clear. Those familiar with the old mountain know this as the former Fire Interpretive Trail, a rim trail that rings the Diablo summit with fantastic views. In the first 0.25-mile, there’s a viewpoint. On a clear day, you can make out the high-rises of downtown Sacramento. Farther along is another spot where you can see across the Devil’s Pulpit and into Livermore Valley. Mary Bowerman, in case you don’t recognize the name, was an esteemed Diablo botanist.
Note: Mount Diablo is a “dry park.” No beer, wine, or alcohol of any kind is permitted.
User Groups: Hikers. The first half of the trail is wheelchair-accessible. No mountain bikes, dogs, or horses.
Permits: No permits are required. A state park entrance fee of $10 is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: A trail map is available from Mount Diablo State Park for a fee. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Diablo.
Directions: North Gate: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge to the split and I-580. Bear right on I-580 and continue 1.6 miles (stay to the right) to Highway 24. Take 24 east for 13.2 miles to Walnut Creek. Take I-680 north and go 0.4 mile to the exit for Ygnacio Valley Road. Turn right on Ygnacio Valley and go 2.2 miles to Walnut Avenue. Bear right and go 1.5 miles to Oak Grove Road, then continue a short distance to North Gate Road. Turn left and go 1.4 miles to park entrance and kiosk. Continue 17 miles to upper summit parking lot.
South Gate: Take Highway 24 to Walnut Creek (stay right) and I-680 South. Go south on I-680 and drive 7.2 miles to Danville and the exit for Diablo Road. Take Diablo Road east for 2.9 miles (at 0.7 mile, you jog right to stay on Diablo Road) to Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard. Turn left and go 3.8 miles (becomes South Gate Road) to the kiosk at the park entrance. Continue on South Gate Road to Summit Road. Turn right and drive to summit parking area, visitors center, and lookout.
Contact: Mount Diablo State Park, 925/837-2525; Summit Visitors Center, 925/837-6119; www.parks.ca.gov or www.mdia.org.
1.0 mi/2.0 hr
in Mount Diablo State Park near Danville
Sentinel Rock at Mount Diablo’s Rock City is a stunner. You will be forever imprinted by the sight of this series of sandstone monoliths and the adventures that await. You can explore for hours. The most popular trailhead starts at the Big Rock parking area at Rock City. From there, you can follow the Rock Trail to a series of sandstone rock formations, arriving at an overlook where Sentinel Rock is visible.
It’s about 0.4 mile to Sentinel Rock, a massive crag of sandstone with hollows like swiss cheese. At the base of Sentinel Rock, on the east side, you’ll find a carved staircase that signals the trek to the top (cables are set up for safety). There is a mosaic of unsigned trails in the area, and it can be confusing for first-timers. One suggestion is to follow Wall Point Road to a spur trail (CCC Trail) south to Sentinel Rock. Soak in the views, then return on the spur trail to Wall Point Road and continue following that northwest to other sandstone structures: the Wind Caves, Wall Point, and Lower Rock City. Below Lower Rock City, Boy Scout Rock is the big attraction. On its back side, it’s an easy scramble to the top, and you can often see rock climbers rappelling down the face.
Note: Mount Diablo is a “dry park.” No beer, wine, or alcohol of any kind is permitted.
User Groups: Hikers. No mountain bikes, dogs, horses, or wheelchair access on trail. Some wheelchair facilities at a picnic area.
Permits: No permits are required. A state park entrance fee of $10 is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: A trail map is available from Mount Diablo State Park for a fee. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Diablo.
Directions: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge east for 6.4 miles (stay far right) to the split and I-580. Bear right on I-580 (stay far right) and go 1.5 miles to exit for Highway 24. Take Highway 24 and go 13.4 miles (through the tunnel) to Walnut Creek (stay right) and I-680 south. Take the exit to I-680 South and drive 7.2 miles to Danville and the exit for Diablo Road. Take Diablo Road east for 2.9 miles (at 0.7 mile, you jog right to stay on Diablo Road) to Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard. Turn left and go 3.8 miles (becomes South Gate Road) to the kiosk at the park entrance. Continue 0.8 mile to Rock City and park at the Big Rock parking area.
Note: Avoid parking at the nearby campground for day use. Violators will be ticketed.
Contact: Mount Diablo State Park, 925/837-2525; Summit Visitors Center, 925/837-6119; www.parks.ca.gov or www.mdia.org.
1.0-3.0 mi/1.5 hr
in Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve near Antioch
Here’s a chance to combine a hike through pretty foothill country with an underground tour into the Bay Area’s landmark coal and silica mines. Black Diamond Mines spans more than 7,500 acres, with 5,315 acres open to the public and a variety of routes amid 57 miles of trails for hiking (dogs permitted), biking, and horseback riding. The trails include valley walks and climbs to ridges for sweeping foothill views and a 3.2-mile hike with a moderate climb to a backpack-style primitive campground. Plan your trip for the Hazel-Atlas Mine Tour (noon and 3pm Sat.-Sun. Mar.-Nov.).
After passing the park’s entrance kiosk (usually staffed only on weekends), drive straight past the first parking area on the left and continue about one mile to the end of the road. A parking area, picnic area, and several trailheads are located here. From this point, take the signed Hazel-Atlas Mine Trail for a short walk up the hill to the mine entrance on the left. (Remember: Access to the mines is permitted by guided tour only.) As you near the mine entrance, on hot days you can feel the rush of cool air emerging from deep below the surface. A few dozen hard hats are provided for public use (mandatory); choose from a wooden box set just inside the mine entrance. In the first 400 feet, you follow a rail line to the underground office of the sand mine boss on the left. Peering through the office door, you see an old desk, a variety of old glass bottles, and other vintage accessories. Outside is the switchback for the railcars.
The tunnel starts out small, and then opens with a series of cavernous chutes above and below you. Lighted stairways provide access to multiple chambers. Some spurs seem dark, deep, and endless, and are walled off by jail cell-like grates. There are multiple levels, and eventually they lead down into the coal mine chambers.
In the spring, this is one of the best of the 150 parks in the Bay Area for wildflower blooms. Deer, squirrels, foxes, hawks, and owls are common sightings.
Stewartville Backpack Camp: This public campground requires a 3.2-mile hike with a moderate climb. There is room for 20 people, with picnic tables and a pit toilet available. There is no drinking water (bring your own), and you must pack out all trash. Reservations required.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. The underground tours are accessible for hikers only. Limited wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A parking fee of $5 per vehicle is charged when the kiosk is attended; $2 per dog. Guided tours of the underground mining museum cost $5 per person; tickets can be purchased at the Sidney Flat Visitors Center. Reservations are required for Stewartville Backpack Camp (510/636-1684, $5 pp/night).
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Antioch South.
Directions: From the Bay Bridge, take I-80 northeast for 22 miles to the exit for Highway 4/Martinez. Take that exit and continue east on Highway 4 for 25 miles to Exit 26A for Somersville Road. Take that exit, turn right on Auto Center Road/Somersville Road, and continue three miles to the park entrance. Continue straight 0.7 mile to the parking lot and trailhead.
Contact: Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, 510/544-2750 or 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
1.6 mi/1.0 hr
in Contra Loma Regional Park near Antioch
Most people go to Contra Loma Regional Park to fish, swim, sunbathe, or picnic at Contra Loma Lake. This short loop trail provides an alternative to those activities, tracing along the northwest shore of the lake, then climbing up and over a short hill and looping back to the starting point. From the parking area, head out on the trail to the Cattail Cove Picnic Area. Just after that, the trail turns right, and you’ll follow the shore of the lake, pass a fishing pier, and then start a 10-minute climb up a small hill. To close out the loop, glide down the hill. The trail turns left and a mile later returns to the Cattail Cove Picnic Area. A great, easy romp, this hike is best done in spring.
User Groups: Hikers, wheelchairs, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are required. A parking fee of $5 per vehicle is charged; $2 for dogs. An additional fee is charged for access to the swim lagoon.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Contra Loma Regional Park brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Antioch South.
Directions: Take Highway 4 to Antioch and the exit for Lone Tree Way. Follow that exit to Lone Tree Way and drive south to Golf Course Road. Turn right on Golf Course Road and drive to Frederickson Lane. Bear right on Frederickson and drive to the entry gate. Pass the kiosk, bear left, and continue to the parking lot by the beach.
Contact: Contra Loma Regional Park, 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
5.7 mi/3.0 hr
in Morgan Territory Regional Preserve north of Livermore
Morgan Territory Regional Preserve is located within the traditional homeland of the Volvon, one of six tribes who spoke the Bay Miwok language. This trail, named after the first people to live here, is the preserve’s feature hike. You can create an easy 5.7-mile loop where you trace along a ridge as it rises along sandstone hills. You reach a ridgeline with terrific views toward Los Vaqueros Reservoir below.
The staging area is set near the ridge at 1,900 feet. Start the trip by heading up the short hill (a 100-foot climb) on the Volvon Trail and then continue over the other side a short distance to the T (about 0.5 mile from the trailhead) at the intersection of the Blue Oak Trail. Then it’s on to Bob Walker Ridge. Head north on the Blue Oak Trail and hike 1.3 miles to the Valley View Trail; a portable toilet is located here and you will pass a few other signed trail junctions. The trail meanders in and out of sub-ridge valleys, green and sprinkled with a few wildflowers in the spring, and is easy all the way. Continue right on the Valley View Trail and head to Bob Walker Ridge.
Here the trail is routed northward on a ranch road to a rounded mountain peak. There are beautiful views of Los Vaqueros Reservoir, as well as below to Round Valley, to the San Joaquin Valley to the east and Mount Diablo to the north.
The Loop Trail circles Bob Walker Ridge in a left-turning horseshoe and then links up again with the Volvon Trail. From here the Volvon Trail runs all the way back to the trailhead. As you near the parking lot, you can take a shortcut by turning right on the Concor Trail and then coasting downhill to the staging area. You can also extend the trip a mile by returning on the Corral Trail/Coyote Trail (hikers only, a good choice on weekends when the bikes are out).
The ridge was named in the 1990s for Bob Walker, a landscape photographer and open-space advocate who helped ensure that Morgan Territory was added to the East Bay Regional Park District. This parkland is most beautiful in the spring, and not just because the hills are greened up; one of the best wildflower displays in the Bay Area occurs here at that time. The one downer: too many cows.
User Groups: The first half of the loop is accessible to hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. The second half is for hikers and dogs only. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Morgan Territory Regional Preserve brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Tassajara.
Directions: From I-580 in Livermore, take the North Livermore Avenue exit and turn north. Drive to the junction of Morgan Territory Road and turn right. Drive 10.7 miles (narrow, drive slow) to the staging area on the right side of the road.
From I-680 in Concord, take the Clayton Road exit and head east. Clayton Road becomes Marsh Creek Road. Continue to Morgan Territory Road. Turn right and drive 9.4 miles (narrow, drive slow) to the staging area on the left side of the road.
Contact: Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, 510/544-3060 or 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
6.0 mi/3.0 hr
in Round Valley Regional Preserve
Round Valley Regional Preserve sits in a beautiful pocket below the ridgeline that extends from the southeast flank of Mount Diablo, located off Marsh Creek Road. This park is a great back-road discovery. In the fall, it feels (and looks) like what field scout Ned MacKay calls “the East Bay’s Serengeti Plain.”
The trip starts with a pretty drive into the foothills of Contra Costa County. The park entrance is actually a staging area—a gravel parking lot with chemical toilets. This is the gateway to the 2,024-acre preserve. After parking, begin the trek by crossing the bridge at the staging area. The service road into Round Valley is called the Miwok Trail. Just over a mile in, there’s a junction: You can continue into Round Valley on the Miwok Trail, go right and over a bridge onto the Murphy Meadow Trail, or go left and up a hill on the Hardy Canyon Trail. We’ve done them all and they are all good. From the ridge that overlooks Round Valley, you can get a spectacular photo of the valley with Mount Diablo in the background.
As you hike amid this riparian-oak woodland habitat, keep a lookout on the valley floor for wildlife and to the air for raptors. This area is loaded with ground squirrels, and they can pop up and down like a game of pop-goes-the-weasel. Because of the high squirrel population, there are an equally high numbers of raptors that feed on them, with lots of red-tailed hawks, but also golden eagles, prairie falcons, owls, and turkey vultures.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes. No dogs, as dogs are not permitted in the adjoining Los Vaqueros Watershed to the south. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Round Valley Regional Park brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Diablo.
Directions: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge east for 6.4 miles (stay far right) to the split and I-580. Bear right on I-580 (stay far right) and go 1.5 miles to exit for Highway 24. Take Highway 24 and go 13.4 miles (through the tunnel) to Walnut Creek (stay left) and I-680 North. Continue on I-680 North for 0.4 mile to exit for Ygnacio Valley Road. At bottom of ramp turn right on Ygnacio Valley Road and drive 7.5 miles to Clayton Road. Turn right and go 2.5 miles (it becomes Marsh Creek Road) and then continue 12 miles (past Morgan Territory Road on right, Deer Valley Road on left) to entrance on right (signed) to Round Valley Regional Preserve (parking and trailhead visible from Marsh Creek Road).
Alternate route from Livermore: Take I-580 east to the exit for Vasco Avenue. Follow that exit, turn north on Vasco and go 12 miles to Camino Diablo Road. Turn left and go to junction with Marsh Creek Road and continue north 1.5 miles to the staging area on left.
Contact: Round Valley Regional Preserve, 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
2.9 mi/1.5 hr
at Hayward Regional Shoreline in Hayward
Cogswell Marsh, a 250-acre tidal wetland, is the heart of the 1,713-acre Hayward Regional Shoreline. It is located just north of Highway 92 and the San Mateo Bridge. It is so close to so many who drive right by, yet once afoot, has a feel of a world apart with big-time views and bird sightings. From the Peninsula, it’s a quick shot over the bridge, yet few take that shot.
Cogswell Marsh Loop: From West Winton, hike south for 0.4 mile and then pick up the Bay Trail and continue south on the levee through Cogswell Marsh to Johnson’s Landing. Turn right to route along the bay’s shore and complete loop.
Longer trips can be crafted to the Oro Loma Marsh or beyond to the north on the Bay Trail. From West Winton, hike west for 0.3 mile to Hayward Landing. Turn right on the Bay Trail and head north, with the shore of the South Bay on your left, the 364-acre Oro Loma Marsh (constructed in 1997) on your right, to Bockman Channel, four miles round-trip. The ambitious can continue north, another half mile one-way over the San Lorenzo Creek and another 2.3 miles to San Leandro Marina.
User Groups: Hikers and mountain bikes. No dogs (south of flood control channel at West Winton Avenue) or horses. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Hayward Regional Shoreline brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for San Leandro.
Directions: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge (get in right lane) to the split and Exit 8A and I-880. Merge right on I-880 south and drive 18 miles to Exit 28 for Winton Avenue. Take that exit, keep right at a fork, and merge onto West Winton Avenue. Drive 2.5 miles to the park office and continue a short distance to the parking area and trailhead.
From the Peninsula: Take U.S. 101 to exit for Highway 92 East. Take Highway 92 and drive 11 miles (over San Mateo Bridge) to Exit 24 for Clawiter Road/Eden Landing Road. Take that exit 0.2 mile to Clawiter Road, turn left, and go one mile to Depot Road. Turn left on Depot Road and go 0.7 mile to Cabot Boulevard. Turn right and go 1.1 miles to West Winton Avenue (second left). Turn left and drive 0.4 mile to park office; continue a short distance to the parking area and trailhead.
Contact: Hayward Regional Shoreline, 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
31.0 mi one-way/2-4 days
from Anthony Chabot to Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
A 31-mile trail along the East Bay’s skyline offers an opportunity for a long-distance hike that can be chopped into many short segments over the course of days or even weeks. The trail spans from the Castro Valley foothills northward to the ridgeline behind Richmond, crossing six regional parks for a view into the area’s prettiest and wildest lands. The East Bay Skyline National Trail can be hiked from south to north in two days, but it can also be divided into seven sections from the different access points at the parking areas. Bicycles and horses are permitted on 65 percent of the trail, where it is wide enough to accommodate them.
It is a great trip, whether you do it all in one weekend or cover a bit at a time over several weeks. No permits are needed, leashed dogs are allowed in undeveloped areas or as posted, and access is free. There are no campgrounds directly along the way, but you can use a shuttle car and come back to do a different section each day. The marked absence of drinking water along much of the route is another drawback. Water is available at only four points over the 31 miles, at Lomas Cantadas, Sibley Preserve, Skyline Gate, and Bort Meadow. So come prepared with two full canteens per person, along with a hat and sunscreen. Following are detailed descriptions of the trail from south to north.
Proctor Gate to Bort Meadow, Lake Chabot, and Anthony Chabot Regional Park: The Brandon Trail starts adjacent to Willow Park Public Golf Course and is routed up a ridge. It then meanders on a ranch road in Anthony Chabot Regional Park. At Stonebridge (don’t turn left at the trail junction!), the trail leads into Grass Valley and on to Bort Meadow. The trail climbs 600 feet, then drops 320 feet, all over 6.5 miles.
Directions: From I-580 in Oakland, take the 35th Avenue exit and drive east (35th Avenue becomes Redwood Road). Drive on Redwood Road to the Proctor Gate Staging Area on the east border of the park next to Willow Park Public Golf Course.
