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    Calero County Park

    3.8 (67 reviews)

    Calero County Park Photos

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    Parking lot
    Giselle M.

    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!

    Peter D.

    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.

    Rattlesnake!
    Darin T.

    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.

    Map legend
    Jean T.

    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!

    Take a bike ride!
    Caleb M.

    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!

    Sarah T.

    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!

    Happy with my friend
    Thia L.

    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

    Social distancing rules and Info
    Sonia G.

    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!

    The map of the trails at Calero County Park
    Korina Y.

    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 !

    Lookout point where the Needlegrass Trail and Bald Peaks Trail meet
    Anson W.

    "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!

    Nice view of Calero reservoir...
    Sidney S.

    "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.

    Kaori M.

    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.

    Wild turkey family
    Michelle N.

    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.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Calero County Park

    Is fishing allowed?

    Yes. Lots of fishermen about. You have to walk around th Elsie to find a good spot. Lots of brush and weeds.

    Can you go the day of and pay for parking?

    Yes. You can pay for parking at the park booth when you get there.

    Is swimming permitted at Calero?

    No, unless your on a jetski or inner tubing

    View All 8 Questions

    Review Highlights - Calero County Park

    Now first things first you need to turn left from Bailey Ave onto McKean to get to the free parking lot and the trailheads.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    Delano Manongs Park - Play structure

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    Calero County Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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