This was a nice place to go for a hike. My boyfriend and I came here for a hike a couple weekends ago along with his English Bulldog, Meatball. There's a parking lot there, and it's free. They have maps at the front entrance. The park had a few different trails, and I just follow the one that my boyfriend chose. There were ups and downs along with some flat trails. There were some parts shaded, but a good bit was not. Meatball was huffing and puffing. He was so out of breath during and after the hike. He's not used to walking that much. Poor fella. We saw lots of horse poop on the trails, and there is a sign at the parking lot that people are supposed to pick up after their horse. I can see how it would be difficult to pick up the horse's poop while riding them, but it would have been respectful if they did. read more

Went here for a basketball team celebration. Kids had a blast under the shaded reserved area - West Group Picnic Area #2 and area to the side. Water guns, soccer, frisbee, football - they had a blast. Was enough space for prob up to 50 people. We were a smaller group. Cost of reservation was $162. Only knock here was that there were no proper restrooms, only porter potties. Also included in the reservation from what we got: "boat launches are included in this reservation. Each vehicle is must pay the daily $6.00 vehicle entrance fee. (1) 5.5ft Charcoal BBQ (6) 7.5ft Picnic Tables Although parks open at 8:00 am daily, Day Use Reservation area usage is not recommended until 9:00am. Site clean-up generally occurs between 8:00-9:00am, so setting up before 9:00am could impact your site, and clean-up would not be guaranteed." read more

Calero County Park - Play area to the right of our reserved spot at the entry - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

Beautiful park for dog friendly hikes! Our shih poo braved through 5.5 miles easily with well defined trails. There were sections of no shade on the hike we chose, but it wasn't too sunny. I can imagine on hotter days that the trials are more challenging due to this limited shade. Would recommend if you don't mind navigating through some horse poop. read more

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It is a good lake, but the jet skis, wave runners, and motor boats are very disruptive because it is a small lake. I would not mind if the county made the lake only open to vessels with electric motors and non-motorized vessels. read more

Calero is absolutely beautiful and such a wonderful place to hit the trails! Located in San Jose, it's always such a treat (and sometimes a surprise!) to find such vibrant, nature-rich places just 20-30 minutes from various towns in South Bay, including Downtown SJ! The trails in Calero County Park are surrounded by countless trees, so there are definitely pockets of shade sprinkled here and there. On our most recent visit, my hubby and I did the Los Cerritos Trail loop (about 3.6 to almost 4 miles). We parked in the main parking lot, which is free and has plenty of space (FYI - there are porta-potties there, but I don't remember seeing any other more permanent restrooms). On a weekday morning, there's no problem at all finding parking, but I can't speak to weekends since we haven't tried going here then. The trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset, and there are several different trails you can take depending on how far you want to hike. You may definitely see some mountain bikers or horseback riders along the way too. If you're heading out in the later morning or midday, definitely bring some sunblock and a hat just in case. Of course plenty of water too since there are some decent hills throughout! You'll definitely work up a sweat, and the bonus is you'll get some gorgeous views while doing so! read more

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Calero is based in South San Jose in the Almaden area. Although not much stands out about this trail, it has a good flow to it, making it very beginner-friendly to hike or bike. It's mainly fire roads that you can loop in either direction. I typically take my bike here but I have hiked here a few times and it's pretty a cool trail. Love the restrooms at the beginning of the trails; they are not portable restrooms which are pretty dirty in general. So extra brownie points for that! You can easily extend your trail to either Almaden Quicksilver Park, Bald Peak, Santa Teresa Park, or Oak Cove Trail. I typically start at Calero and then make my way up Santa Teresa Park and hit rocky ridge which is a pretty technical black diamond so just be aware of that. As for shade, it has very minimal spots of coverage but there are some patches of shade. If it is really hot I would not suggest going here because you are going to roast. Every time I go here I have to keep applying sun screen every hour or so because I get baked super quick in the sun. read more