Bort Meadow to MacDonald Gate, Anthony Chabot Regional Park: If you are hiking the entire East Bay National Skyline Trail, the trail climbs steeply out of Bort Meadow. If you are starting at the parking area, however, no such climb is needed. The trail becomes a service road, from which you can turn and look south for the great view of Grass Valley. Hikers are completely exposed on the ascent; it’s hot and dry in the afternoon, so it’s best to go early in the morning. Once on top, it’s an easy hike, with many wildflowers in spring. It then descends into a canyon, and drops you into MacDonald Staging Area. Continue on MacDonald Trail a very short distance to Big Bear Staging Area (hikers only, no bicycles). You will cross Redwood Road, putting you at the entrance to Redwood Regional Park. Bikers can exit on to Redwood Road, but should use caution. Distance: 2.7 miles; climbs 300 feet, then drops 500 feet.
Bort Meadow
Directions: From I-580 in Oakland, take the 35th Avenue exit and drive east (35th Avenue becomes Redwood Road). Drive on Redwood Road three miles past Skyline Boulevard to the Bort Meadow Staging Area on the right.
MacDonald Gate to Skyline Gate, Redwood Regional Park: Hikers have two options here, and the suggested route is to split off at French Trail to hike up the canyon bottom on Stream Trail, enveloped by redwoods. (Note that bikes are permitted on the section that overlaps with the Stream Trail, but only as far as Trail’s End. Bikes are not permitted after that point.) The alternative, a must-do for bikers, is to take West Ridge Trail for a steep climb to the canyon rim, then drop to the junction at Skyline Gate. Distance: five miles; French Trail drops 200 feet, then climbs 400 feet; West Ridge Trail climbs 900 feet, then drops 200 feet.
Directions: From I-580 to the west or I-680 to the east, take Highway 24 to Highway 13 and go south to the exit for Redwood Road. Turn left at the traffic signal next to the shopping center, then bear left up the hill on Redwood Road. Continue driving east on Redwood Road for 1.7 miles from the intersection of Skyline Boulevard and turn right into the MacDonald Gate Staging Area.
Skyline Gate through Huckleberry Preserve to Sibley Preserve: This section of trail is a choice hike for nature lovers, who will see an abundance of birdlife and other animals, especially in the early morning and late evening. The trail passes through a deciduous woodland habitat, with a short but quite steep climb after entering Huckleberry Preserve. Distance: three miles; drops 200 feet, then climbs 480 feet.
Directions: From Highway 24 in Oakland, drive east to Highway 13. Go south and drive to Joaquin Miller Road, then head east until you hit Skyline Boulevard. Turn left on Skyline Boulevard and drive to the Skyline Gate Staging Area.
Sibley Preserve to Lomas Cantadas, Tilden Regional Park: A unique section of trail, this part crosses over the Caldecott Tunnel in a relatively unpeopled area. Many hawks are seen here, a nice bonus. Sibley is best known for its volcanic past, and hikers can take a side trip to Round Top Peak (see the Round Top Loop Trail listing in this chapter). This area was a volcanic region 10 million years ago, when the Hayward and Moraga fault systems greatly uplifted this land. Bicycles are permitted on the section of the Skyline Trail between Sibley Staging Area (6800 Skyline Blvd.) to Old Tunnel Staging Area. Distance: 3.4 miles; drops 300 feet, then climbs 600 feet.
Directions: From I-580 to the west or I-680 to the east, drive to Highway 24. Continue to just east of the Caldecott Tunnel and take the Fish Ranch Road exit northwest to Grizzly Peak Boulevard. Turn left and drive to Skyline Boulevard. The park entrance and parking area are on the left.
Lomas Cantadas to Inspiration Point, Tilden Regional Park: This section of trail starts at a major access area off Grizzly Peak Boulevard. Also possible is an adjacent side trip to Vollmer Peak, the highest point on East Bay Skyline National Trail. The trail is then routed north to Inspiration Point at Wildcat Canyon Road, another well-known access point, losing elevation most of the way. Many sweeping views of the East Bay’s untouched foothills are found on this hike. Distance: three miles; drops 860 feet.
Directions: From I-580 to the west or I-680 to the east, drive to Highway 24. Continue to just east of the Caldecott Tunnel and take the Fish Ranch Road exit to Grizzly Peak Boulevard. At the stop sign, turn right and drive on Grizzly Peak Boulevard to Lomas Cantadas Road. Turn right, then immediately turn left, following the signs for the Steam Train to the parking area.
Inspiration Point (Tilden Regional Park) to Wildcat Canyon Regional Park: The last stretch starts at the most heavily used section of the entire route, then crosses its most dramatic and unpeopled terrain. From Inspiration Point, the trail is actually paved for four miles—ideal for bicycles and wheelchairs. Beyond that, the trail turns to dirt and traces San Pablo Ridge with inspiring views in all directions before dropping steeply into Wildcat Canyon Regional Park in the Richmond foothills. Distance: 7.2 miles; drops 800 feet.
Directions: From I-580 to the west or I-680 to the east, drive to Highway 24. Continue to just east of the Caldecott Tunnel and take the Fish Ranch Road exit northwest to Grizzly Peak Boulevard. Turn right, drive up the hill, and turn right on South Park Drive. Drive one mile to Wildcat Canyon Road, bear right, and drive to the parking area at Inspiration Point, on the left.
Alternate Route: To avoid South Park Drive, which is sometimes closed in the winter due to newt migrations, from Highway 24 go through the Caldecott Tunnel and exit at Orinda. Turn left on Camino Pablo. Drive north for about two miles, then turn left on Wildcat Canyon Road. Follow the road to Inspiration Point on the right.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. Horses and mountain bikes are restricted in some sections. Also see individual trailhead listings.
Permits: No permits are required. Access is free, but a parking fee may be charged at some trailheads.
Maps: For a map of the East Bay Skyline National Trail, contact the East Bay Regional Park District and request the individual regional parks map brochures.
Directions: See individual trailhead listings for specific directions.
Contact: East Bay Regional Park District, 888/327-2757, www.ebparks.org.
1.7 mi/1.0 hr
in Don Castro Regional Recreation Area
Don Castro is a small (23 acres) but pretty lake that attracts swimmers to its lagoon and its clear, warm, blue waters. Take the Shoreline Trail along the north side of the lake. It leads to the upper end of the lake with a bridged crossing on your right and the Whispering Creek Trail. That runs the length of the remoter far side of the lake—easy, pretty, with good bird sightings. The trail (actually, it’s a road) is routed around the lake for an easy walk or jog in a nice setting. The lake has a fishing pier, swimming lagoon, and is fed by San Lorenzo Creek.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. Portions of the trail are paved for bicycle and wheelchair use. No horses.
Permits: No permits are required. An entrance fee of $5 per vehicle is charged when the kiosk is attended; $2 for dogs. A swimming fee is extra.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Don Castro Regional Recreation Area brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Hayward.
Directions: Take I-580 east to Castro Valley and the exit for Grove Way. Take the exit for Grove Way (toward Crow Canyon Road) for 0.2 mile to Grove Way. Turn right and go 0.2 mile, bear slight left onto Center Street and continue 0.5 mile to Kelly Street. Turn left on Kelly and go 0.5 mile to Woodroe Avenue. Turn left on Woodroe and drive 0.5 mile to park entrance on the right.
From westbound I-580, take the exit for Castro Valley/E. Castro Valley Boulevard and drive west on E. Castro Valley Boulevard to Grove Way. Turn left on Grove and continue to Center Street. Bear slight left onto Center Street and continue 0.5 mile to Kelly Street. Turn left on Kelly and go 0.5 mile to Woodroe Avenue. Turn left on Woodroe and drive 0.5 mile to park entrance on the right.
Contact: Don Castro Regional Recreation Area, 510/544-3073 or 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
at North Gate, Los Vaqueros Reservoir near Brentwood
From near the John Muir Interpretive Center, take the Crest Trail up to the ridge, where you emerge on the Vista Grande Trail. Turn left and walk toward the dam. You get sweeping views across Los Vaqueros Reservoir to the foothills of Morgan Territory and beyond to Mount Diablo. The trail then descends past the dam and back to the interpretive center.
The Los Vaqueros Watershed spans nearly 20,000 acres across deep valleys and foothills roughly between Livermore and Brentwood in remote Contra Costa County. It’s the Bay Area’s biggest lake. The adjoining foothills provide habitat for an abundance of ground squirrels. That furnishes a perpetual food source for the highest numbers of golden eagles (tops in winter when migrants arrive) and bobcats in the region. Other raptors are common.
User Groups: Hikers only; youth ages 12-17 must not hike alone; those under 12 years old must hike with an adult. No mountain bikes, dogs, or horses. Limited wheelchair facilities. Mountain bikes permitted on ranch-style roads elsewhere in watershed.
Permits: No permits are required. A fee of $6 per car is charged. No alcohol is allowed. Helmets are required for all bike riders. No privately owned boats permitted.
Maps: A brochure and map are available online and at the John Muir Interpretive Center.
Directions: In Contra Costa County, take Highway 4 east through Antioch past Hillcrest and merge left onto the Brentwood Bypass. Continue on the Bypass (past Oakley and Brentwood) to Walnut Boulevard. Turn right on Walnut and drive one mile to the entrance gate and parking at the John Muir Interpretive Center.
Contact: Los Vaqueros Marina, 925/371-2628, www.ccwater.com/losvaqueros.
3.3 mi/2.0 hr
in Garin Regional Park in the Hayward foothills
Garin spans a vast swath of greenbelt above Hayward, with foothills, canyons, creeks, and ponds. Garin Regional Park and adjoining Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park encompass nearly 4,800 acres of wildlands. A 3.3-mile round-trip with a 550-foot climb tops out at 934-foot Vista Peak (and nearby 948-foot Garin Peak). From the parking area, walk 0.25 mile to Arroyo Flats and a trail junction. Turn left to connect with Vista Peak Loop Trail. On a clear day after a rain, you get a gorgeous view of the South Bay. Take your time and enjoy the views.
For family-style trips, a short walk leads to Jordan Pond and its ranch-style bass fishing, bird-watching, and picnic area. A trail circles the pond. A 20-mile network of ranch roads provides a matrix of routes for excellent mountain biking and horseback riding.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. An entrance fee of $5 per vehicle is charged when the kiosk is attended; $2 for dogs.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Garin and Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Parks brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Hayward.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-80 east over the Bay Bridge (get in right lane) to the split with I-580/I-880. Take the fork for I-880 South, merge onto I-880 and drive 20 miles to Hayward and Exit 25 for Industrial Parkway. Take that exit to Industrial Parkway, turn left and drive to Mission Boulevard. Turn right and drive a short distance to Garin Avenue. Turn left on Garin and drive 0.8 mile to park entrance and parking.
Contact: Garin Regional Park, 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
3.5 mi/1.5 hr
in Coyote Hills Regional Park near Fremont
Coyote Hills is a special park with a rare blend of views, birds, walking trails, a bike route, and an Ohlone history that can make every trip special. Most first-time visitors take the paved Bayview Trail or climb to a hilltop for sweeping views across South San Francisco Bay and the East Bay foothills. But you’ll likely return for a walk on the wood boardwalk amid a bird-filled marsh. Or take a guided tour of a Tuibun Ohlone village site (aka shell mound). With the support of the Ohlone, staff and volunteers have created structures that provide a window into what the early-day Ohlones structures may have been like. Interpretive walks are available most weekends.
The Bayview Trail is an easy, paved 3.5-mile walk that is routed around much of the park, including more than a mile of bay salt pond frontage. You can detour on a wood boardwalk through the Main Marsh.
Coyote Hills is located along the eastern shore of South San Francisco, bordered to the north by Alameda Creek and the Hayward Regional Shoreline. To the south is the Dumbarton Bridge and beyond that the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. The trail is paved and technically wheelchair-accessible but quite steep in some sections.
Permits: The entrance fee is $5 per vehicle; $2 for dogs.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Coyote Hills Regional Park brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Newark.
Directions: Take I-880 south from Oakland for 23.5 miles to the exit for Dumbarton Bridge/Highway 84. Take that exit, continue 0.4 mile, merge with Highway 84 West, and drive past Ardenwood Boulevard to the exit for Paseo Padre Parkway/Thornton Avenue. Turn right on Paseo Padre (the road becomes Patterson Ranch Road) and continue to the park entrance on the left.
From the Peninsula: Take U.S. 101 to the South Peninsula (south of Redwood City, 27 miles south of San Francisco) and the exit for Highway 84 East/Marsh Road. Follow that exit and go 0.2 mile to Highway 84/Marsh Road. Turn left and go 0.3 mile to Bayfront Expressway. Turn right and drive three miles (becomes Highway 84). Continue 4.6 miles (over Dumbarton Bridge) to the exit for Thornton Avenue (toward Paseo Padre Parkway). Take that exit for 0.2 mile and continue on Paseo Padre Parkway and drive one mile to Patterson Ranch Road. Turn left and drive 1.5 miles to park.
Contact: Coyote Hills Regional Park, visitors center, 510/544-3220; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
7.0 mi/4.0 hr
in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park west of Pleasanton
Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is a huge swath of foothills and ridges that spans 5,271 acres. The Ridgeline Trail climbs to elevations of 1,600 feet, with the northern sections giving way to sweeping views featuring miles of rolling foothills and valleys at the threshold of Mount Diablo. From the parking area, elevation 300 feet, start hiking on Oak Tree Trail. The Oak Tree Trail is routed 1.4 miles up to Ridgeline Trail, and in the process, you climb 750 feet. Turn right on the Ridgeline Trail and hike two miles along the ridge. You can return on a loop route by the Thermalito Trail. You get excellent views across the Livermore Valley. Development in and around the park has been limited. The surroundings retain a wild feel.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Dublin.
Directions: Take I-680 to Pleasanton and the exit for Castlewood Drive. Take that exit to Castlewood, turn west and drive to Foothill Road. Turn left (south) on Foothill and drive to the staging area (about two miles from Castlewood Drive).
Contact: Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, 510/544-3030; East Bay Regional Park District, 888/327-2757, www.ebparks.org.
1.3 mi/0.75 hr
in Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area in Pleasanton
The centerpiece at Shadow Cliffs is a pretty 80-acre lake on the outskirts of Pleasanton. It has one of the best swimming beaches at any lake in the Bay Area. It also provides fishing for trout and catfish and a spot for kayaking and other low-speed boating. Though you can’t walk all the way around Shadow Cliffs Lake, you can explore a series of smaller ponds in the Arroyo area. From the back of the first parking area, take a trail over the top of a levee and down to the shore of the first pond. Then just follow North Arroyo Trail along the shores of several ponds for about 0.5 mile. For a view of the ponds, make the short climb up the adjacent levee. These ponds are water holes left over from a gravel quarry.
Shadow Cliffs Lake, the biggest pond covering some 80 acres, has been stocked with trout and catfish and can be one of the better fishing spots in the East Bay. It is also a good place to swim in season (it is not open to swimming year-round). In winter during heavy rains, the lake often has better clarity than any other lake in the Bay Area.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. Portions of the trail are accessible to horses and mountain bikes, and wheelchair facilities are available.
Permits: No permits are required. A fee of $6 per vehicle is charged for parking; $2 for dogs.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Livermore.
Directions: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge east 6.4 miles (stay to the far right) to the split and I-580. Bear right on I-580 (stay to the far right), merge with I-580 and drive 28 miles (continue east of I-580 at interchange with I-680) to Pleasanton and the exit for Santa Rita Road (toward Tassajara Road). Take that exit for 0.2 mile, keep right at fork (signed for downtown), merge with Santa Rita Road, and drive 1.7 miles to Valley Avenue. Turn left on Valley Avenue and drive 1.1 miles to Stanley Boulevard. Turn left on Stanley and go 0.7 mile to park entrance on the right.
Contact: Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area, 510/544-3230 or 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
2.5 mi/1.5 hr
in Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Roughly 1.5 million migratory waterfowl spend the winter on bay wetlands. Hundreds of thousands will arrive at the Don EdwardsSan Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. As you too arrive, a 30,000-acre expanse of salt marshes, tidal flats, and beyond to the South Bay is unveiled to you. The visitors center at the refuge is perched on a hilltop with an observation deck for views of the marsh. Tidelands Trail and Newark Slough Trail provide easy walks with good bird-watching and bay views. This is actually a wide dirt pathway on a levee routed amid salt marsh and bay tidewaters. At first sight, it does not appear very pretty, but it gets better. The views of the South Bay and (on clear days) the surrounding foothills are a panoramic urban backdrop. More than 250 species in a given year use this habitat for food, resting space, and nesting sites. It is not unusual to see a half dozen species of ducks, an egret, a sandpiper, a willet, and herons in just 15 or 20 minutes.
This refuge not only has the longest name of any place around, but great views, bike rides, walks, fishing, and kayaking, and one of the better visitors centers available for free. Group nature tours on this trail are offered regularly on weekends.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and mountain bikes. There are no wheelchair facilities, but the trail can be navigated by most wheelchair users. No horses.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a free brochure, contact the refuge. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Newark.
