The 6.2-mile 1000 feet of elevation is now my new favorite local trail, especially having recently…read morewatched Hamnet, the scenery felt strangely cinematic, as if certain moments--especially the cave entrance--had been lifted directly from the film. In Hamnet, the cave stands as a symbol of that mysterious realm of death, the void from which we come and to which we ultimately return. Yet on this beautiful sunny afternoon, as life breathes through every tree, every leaf, and every small flower, and as I feel the gentle care and encouragement of those beside me, I realized, not in a limbo zone way, that the world, exactly as it is, is beautiful enough. Heaven must be even better. https://youtube.com/shorts/xiQGHA3WKrY?si=womdxeGsiEBLsH0W

Underbear Newish…read more±1,400-acre Open Space Preserve that's located only three-mikes south of Los Gatos, and is one of the few places in the area left to see Old-growth Redwoods. The Good: *Free! *One of the newer OSPs, as it officially opened in ±2019 *Fairly large paved parking lot that holds ±30 vehicles, including three ADA parking spots. There's a separate parking lot at the stables, but you need a permit. *Over ten miles of hiking trails *ADA Compliant trail around the pond in the parking lot. *Horses OK (check trail signage) *Picnic tables in the parking lot *As mentioned above, one of the few places in the South Bay that you can view old-growth Redwoods that doesn't require you to drive down to Felton (Henry Cowell) or Big Basin. *If you're looking for a challenge, the Upper Peter Siemens Trail-Madrone Knoll Trail has an elevation gain of ±1,500' over ±3.5 miles The Meh: *No dogs/pets The Ugly: *Restrooms in the parking lot, but I believe they were vault toilets--don't look down! 0_o Conclusion: Great place to get your hike on if you're in the South Bay and don't feel like a terribly long drive.

A nice flat concrete trail, good for a leisurely stroll around the park, and for runners like me,…read moreoptions to increase the distance and challenge as it connects to other nearby trails (Los Alamitos Creek Trail and Upper Guadalupe River Trail). With the trail wrapping around Almaden Lake Park, I was able to enjoy the scenery along the pathway while attending the SJ Water Lantern Festival this past weekend (for the umpteenth time). A lovely setting with enough space to get my steps in, I have no complaints.

Lucky to have a spacious trail near home. I park on the street to avoid the parking lot fees, but…read morefor those that end up picnicking and have lots of things to carry, it would be worth it. Dog friendly, and people can run, walk, or cycle on the flat trails.

Beautiful! Saw some deer, chipmunks, birds and butterflies. There were also quite a bit of yellow…read moreflowers. I need to go again!

Whew! If you want a leg burning challenge, check out the hiking trails that end in Heintz Open…read moreSpace Preserve. I like to start at Belgatos park, take the Santa Rosa Trail (.4 miles) to Valley View Trail (1 mile) to Vista Trail (.3 miles). It's rolling hills going up and a great work out. If you do them all as an out and back, it's a fantastic 3.4 mile hike. Vista Trail has the best view but generally the entire hike will show you stunning views of Los Gatos and San Jose. Dogs are welcome on leashes and you're sure to encounter a few furry friends.

Came here for a hike on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend! Arrived at the Bald Mountain parking…read morelot around 8:30am and there were lots of spots still available. I went on the Mount Umunhum out and back trail. Still pretty green with some wildflowers! There were a decent amount of hikers, and lots of bicyclists. Seems like a very popular spot for mountain bikers! Had to watch out for cyclists most of the hike. Along the trail, there were some informational posts about the mountain's history and at the summit, there was a neat informational site, Native American pow wow example, and good balcony for pictures. Learned that Umunhum has that name because the Natives thought it sounded like a hummingbird! Partially shaded but I still recommend going in the morning. There were lots of switchbacks so the hike felt long - took me around 3 hours and 15 minutes including breaks to complete. When I came back around 11:45am, the parking lot was full and some people were parked on the side of the road. Overall, I would classify the Mount Umunhum trail as moderately difficult. Because of the switchbacks, the incline is very gradual but the hike feels longer. Good views and trails were well-maintained with markers. The constant cyclists slightly detracted from the hiking experience, but I would still recommend!

Did the Mt Umunhum trail. Mostly shaded. Free parking. Great views. Some historical stuff (WW2…read moreradar builing and Native American religious site) at the top which is a nice reward making it to the top. Can drive all the way to the top if mobility is an issue.

This isn't the biggest park, but its clean and they have the astro turf. There are some benches…read moreand it seems some of the dog owners donated chairs so there are more seats. There's a big dog section and a small dog section. The pet owners here are very nice. They are aware and really keep this place maintained. It seems everyone knows each other and are regulars. It's a very small, comfortable, and clean dog park!

Nice big park with a clean basketball court. Also a big dog park.on the day I went there were…read moreplenty of moms watching their kids at the playground. I tried to walk around the perimeter of the park,but changed my mind when I noticed a lot of RVs parked along the street. A couple had dogs tied up. I realize that the people living in the RVs need protection,so I understand that their dogs are not necessary going to be friendly. I don't blame the dogs . I just wish that the owners would not let the dogs bark or growl when you walk by. I'm sure the residents aren't happy about the situation either

This Park is about a Hundred and Twenty Acre on the banks of the Guadalupe River stretching 2.5…read moremiles along the downtown area. I'm very happy I came walking along this Guadalupe River on a perfectly warm day right before the sun about to set. Peaceful, Radiant, and beautiful Views of the City. A short distance from the popular Sap Center and San Pedro Square Market. Certain Areas of this Park can definitely use some cleaning up and Maintenance. I wouldn't want to be around this park after dark because it's pretty creepy with homeless people in this area. Aside that downfall, this Guadalupe River Park offers clean playground area for kids, Tennis Courts, Walking/Jogging Pathways, Benches, Bridges, Restrooms, Great Trails for Dogs Friendly Atmospheres.

Umm, yeah. Not great. It is a nice trail but sadly there were quite a few shady people hanging…read morearound I would not recommend it for safety reasons.

Santa Rosa Open Space is a great place for short hikes. I found the best way to access the Open…read moreSpace is to park at Bel Gatos Park, in Los Gatos. It's a wonderful starting point because it has a dedicated parking area and allows you to get to Santa Rosa's Ridge Trail. It is a .6 mile out and back with a thigh burning hill in the beginning. The other great out and back trail you can do is the Santa Rosa Trail. It's .7 miles one way so it can make a pretty nice 1.4 mile hike as an out and back. Santa Rosa boarders Heintz Open Space so if you want a really great long hike, try connecting Santa Rosa Trail to Valley View to Vista Trail. It's a lot of rolling hill that will burn your quads for a 3.4 mile out and back hike. On the upside, when you walk back to the car, it's all down hill. You will occasionally see pups are on the trail and that is permitted as long as they are on leashes. So far, I have only met the nicest dogs on the trails.

Gorgeous dog friendly hiking trails with restrooms, playground and benches. Fun goats at the…read morebeginning of the trail we're a nice surprise!

A great little spot to get up out of the city air of San Jose beautiful skies, peaceful quiet not…read moretoo busy if you're looking for a little get away from everybody it's worth the drive. It is a slow steady road going kitten to the top but so worth it.

This was a really great park with endless trails for different ranges of hikers. It's always best…read moreto come early in the morning due to the limited parking. The loop around the lake is pretty great and there's a lot of sights to see. The middle islands have some really cool and rare birds. We were able to run into different people and some were experts in bird spotting, which is always a cool thing. There's so many different types of animals so it was an exciting hike.