Calero County Park - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

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Only about 10-15 minutes drive away from 101, this super clean and well maintained park was great. We were greeted by a ranger who told us that there was an event with free shuttles to the lake. Free, and had free kayaking, animal adoptions, etc. Super friendly and warm, and free parking! We hiked the Calero Figueroa and Pena Trail Loop. This was labeled easy by AllTrails.com, however we found it a bit challenging towards the end where there are 3-4 steep hills that got the heart rate way up. Some people like to go counter-clockwise according to AllTrails, where you'll take on those hills up front rather than at the end. Choose your own adventure. This is a bike and horse trail as well, so expect to dodge a few horse land mines along the route. We also got to see a rattlesnake! It was docile and did not rattle its tail at us, but blocked the path so we were apprehensive on what to do. We ended up running past it and it eventually slithered away, but gave us a good story and pictures. Just a word of warning if you have young children to keep an eye out. Also, there are 5-10 minute stretches of the hike without shade, so keep that in mind when the sun is out. Overall, we'll be back. This is a trail where you'll only see someone every 20-30 minutes, which is a welcome change to some of the super popular trails in the Bay. read more

Calero County Park - Rattlesnake! - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

Pretty good spot to go for a hike! Came here on a Saturday parking near the main entrance and there was still plenty of parking around 11 am. Parking: it's free!! And there's a fair number of parking locations around the park which is a plus. There's a lot of trail options to choose from. Mainly open fields so make sure you bring enough water and sunscreen if you're there on a hot day. You might see people riding their horses on the trail too! read more

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This seems to be a really popular spot for bikers! We came here last year and I found it too difficult because I was still a noob with biking haha when we came back the trail wasn't too bad! I did stop a few times to rest but the beginning is the only hard part because of the uphill. The trail is really fun! There's uphill and downhill that aren't steep. It's my bf's favorite biking spot now! Definitely would recommend this! Although the beginning is difficult, it gets much easier after the incline. read more

Calero county park is extremely beautiful! I love taking my dog on the Lisa Killough Trail. It's a nice short hike with nice scenery and it's not too hard! read more

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Given thee amount of taxes we pay in Santa Clara County - I would think the County could allocate some funds to make this park more, comfortable, accessible, cleaner (I mean seriously, no maintenance that I could tell), overall enjoyable. Please update your website photos as they are clearly not what the park looks like today. Not one decent lake in Santa Clara County. read more

Hiked here in late July for a 10 mile loop trail. The trail is mostly dry but has shade on 50% part. The trail close to the lake is nice. This trail is very bike friendly so you will see a LOT of bikes on the mountain. Not many hikers though. You will need to step aside for bikes to pass in many areas. Note there is one way for bikes but hikers can choose to go any way. The marking for trail were not too obvious in some places so make sure to check the paper map. Have plenty of water as there are no refill stations. There was signs saying "Mountain Lions live here". Obvisously we did not encounter any but it is recommended to hike with companion. We did see deer family and few turkeys. read more

A favorite trail for bicyclists although there were a few hikers like myself and also two gals riding their horse! The trail is wide enough to allow bicyclists to pass by easily as you go about your way. I would say the path is easy to moderate with a slight incline in the beginning. There was just a small section still wet from the rain so I was trudging through mud but that didn't stop me or anyone else! read more

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Boat Launching representative did not allow our inflatable boat to launch because it had 3 small drops of water in it. Yikes. After traveling 30 minutes, we were denied. It appeared she is young and dint care care for the revenue of the county. Either way, I dont recommend. read more

I have been to many lakes and beautiful parks in the bay areas. I came across this one so I wanted to check it out for the first time with my friend. I always been a nature lover who loves the water. We came here in August so it was plenty of Sunshines. It cost 6 bucks to park but we drove pass by not knowing that, but the lady there was kind enough to let us through and hang out take some pictures. Hehehe read more

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Hidden gem in San Jose! Best bike/hiking route. Lots of hill, sun, and stunning views of beautiful homes and the reasavor. I am a pretty slow bike rider and it took about 2 hours to do the entire route. I love that there is plenty of parking, clean bathrooms, and Covid-19 safety protocol. People are very nice/friendly on this trail. Totally recommend. I am a beginner biker and this route kicked my butt with all of the uphill, sun and some narrow turning. Enjoy! read more

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January 11, 2020 Saturday Parking : SAN Vicente parking area at Calero County Park ( free ) there's clean restroom here. Spacious parking lot. There's a trails map , some brochures and notices at the trail head. You can pick whatever trails you'd like to take. We took the Lisa Killough Trail to the top of the hills where the radio towers stand. The hills were green, the sky was blue and super windy on top of the hills. There were hikers , trail runners and the mountain bikers. Not too crowded even though Saturday. From top of the hills, you get a view of the reservoir on one side and view of the city ( San Jose ) from the other side. It's very pretty. We saw a juvenile Golden Eagle soaring above the hills. WhaT a treat!!! He/she was giving us a spectacular show circling around near us for good 5 minutes or so. When we hiked back to the trailhead , we saw two white-tailed kites ( birds) hovering over not too far from us. I could see their white chests , gray wings and black shoulders clearly. Sooo beautiful. At the trailhead , we met a very nice Indian couple, they told us that Calero county park just opened to the public a few years ago , it used to be privately owned. They recommend us visiting Mt Umunhum and other parks in the area. So then off to our next adventure- Mt Umunhum!!! Off we go ! read more