Directions: From San Francisco and the Peninsula: Take U.S. 101 to Menlo Park (27 miles south of San Francisco) and Exit 406 for Highway 84/East Marsh Road-Dumbarton Bridge. Take that exit and continue to Highway 84 East/Marsh Road and drive 7.6 miles (over Dumbarton Bridge) to Exit 36 for Thornton Avenue (toward Paseo Padre Parkway). Take Exit 36 to Thornton, turn right and go 0.6 mile to Marshlands Road. Turn right and go 0.5 mile to parking.
From East Bay counties: Take I-880 to Fremont (about 20 miles south of Oakland) and Exit 21 for Highway 84/Dumbarton Bridge. Follow that exit and continue 0.4 mile toward Dumbarton Bridge, merge with Highway 84 and drive 1.8 miles to Exit 36 for Paso Padre Parkway/Thornton Avenue. Take that exit to Thornton, turn left, and go 0.6 mile to Marshlands Road. Turn right and go 0.5 mile to parking.
Contact: Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 510/792-0222, www.fws.gov/refuge/don_edwards_san_francisco_bay/.
1-12.4 mi one-way/0.5 hr-1 day
on Alameda Creek from Niles to the South Bay
By bike or on foot, the Alameda Creek Regional Trail provides a series of portals for entry to an extended tour of adventure. From Niles to San Francisco Bay at Coyote Hills, this trip is a can’t-miss for fun, wildlife, and bay views. Unlike other regional trails, there are actually two routes; an unpaved route for walking, hiking, and horseback riding on the north side of Alameda Creek, and a paved pathway for biking and jogging on the south side of the creek.
The route, north side: Start to finish, the unpaved north side is 12.4 miles, one-way, and spans from Niles past Shinn Pond, Quarry Lakes, and extends the final four miles out to remote bay wetlands and where Alameda Creek enters the South Bay.
The route, south side: The paved route, a great bike trip, is 12 miles and passes the Kaiser water pits, has bridged access to Quarry Lakes, and extends west to Coyote Hills Regional Park and the shore of the South Bay.
Six parking areas are available with trailheads, with many other access points. If you do not want to do the entire round-trip (24-25 miles), enter the trail instead at Coyote Hills, Quarry Lakes, or Shinn Pond. North side/distances: Unpaved for walking, hiking, horseback riding. From Old Canyon Road/Niles Staging Area: Concrete Bridge/Thornton (2.3 miles one-way), Isherwood/Quarry Lakes (3.1), Alvarado Niles (5.3), Union City Blvd. (8.2), San Francisco Bay (12.4). South side/distances: Paved for bicycling, jogging. From Old Canyon Road/Niles Staging Area: Kaiser Ponds (1.4 miles one-way), Isherwood/Quarry Lakes (3.5), Alvarado (6.4), Coyote Hills (9.7), San Francisco Bay (12). As part of an Eagle Scout project, mileage markers are set along the routes.
At trail’s end, on the paved southern trail, the official regional trail ends at the shore of the South Bay, directly adjacent to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge to the south. It connects with the Shoreline Trail (dirt) on a land spit that extends south for bird-watching on tidal flats and bay views.
User Groups: South Trail: Hikers, dogs, and mountain bikes. North Trail: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Alameda Creek Regional Trail brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Niles.
Directions: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge east for 6.4 miles to the split and I-880. Bear right, continue 1.6 miles to the merge with I-880, then drive 20.8 miles to the exit for Alvarado-Niles Road. Follow that exit 0.2 mile to Alvarado-Niles Road. Turn left and drive 3.5 miles, continue ahead on Niles Boulevard for 0.7 mile to Nursery Avenue. Turn left and drive 100 yards to Mission Boulevard. Turn right and go 1.1 miles to Niles Canyon Road. Turn left, go 0.1 mile (second right) to Old Canyon Road. Go a short distance, then turn left to stay on Old Canyon Road (drive over bridge at Alameda Creek; access to trailhead for unpaved Alameda Creek Trail on right near bridge before crossing), and continue to park entrance on left for Niles Staging Area (direct access to trailhead to paved trail on south side of Alameda Creek).
Contact: Alameda Creek Regional Trail, 510/544-3137 or 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
7.0 mi/5.0 hr
in Mission Peak Regional Preserve near Fremont
Climbing 2,517-foot Mission Peak and touching the Summit Post has become a rite of passage. The mountain rises up above Fremont to tower over the South Bay and provides a panorama east over miles of East Bay hills topped by Mount Hamilton, Rose Peak, and Mount Diablo. The Summit Post is set in the summit crag, with pipes affixed to it you can peer through to ID sites around the Bay Area.
The best trailhead parking is at the Ohlone College trailhead. From there, take the Peak Trail (also signed Bay Area Ridge Trail) and hike about three miles up to the junction with the Peak Trail. Turn right for the final 0.5-mile to the summit for a seven-mile round-trip hike.
On weekday mornings, the number of hikers is fewer and you can take the historic trailhead at the end of Stanford Avenue for the Ohlone Wilderness Trail. From the Stanford Avenue trailhead, take the Hidden Valley Trail/Ohlone Wilderness Trail for 2.6 miles, with a climb of about 1,500 feet, to the junction of the Peak Trail (elevation 2,000 feet). Turn right and it’s another 0.5 mile with a 500-foot climb to the top for 6.2 miles round-trip.
Do not head up Mission Peak if you are out of shape. For some, it can turn into what we call a “kill-me, eat-me Donner Party hike.” Plan about five hours for the round-trip, including time for lunch on top. The routes are former ranch roads; erosion is severe and cutting across switchbacks results in a loss of vegetation.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. Mountain bikes are permitted on some trails on the flank of Mission Peak. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A parking fee may apply at the Ohlone College trailhead. Parking is free, but limited, at the Stanford Avenue trailhead.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Mission Peak Regional Preserve brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Niles.
Directions: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge east for 6.4 miles to the split and I-880. Bear right, continue 1.6 miles to the merge with I-880, then drive 39 miles to Mission Boulevard in Fremont. Take that exit and continue 1.8 miles, merge with Mission Boulevard and continue 1.4 miles to Stanford Avenue. Turn right and drive to trailhead at end of road. Overflow parking is available at Ohlone College; from Stanford Avenue, continue north on Mission Boulevard.
Note: The Stanford Avenue trailhead parking area fills with cars on weekends. (A 9pm park curfew and $300 fine are often enforced.)
Contact: Mission Peak Regional Preserve, 510/544-3246 or 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
1.8 mi/1.5 hr
in Sunol Regional Wilderness near Sunol
Little Yosemite is a miniature canyon with a pretty stream (Alameda Creek) with little pool-and-drop waterfalls at high flow in late winter. To see it, don’t park near the visitors center, but instead drive a short distance east to the parking area past the corral. You’ll find a gated ranch road, Camp Ohlone Road. That’s where you start. It’s less than a mile to Little Yosemite. The ranch road runs adjacent to Alameda Creek, over a bridge, easy and nearly flat, then over a short hill and down to the falls. At peak flow, it is always a surprise how beautiful the pool-and-drops can be. Bring a tripod for time-lapse photography to capture the flush of movement.
You can extend this trip by heading into the hills above the canyon. The Canyon View Trail, Cave Rock, and Cerro Este (1,720 feet) are all good treks.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. The Indian Joe Creek section of the loop is limited to hikers. Canyon View Trail is limited to hikers on the eastern half, and hikers and horses on the western half. The trail to Little Yosemite is wheelchair-accessible.
Permits: No permits are required for day use. A fee of $5 per vehicle is charged; $2 for dogs. A wilderness permit and a camping reservation are required for overnight backpackers.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for La Costa Valley.
Directions: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge east for 6.4 miles (stay far right) to the split and I-580. Bear right on I-580 east and drive 26 miles to I-680 south. Take exit to I-680 south and go 8.2 miles to exit for Calaveras Road/Highway 84. Take exit and go 0.4 mile to fork, stay left, and go short distance to Highway 84-Paloma Road. Turn left at Highway 84/Paloma and drive under the freeway; continue 4.3 miles (becomes Calaveras Road) to Geary Road. Turn left at Geary and drive 2.3 miles to park entrance and continue to parking at corral at end of road.
Contact: Sunol Regional Wilderness, 510/544-3249 or 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
4.2 mi/3.0 hr
in Sunol Regional Wilderness near Sunol
You get a perch that towers over the Alameda Creek Valley and beyond, with a bird’s-eye view of hovering falcons, eagles, and hawks. This is a great tromp, but with a rough climb for those who are not fit. Flag Hill is a prominent rock outcropping that overlooks the valley floor in Sunol Regional Wilderness. The common route up is on Hayfield Road (2.13 miles one-way, with an 800-foot climb). This trail is actually a ranch-style road, which means you and your hiking buddy can walk side by side—a plus for some, but it can be steep, hot, and hard. Another route, the narrow Flag Hill Trail, is also quite steep (1.26 miles one-way, 800-foot climb).
But the views are gorgeous. At the top of Flag Hill, golden eagles, prairie falcons, turkey vultures, and red-tailed hawks take turns patrolling the skies along the canyon rim, you are often at eye level with hawks gliding in the rising thermals. Lots of ground squirrels for food mean lots of raptors. Directly below is Alameda Creek and valley. This region was once the bottom of an inland sea.
Sunol Regional Wilderness is a big park, spanning 6,859 acres. It is connected to the 9,736-acre Ohlone Wilderness, 4,395-acre Del Valle Regional Park, and the 20,000-acre Alameda Creek/San Antonio/Calaveras watersheds.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are required for day use. A fee of $5 per vehicle is charged; $2 for dogs. A wilderness permit and a camping reservation are required for overnight backpackers.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, phone the East Bay Regional Park District toll-free at 888/327-2757, option 5, ext. 2; follow directions, leave your name and address, and ask for the Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness brochure. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for La Costa Valley. A topographic map/Wilderness Permit is also available for $2 from the Sunol Visitors Center.
Directions: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge east for 6.4 miles (stay far right) to the split and I-580. Bear right on I-580 east and drive 26 miles to I-680 south. Take exit to I-680 south and go 8.2 miles to exit for Calaveras Road/Highway 84. Take exit and go 0.4 mile to fork, stay left, and go short distance to Highway 84-Paloma Road. Turn left at 84/Paloma and drive under freeway and continue 4.3 miles (becomes Calaveras Road) to Geary Road. Turn left at Geary and drive 2.3 miles to park entrance and continue to parking at corral at end of road.
Contact: Sunol Regional Wilderness, 510/544-3249 or 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
2.5-28.0 mi one-way/1-3 days
in Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness
Hikers can traverse the East Bay’s most unspoiled backcountry via the spectacular 28-mile Ohlone Wilderness Trail. The route crosses wildlands from start to finish. Always start south of Livermore at Del Valle Regional Park. The trail rises through fields of wildflowers, grasslands, and oaks. It also climbs three major summits, Rocky Ridge (elevation 2,426 feet), Rose Peak (elevation 3,817 feet), and Mission Peak (elevation 2,517 feet). It is best hiked as a three-day backpacking venture. You can set up trail camps at designated wilderness sites. You can also do the first section as a day hike.
The trailhead is on the southwest side of Del Valle Reservoir at the Lichen Bark Picnic Area. Shortly after you start the trek, you will reach a box on the right with a sign-in sheet. After the sign-in, the route starts to climb, easy at first, and then quickly rises more steeply. The trail weaves in a canyon and then up to a sub-ridge. In about 1.25 miles from the trailhead (quarter mile past the sign-in box), you will reach a clearing where you can turn and get a pretty view of Del Valle Reservoir.
On to Rocky Ridge: From the trailhead, it’s 2.4 miles and a 1,700-foot climb to Rocky Ridge. The trail turns west and cuts up the far side of a deep canyon, and then rises very steeply to crest. Here’s the catch: 1,600 feet of the climb is in 1.5 miles, one of the steepest sections of trail in the Bay Area. The payoff is a spectacular perch overlooking the Del Valle canyon to the east and beyond to 3,675-foot Cedar Mountain and the southern Diablo Range. Yet you can turn toward Rose Peak and take in a near-equal scope of wild landscape to the west. Wildflower blooms can be among the best in California near Rocky Ridge. An excellent side trip in late winter and early spring from here is to Murietta Falls; see next listed hike.
On to the trail camp: The trail drops 500 feet, then rises up 1,200 feet toward Wauhab Ridge. A short distance after a cow pond, you’ll reach the signed Springboard Trail/Murietta Falls. Stewart’s Camp, a wilderness-style camp for backpackers is about 0.5 mile from Murietta Falls. Drinking water and a restroom are available. Reservations required.
Trailhead to Rose Peak: From the trailhead, it’s a round-trip of 19.5 miles to Rose Peak (which is why this is a favorite run of ambitious ultra runners). However, it can be a stunning disappointment. After all, at 3,817 feet, Rose Peak is the Bay Area’s highest wilderness-style peak. But it is not a conical-shaped summit, so first-timers can get a letdown (“What, this is it?”). But since it is the heart of the Ohlone Wilderness, the 360-degree views from the top provide a fantastic panorama of oak/foothill wildlands, ridges, and canyons.
All the way: To complete the entire 28-mile trek, wilderness camps are set up at the 12- and 16-mile marks. Hiking the trail east to west is the only way to fly. This way you’ll face the steepest ascent right at the beginning, when you are still fresh, and end with sweeping views of the South Bay. As you crest the final ridge, Mission Peak, you’ll face a moment of truth: You can actually see your car waiting at the parking lot—even though it’s still more than an hour away. This last stretch drops 2,100 feet in 3.5 miles, a terrible toe-jammer that will have your knees and thighs screaming for mercy. Weeks later, though, when you replay this adventure in your memory banks, the hike will suddenly seem like “fun.”
Most backpackers will cover about 12 miles the first day, followed by two days at about eight miles each. Many even make it a weekend trip, camping 12 miles in on Saturday night, then completing the final 16 miles on Sunday. And it’s not unusual for cross-country runners to run the entire route in a single day; an organized race is held here every year.
Note: It is essential to have your itinerary and water supply timed for the trail camps. This isn’t difficult, but those who don’t do this may have to be carried out by a camel. You might even encounter a moment of irony as you begin to feel a strange sense of solitude, yet know that just over the final ridge to the west is a pit with 6.8 million people.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs (daytime only, not permitted on overnight trips), and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A trail permit/map for the Ohlone Wilderness Trail is required; $6 per vehicle at entrance station, $4 trail permit/map per person (includes mailing fee); $2 for dogs (no dogs permitted overnight); $5 per person, per night fee for wilderness camping.
Maps: You will receive a trail map when you purchase your permit. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Mendenhall Springs.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-80 east over the Bay Bridge (get in right lane) to the split with I-580. Bear right on I-580 east and drive 34 miles to Livermore and Exit 52A for Portola Avenue/North Livermore Avenue. Take that exit and go a short distance to Portola. Turn left and drive 0.8 mile to North Livermore Avenue. Turn right and drive 2.5 miles (through Livermore) and continue (the road becomes Tesla Avenue) 0.5 mile to Mines Road. Turn right and drive 3.5 miles to Del Valle Road. Continue straight (Mines Road turns left) on Del Valle Road and drive 3.1 miles to park entrance. Pay entrance fees and continue ahead to a fork. Turn left at the fork, drive less than a mile to the bridge at Del Valle Reservoir, cross it, then turn right and drive 0.5 mile to the Lichen Bark Picnic Area. Park and walk a short distance to the trailhead for the Ohlone Trail.
To reach the west trailhead/Mission Peak: From San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge east for 6.4 miles to the split and I-880. Bear right, continue 1.6 miles to the merge with I-880, then drive 39 miles to Mission Boulevard in Fremont. Take that exit and continue 1.8 miles, merge with Mission Boulevard, and continue 1.4 miles to Stanford Avenue. Turn right and drive to trailhead at end of road.
Contact: Del Valle Regional Park, 888/327-2757; Sunol Regional Wilderness, 510/544-3249; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
12.25 mi/1 day
in Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness
The Bay Area’s most mercurial destination is 100-foot Murietta Falls. It can feel like an endless trek to the mythical end of the rainbow; there is no guarantee of a pot of gold here either. The hike to Murietta Falls is a grueling round-trip hike of 12.25 miles, with a cumulative elevation gain of 4,000 feet. There’s one steep spot up to Rocky Ridge that qualifies as a “kill-me, eat-me” kind of climb. When the hills are saturated and the aquifer is pumping, the gorge is transformed into this huge fountain of white water that pounds over the top and down the gorge in magical froth. This waterfall is a 100-foot cataract that tumbles down a rocky gorge, a beautiful mix of short free falls, horsetails, cascades, and chutes—not a free fall. In most years, it is only a trickle, and outside of winter, it goes dry. For those who want the big-time payoff to complete such a challenging trek, that is a colossal disappointment.
The trailhead for Murietta Falls is the Ohlone Wilderness Trail out of the southern end of Del Valle Regional Park.
You’ll know within the first hour if you made a mistake. The hike starts with a 1,700-foot gain to Rocky Ridge (2.4 miles), with a pretty view to the north of Del Valle Reservoir and beyond, and then drops 500 feet in 0.5 mile to the bottom of a canyon. This is just the start. You then climb out of the canyon, gutting it out up 1,200 feet as you rise toward Wauhab Ridge, where you get more pretty long-distance foothill views. You will pass a series of impressive rock outcrops and then reach a little watering hole for cows (mapped as Johnny’s Pond). From the pond, continue a short distance to the junction with the Springboard Trail, signed Murietta Falls, signpost 35.
Turn on this trail and walk about 0.25 mile (to a sharp turn in the trail)—then be sharp-eyed for the footpath on your left, along a small creek. Take this path to the brink of the falls. Alas, the view is lousy. No problem. From here, there is a well-worn route that everybody takes that leads down to the plunge pool of the falls. Here you get a picture-perfect view of the gorge and can enjoy a long picnic.
Some choose to extend the trip to two days by camping at a trail site called Stewart’s Camp about 0.5 mile from the base of the falls. Although this splits the hiking distance into two days, it also means you must carry all your backpacking gear in and out, a heavy price.
Murietta Falls is named after Joaquin Murietta, of course, the legendary outlaw of the 1800s. If you hit it right, when the waterfall is gushing, you might wonder why such a beautiful place was named after a notorious killer. If you hit it wrong, however, you will understand. It is his final curse.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs (daytime only, not permitted on overnight trips), and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A trail permit/map for the Ohlone Wilderness Trail is required; $6 per vehicle at entrance station, $4 trail permit/map per person (includes mailing fee); $2 for dogs (no dogs permitted overnight); $5 per person, per night fee for wilderness camping.
Maps: You will receive a trail map when you purchase your permit. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Mendenhall Springs.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-80 east over the Bay Bridge (get in right lane) to the split with I-580. Bear right on I-580 East and drive 34 miles to Livermore and Exit 52A for Portola Avenue/North Livermore Avenue. Take that exit and go a short distance to Portola. Turn left and drive 0.8 mile to North Livermore Avenue. Turn right and drive 2.5 miles (through Livermore) and continue (the road becomes Tesla Avenue) 0.5 mile to Mines Road. Turn right and drive 3.5 miles to Del Valle Road. Continue straight (Mines Road turns left) on Del Valle Road and drive 3.1 miles to park entrance. Pay entrance fees and continue ahead to a fork. Turn left at the fork, drive less than a mile to the bridge at Del Valle Reservoir, cross it, then turn right and drive 0.5 mile to the Lichen Bark Picnic Area. Park and walk a short distance to the trailhead for the Ohlone Trail.
Contact: Del Valle Regional Park, 888/327-2757; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
2.0 mi/1.0 hr
in Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge near Alviso
This portion of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is set deep in the South Bay marsh near Alviso, where it receives scant attention compared to its big brother to the north at the Dumbarton Bridge.
The trailhead is at the Environmental Education Center. From here, you walk on a dirt path along a wild tidal marshland. You head north on a levee along Coyote Creek, which often looks more like a slough, in its course to entering the South Bay. As you stroll northward, you will delve into wilder and wilder habitat and in the process have a chance at seeing a dozen species of birds in a matter of minutes. The endangered salt marsh harvest mouse lives in this habitat. Guided nature walks are held regularly on weekend mornings. The sloughs and quiet waters here also make for a unique opportunity for saltwater canoeing and kayaking during high tides.
User Groups: Hikers and mountain bikes. No dogs or horses. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Mountain View.
Directions: Take U.S. 101 to Santa Clara and the exit for Montague Expressway. Follow the exit 0.4 mile for Montague Expressway (north) and drive 2.3 miles (get in left two lanes) to Zanker Road. Turn left on Zanker and drive 2.1 miles (toward Alicante Drive/De Soto) to Los Esteros Road, and continue on Los Esteroa Road for 1.4 miles to Grand Boulevard. Turn right on Grand Boulevard and drive 0.8 mile to parking and visitors center on the left.
Contact: Environmental Education Center, 408/262-5513; Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 510/792-0222, www.fws.gov/refuge/don_edwards_san_francisco_bay/.
2.0 mi/1.0 hr
in Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale Baylands County Park really isn’t much of a park at all, but rather a wildlife preserve surrounded by a levee that makes a trail for hiking and jogging. It covers 177 acres of South Bay marshland, home to blue herons, great egrets, avocets, black-necked stilts, mallards, pintails, and burrowing owls.
From the parking area adjacent to Highway 237, hike along the levee. You will turn left as it parallels Calabazas Creek. To your left is a seasonal wetlands preserve. The trail continues along the creek, then turns left again and runs alongside Guadalupe Slough. The open-water bird preserve will be just off to your left. One downer is the adjacent proximity of the highway, which is why it does not merit a higher rating, and yet it deserves entry as an urban wildlife area.
On nearly every trip, you will see a jackrabbit or two. In fact, these rabbits have a way of scaring the bejesus out of hikers. They hide in the weeds until you get close, then suddenly pop up and take off at warp speed, shocking you every time.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. An entrance fee of $5 per vehicle is charged from May to October (season pass available), with no parking fee from November to April. No fees for walk-in or bike-in traffic.
Maps: For a free map, write to Sunnyvale Baylands County Park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Mountain View.
Directions: Take Highway 237 to the exit for Lawrence Expressway/Caribbean. Follow that exit and go 0.1 mile to Caribbean Drive North and drive 0.3 mile to park entrance on the right (if you arrive at the entrance for the Twin Creeks softball complex, you have gone a short distance too far).
Contact: Sunnyvale Baylands County Park, Sunnyvale, 408/730-7751, https://sunnyvale.ca.gov.
7.5 mi/4.0 hr
in Ed R. Levin County Park
The best view in the Bay Area that is missed the most is from 2,594-foot Monument Peak. It towers over the South Bay and Santa Clara Valley on one side, with miles of wilderness across remote Alameda and Santa Clara Counties on the other. You also get views of two hidden reservoirs, Calaveras and San Antonio.
The trailhead is at 300 feet at Sandy Wool Lake, which makes it a 2,300-foot climb over the course of about 3.75 miles. To start, take the Tularcitos Trail a short distance to the Agua Caliente Trail (you’ll see the gate, signed). It starts out as an easy walk. After you pass Launch Site Road (hang gliding is popular in spring and early summer), the climb becomes steeper, and after a climb of 900 feet, you reach the junction of the Monument Peak Trail (actually an old road). Turn right, and it’s about another hour to the top. Near the top, a jog on Monument Peak Road will get you near the summit, where a short cutoff will take you to the peak.
Monument Peak Road, a service road, and Monument Peak Trail, a dirt road, are two different routes.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. Leashed dogs permitted only on Calera Creek Trail and Agua Caliente Trail, a service road. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A day-use fee of $6 per vehicle is charged. Hikers are encouraged to wait two days after a rain before hiking in order to prevent trail damage.
Maps: For a free trail map, contact Ed R. Levin County Park. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Milpitas and Calaveras Reservoir.
Directions: From the San Francisco: Take U.S 101 south for 35 miles to Mountain View and the exit for Highway 237. Follow that exit and merge onto Highway 237 east. Drive 6.5 miles on Highway 237, then exit (slight right) on Calaveras Boulevard and drive 3.5 miles. Turn left on Downing Road and drive a short distance to the park entrance. Proceed to the parking area near Sandy Wool Lake.
From the East Bay: At junction of I-580 and I-680 near Dublin, take I-680 south for 21 miles to the exit for East Calaveras Boulevard. Turn onto Downing Road and drive a short distance to the park entrance. Proceed to the parking area near Sandy Wool Lake.
Contact: Ed R. Levin County Park, 408/262-6980, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
1.5 mi/1.0 hr
at Costanoa near Año Nuevo State Park Natural Preserve
From Ohlone Ridge, you can face west and take in the scope of the Pacific Ocean, Año Nuevo, and miles of wild coast. Every care, stress, and worry will slip away like the outgoing tide. Ohlone Ridge is the easy must-do loop hike for every visitor to Costanoa, the coastal lodge, camp, and recreation getaway that provides a vacation destination. Day use is free.
Costanoa is set on hillside bluffs overlooking the ocean, just east of Highway 1 near Año Nuevo State Park Natural Preserve and the San Mateo and Santa Cruz County line. From the lodge headquarters, walk a short distance on the entrance road to the trail on the left. From here, the route passes Whitehouse Creek and rises through a meadow, then climbs into the foothill to a sub-ridge and lookout with a bench. The views of the local coast out toward Año Nuevo are sensational.
If you want more after this taste or are spending the night here: On the west side of the highway, the Atkinson Bluff Trail extends on the cliff edge overlooking the beach and is routed in a loop out to Franklin Point and past a secluded beach and tidepools.
What makes Costanoa work as a vacation getaway is the overnight accommodations. They feature 89 canvas bungalows with ocean views, deluxe-style lodge rooms and suites, and campsites for tents and RVs with hookups. Everything is deluxe, including the on-site store and restaurant.
User Groups: Hikers, mountain bikes, and horses. Mountain bike rentals and guided horseback riding trips are available. No dogs. Headquarters is wheelchair-accessible.
Permits: No permits are required. Day use and parking are free. Overnight camping and lodging are available.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the check-in desk. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Franklin Point.
Directions: From Half Moon Bay, take Highway 1 south and drive 26 miles (nine miles past the turnoff for Pescadero Road) to Rossi Road. Turn left and go 0.5 mile to parking.
Contact: Costanoa Lodge, 877/262-7848, www.costanoa.com.
3.0 mi/2.0 hr
in Año Nuevo State Park Natural Preserve south of Pescadero
Año Nuevo State Park Natural Preserve is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of northern elephant seals. Yep, this is the place where these giant creatures fight, mate, give birth, sunbathe, and make funny noises. So many people want to watch them that you must make reservations and join a tour group (Dec. 15-Mar. 31).
The rest of the year you are free to hike on your own with a free permit from the entrance station or visitors center. But note that the elephant seal population has increased to the point that there are now year-round residents on the beach here. This wildlife adventure has become one of the few sure things in the Bay Area.
After parking, start by hiking the well-signed trail through a series of sandy mounds and flats en route to the beach. The guided walk is along roped-off trails, where you wind your way a safe distance from the animals.
Elephant seals look like giant slugs and often weigh 3,000-5,000 pounds—even the newborns weigh 75 pounds. The old bulls reach nearly 20 feet in length and weigh as much as 5,000 pounds. With a 200mm camera lens, you can get excellent pictures. In mid-December, the males battle for harems. In February and March, hundreds of pups are born and weaned. The rest of the year, this is a nice place to enjoy a quiet beach walk, with decent numbers of the giant mammals available for photos.
User Groups: Hikers only. The first part of the trail is wheelchair-accessible; equal access tours can be arranged in advance online (www.parks.ca.gov/anonuevo). No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes.
Permits: A year-round parking fee of $10 is charged per vehicle. From December 15 through March, access to the preserve is available only by accompanying a ranger on a scheduled walk (800/444-4445, www.anonuevo.reservecalifornia.com, $7 pp).
April through September, access to the natural preserve is by permit (free) between 8:30am and 5pm (last permit issued at 3:30pm). There is no access to the natural preserve December 1-14, but the rest of the park remains open.
Maps: A map is available at the entrance station. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Franklin Point.
Directions: From I-280 in San Mateo, turn west on Highway 92 and drive to Half Moon Bay and Highway 1. Turn left (south) on Highway 1 and drive 27 miles (6.5 miles south of turnoff for Pigeon Point Lighthouse) to the park entrance on the right (well signed).
Contact: Año Nuevo State Park Natural Preserve, Pescadero, 650/879-0227 or 650/879-2025, www.parks.ca.gov.
3.0 mi/2.0 hr
at Rancho del Oso south of Año Nuevo
Thousands walk by the cutoff to this trail every year. We tried it and found it an excellent route, best in spring when there are lots of forget-me-nots and many other wildflowers.
From the parking area, walk a short distance past the gate; at 0.2 mile, look for the cutoff on the left to the Skyline-to-the-Sea Bypass Trail. Turn left and you are on your way. (Mountain bike traffic is heavy at Rancho del Oso, but you’ll find no bikes on this trail.) The trail climbs up a short ridge, then laterals along the mountain east about 1.5 miles and descends back down to the valley floor. In the process you get occasional peekaboo valley views off the Waddell Creek Valley. The trail junctions with the service road, the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail. Turn right for the easy flat walk back to headquarters.
If you want more, visit the Nature and History Center on your way back and take the marsh trail to a pretty wetland and lagoon.
User Groups: Hikers only. No horses, mountain bikes, or dogs. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Free parking is available at nearby Waddell Beach. Permits required for overnight use.
Maps: A trail map is available on weekends at the ranger station for a fee. It can be also obtained by mail by calling Mountain Parks Foundation, 831/335-3174; credit cards accepted. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Franklin Point.
Directions: From I-280 in San Mateo, turn west onto Highway 92 and drive to Half Moon Bay. Turn left (south) onto Highway 1 and drive 30.3 miles (past San Mateo/Santa Cruz county line) to park entrance on left (19 miles from Santa Cruz). Turn and park at Rancho del Oso.
Contact: Rancho del Oso Nature and History Center, 831/427-2288, http://ranchodeloso.org; Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 831/338-8860, www.parks.ca.gov.
0.6 mi/0.5 hr
in Big Basin Redwoods State Park
At the foot of a giant redwood tree in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, it can feel like you are taking in immortality. Near park headquarters on the Redwood Trail, you’ll find that tree, which is about 280 feet tall. It’s still a behemoth even though the top 50 feet snapped off in a storm a few years ago (and a park sign credits it as 329 feet tall). For a first visit, walk the Redwood Loop Nature Trail just beyond the primary parking area. A flat, 0.6-mile loop meanders among groves of cathedral redwoods as well as the forest goliaths. Highlights include the base of a giant redwood with so many burls that it looks like a mutated, amorphous blob, the Mother of the Forest, Father of the Forest, and moments where cathedral-like filtered sunlight refracts through the high limbs of the forest canopy. The Mother of the Forest has a 70-foot circumference, Father of the Forest is 250 feet high, and the Santa Clara Tree is 17 feet in diameter.
User Groups: Hikers only. Wheelchair-accessible. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are required. A state park entrance fee of $10 per vehicle is charged.
Maps: Detailed trail maps of Big Basin Redwoods State Park are available for a fee from Mountain Parks Foundation, 525 N. Big Trees Road, Felton, CA 95018, 831/335-3174. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Castle Rock Ridge and Big Basin.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-280 for 10 miles to Daly City and the exit for Highway 1. Bear right at that exit and take Highway 1 for 20 miles to Half Moon Bay and continue south for 50 miles into Santa Cruz and to a stoplight junction with Highway 9/River Street. Turn left on Highway 9 and drive 12 miles to Boulder Creek and lighted intersection with Highway 236/Big Basin Way. Turn left and go 6.4 miles to Little Basin Road (turn left for Little Basin) and continue 3.5 miles to Big Basin Redwoods (parking on left, pay fee, get brochure/map on right).
Alternate route: From San Francisco, take I-280 south to Cupertino and the exit for Highway 85. Take 85 South and drive to the exit for Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road. Take that exit, turn right (south) and drive into Saratoga to Big Basin Way/Highway 9. Turn right, drive short distance through town, and continue uphill (becomes curvy) to Skyline/Highway 35, and head straight 13 miles to Boulder Creek and Big Basin Way. Turn right and go 10 miles to park headquarters.
Contact: Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 831/338-8860, www.parks.ca.gov
12.0 mi/6.0 hr
in Big Basin Redwoods State Park
The Berry Creek Canyon and its succession of waterfalls are one of the prettiest spots in California. Our favorite spot here is just above the brink of Silver Falls, where you can reach out and touch the water, then take a few steps upstream and admire the lower chute of the Golden Cascade. Yet just above is a fall my brother Rambob named Aztec Falls, where clear water rushes over what looks like a golden sandstone temple. Downstream one mile is the famous Berry Creek Falls, a 70-foot waterfall framed by a canyon and complete with ferns, redwoods, and the sound of rushing water.
A section of trail has been rendered impassable by a massive slide and a quarter mile of downed redwoods. Until the trail is repaired, here’s how to do this trek. From the main parking lot across from headquarters, walk past the amphitheater to the trail along Opal Creek. Turn right and walk a short distance to a bridge. Cross the bridge and walk upstream to the Sunset Trail. Turn left and follow the Sunset Trail as it climbs out of the basin floor amid big redwoods. After crossing the Middle Ridge Fire Road, cruise downhill a short distance to the Sunset Connector Trail. Turn left and follow it down past the headwaters of Kelly Creek, which feeds into the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail. Then it’s a nice, easy cruise down into Waddell Creek Canyon and on to Berry Creek. A signed right turn leads a short distance to Berry Creek Falls and its viewing platform.
You round a bend and suddenly, there it is, a divine waterfall. A small bench is perfectly situated for viewing the scene while eating a picnic lunch. At a steady pace, it takes one hour, 50 minutes. So despite the warning sign you will pass, it’s a four-hour round-trip if you make it an in-and-outer. The best suggestion is to head beyond, up the canyon.
Go the long way—up the staircase, past the Cascade Falls (Silver Falls and Golden Falls), and return on Sunset Trail. At Silver Falls, it is possible to dunk your head into the streaming water without getting the rest of your body wet—a real thrill. At the brink, the trail is rock steps cut into the canyon, with a woven wire safety rail to keep you from falling off the cliff. Just upstream past the brink, Golden Falls is a beautiful cascade of water over golden sandstone, like a giant waterslide. One of the golden cascades looks like a miniature Aztec Temple.