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"Compartmentalized" is a word I would use to describe Calero County Park. RESERVOIR: -------------------- The north end of this 4,471 park has a large reservoir where people can fish and launch kayaks, jet skis and other watercraft. There is a boat launch area on the north side of the reservoir; parking there costs $6. Hiking trails do not connect to this area. HIKING TRAILS: -------------------- So how do you access Calero's 18.9 miles of trails? There are two parking areas (both free) that provide access to trails. The "main" one is along McKean Road and has outhouses and a drinking fountain. Trails here feature light to moderate inclines. Views are ok. The other parking area is along Casa Loma Road at the south side of Calero. Here there is a small paved lot with a single outhouse and no drinking fountain, and a larger overflow lot that is unpaved and rocky. The southern portion of Calero shares a border with Rancho Cañada del Oro, with trails connecting the two parks. A common hike on the south side is the 4-mile loop encompassing the Longwall Canyon Trail, Needlegrass Trail, Bald Peaks Trail and Little Llagas Creek Trail. This is a medium+ difficulty hike with moderate inclines right from the start. The climb up the Needlegrass Trail involves 800 feet of elevation gain. You're rewarded with awesome views looking down into the canyon, as well as a sweeping view of the valley from the lookout point where the Needlegrass Trail meets the Bald Peaks Trail. This 4-mile loop is fully contained inside Calero. For an extra challenge, hikers can take the long way through Rancho Cañada along the Longwall Canyon Trail to the Bald Peaks Trail, which adds another 4 miles. Most of the trails in Calero don't have much shade, so plan accordingly. Finally, there are many connecting trails that are closed due to "redevelopment", meaning that Calero and Rancho Cañada don't actually connect to any other parks. The County in 2013 published a 10-year plan to develop more trails here for public use, so we'll see if they put our tax dollars to work! read more

Calero County Park - Lookout point where the Needlegrass Trail and Bald Peaks Trail meet - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

I feel so foolish, I purchased a $90 ANNUAL boat launch pass from the kiosk at Coyote lake that is supposed to be good at Coyote and Calero. It's AFTER you purchase the pass you learn that you then have to mail your receipt in and wait for the pass. While waiting to receive the pass, the lake attendant still made me pay for launching my boat ... and MORE. I also learned AFTER the purchase that after launching your boat, you still have to pay for parking your vehicle and trailer needed to take your boat home! Then you STILL have to pay for the boat inspection. At the end, you need to purchase an annual launch pass for $90, an annual vehicle pass for an additional $95, and an annual inspection pass for for additional $70!!! $255 that you don't learn about until AFTER you spend the non-refundable $90!!! I would have never guessed that the annual launch pass didn't allow you to park the vehicle you launched with! What would be the alternatives? On top of that, Calero advertises restrooms when in fact they are contruction style porta-potties WAY off the beaten path! No other emeneties. Coyote amenities are very nice but again, a VERY misleading price structure!!! Typical California, typical govt. nickel and diming it's community to death! So very sad!!! NEVER again!!! Worth traveling further to another County! read more

"Hey, let's be careful out there." -- Sergeant Phil Esterhaus, Hill Street Blues Sidney Reviews A Calero Walking/Hiking Trail Part II This line from a previous Yelp review made me spit out my Diet Pepsi: "The trails are through dry grass meadows and quite hilly, so they were a lot of work". Really Sparky? You go out to the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the effort to go up the hills surprised you? Did the fact boats could float on the reservoir surprise you too? And no views on the trails? What? See some of my photos. If you actually go up the hills, and I recommend the 8 mile + Bald Peaks Loop (Yep, it is hilly) you will get some of the best views you can get from a foothill park (and without the intrusion of civilization you get at Almaden or Santa Teresa). Wildflowers are stunning here too in the springtime and even now I see a few leftover remnants. This is my go to after work hike right now and even on the 5 or 6 mile loops I do, you get a nice workout and lovely views of the Oaks and Reservoir. The Figueroa trail, off of McKean, is indeed dusty and used quite a bit by the horsey set but other than the trails are barely used at all especially by two-legged animals. In fact I see more deer and turkeys than human. In fact, what am I doing? I usually have this park to myself...forget everything I just wrote. Please. I'm lying. No good hiking here. Hills, too steep, too much work, you'd hate it. Stay away. Oaks on my photos - fake! All cut down. No shade. Reservoir - Dried up! No water, no views. Always smoggy. You'd catch asthma here. Go look at the photos of my hottie yelp friends instead. And do you think they'd be caught dead here? Of course not. The deers and turkeys scare them. So, in conclusion: hilly, no water in lake, trees all cut down, it is not Spring so no pretty flowers, no pretty or hot yelp girls here, scary deer and turkeys, nothing to see at all. Ignore the 5 stars, it is really a one star park. read more