Once you pass Golden Falls, the trail climbs out to a service road near Sunset Camp. Do not miss the right turn off the service road to Sunset Trail. From here, Sunset Trail meanders through the remotest sections of the park, in and out of chaparral and forest, then loops back into redwoods, and leads back to park headquarters. Though you can trim the hiking time down if you double back on the same trail you came in on, why cut the experience short? Getting an early start helps to ensure a carefree trip with no pressure to complete the loop by a certain time.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A state park entrance fee of $10 per vehicle is charged. Trail camp permits are by reservation only, $15 per night per site. Permits include one vehicle, $10 per extra vehicle.
Maps: Detailed trail maps of Big Basin Redwoods State Park are available for a fee from Mountain Parks Foundation in Felton (831/335-3174). For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Castle Rock Ridge and Big Basin.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-280 for 10 miles to Daly City and the exit for Highway 1. Bear right at that exit and take Highway 1 for 20 miles to Half Moon Bay and continue south for 50 miles into Santa Cruz and to a stoplight junction with Highway 9/River Street. Turn left on Highway 9 and drive 12 miles to Boulder Creek and lighted intersection with Highway 236/Big Basin Way. Turn left and go 6.4 miles to Little Basin Road (turn left for Little Basin) and continue 3.5 miles to Big Basin Redwoods (parking on left, pay fee, get brochure/map on right).
Alternate route: From San Francisco, take I-280 south to Cupertino and the exit for Highway 85. Take 85 South and drive to the exit for Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road. Take that exit, turn right (south) and drive into Saratoga to Big Basin Way/Highway 9. Turn right, drive short distance through town, continue uphill (becomes curvy) to Skyline/Highway 35, and head straight 13 miles to Boulder Creek and Big Basin Way. Turn right and go 10 miles to park headquarters.
Contact: Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 831/338-8860, www.parks.ca.gov; Santa Cruz District, 831/429-2850; camping reservations, 800/444-7275; backpacking reservations, 831/338-8861; tent cabins, www.bigbasintentcabins.com, reserve at www.reserveamerica.com.
5.2 mi/2.5 hr
in Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Under the heavy redwood canopy of Big Basin, most hikers don’t worry about whether or not it’s foggy on the coast. But with the park’s best coastal lookout at trail’s end, you don’t want fog on this hike. The Meteor Trail starts at the parking area across the lot from park headquarters on the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail. Walk over the wood bridge at Opal Creek and turn right. If you turn left and see a sign for Berry Creek Falls, you’re going in the wrong direction.
For much of the route, you hike along Opal Creek, a pretty stream in the spring, surrounded by redwoods. Two miles out, you will arrive at the intersection with Meteor Trail. This is where you turn left and then climb 400 feet over the space of a mile to the Middle Ridge Fire Road. The Ocean View Summit (1,600 feet) is only a couple hundred yards off, featuring a glimpse to the west of the Waddell Creek watershed and the Pacific Coast. Return by doubling back the way you came. If you visit Big Basin and don’t have time for the Berry Creek Falls hike, this is the next best option.
The view from the summit had been eclipsed by trees in recent years, but has broken spots now, thanks to a prescribed burn over a few hundred acres along the summit ridge.
The biggest of the park’s redwoods is off the Meteor Trail, though not marked for easy sighting. Steve Sillett, a world-renowned scientist with a specialty in the ecology of tall trees, hiked out the Meteor Trail, and with Jim Speckler, verified its height of 328.12 feet by direct tape drop. According to the Native Tree Society, that could make it the tallest tree in the world south of 38 degrees latitude.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A state park entrance fee of $10 per vehicle is charged.
Maps: Detailed trail maps of Big Basin Redwoods State Park are available for a fee from Mountain Parks Foundation, Felton, 831/335-3174. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Castle Rock Ridge and Big Basin.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-280 for 10 miles to Daly City and the exit for Highway 1. Bear right at that exit and take Highway 1 for 20 miles to Half Moon Bay and continue south for 50 miles into Santa Cruz and to a stoplight junction with Highway 9/River Street. Turn left on Highway 9 and drive 12 miles to Boulder Creek and lighted intersection with Highway 236/Big Basin Way. Turn left and go 6.4 miles to Little Basin Road (turn left for Little Basin) and continue 3.5 miles to Big Basin Redwoods (parking on left, pay fee, get brochure/map on right).
Alternate route: From San Francisco, take I-280 south to Cupertino and the exit for Highway 85. Take 85 South and drive to the exit for Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road. Take that exit, turn right (south) and drive into Saratoga to Big Basin Way/Highway 9. Turn right, drive short distance through town, continue uphill (becomes curvy) to Skyline/Highway 35, and head straight 13 miles to Boulder Creek and Big Basin Way. Turn right and go 10 miles to park headquarters.
Contact: Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 831/338-8860, www.parks.ca.gov; Santa Cruz District, 831/429-2850; camping reservations, 800/444-7275; backpacking reservations, 831/338-8861; tent cabins, www.bigbasintentcabins.com, reserve at www.reserveamerica.com.
4.6 mi/2.5 hr
in Long Ridge Open Space Preserve
This is one of the best day hikes on the Peninsula, a place to recharge your senses in a few hours. After parking, get the brochure/trail map from the box near the trailhead and orient yourself. This adventure starts by heading west down into the adjacent valley and past the intersection with the Bay Ridge Trail at 0.4 mile, then reaches the junction with the Long Ridge Trail and Peters Creek Trail (at 0.5 mile). Here you turn right and make a climb through oak woodlands, including one short, steep spot, where the trail horseshoes its way eventually to the south up to Long Ridge Road (at 1.2 miles; a dirt service road). You then arrive at the Wallace Stegner Bench. This is a great coastal lookout, one of the best on the Peninsula. Everybody takes at least five minutes to enjoy it, and some even have a picnic.
From here, the going is easy to Four Corners, heading south on Long Ridge, with a slight elevation gain, rewarded by gorgeous views off to the west. On clear days, you get long-distance views of the ocean and, as you continue south, across miles of foothills and forested valleys. The highest point in San Mateo County, 2,600 feet, is just off the trail here, but it is hardly a prominent point in the landscape.
At Four Corners (2.5 miles), you turn left, encounter a series of switchbacks as you descend into a heavily wooded canyon, extremely lush in late winter and spring. The surprise of the trip is just ahead: You will pass a secret pond (3.0 miles), ringed by tules and quite pretty. To complete the loop hike, continue on the Peters Creek Trail, a rich riparian zone, back to the junction with Long Ridge Trail (4.1 miles). Turn right and hike back to the parking area (4.6 miles).
Trails are routed through a variety of beautiful landscapes, including sheltered canyons, creeks, meadows, and oak woodlands, past a beautiful hidden pond, and up on Long Ridge itself for great open views to the west of the Butano Rim and Pacific Ocean. And you can get this with one 4.6-mile loop trip, including only about a 400-foot climb. There is also a good chance of spotting wild turkeys, rabbits, deer, raptors, and songbirds.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes (restricted from some trails, signed). No dogs. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, contact the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Mindego Hill.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-280 south and drive 20 miles to Woodside and the exit for Highway 84/Woodside Road. Follow that exit, turn west (right) on Woodside Road, and drive 2.8 miles to Woodside. Continue straight on Woodside Road/Highway 84 (becomes curvy) to Sky Londa and Highway 35/Skyline Boulevard. Turn left on Skyline and drive 7.2 miles to Page Mill Road, then continue straight on Skyline for 3.3 miles (a short distance past Portola Heights Road) to pullouts along Skyline for parking. The preserve entrance and trailhead are on the right.
From the South Bay: From Palo Alto at I-280, take Page Mill Road west about 10 miles (becomes curvy, watch out for bikes) to Skyline Boulevard. Turn left and drive 3.3 miles to the preserve entrance on the right.
From Saratoga: Take Big Basin Way/Highway 9 for about seven miles to Skyline Boulevard. Turn right and drive 3.6 miles to the preserve entrance on the left (parking is also available on the right shoulder).
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org.
5.3 mi/2.5 hr
in Castle Rock State Park
Here you can discover a great and easy 5.3-mile walk that takes about 2.5 hours. It is highlighted by a surprise waterfall with a viewing deck, honeycombed sandstone formations, sweeping views of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay to the west, and then a top-of-the-world perch atop Goat Rock.
From the parking area, take the short spur to the Saratoga Gap Trail. In the first few minutes, the trail descends into a lush riparian canyon. Within 0.5 mile, you arrive at the cutoff on your left for the viewing deck. This puts you at the brink of a canyon and adjacent to the waterfall, best after recent rainfall, of course. Back on the main trail, the route breaks out from forest and into the open along a rock facing. On stellar days, those with sharp vision can see the white foam of the breakers on the beaches of Monterey Bay to the west. As you head on, you will pass a series of sandstone formations to your right, where material has eroded over time to create a series of holes and cavities. The most dramatic of these is at Goat Rock, where the trail runs right past its base. At this spot there is a permanent climbing cable, and on weekends, climbers practice technical skills here.
The trail continues to a junction with Ridge Trail, a distance of 2.6 miles from the parking lot. At this junction, turn right and start the loop back to the parking area. The return loop features a gentle climb, primarily amid chaparral and woodlands. Watch for a cutoff trail on the right to Goat Rock Lookout. Don’t miss this side trip; walk a short distance to the top of Goat Rock. You get sweeping, long-distance views across a sea of conifers and beyond to the ocean. Perches and scoops atop Goat Rock provide excellent picnic sites.
There are 32 miles of hiking trails in 3,600 acres of semi-wilderness land at this park, so you can extend your adventure.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required, but you must self-register at the park entrance. A day-use fee of $10 per vehicle is charged. Permits to camp are by reservation only. Reservations, available dates, and more information available at www.parks.ca.gov. Search “Castle Rock” and click on link for “Backcountry Trail Camp,” $15 per night per site. Permits include one vehicle, $10 per extra vehicle.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. A trail map of Castle Rock State Park is available for a fee from Mountain Parks Foundation in Felton (831/335-3174). For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Castle Rock Ridge.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-280 south and drive about 30 miles to Woodside and Exit 25 for Highway 84/Woodside Road. Take that exit, turn west (right) on Woodside Road, and drive one mile to Woodside. Continue straight on Woodside Road/Highway 84 and drive six miles (curvy) to Sky Londa and Highway 35/Skyline Boulevard. Turn left on Skyline and drive 14.3 miles. At a junction with Highway 9, continue straight ahead three miles to Castle Rock State Park on the right (the former entrance and parking area is now for campers only).
From South Bay: Take Highway 85 South toward Santa Cruz/Cupertino to Exit 14 for Saratoga Avenue. Take that exit to Saratoga Avenue. Turn right and drive 1.8 miles to Big Basin Way/Highway 9, and continue on Highway 9 for 2.5 miles into Los Gatos. Turn right (still Big Basin Way/Highway 9, signed) and drive 4.8 miles up hill (becomes curvy) to junction and stop sign with Highway 35/Skyline. Turn left and drive 2.5 miles to park on right.
Contact: Castle Rock State Park, 408/867-2952; California State Parks, Santa Cruz District, 831/429-2850, www.parks.ca.gov.
34.0 mi one-way/2.5 days
in Castle Rock State Park
This is one of the most worshipped trails in the Bay Area. The workings of this trail started with a vision to create a route that connected Castle Rock State Park on Skyline Ridge to Big Basin and then to Waddell Creek on the coast. The result, much of it built by volunteers, is this 34-mile backpack route, complete with primitive trail camps. It is ideal in many ways, including the fact that the hike is generally downhill, starting at 3,000 feet at Castle Rock and dropping all the way down to sea level. You get fantastic views, redwood forests, waterfalls, and backpack camps. Most hike the trail in three days, camping at Waterman Gap and at Big Basin headquarters, with a shuttle car waiting at the end of the trail at Waddell Creek on Highway 1.
From the trailhead at Castle Rock State Park, take the Saratoga Gap Trail, where your destination is Waterman Gap trail camp (water is available), for a first-day hike of 9.6 miles. In the first two miles, you will cross an open rock facing that leads past the foot of Goat Rock. As the landscape opens up, you get fantastic views of Big Basin and the Pacific Coast to the west. This will help you envision the upcoming route. You then drop down into the headwaters of the San Lorenzo River, pass an old homestead, and walk through mixed forest.
The logical plan for the second day is to hike from Waterman Gap 9.5 miles to Jay Camp at Big Basin headquarters. Once you cross Highway 9, you will enter the state park. For a few miles the route roughly parallels the park’s access road. Then it breaks off, passes an open sandstone face with great westerly views, traces a narrow ridge, and drops down into a lush redwood canyon with a stream. Only Skyline-to-the-Sea hikers typically travel this area, so by seeing this landscape you join a select club. Eventually the trail emerges at the bottom of Big Basin, and you camp relatively near park headquarters. Although this camp is not a backcountry experience, the convenience of restrooms, coin showers, drinking water, and a small store are usually well received.
On the last day, from park headquarters, you face hiking 12.5 miles out to the finish. It starts by heading through giant redwoods, up and over the Big Basin rim, then down a wooded canyon. You will see beautiful 70-foot Berry Creek Falls, a free fall at high water and moss-lined water mosaic in low flows.
A section of trail has been rendered impassable by a massive slide and a quarter mile of downed redwoods. Until the trail is repaired, here’s how to do this trek. From the main parking lot across from headquarters, walk past the amphitheater to the trail along Opal Creek. Turn right and walk a short distance to a bridge. Cross the bridge and walk upstream to the Sunset Trail. Turn left and follow the Sunset Trail as it climbs out of the basin floor amid big redwoods. After crossing the Middle Ridge Fire Road, cruise downhill a short distance to the Sunset Connector Trail. Turn left and follow it down past the headwaters of Kelly Creek, which feeds into the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail. Then it’s a nice, easy cruise down into Waddell Creek Canyon and to Berry Creek. A signed right turn leads a short distance to Berry Creek Falls and its viewing platform. At Berry Creek Falls, be sure to hike up the stairs to the brink of the waterfall, then head up the canyon to see Silver Falls (a gorgeous free fall, perfect for photographs), and then above that, Golden Falls, where clear water cascades over golden sandstone like a gigantic water slide. After that side-trip adventure, return to the main trail, turn west (right), and cross Waddell Creek.
From Berry Creek Falls to the coast is a breeze, crossing over the stream with a makeshift bridge, then making the sea-level walk to Rancho del Oso and the parking area. It’s a shortcut to hike out on the service road and bike path, but in the spring, take the longer, official route that loops around the valley hills (to the north) and down to the parking area to see 20 or 30 species of wildflowers, including occasional rafts of forget-me-nots. Finish up at the coast, and experience a moment of exultation when you arrive at your vehicle.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: Permits to camp are by reservation only. Reservations, available dates, and more information available at www.parks.ca.gov. Search “Big Basin Redwoods” and click on link for “Backcountry Trail Camp,” $15 per night per site. Permits include one vehicle, $10 per extra vehicle.
Maps: Detailed trail maps of Castle Rock State Park and Big Basin Redwoods State Park are available for a fee from Mountain Parks Foundation in Felton (831/335-3174). A free information sheet and a mileage chart between trail camps are available from Big Basin Redwoods State Park (831/338-8861). For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Castle Rock Ridge and Big Basin.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-280 south and drive about 30 miles (depending on starting point) to Woodside and Exit 25 for Highway 84/Woodside Road. Take that exit, turn west (right) on Woodside Road, and drive one mile to Woodside. Continue straight on Woodside Road/Highway 84 and drive six miles (becomes curvy) to Sky Londa and Highway 35/Skyline Boulevard. Turn left on Skyline and drive 14.3 miles. At a junction with Highway 9, continue straight ahead for three miles to Castle Rock State Park on the right (the old parking area is now reserved for campers).
From South Bay: Take Highway 85 South toward Santa Cruz/Cupertino to Exit 14 for Saratoga Avenue. Take that exit to Saratoga Avenue. Turn right and drive 1.8 miles to Big Basin Way/Highway 9, and continue on Highway 9 for 2.5 miles into Los Gatos. Turn right (still Big Basin Way/Highway 9, signed) and drive 4.8 miles up hill (becomes curvy) to junction and stop sign with Highway 35/Skyline. Turn left and drive 2.5 miles to park on right.
To Rancho del Oso: From I-280 in San Mateo, turn west onto Highway 92 and drive to Half Moon Bay. Turn left (south) onto Highway 1 and drive 30 miles (past San Mateo/Santa Cruz county line) to park entrance on left (19 miles from Santa Cruz). Turn left and park at Rancho del Oso. (Your vehicle must be registered in advance with park rangers.)
Contact: Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 831/338-8860; Castle Rock State Park, 408/867-2952; trail camp reservations, 831/338-8861, www.parks.ca.gov.
2.0 mi/1.0 hr
in Sanborn County Park
The lookout point at Summit Rock is perched just east of the Skyline Ridge. You tower over the Santa Clara Valley just below. From the trailhead across Highway 35 from Castle Rock State Park, hikers start on the Skyline Trail and head north, adjacent to the road. The Skyline Trail leads right into the Summit Rock Loop, providing easy access to this great lookout. For people who like their views to come even easier, a popular option at the Skyline trailhead is the 0.25-mile hike that leads to Indian Rock.
The park connects Sanborn Creek with the Skyline Ridge and covers some 2,850 acres of mountain terrain in between. Some people get thrown off because this park is technically in Sanborn County Park, yet the trailhead is nowhere near the park headquarters, but rather off Sanborn Road where full facilities, a campground, and other trails are available. So when you drive up Highway 9, ignore the signs for the park entrance.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs (otherwise permitted on most trails in Sanborn-Skyline; watch for signs at trailheads) or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A day-use fee of $6 is charged per vehicle.
Maps: For a free trail map, contact Sanborn County Park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Castle Rock Ridge.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-280 south and drive about 30 miles (depending on starting point) to Woodside and Exit 25 for Highway 84/Woodside Road. Take that exit, turn west (right) on Woodside Road, and drive one mile to Woodside. Continue straight on Woodside Road/Highway 84 and drive six miles (becomes curvy) to Sky Londa and Highway 35/Skyline Boulevard. Turn left on Skyline and drive 14.3 miles (at junction with Highway 9, continue straight ahead 2.5 miles) to Castle Rock State Park on left. The trailhead is roughly across from Castle Rock State Park.
From South Bay: Take Highway 85 South toward Santa Cruz/Cupertino to Exit 14 for Saratoga Avenue. Take that exit to Saratoga Avenue. Turn right and drive 1.8 miles to Big Basin Way/Highway 9, and continue on Highway 9 for 2.5 miles into Los Gatos. Turn right (still Big Basin Way/Highway 9, signed) and drive 4.8 miles up hill (becomes curvy) to junction and stop sign with Highway 35/Skyline. Turn left and drive 2.5 miles to park on left. The trailhead is roughly across from Castle Rock State Park.
Contact: Sanborn County Park, Saratoga, 408/867-9959; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
2.2 mi/1.0 hr
in Alum Rock City Park
Eagle Rock is pretty short as far as mountains go, only 795 feet. But at Alum Rock City Park, it’s the best perch in the vicinity for a picnic site and a view. When you drive into the park, after passing through the kiosk, continue to road’s end at the east end of the park and the trailhead for the North Rim Trail near the bridge at Penitencia Creek. Take the North Rim Trail. It is routed on the north side of the valley for 0.9 mile and rises about 300 feet to a fork with the Eagle Rock Trail. Turn right and hike 0.2 mile to the Eagle Rock Lookout.
To turn this hike into a loop, from Eagle Rock, return to the North Rim. Turn right and descend 0.22 mile to a junction, and turn left to complete the descent to the Penitencia Creek Trail (more like a road). Turn left. It is routed back along the creek (with one bridge crossing) back past the playground and picnic area to the parking area. In the winter, after rain has cleared the air, it becomes a choice spot. Thirteen miles of trails provide access to the park’s 700 acres, but this hike is our favorite.
Note: Some unsavory characters are known to occasionally frequent this park. Women are advised to avoid hiking solo.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes. No dogs. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. An entrance fee of $6 is charged on weekends and holidays; $10 per vehicle on high-use holidays.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, contact Alum Rock City Park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Calaveras Reservoir.
Directions: From I-680 in San Jose, drive to the exit for McKee Road. Take that exit 0.1 mile, keep right at the fork, merge onto McKee Road and drive 0.8 mile to North White Road. Turn left on North White and drive 1.2 miles to Penitencia Creek Road. Turn right and drive 1.1 miles to the park entrance. From the park kiosk, continue east to the end of the road and trailhead.
Contact: Alum Rock City Park, San Jose, 408/277-4539 or 408/259-5477, www.sanjoseca.gov.
5.5 mi/3.0 hr
in Joseph D. Grant County Park
Halls Valley Loop provides the best introduction to Grant County Park. As you drive in, park at the Grant Lake parking area along Mount Hamilton Road on the left as you come from San Jose (and not at the headquarters, for camping, on the right). Take the Bernal Trail along the east side of Grant Lake to a junction with the Halls Valley Trail. Bear left at the junction. This route skirts Halls Valley to the left, an open landscape of foothills and grasslands sprinkled with oaks, a quiet and pretty scene. The trail then heads out 2.5 miles, climbing east toward Mount Hamilton until it meets the Canada de Pala Trail. Turn right, hike up 0.4 mile, and turn right again on Los Huecos Trail to complete the loop. From here, it’s a 1.8-mile trip back to the parking area. You will descend steeply on the way back to your car.
A great side trip is available for the ambitious. On the Pala Seca Trail, climb 2.2 miles and 500 feet up the ridge above Halls Valley to the park’s highest point—Antler Point at 2,999 feet. From here, you can look out over the Santa Clara Valley.
This park covers 10,000 acres in the foothills of Mount Hamilton and can be the perfect setting for hiking and mountain biking. There is plenty of room for both endeavors, with 50 miles of trails, a combination of single-track and ranch roads.
User Groups: Hikers, leashed dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities (wheelchair-accessible facilities available at headquarters).
Permits: No permits are required. An entrance fee of $6 per vehicle is charged (pay at the entrance across the street from the trailhead).
Maps: For a free trail map, contact Joseph D. Grant County Park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Lick Observatory.
Directions: Take U.S. 101 to San Jose and to Exit 382 for Capitol Expressway/Yerba Buena Road. Use one of the two right lanes for that exit and go 0.3 mile (then use one of left three lanes) to E. Capitol Expressway and continue 1.7 miles to Quimby Road. Turn right on Quimby Road and drive 6.8 miles to Highway 130/Mount Hamilton Road. Turn right and go 0.4 mile to the parking area near Grant Lake.
Contact: Joseph D. Grant County Park, San Jose, 408/274-6121; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
7.0 mi/3.25 hr
in Joseph D. Grant County Park
The landscape around Eagle Lake in Grant County Park provides visitors with precious tranquility as well as good chances of seeing wildlife. Eagle Lake, set in the southernmost reaches of the park’s 10,000-plus acres, is the prime destination of the Hotel Trail. From the parking area, look for the trailhead for the Hotel Trail on the south side. Start the trek by hiking southeast on an old ranch road. Scan your surroundings for the wild turkeys that are commonly seen in this area. As you head deeper into the interior, you will be hiking through foothills country; cows are often encountered (keep your distance, of course). The route to Eagle Lake is a direct path of 3.5 miles where you climb a few hundred feet in the process. There are several options for side trips along the way: the best is to turn right on Canada de Pala Trail and drop down about 0.5 mile to San Felipe Creek.
User Groups: Hikers, leashed dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. An entrance fee of $6 per vehicle is charged.
Maps: For a free trail map, contact Joseph D. Grant County Park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Lick Observatory.
Directions: Take U.S. 101 to San Jose and to Exit 382 for Capitol Expressway/Yerba Buena Road. Use one of the two right lanes for that exit and go 0.3 mile (then use one of left three lanes) to E. Capitol Expressway and continue 1.7 miles to Quimby Road. Turn right on Quimby Road and drive 6.8 miles to Highway 130/Mount Hamilton Road. Turn right and go 0.4 mile. The Hotel Trail starts on the south side of the road, across the road from the Grant Lake parking lot.
Contact: Joseph D. Grant County Park, San Jose, 408/274-6121; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
4.7 mi/2.75 hr
in El Sereno Open Space Preserve
El Sereno Open Space is one of the lesser-used parklands in the Bay Area. Why? Not only is it remote, but there’s room at the trailhead for only three to four vehicles to park. The spaces are free, but require a permit. What you have is a pullout along the end of Montevina Road, set near redwoods, and then a trailhead for what looks like a gated jeep trail. This is it, elevation 2,400 feet. Start by heading out 0.2 mile to a fork. Turn right on the Aquinas Trail. It bears east and contours in and out of the canyonlands for 2.7 miles to a junction on the left (with the Loma Vista Trail), 1,800 feet. Bear right (still Aquinas Trail) and walk 0.5 mile to the junction with the Serenity Trail. Turn right and walk out 1.3 miles, a gentle descent to the end of the trail at the preserve boundary, 1,400 feet. You have occasional views south of Lexington Reservoir and the Highway 17 corridor below.
User Groups: Hikers, leashed dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A free parking permit is required. Access is free.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, contact the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Castle Rock Ridge.
Directions: From the intersection of I-280 and Highway 17 in San Jose, turn south on Highway 17 and drive about eight miles to Los Gatos and continue to the exit for Bear Creek Road/Montevina Road. Take that exit to Montevina Road and continue three miles to the end of the road and trailhead. You must have a parking permit.
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org.
12.2 mi/1 day
in Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve
You get a little bit of hell on this trail to gain entry to a whole lot of heaven. It’s a 6.1-mile hike with a climb of 2,100 feet to the top of 2,999-foot Mount El Sombroso. You get a panoramic view of the Santa Clara Valley, and also to Mount Umunhum, which looks like a Borg spaceship out of Star Trek is perched atop it. Start at Lexington Reservoir County Park at the gated trailhead (SA22) for the Limekiln Trail. The trail rises up 5.1 miles to Woods Trail (no dogs past this junction), with Soda Springs Canyon falling off deep to your right. At times, it is a kill-me, eat-me hike, with no shade, very steep, and only the water you choose to bring. The final mile skirts the summit of Mount El Sombroso. Up on top, you will get the sense of a paradox that landscape this wild could exist so close to so many people who will never set foot here.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes. Leashed dogs are permitted on some. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A parking fee of $6 is charged at Lexington Reservoir County Park.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, contact the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Santa Teresa Hills.
Directions: From Los Gatos, drive south on Highway 17 for about four miles to the exit for Bear Creek Road. Take that exit, cross over the highway, enter Highway 17 north and drive 0.4 mile to Alma Bridge Road. Take Alma Bridge Road for 1.5 miles across the dam and park at Lexington Reservoir County Park. After parking, continue a short distance on Alma Bridge Road to the Limekiln trailhead at Gate SA22 on the left.
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org; Lexington Reservoir County Park, 408/356-2729, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
1.0 mi/0.5 hr
in Lexington Reservoir County Park
Lexington Reservoir can be one of the prettiest places in Santa Clara County. When the lake is full and spilling in late winter and early spring, some people show up just to stare at all the water. Take it the extra mile for a nice bonus. Park at the lot just east of the dam, then walk across the dam and turn right on the “Pedway.” That’s as far as many people get, as most come for the view of the lake from the dam. Keep walking, though, and you will be surprised, as the trail drops down along Los Gatos Creek. After 1.5 miles, it links up with Los Gatos Creek Trail. This trail is routed all the way into town and it’s also a great bike route.
User Groups: Hikers and mountain bikes. No dogs or horses. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A day-use fee of $6 per vehicle is charged.
Maps: For a free trail map, contact Lexington Reservoir County Park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Los Gatos.
Directions: From Los Gatos, drive south on Highway 17 for about four miles to the exit for Bear Creek Road. Take that exit, cross over the highway, enter Highway 17 North and drive 0.4 mile to Alma Bridge Road. Take Alma Bridge Road for 1.5 miles across the dam and park at Lexington Reservoir County Park. After parking, continue a short distance on Alma Bridge Road to the Limekiln trailhead at Gate SA22 on the left.
Contact: Lexington Reservoir County Park, 408/356-2729, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks; Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org.
1.0 mi/0.5 hr
in Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve south of Los Gatos
The trailhead for Bald Mountain is along Mount Umunhum Road and leads 0.5 mile to 2,387-foot Bald Mountain and sweeping views across Santa Clara Valley and up to 3,486-foot Mount Umunhum. In an Ohlone language, Umunhum means “resting place of the hummingbird.” It’s the mountain that crowns the ridge to the west above Santa Clara Valley, of course. Nearby Bald Mountain and Mount El Sombroso both provide hiking access. From Blossom Hill near Los Gatos, the drive rises up from the valley floor, winds its way up through the pretty oak woodlands and foothills, and emerges high in the Sierra Azul Range. The views are sensational across the valley to Mount Hamilton and to the South Bay. On perfect fall days, you can see miles south to the ridge tops above the Hollister valley. This view is a highlight for the 18,670-acre Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve.
Note: The weird, square building on top of Mount Umunhum looks like a Borg spacecraft out of a Star Trek episode. It’s a radar tower that was part of a former Air Force base from the Cold War era.
For the more ambitious, the Mount Umunhum Trail is available. The trail starts from the parking lot across Mount Umunhum Road and climbs 3.7 miles one-way to the Mount Umunhum summit, with a 1,187-foot elevation gain. It’s 7.4 miles round-trip.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities. Other multiuse trails are available.
Permits: No permits required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, contact the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Santa Teresa Hills.
Directions: From the Peninsula, take U.S. 101 south to Highway 85. Merge right on 85 and drive 16 miles to the exit for Camden Avenue. Take that exit to Camden, turn left and drive 1.7 miles to Hicks Road. Turn right on Hicks, go 0.2 mile, turn left to stay on Hicks, and drive 6.1 miles (past Guadalupe Reservoir) up the mountain to Mount Umunhum Road. Turn right and drive up Mount Umunhum Road for 1.6 miles to the parking lot on the left. The trailhead is at the back of the parking lot.
Contact: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 650/691-1200, www.openspace.org.
3.5 mi/2.0 hr
in Almaden Quicksilver County Park
The Mine Hill Trail is the most unusual of the dozen trails that cover 34 miles across 4,152 acres at Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Almaden Quicksilver covers a vast terrain and has two reservoirs (Almaden and Guadalupe; don’t eat the fish). It is the evidence of historical mining operations that makes it fascinating.
The Mine Hill Trail starts just inside the park entrance off of Almaden Road (Hacienda entrance). From here, Mine Hill Trail is routed out 1.1 miles to a junction (with the Randol Trail). Turn left (still on Mine Hill Trail) and go 0.7 mile (you will pass a cutoff for the Day Tunnel Trail) to another junction (still Day Tunnel Trail). Turn left and go 0.1 mile to English Camp and the junction with the English Camp Trail/Deep Gulch Trail. Turn left here and go 0.4 mile to a junction; stay right on the Deep Gulch for the final 1.2 miles back to parking.
In the spring, wildflower blooms are good. With a network of trails here, many routes and long trips are possible. Almaden was the site of the first “quicksilver” mine in North America. Mining began in 1845 and continued until 1975. There are still burnt ore dumps along the trail. Wallace Stegner set part of his novel Angle of Repose in the area now within the park.
User Groups: Hikers, mountain bikes (Hacienda/Wood/Mockingbird entrances only), and horses. Leashed dogs are permitted. No wheelchair trail access.
Permits: No permits are required. Park entrance is free.
Maps: A trail map is also available at the trailhead. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Santa Teresa Hills.
Directions: Take Highway 82 to the exit for Almaden Expressway. Follow that exit and drive south on Almaden Expressway to Almaden Road. Turn right on Almaden Road and drive three miles through New Almaden to the Hacienda park entrance and unpaved staging area on the right. (Note that there are four major access points to the park.)
Contact: Almaden Quicksilver County Park, San Jose, 408/535-4070; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
2.9 mi/2.0 hr
in Santa Teresa County Park south of San Jose
The most notable hike at Santa Teresa County Park is the tromp up to Coyote Peak. This feature destination provides a good loop hike and a lookout to the southern Santa Clara Valley. At the Pueblo day-use and picnic area, start the trip on Hidden Springs Trail (trailhead just east of the picnic area and parking), elevation 600 feet. Take the Hidden Springs Trail 0.6 mile to a junction with the Coyote Peak Trail. Turn right and climb 0.4 mile to the spur on the left that loops around Coyote Peak (1,155 feet). That is a climb of 555 feet in one mile. After you enjoy the summit, return a short distance to the main trail. Turn left at the junction, the Boundary Trail, and hike 0.8 feet in a half-moon arcing curve to the left around the flank of Coyote Peak to a junction with the Hidden Springs Trail. Turn left and sail 0.9 mile back to the trailhead.
User Groups: Hikers, mountain bikers, leashed dogs, and horses. Laurel Canyon Nature Trail is for hikers only. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A $6 park entrance fee is charged per vehicle.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free trail map, contact Santa Teresa County Park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Santa Teresa Hills.
Directions: From San Jose, take U.S. 101 south to the exit for Bernal Road. Follow that exit to Bernal, turn west on Bernal Road and drive 1.3 miles (across Santa Teresa Boulevard, past the golf course) to the Pueblo day-use area.
Contact: Santa Teresa County Park, 408/225-0225; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
3.2 mi/2.0 hr
in Calero County Park southwest of San Jose
The payoff for this hike is a view of Calero Reservoir to the north. Start near the entrance gate and take the Los Cerritos Trail to the right (west). The trail bears right, toward Calero Reservoir, and then runs along the southern shoreline of the reservoir before it makes a 180-degree looping left turn (if you don’t want to climb, turn around and go back at this point). The trail climbs a few hundred feet to a sub-ridge. There it junctions with the Pena Trail. To complete the loop, turn left on the Pena Trail and make the descent back to the parking area.
At the junction with the Pena Trail, an option is to instead turn right on the Los Vallecitos Trail, and then turn left on Figueroa Trail. It is prettiest and add adds two miles to the trip.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Park entrance is free at this access point for hiking, but a fee is charged at the boat ramp at Calero.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Santa Teresa Hills.
Directions: From San Jose, take U.S. 101 south to the exit for Bailey Avenue. Take that exit, turn right onto Bailey Avenue and drive three miles to McKean Road. Turn left on McKean Road for 0.5 mile to the park entrance on the right. Drive to the sign for the park office and park adjacent to the ranger office.