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Very pretty park. Rolling green hills with a lot of pretty wild flowers. I can't believe I hadn't been there. Trails are well marked and maps are available at the trailhead. Plenty of parking. We ran into a rattlesnake! Only one minus point is there are a lot of poison oak. Watch out for them if you are susceptible like me. read more

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Calero County Park is a big park, it connects with Rancho Canada Del Oro Open Space Preserve as well as Calero Reservoir for boating. I've never had the chance to hike Calero in the spring and have only been here in the summer months when everything is dead and dry. I'm sure it's quite lovely in the spring when everything is nice and green. I went through the main entrance off McKean Road and I was the only visitor (random Thursday morning). Plus side: no parking fee! I followed the Los Cerritos Trail, and boy was it hot (despite it only being 9am). This an easy/moderate trail with some inclines but the killer is this summer heat - since everything is so dry and there's not that much tree cover, you'll be baking. There's tons of field mice scurrying around and lots of wild turkeys too! Also watch out for dried horse poo. Calero is a nice short hike and it isn't bad on a breezy moderate summer day. But in the middle of a heatwave, it's tough. read more

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Great little lake to take the boat and jet ski for the day Super fun, rangers are there if needed read more

Calero County Park - Jet ski - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

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Spring hikes in Calero are awesome! I have been at this county park several times but only at the reservoir, not doing some trails, and this weekend my expectations of seeing many flowers were not met yet the greenery conquered me. Such a beautiful, lush, luscious green landscape of ups and downs those hills. After several days of rain the grass was greener than ever and many different wild flowers popped up (do not expect that dramatic display of multicolored flowers all together though, but touches of color here and there). Butterflies will fly in front of you when hiking! The view of the reservoir is so pretty, it looks so blue and the trails are so empty at noon! (where is everybody?). You will feel re-energized, re-juvenated and totally full of energy at the end of your loop! read more

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Such a beautiful reservoir with plenty of fish! Why the 2 stars instead of 5? Simply because, we were unaware that the water is filled with toxic. We wanted to enjoy our day fishing with the family, so we came to Calero reservoir to catch some fish. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a park ranger and asked her if we can fish there. She said yes, so off to the water we go... We caught a good sized bass, and brought it home for dinner. A few hours later, I did a little research and it turns out that the fish cannot be consumed! The reservoir is filled with methyl mercury, which is a deadly poison. We were not informed when we spoke to the ranger, nor did we see any signs posted up. Thank goodness we did not consume the fish, and tossed it immediately. It's unfortunate that we had to sacrifice a fish that could've lived a longer and happy life. Shame on you Calero reservoir, you are a devil in disguise. read more

Calero County Park - Right next to the water - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

Pro: - Plenty Parking space - Dog allowed on trails (on leashes) - Easy trails - There is a restroom at the parking lot - There is a water fountain near the restroom Con: - Trails aren't too challenging to hike on, but great for a walk Overall, I love the fact that they allow dogs on the trails and the view is good. read more

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Beautiful spot! Huge area. There is free parking and it has many spots. The downside is there isn't much shade (in most areas). Also beware because we did see what seemed to be a Coyote? Cute cows along the way. read more