Contact: Calero County Park, 408/535-4070; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
5.0 mi/3.25 hr
in Loch Lomond Recreation Area near Ben Lomond
Loch Lomond Reservoir is a jewel set in the Santa Cruz Mountains. There is no prettier lake in the greater Bay Area than this, complete with an island and with shores lined by conifers. Of the 12 miles of trails here, the best hike is the Loch Lomond Loop. From the parking area, take the Loch Trail, a level path that extends northward along the lakeshore for 1.5 miles out to Deer Flat. There you turn uphill on Highland Trail, where you climb, at a moderate ascent, and work your way to the east up the ridge. It peaks out at a weather station where you get a sweeping view of the lake below and the surrounding forested mountains.
To complete the loop, continue southward along the ridge down to the Glen Corrie Picnic Area (or you can take the paved road back to the starting point). Great lake, great views, great hike.
This park closes from mid-September through February.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A day-use fee of $4 per vehicle is charged; $1 for dogs. The Loch Lomond Recreation Area is open only from March 1 through September 15. Rangers are on duty during the winter and will cite trespassers.
Maps: For a free trail map, contact Loch Lomond Recreation Area. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Felton.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-280 to Daly City and the exit for Highway 1. Bear right at that exit and take Highway 1 to Half Moon Bay and continue south into Santa Cruz and Exit 442 for Ocean Street. Turn left on Ocean Street and drive 0.3 mile to Graham Hill Road. Continue on Graham Hill Road for 5.3 miles to East Zayante Road. Turn right on East Zayante Road and go 2.6 miles to Lompico Road. Turn left and go 1.7 miles to West Drive. Turn left and drive 0.5 mile (it jogs twice on Trinkling Creek Lane) to Sequoia Drive. Turn right on Sequoia and go 0.2 mile (it jogs left); it then becomes Loch Lomond Way. Continue to the entrance station.
Alternate route: From San Francisco, take I-280 south to Cupertino and the exit for Highway 82. Take Highway 82 south to the exit for Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road. Take that exit, turn right (south), and drive into Saratoga to Big Basin Way/Highway 9. Turn right, drive a short distance through town, and continue up the hill (curvy) to Skyline/Highway 35. Drive straight through the intersection and continue (curvy and fun) to Felton and Graham Hill Road. Turn left on Graham Hill Road and after two stoplights reach East Zayante Road. Turn left on East Zayante and continue as above. The trailhead is adjacent to the boat ramp.
Contact: Loch Lomond Recreation Area, Felton, 831/420-5320; marina 831/335-7424, www.cityofsantacruz.com.
1.0 mi/0.5 hr
in Loch Lomond Recreation Area near Ben Lomond
This short trail starts at the Glen Corrie Picnic Area and provides a reminder of the power of nature. First, pick up a free trail guide at the park store. As the trail ascends, numbered signs note many natural features and plants of the redwood forest. The only remaining old-growth redwoods in this watershed are located near the ridge. These massive, 500- to 1,000-year-old trees offer a glimpse into the area’s old-growth magnificence before it was logged. Just around the bend from the giant trees is a highly disturbed area that suffered major storm damage during the 1970s and ’80s from high winds, snowfall, and heavy rainfall. The biggest hit came from a January 1982 storm in which 15 inches of rain fell in a 24-hour period, causing major debris flows (mudslides). As the trail descends through this still-recovering area, you’ll notice many trees that had their tops knocked off. The debris flows clogged existing drainage channels and created several massive logjams. Remnants of early-20th-century logging activities can also be seen along this short, fascinating trail.
This park closes from mid-September through February.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A day-use fee of $4 per vehicle is charged; there is also a fee for dogs. The Loch Lomond Recreation Area is open only March 1-September 15. Rangers are on duty during the winter and will cite trespassers.
Maps: For a free trail map, contact Loch Lomond Recreation Area. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Felton.
Directions: From San Francisco, take I-280 to Daly City and the exit for Highway 1. Bear right at that exit and take Highway 1 to Half Moon Bay. Continue south into Santa Cruz and Exit 442 for Ocean Street. Turn left on Ocean Street and go 0.3 mile to Graham Hill Road. Continue on Graham Hill Road for 5.3 miles to East Zayante Road. Turn right on East Zayante Road and go 2.6 miles to Lompico Road. Turn left and drive 1.7 miles to West Drive. Turn left and go 0.5 mile (it jogs twice on Trinkling Creek Lane) to Sequoia Drive. Turn right on Sequoia and drive 0.2 mile (it jogs left); it then becomes Loch Lomond Way. Continue to entrance station.
Alternate route: From San Francisco, take I-280 south to Cupertino and the exit for Highway 82. Take Highway 82 south and the exit for Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road. Take that exit, turn right (south), and drive into Saratoga to Big Basin Way/Highway 9. Turn right, drive a short distance through town, and continue up the hill (curvy) to Skyline/Highway 35. Continue straight through the intersection and on to Felton and Graham Hill Road (curvy and fun). Turn left on Graham Hill Road and drive past stoplights to East Zayante Road. Turn left on East Zayante and continue as above.
Contact: Loch Lomond Recreation Area, Felton, 831/420-5320, www.cityofsantacruz.com.
0.8 mi/0.5 hr
in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park near Santa Cruz
A 40-acre grove of old-growth redwoods is the crown jewel of Henry Cowell Redwoods. This is a short, flat (and wide) trail that loops through the best of it. The trailhead is at a parking area just south of the park office and entrance. The trail ventures a short distance to a junction. Either way you turn, it meanders through the old growth for about a 10-minute walk and returns in the loop back to this junction. In addition to the old-growth redwoods, there are also some large Douglas firs and California bays. What is most striking is the burl on some of the old-growth giants, where they look like something out of a science fiction film. There are numbered sites along the trail that correspond to a brochure interpretive guide. Only one problem, or for some, maybe not: You can occasionally hear the Roaring Camp Railroad rumbling past nearby, with occasional blasts of its whistle.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A fee of $10 is charged per vehicle.
Maps: Park maps are available at the visitors center at the main unit of Henry Cowell State Park on Highway 9. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Felton.
Directions: Take I-280 to Cupertino and the junction with Highway 85. Bear south on Highway 85 and drive seven miles to the exit for Highway 17 south. Take that exit (signed toward Santa Cruz) and drive 18.7 miles to the exit for Mount Hermon Road (signed for Felton/Big Basin). Take that exit to Mount Hermon Road. Turn right and drive 3.5 miles to Graham Hill Road. Turn right and go 0.2 mile to Highway 9. Turn left on Highway 9 and go 0.6 mile to N. Big Trees Park Road. Turn left and drive 0.5 mile to the park entrance and continue a short distance to parking on right (directly across from Roaring Camp Big Trees Railroad).
Alternate route: From Half Moon Bay, take Highway 1 south for 48 miles into Santa Cruz and the signed turnoff for Highway 1 (get in left lane). Turn left on Highway 1 and drive 11.7 miles to signed turn for Highway 9 (get in left lane). Turn left and drive 5.8 miles to N. Big Trees Park Road (signed for park). Turn right and drive 0.5 mile to park entrance and continue short distance to parking on right (directly across from Roaring Camp Big Trees Railroad).
Contact: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, 831/335-4598; nature center, 831/335-7077, www.parks.ca.gov.
3.0 mi/1.5 hr
in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park near Santa Cruz
There are three places you don’t want to miss on a visit to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The first one is Eagle Creek Trail, the most direct hiking route to River Trail and the San Lorenzo River. Another is the park’s observation deck, offering first-class views on clear days. And, of course, the 40-acre old-growth grove of redwoods, detailed in the previous hike.
The Eagle Creek Trail starts between campsite Nos. 82 and 84, crosses Eagle Creek, and continues adjacent to the stream as it heads out toward the San Lorenzo River. As you hike this portion of the trail, you are surrounded by redwoods. The trail then crosses Pipeline Road and junctions with the River Trail. Many people turn around and head back at this point. A great way to extend your hike is to go north on the River Trail alongside the river and add an extra three miles to the trip.
A good side trip at Henry Cowell is the observation deck, the highest point in the park. It’s only a 0.3-mile hike from the campground via Pine Trail, which starts near site 49. Right alongside the observation deck are a few ponderosa pines, growing far from their normal range in the Sierra Nevada. You’ll recognize them by their distinctive jigsaw-puzzle bark. Except on foggy days, you get a panorama of the local coast.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A day-use fee of $10 is charged per vehicle.
Maps: Park maps are available at the campground entrance station or at the park visitors center off Highway 9. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Felton.
Directions: From San Jose, drive south on Highway 17 for 24 miles to Scotts Valley. Take the Mount Hermon Road exit, turn right, and drive toward Felton for about one mile to Lockewood Lane. Turn left on Lockewood Lane and drive one mile to Graham Hill Road. Turn left on Graham Hill Road and drive 0.5 mile to the campground entrance on the right. The trailhead is between campsite Nos. 82 and 84.
Contact: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, 831/335-4598; nature center, 831/335-7077, www.parks.ca.gov.
1.0 mi/0.5 hr
in Mount Madonna County Park west of Gilroy
On perfect days, you get views of Monterey Bay. The trailhead for the Bayview Trail is located near the park entrance station (and nearby campground, restrooms, and yurts), at 1,270 feet. A short ways past the entrance station, look for the trail on the left (west side of the road). Turn left and walk 0.3 mile to a junction. Turn right on a nice footpath (still Bayview Trail) and hike 0.5 mile to the Sprig Trail. Turn right, then return 0.2 mile to the starting point. An easy walk with a payoff and a pretty introduction to a great park.
Mount Madonna County Park provides great scenic beauty, good hiking, camping, and horseback riding. The park is set around the highest peak, Mount Madonna, in the southern range of the Santa Cruz Mountains. With a network of 18 miles of hiking trails, the best routes are combinations of different trails. By linking them, you can make your adventure as short or as long as desired.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and dogs. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A day-use fee of $6 is charged per vehicle.
Maps: A free trail map is available at the park entrance station. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Mount Madonna.
Directions: From San Jose, drive south on U.S. 101 to Morgan Hill and Exit 365 for Tennant Avenue. Take that exit and drive 0.4 mile to Tennant Avenue. Turn right on Tennant Avenue and go 0.9 mile to Monterey Avenue. Turn left on Monterey and go a short distance to Watsonville Road/County Road G8. Turn right and drive 7.4 miles to Highway 152. Turn right and drive 5.1 miles to Pole Line Road. Turn right and drive 1.5 miles to park entrance.
Contact: Mount Madonna County Park, 408/842-2341; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
3.0 mi/2.0 hr
in Uvas Canyon County Park near Morgan Hill
Uvas Canyon County Park is a little slice of waterfall heaven on the east side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The best advice is to visit during the rainy season, preferably just after a good downpour when the waterfalls are at peak flows. In late winter and spring, it is so pretty and so popular on weekends that parking reservations are required from January-July 4 on weekends and holidays.
The trailhead is at the Black Rock Picnic Area and is routed up Swanson Creek. You’ll pass Black Rock Falls (a 30-foot cascade, clear water over black rock), then Basin Falls (where a 20-foot stream flows into a hollowed-out rock that looks like a big tub if you get the right angle), and then a short ways beyond to Upper Falls. That’s just 0.7 mile, or a 1.5-mile round-trip. Note there is also a service road that is routed up the canyon that some take by accident as the hike. At high flows, Black Rock Falls is often the prettiest. At low flows, Upper Falls is still very pretty.
From Upper Falls, continue to hike up Swanson Creek, a bit of a climb. You will then cross Swanson Creek to the left (do not take what looks like a faint trail farther up the canyon). Take the Contour Trail, which is routed in and out of several ravines, to the Alec Canyon Trail (a service road). Turn left and sail downhill. A pretty lookout east over the canyon toward the Santa Clara Valley is available here. It’s a final 0.5 mile back to the starting point.
Ambitious side trip: At the junction of the Contour Trail and the Alec Canyon Trail, instead of turning left and heading back to the trailhead, you can instead go the extra mile. Turn right and hike up a half mile, the steepest trail section in the park, past Manzanita Point to a spur (0.2 mile) on the right to 40-foot Triple Falls. That adds 1.4 miles to the trip and makes it a 4.5-mile hike. In rainy season, the climb is well worth it. In summer, well, it’s not.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. No horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A parking permit is required (www.sccgov.org) on weekends and holidays January-July 4. No permits are required weekdays or July 5-December. A day-use fee of $6 is charged per vehicle.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Loma Prieta.
Directions: Take U.S. 101 south of San Jose to Coyote and the exit for Bailey Avenue. Take that exit, turn right on Bailey Avenue and drive 3.2 miles to McKean Road. Turn left on McKean Road and drive 6.1 miles (at 2.4 miles, it becomes Uvas Road) to Croy Road. Turn right on Croy Road and drive 4.4 miles (go slow, passes through Sveadal) to park entrance.
Contact: Uvas Canyon County Park, 408/779-9232; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
1.2 mi/0.5 hr
along Coyote Creek south of San Jose
From the Walnut Rest Area, this is a pretty, easy nature walk along Coyote Creek. The setting is nice and peaceful, the kind of place you enjoy in the moment, not a trek with a distant payoff. The trail starts where you walk on a path with Coyote Creek on your right. You head downstream for a short stretch, then cross a bridge and walk along the far side of the creek to a picnic site. Easy, simple, with a nice payoff.
User Groups: Hikers only. An equestrian trail is available nearby for horses. The Coyote Creek Parkway is available nearby for mountain bikes, leashed dogs, wheelchairs.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free. A day-use fee of $6 is charged per vehicle if parking at nearby Anderson Lake County Park or Hellyer County Park.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a free map, contact Coyote County Park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Morgan Hill.
Directions: From San Jose, take U.S. 101 south for six miles to Coyote and the exit for Cochran Road. Take that exit to Cochran Road, turn east and drive (toward the base of Anderson Dam) to the parking area for Walnut Rest Area on the left (right is signed for Anderson Lake).
Contact: Coyote Creek Parkway, 408/779-3634; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.
4.7 mi/3.0 hr
in Henry W. Coe State Park east of Morgan Hill
From headquarters, the Frog Pond Loop is a day hike that provides a glimpse of the park’s primitive charms, along with a sampling of a few of the ups and downs. Think of it as a test case: If you like this, then load your backpack for an overnighter and launch off on one of the butt-kickers from here or the Hunting Hollow trailhead.
Start this trip from park headquarters at Monument Trail (elevation 2,500 feet), located about 100 yards from the visitors center. The trip starts by hiking 0.5 mile to Hobbs Road, climbing to nearly 3,000 feet. At Hobbs Road, turn left and tromp down for 0.8 mile into Little Fork Coyote Creek (2,400 feet). This stream is very pretty in the spring, and though you must then walk out of the canyon, it is a tranquil and memorable setting. Then make the short 0.25-mile rise from the creek up to Frog Pond. This first leg is about 1.6 miles. Frog Pond is a pretty little spot, complete with fishing line hanging from tree limbs (this lake is fished often and the catch rates are low). The trail continues, but many people then simply return the way they came.
Henry W. Coe State Park is the Bay Area’s backyard wilderness. This wildland is south of Mount Hamilton and covers 87,000 acres and 134 square miles, the largest state park in Northern California. A trip to headquarters provides a visitors center and access to a drive-in campground with excellent stargazing. The best trailheads are not at headquarters, but at Hunting Hollow. From headquarters, the trips into the park’s interior are very long and difficult.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes. No dogs. No wheelchair facilities. After 0.5 inch of rain or more, bikes are prohibited from single-track trails for 48 hours.
Permits: A state park day-use fee of $8 per vehicle is charged. No permits are required unless you plan to camp in the backcountry.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the visitors center. For a detailed topographic map, contact Pine Ridge Association (Morgan Hill, 408/779-2728, www.coepark.org). For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Mount Sizer.
Directions: Take U.S. 101 south of San Jose to Morgan Hill and the exit for East Dunne Avenue. Take that exit, turn east on East Dunne Avenue and drive (over the bridge at the head of Lake Anderson) for 13 miles (slow and twisty) to the park headquarters and visitors center.
Contact: Henry W. Coe State Park, 408/779-2728, www.parks.ca.gov.
27.0 mi/3 days
in Henry W. Coe State Park east of Morgan Hill
Mississippi Lake is the marquee destination at Henry W. Coe State Park, a small lake edged by tules that provides a wilderness-style pond for bass fishing and nearby trail campsites. It is set in the virtual center of this huge park, and reaching Mississippi Lake requires an extended endurance test.
An early start is paramount. From park headquarters, begin this expedition by hiking out on Corral Trail for 1.9 miles to its junction with Manzanita Point Road. Turn right and hike 1.5 miles, past the group campgrounds, to China Hole Trail on the left. This can seem like a launch point off the edge of the earth: The China Hole Trail drops from 2,320 feet elevation to 1,150 feet in the course of 2.6 miles. Switchbacks have improved the trail gradient to about 10 percent.
At China Hole, you’ll reach the East Fork of Coyote Creek, a beautiful stream that is cool, fresh, and full of water in late winter and early spring. Then you’ll hike through The Narrows en route to Los Cruzeros, and in the process, add 1.1 miles to the day. Los Cruzeros is one of the park’s prettiest spots, a junction of canyons and streams. A trail camp is available at Los Cruzeros. Before you leave the stream, make sure you pump two canteens full of water.