Went to Calero County Park for their "Blind As A Bat" program. It's only offered twice a year I think. Once in July & Once in August. I tried to book for July but was too late & they made me call again for August even though I was on the waitlist. So Mon 8/8/11 I call at 8am and left a message. Then I called back & made sure they got my message. I booked for 5 people. It was fine, but filled up within 10 min or less. I called a week before the program to confirm & even the day of. Got there about 5pm, took 45 min from Fremont - traffic was light for Sat 8/27/11. Good thing I had magazines & there was some picnic tables in the shade to wait at. The Park Office was the meeting spot. There's AC there. Flushed toilets available in the back of the office in a separate trailer - 2, one had a shower in it. Three vans were ready for us. Told to bring chairs or beach towel to sit on, bug spray, dinner, water, flashlight, closed toe shoes. Sitting on a small meadow area near the Bat House. About 20 min drive on the van on the dirt trail. Got our chairs & stuff to sit in the meadow. Then the rangers gave a talk from 6-7:50pm. They shared some snacks: fig newtons, dried mango, chips. Bats started to come out. Very cool! They fly fast & right above our heads! If you want to see hundreds of bats coming out of their Bat House sign up for a "Blind As A Bat" program. Maybe next yr though. read more

Yesterday was our first day here & we had a jet ski. They didn't tell us up front that we needed a boat card for the jet ski. we have been to plenty other lakes & never asked us for a boat card. its been a law since 2018 apparently. but regardless, the patrol could have Informed us nicely considering it was our first time at that location. He was telling us we need to apply for one but in an unacceptable tone. He was mentioning about a pamphlet that he was going to give us and as soon as I was walking towards him he just throws it on the floor from the boat in the water. That kind of behavior isn't very friendly coming from an older person. possibly the one and only time I will ever go here. Also there is no swimming aloud either. read more

Calero County Park is a great place to go hiking. There are many hiking trails for you to choose from. I agree with other yelpers that not a lot of people actually hike here. I was really surprised about that. I saw mostly people riding horses along the trails, so you really have to watch out for all the horse poop on the trail..lol. There are a few picnic tables for hikers to take a break. I was really interested about the 'bat box', but disappointed when I saw it. The bat box is about 50 feet away from the trail, so hikers really have to look out for it. I just noticed a small colorful sign near the fence. When I got closer, I realized it was a sign for the Bat Box. The Bat Box was at least 10 feet above the ground, but it is entirely covered in wood. It reminded me of a hut. Anyway, for those that want to hike but want free parking , I'd recommend turning Left from Bailey onto McKean. Just look out for the Calero County park on the right. read more

Went to Calero Park for the first time and completed a short and streneous hike (5-6 miles). The goal was to complete the 8.6 miles loop, but I ran out of sunlight; however, during the trek, we've encountered many wildlife throughout the short hike. Specifically, we saw flocks of turkeys, two female deers (doe), a salamander, and a 2-pointer Buck. With the amount of wildlife I witnessed and lack of hikers (only saw 1 set of hikers on the trail) I will definitely go back (early this time) and complete the 8.6 miles loop. This is a good training ground as the amount of elevation gain and loss are identical. Parking: Free! Restroom: Portable toilets read more

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Great place local to mountain bike. Somewhat easy loop with as much uphill as downhill. Sub 60 minute loop if you are in biking shape, slightly longer if you are a rec rider. Watch out for cows, rattle snakes, and dumbasses on horses. Crowds form as early as 8am on the weekends. Go late afternoon to avoid the masses. Helmets required by the sheriffs that patrols the trailhead. read more

Review is more for the reservoir part than the surrounding grounds. People who work here are great, super friendly and helpful but it just is not worth it!! The reservoir is so small that if you open full throttle you are on the opposite side in less than a minute. Too small to tube or waterski once other boaters get on the water. Great for a close by place to take your boat to if you had work done on it and just need to see how it runs once the work is complete, otherwise not worth it at all. There is a two lane launch however everyone insists on putting people in their boats who don't know how to launch a boat so they drag the line and tie the boat off. Rather than walk the boat on the opposite side of the dock they leave it right on the side that blocks any other boats ability to launch. The driver then seems like they take their time gathering their items up and getting back to the boat. It's the same with anyone who is picking anyone up from land or getting supplies. People tie off blocking anyone else from launching. We went out there to test our boat after having some work done and it took us 20 minutes to trailer our boat. Someone tied their boat off, leaving an entire group in the boat who didn't know how to operate it. Someone else was trying to launch a jet ski and once they did just tied it off and left to park their truck. I actually cut my engine and just drifted while my husband sat at the top of the launch waiting for people to clear the area, he timed it and said he stood there for almost 20 minutes waiting. There is no boating etiquette here. read more

I never knew about this place till I came here over the weekend for a day out at the lake. I haven't gotten a chance to actually hike around here, but the lake itself is already such a nice pleasure! I didn't even know such a place existed so close by! Lake is spacious enough to have more than enough fun jet skiing, wake boarding, and tubing! I had a splenddddiiidd time even relaxing on the boat while everyone else was enjoying the water. There's some fishies in the lake, but all meant to be fished for fun than to eat because of the mercury. I didn't see any that day, but I'm sure there are some since there are fishing areas. Parking is about $6 for the entire day and I think they limit the lake to 30 boats (not for sure, might need to check up on that), so get there early to ensure your spot on the lake. Lake is also strict, so make sure you comply with lake rules for whatever you're doing or they will kick you out. Otherwise... enjoy the lake and the scenery!!! It's a really nice break from the city! read more

It's good if you are an outdoorsy person and likes water. and have nothing better to do. The place is clean but the trails are short. Overall good for couple of hrs. read more

A classic example of the rolling hill country that dominates the Santa Clara Valley, Calero Park is a far cry from the limitless wilderness of Henry Coe, but it's still a lot more expansive than Santa Teresa. You could easily be attracted by the promise of the lake here, but be warned that it's rather underwhelming, particularly if the water level is low. But the hills and trees themselves don't disappoint, and you're very likely to see horseback riders here. Like many of the nearby parks, you'll get more out of it in the spring when the grass is brilliant green and there are wildflowers everywhere. read more

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I love this park. How can it be so awesome and be FREE too? The trails are well maintained and i ride the trails on my horse or hike so it's a pleasure bicycles are not allowed. Sooo much more peaceful. I always see deer here, sometimes a bobcat and lots of other critters including rattlesnakes, so pay attention! Climb to the top of the hills (there is a lot of vertical trail here). for spectacular views of the bay and the valley. If like me you come here with a horse there is a lot of room for staging your trailer, a water trough and lots of parking. The trails do close if we've had rain which makes me a bit sad, but it's necessary, those hills get pockmarked with hoofs and then when it dries it's a bit difficult. Better to wait a bit. read more

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Went there this past weekend - loved it! Spent a few hours hiking. - Nice Views - Different trails so you can choose to do a strenuos hike or something more low-key - Only for hikers and horse back riding, kinda sucks having to walk around all the horse sh!t - Free Parking read more

Calero County Park - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

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~This review is for the RESERVOIR~ Boyfriend wanted to test out the new fishing pole and try his luck at the nearest body of water. Parking is $6, but if you aren't sure you want to stay or want to park and look around first the first 20 minutes are free. Credit card is accepted in case you were wondering. So we parked, grabbed our fishing gear, headed out to the large reservoir and just YUCK! If you looked up 'murky' in the dictionary, you would find a picture and address of this place. I wasn't surprised to see a "No Swimming" sign posted; you could not pay me to swim in that brown dirty water. There were numerous kayakers, jet skiers, tubers, fellow fishermen, and boaters out there equals too much commotion for successful (or at the least an enjoyable) fishing experience. I would never come back here again. read more

Great park to come for a nice hike with the family! It's easy to find right at McKean and Bailey. There is plenty of parking and parking is free. They have a map section in front of the trail so pick up a map before you head out. This trail is only for foot and equestrian. We got lucky with the cool weather yesterday at about 50 but even with the cool temperatures this hike was able to give me a good sweaty workout! The trail we went on totalled about 3 miles with lots of hills and plenty of steep climbs. Make sure you wear durable hiking shoes or something with a grip on the bottom. You will not survive on this trail in flip flops or sandals. It was very quiet on the trail. In fact we were the only hikers that day that we saw except for the occasional people walking their horses. The thing I loved most about this trail were all of the horses! Behind a barbed wire fence are at least 15 of them and they like to greet you at the fence and let you feed them grass and pet them. We loved it! There is not much in the way of an eating area if you plan to picnic during your hike but halfway through the trail near the reservoir you can find some big rocks and park your toosh there for some lunch. They do have a picnic bench at the beginning of the hike. Also up high on the ridge top are plenty of trees and cool shade to take a rest, eat or nap (like we did!) It's so quiet here except for the occasional traffic noise coming from the McKean/Bailey intersection. You can see for miles from the top of the ridge here. I loved this trail and will be back! Since I am training for the Breast Cancer 3-day walk for October, anywhere where I can get out and enjoy nature but also get some exercise for the walk is perfect for me! Oh and just a word of caution: they do not allow dogs on this trail and keep your head focused on the ground or you might land in some pretty nasty horse poop...and there is A LOT...no joke! read more