From here, you start to climb. You hike out on Willow Ridge Trail for 1.6 miles with an elevation gain of 1,350 feet to Willow Ridge Road. Turn left on Willow Ridge Road for a series of foothill-like climbs and drops as the trip extends 3.8 miles to the southern edge (and earth dam) at Mississippi Lake. The nearest trail camp, Mississippi Creek Horse Camp, is one mile south of the lake. That makes the trip a one-way excursion of 13.5 miles. It’s a long and challenging day, especially if temperatures are hot.
This is a grueling hike from headquarters. Many unprepared hikers have suffered from dehydration and had to be rescued by park staff. Some hikers will try to shortcut the trip by bringing a mountain bike, but find themselves pushing the bike uphill, then speeding fast on downhill portions. Many can accomplish the hike in two days, but after the workout, you’ll most likely want to relax on day two and head back to your car on day three.
It is Coe’s preeminent destination. The lake borders the 23,000-acre Orestimba Wilderness to the east; fishing for bass, swimming in cool waters in early summer, and viewing wildflower blooms in spring are exceptional. If you catch it just right, the color of the lake seems almost tourmaline, a beautiful sight in this foothill wildland.
Even though Henry W. Coe State Park has been open to the public only since 1981, a few legends have already developed, and the most mysterious involves Mississippi Lake. The lake once had a one-of-a-kind ability to create huge trout. The first time I visited, scientists had documented 26-inch wild trout that were only 18 months old. The trout are long gone now, as low water in the feeder creek prevented spawning in droughts; any trout you catch should be released immediately. Still, the legendary huge trout of Mississippi Lake have inspired many to make the trip out, often out of curiosity, to see such a unique habitat. Bass were planted in 1991 and have taken over the lake and provide good fishing.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes. No dogs. No wheelchair facilities. After 0.5 inch of rain, bikes are prohibited from single-track trails for 48 hours.
Permits: A trail map and camp permit are required. A state park day-use fee of $8 per vehicle is charged.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at park headquarters. For a detailed topographic map, contact Pine Ridge Association (Morgan Hill, 408/779-2728, www.coepark.org). For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Mount Sizer and Mississippi Creek.
Directions: Take U.S. 101 south of San Jose to Morgan Hill and the exit for East Dunne Avenue. Take that exit, turn east on East Dunne Avenue and drive (over the bridge at the head of Lake Anderson) for 13 miles (slow and twisty) to the park headquarters and visitors center.
Contact: Henry W. Coe State Park, 408/779-2728, www.parks.ca.gov.
11.8 mi/2 days
in Henry W. Coe State Park east of Morgan Hill
The Hunting Hollow trailhead near Coyote Lake east of Gilroy is a great launch point for Kelly Lake and Coit Lake. Start by parking at Hunting Hollow or along the shoulder of the road at the Coyote Creek Gate. From the Coyote Creek Gate, walk a short distance (about 0.1 mile) and look for Grizzly Gulch Trail off to the right. Take Grizzly Gulch Trail. After just five minutes (0.2 mile) you will reach a fork. Take the left fork to stay on Grizzly Gulch Trail, where you will start a climb through oak woodlands, ridges, and canyons. This extends for 1.2 miles to another fork, with the elevation nearly 1,900 feet. Bear right, staying on Grizzly Gulch Trail, and head out for one mile on the road to a fork with Dexter Trail (2,000 feet). Bear to the left on Dexter Trail, and continue the climb for another 0.6 mile (topping out at 2,400 feet) before finally reaching Wasano Ridge and Wasano Ridge Road. Turn left and hike 0.2 mile on the road to Kelly Lake Trail. Turn right and enjoy the one-mile descent to Kelly Lake. So far you have invested 3.3 miles with a 1,500-foot climb and 300-foot descent. Much of the route feels like foothill wilderness, and with mountain bikers on ambitious treks on the park’s ranch-style roads, you’ll have it to yourself.
After enjoying pretty Kelly Lake, you are ready to top off the trip by heading 1.5 miles to Coit Lake and the campground that is available there. Most of this is a climb. From below the earth dam at Kelly Lake, take the right fork on Coit Road and climb out 0.8 mile to the junction with Willow Road (2,386 feet). Simply continue straight for 0.3 mile and you will reach the inlet to Coit Lake. A well-worn trail circles the lake. From the Coyote Creek Gate trailhead to Coit Lake with this route will make for a 5.8-mile hike for the day, one-way.
This is a great trip at the peak of spring, with 400 species of wildflowers documented, as well as deer, coyote, bobcat, fox, wild turkey, hawks, owls, eagles, and, of course, pigs.
Overnight users are required to obtain a camping/wilderness permit. Hikers who choose to enter by the Coyote Creek access point must have a trail map. And if the limited parking along the road’s shoulder at the Coyote Creek Gate is full, you must instead park at the Hunting Hollow parking area (along Gilroy Springs Road, the access road you drove in on), which will add two miles to this route.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes. No dogs. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A trail map and camp permit are required. A self-registration area is available at the Hunting Hollow parking area, located just off the trailhead access road. A state park day-use fee of $8 per vehicle is charged. After 0.5 inch of rain or more, bikes are prohibited from single-track trails for 48 hours.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead. For a detailed topographic map, contact Pine Ridge Association (Morgan Hill, 408/779-2728, www.coepark.org). For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Gilroy Hot Springs and Mississippi Creek.
Directions: Take U.S. 101 south (30 miles south of San Jose) to Gilroy and Exit 357 for Leavesley Road/Highway 152. Take that exit to Leavesley, turn left and go 1.8 miles to New Avenue. Turn left and go 0.6 mile to Roop Road. Turn right and go 1.9 miles, turn left to stay on Roop (well signed) and continue 3.3 miles (becomes Gilroy Hot Springs Road) to Hunting Hollow parking on right (nine miles from U.S. 101) or continue 1.8 miles to Coyote Gate.
Contact: Henry W. Coe State Park, 408/779-2728, www.parks.ca.gov.
60.0 mi/6 days
in Henry W. Coe State Park southeast of San Jose
No trail on public land in the Bay Area provides access to remoter wildlands. A series of short cutoff trips can take you to the park’s best fishing spots and little-seen gems: Mississippi Lake, Mustang Pond, Jackrabbit Lake, Paradise Lake, and all the way out to Orestimba Creek. You also climb the Rooster Comb, a rock formation that looks something like a miniature stegosaurus-back rim.
There is no metropolitan area in the world with such a remote area, but you have to pay dearly for your pleasures. Either that or border on insanity. To some, Paradise Lake will seem like a mirage after you’ve walked 33 miles.
For this 60-mile loop, start at the Coyote Creek entrance gate or the nearby (two miles) Hunting Hollow parking area. From the gate, it’s a 5.8-mile trip to Coit Lake (see listing in this chapter).
From Coit Lake, take Coit Road out 4.2 miles to Pacheco Junction, then continue on Coit Road another 1.8 miles to a major fork. This fork marks the beginning and the end of the Rooster Comb Loop. At this point, you have traveled 11.8 miles.
Turn left at this fork, taking County Line Road, to start the Rooster Comb Loop and a route, in a clockwise manner, through the Orestimba Wilderness Zone. From the fork, it is 2.7 miles to the short cutoff to Mississippi Lake. Stop, rest up, tank up, fuel up, and get your thoughts straight before heading out. That is because from Mississippi Lake, the trip heads off into a land that seems to have no end. Take County Line Road to a short cutoff, Chaparral Trail, and then link that to Red Creek Road. Turn right, and it is 6.1 miles to Robinson Creek Trail. Turn left and hike along Robinson Creek, a remote canyon with a sliver of water, for 5.6 miles to Orestimba Creek Road.
Turn right on Orestimba Creek Road and you start your return, though it won’t seem like it, from the depths of the wilderness. The route heads 3.2 miles to a cutoff trail on the right for Rooster Comb Summit Trail. This is a must-do, if you’ve come this far, a 1.4-mile hike with a 600-foot climb (2.8 miles round-trip) up the north flank of the Rooster Comb, where you top out at 1,836 feet.
From here you head back, going south on Orestimba Creek Road. You’ll pass short cutoff trails for Paradise Lake, Mustang Pond, and Kingbird Pond, a distance of 8.7 miles back to the fork with Coit Road. This area is so far away from anything that it can feel unbelievable to be here. It is also typically dry and hot most of the year, and in 2015, drought hit the ponds hard. I have flown it, driven it with rangers, and hiked it, and the remoteness you will feel at one of the ponds, where you camp, swim, or fish, is amazing for a destination in the greater Bay Area.
When you reach the junction with Coit Road, you have completed the loop, a distance of 36.9 miles (including the Rooster Comb Summit trail). Turn left and return the final 11.6 miles back to the Coyote Creek entrance station. This route does not including side-trip cutoff trails to several lakes, which can typically add another 10 miles to the trip.
So there you have it: 60 miles, best done in five or six days, exploring a land that few have seen and fewer yet have experienced.
Several trail camps are situated along the way, and camping is permitted throughout the wilderness area. If the weather turns hot, physically unprepared hikers can find themselves in real danger. Let me say that again before you head off full of excitement and a limited amount of logic: unprepared hikers can find themselves in real danger. OK? Got it? Very few do this trip. Be sure to purchase added life insurance before embarking. Not only is it just plain long, but it includes seven climbs that’ll have you cussing, and yet explores the park’s remotest wildlands. It’s like nothing else.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes. No dogs. No wheelchair facilities. After 0.5 inch of rain, bikes are prohibited from single-track trails for 48 hours.
Permits: A trail map and camp permit are required. A self-registration area is available at the Hunting Hollow parking area just off the trailhead access road. A state park day-use fee of $8 per vehicle is charged.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at park headquarters. For a detailed topographic map for a fee, contact Pine Ridge Association (Morgan Hill, 408/779-2728, www.coepark.org). For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Gilroy Hot Springs and Mississippi Creek.
Directions: Take U.S. 101 south (30 miles south of San Jose) to Gilroy and Exit 357 for Leavesley Road/Highway 152. Take that exit to Leavesley, turn left and go 1.8 miles to New Avenue. Turn left and go 0.6 mile to Roop Road. Turn right and go 1.9 miles, turn left to stay on Roop (well signed) and continue 3.3 miles (becomes Gilroy Hot Springs Road) to Hunting Hollow Parking on right (nine miles from U.S. 101) or continue 1.8 miles to Coyote Gate.
Contact: Henry W. Coe State Park, 408/779-2728, www.parks.ca.gov.
27.5 mi/3 days
in Orestimba Wilderness at Henry W. Coe State Park
The Dowdy Ranch trailhead, out of Bell Station on Highway 152, usually opens in early May and stays open weekends through Labor Day. It is closed the rest of the year. Few seem to realize the opportunity at hand. The trailhead provides nearby access to the Orestima Wilderness, including bass fishing at Jackrabbit Lake and a great campsite at the foot of the Rooster Comb. This is how it works from the Dowdy Ranch trailhead:
Hole in the Rock, 1.9 miles: Your destination is a fantastic swimming hole on Pacheco Creek. To get there from the new trailhead, take the main Kaiser-Etna Road (1.9 miles) or the North Fork Trail (2.7 miles). When you reach the creek, walk upstream a few hundred yards to find Hole in the Rock. Another decent swimming hole is located if you head downstream instead.
Kingbird Pond, 7.9 miles: Little Kingbird Pond provides bass fishing and is the first fishing spot out of Bell Station. To reach it, take Kaiser-Etna Road five miles to a four-way junction. Go straight (north) on Orestimba Creek Road for 2.4 miles to the Kingbird Pond Trail. Turn right and go 0.5 mile to the pond. Once you get to Orestimba Corral, about six miles in, the route is pretty flat, with just gentle hills.
Mustang Pond, 11.1 miles: This little lake is only 3.2 miles from Kingbird Pond, but there are several creek crossings on this route. At high water you might get wet, but it’s a lot of fun. From Kingbird Pond, head 0.5 mile back to the Orestimba Creek Road. Turn right (so you’re going north) and head 2.2 miles to the Mustang Pond Trail on the right. It’s 0.5 mile to this pond.
Jackrabbit Lake, 13.9 miles: This lake is about twice the size of Kingbird and Mustang, and provides what is probably the best bass fishing in the park. It is only 2.8 miles from Mustang Pond. To get there, from Mustang Pond continue on the Mustang Pond Trail (it horseshoes) northwest to Orestimba Creek Road. Turn right, heading north again, and go 0.75 mile to a spur junction with Long Ridge Road. Turn right and go 1.2 miles, a bit of a climb, to an unsigned spur junction on the left that we call Jackrabbit Lake Road. Turn left and push out a short climb and drop of 0.4 mile to the lake.
Base of Rooster Comb, 16.5 miles: The Rooster Comb is a large, rocky exposed ridge formation that rises up 500 feet from the valley floor to an elevation of 1,836 feet. Below, Orestimba Creek Flat is a good area to camp. To get here from Jackrabbit Lake, it’s a 2.6-mile ride: Backtrack on Jackrabbit Lake Trail to Long Ridge Road. Turn right and return to Orestimba Creek Road. Turn north (right) and go one mile to the base of the Rooster Comb.
Return to park entrance: From the Rooster Comb, it’s 11 miles back to the park access at Dowdy Ranch. This makes for a fantastic 27.5-mile loop, with three lakes and plenty of places to camp.
With April showers and a warm May, the valley flats below Rooster Comb can yield tremendous wildflower blooms: owl clover, California poppy, shooting stars, butter and eggs, and rafts of smooth layia. The layia is found almost only in undeveloped grasslands and an awesome bloom—kind of like a daisy, yet with yellow petals tipped in white, in spectacular clusters.
Since Henry W. Coe State Park opened in 1959, this area has been out of reach for almost all that time. It took a 56-mile round-trip with about a 15,000-foot aggregate vertical climb to reach Jackrabbit Lake. You can add a lot of miles if you visit the Rooster Comb and the best small lakes for fishing—Jackrabbit Lake, Mustang Pond, Kingbird Pond, and several others. In the process, you will explore the matrixes of valleys, creeks, and foothill grasslands for wildflowers and wildlife. From park headquarters or Hunting Hollow, the route is so long and grueling that almost nobody tries it. We’ve been back in this wild country on perfect spring days and the fishing, wildlife, wildflowers, and campsites can be spectacular.
User Groups: Hikers, horses, and mountain bikes. No dogs. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A trail map and camp permit are required. A state park day-use fee of $8 per vehicle is charged. After 0.5 inch of rain or more, bikes are prohibited from single-track trails for 48 hours.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at Dowdy Visitors Center. For a detailed topographic map, contact Pine Ridge Association (Morgan Hill, 408/779-2728, www.coepark.org).
Directions: Take U.S. 101 south (30 miles south of San Jose) to Gilroy and Exit 357 for Leavesley Road/Highway 152. Take that exit to Leavesley, turn left and go 1.8 miles to New Avenue. Turn left and go 0.6 mile to Roop Road. Turn right and go 1.9 miles, turn left to stay on Roop (well signed) and continue 3.3 miles (becomes Gilroy Hot Springs Road) to Hunting Hollow Parking on right (nine miles from U.S. 101) or continue 1.8 miles to Coyote Gate.
Contact: Henry W. Coe State Park, 408/779-2728, www.parks.ca.gov.
6.0 mi/3.0 hr
in Coyote Lake Harvey Bear County Park near Coyote Reservoir
You get spectacular views on this, where you scan across southern Santa Clara Valley and beyond across the Santa Cruz Mountains. To the east, you take in gorgeous Coyote Lake backed by a wilderness ridge to the east. Yet with Coyote Reservoir and Henry W. Coe State Park so nearby, many still overlook this trip.
Start at the Mendoza Staging Area for Harvey Bear, named after the landowner whose family made the park possible. From there, you venture off on the 4.5-mile Coyote Ridge Trail, where most hike out for the views and then return. It is dedicated as a section of the perpetual work-in-progress, the 500-mile Bay Ridge Trail. The landscape consists of rolling hills with oaks and buckeyes and lots of wild turkey, deer, squirrels, red-tailed hawks, and turkey vultures. On summer mornings, it seems spotting wild turkey is a sure thing. You can get in a nice rhythm for easy climbs that average only 200 feet, and then take in the dramatic views of the lower Santa Clara Valley off to the west and gorgeous Coyote Lake backed by a wilderness ridge to the east. Return when ready. The parkland adjoins Coyote Lake, creating a continuous swath of 4,595 acres of public land. An option is a fairly new loop route, Rancho La Polka.
User Groups: Hikers, mountain bikes, horses, and dogs on leash. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A fee of $6 per vehicle is charged. No permit required.
Maps: A brochure and map are available at the trailhead.
Directions: Take U.S. 101 south to Gilroy and the exit for Leavesley Road. Follow that exit, turn east, and drive two miles to New Avenue. Turn left and go 0.5 mile to Roop Road. Turn right and go three miles (it becomes Gilroy Hot Springs Road) to the park entrance and staging area on the left.
Contact: Coyote Lake Harvey Bear County Park, 408/842-7800; Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, 408/355-2201, www.sccgov.org/sites/parks.