This trail is challenging. Proceed only if you can handle elevation of uphill all the way for the…read morefirst appro. 1 mile. We started off at rhus ridge trailhead. Trail was steep and mostly in shade. Nice valley view along the way to look at and you can see the bay afar. Very quiet and unpopular trail. At many points, you'd feel there's only you and your companion in the whole mountain. There's a warning sign of mountain lion but we didn't see any, not that I wanted to. :) Recommend to use hiking stick. It'd take about 4 hours to complete the whole trail. If you walk slower it'd be longer.

This was my 8th and last Peak in 2024 which I hiked solo in late Dec…read more I was ill prepared for the rain because I did not believe it would happen. I did not bring an umbrella, and I wore a fleece instead of a windbreaker. It was drizzling on and off, I had to take shelter under trees to wait out the heavier rain sections. The good part of today was that I practically had the whole mountain to myself, it's really being alone; I crossed paths with 7 other solo hikers. The bad part was that I am afraid of getting lost by myself. Here are my observations on this hike. Saw some animals up close: deer, rabbit, and a big black loud bird. Climbed over a down tree on the trail. Noticed lots of ferns and moss, so it must be shady and wet here year round. Noticed the dirt near the top is black while the dirt near the bottom is red. Started the trailhead from the Old Quarry at 10:30am, 12 miles round trip. 2.5 hrs up; 1.5 hrs down

Have long eyed the Castle Rock State Park and glad we finally went! The park charges a nominal…read moreparking fee ($10 at time of writing); the parking fee is waived if you have one of the supported passes. Check their site for more info: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=538# We really enjoyed our hike here. The space is beautiful, and the trails are well-maintained. The trailhead had plenty restrooms as well. We made it up to Goat Rock Lookout, back down, then detour to the waterfall. It took ~1.5 hours in total, which was perfect for a end-of-day hike before the park closes at sunset. The view up at Goat Rock Lookout was breathtaking!

If you're looking for another place that has breathtaking views surrounding the whole Santa Cruz…read moreMountains (but don't want to go all the way to Portola Valley), Castle Rock State Park is the place for you. This place is usually my go to when the weather is just perfect and you want good views of the mountains viewing the Monterey Bay and the Santa Clara Valley. In addition, the park is even open during the cold winter season, where it occasionally will snow (because of how high the elevation is, the main base is situated at about 3,200 feet above sea level). This place has been my go-to park for hiking for a while, because of its terrain. At the same time, it's also been because of how much snow they get when cold fronts come into effect. They are also open year-round, so definitely swing by this state park when you do get the chance to! It's a decision you'll never regret.

If I need a place to get away and pray and meditate or just quiet my mind, take a walk or be in…read moreamazement at nature, this is one of my escapes. Let nature speak to your soul.

A small and cozy redwood forest in the middle of the Los Altos neighborhood area, it's a little…read moregem, the park features a short boardwalk, creek (winter to early spring, dry out in summer) and shaded short trail about 1 mile loop. No public parking lot, have to park on street at University Ave, or park at Shoup Park nearby. There is no public restroom, the closer one is located at the Shoup Park, a short trail connected to Shoup Park.

Rancho San Antonio is one of our favorite places to go hiking. While the most popular trail is to…read morewalk to the Deer Hollow Farm and then back to parking lot (probably 60% of visitors just do this part), there are a lot more trails to explore. That particular round trip is probably less than 2.5 miles round trip, mostly flat, and much of it you have a choice of walking on paved roads/trails so good for strollers. The farm is open until 4pm most days, but be aware this is not a petting zoo, you just get to see the sheep, goats, pigs, cows, rabbits, ducks etc. Still fun for kids, my son loved it when he was little. My favorite hike is to go past the farm and then take the Wildcat Loop trip, you get some great views from up there, that's about 4.5 miles round trip from parking lot with some elevation gain. Our new favorite trail is the Mora Trail which branches off before you get to the farm and goes up to beautiful open vistas. Parking - very hard to find parking on weekend mornings and early afternoons. And don't park illegally, they will ticket you. Trails past the farm tend to be much less used.

Hiked in the middle of winter and it was still nice. Ground was not too muddy…read more There's some winding trails and gradual climbs. I'm a beginner hiker so it's challenging enough to give me a workout. Most of the trail is exposed with greenery around but could be hot in the Summer. There's an educational center with farm animals (goats, huge pigs, cows) and a volunteer supported garden, Deer Hollow Farm. It's open to public most of the week. There's also a historic cabin built in the 1850's preserved and look like a small museum that showcases what life may have been like back then. There's a permanent restroom at the parking lot. Along the trail, there's also a smaller porta potty type but permanent restroom. Plenty of parking.

Loved the trail, but FYI there are a ton of ticks. We're lucky our dog is on Simparica Trio, but we…read morestill found one biting and stuck on her belly. Make sure to check your pups carefully after!

First time hiking this trail. Heard about it via friend. The entrance we used was tucked in behind…read morea residential area. Once we walked through the gates you see the steep slopes you are about to engage, there is no gradual beginning. Put your big kid undies on and get er done. Once you get up the initial incline, the trail is pretty consistent. There are a few more hurdles, nothing too difficult. However, it was quite muddy due to the recent rain. That added a minor level of difficulty with attempting not to fall. Beautiful views of snow capped Mount Hamilton... there are different trails to choose from. Nonetheless all views are breath taking. I will definitely go back.

Bear and I started a weekly ritual of visiting a different spot on Wednesday mornings. I've been…read morenearby (to pickup compost) but I had not explored the trail before. We parked on the street (plenty of parking when I arrived around 9:30, but mostly full when I got back to the car around 11:30). There are lots of trails to follow besides the Bay trail, so we meandered our way in towards the bay. Yes, there are lots of folx doing work. Yes, you come across lots of human artifacts, reminders that there is water treatment and more happening all around you. Also, yes it's a beautiful spot! There are so many different bird species, lots of birdsong, and views all around. Bear enjoyed picking some of the blackberries that can be found along the trail --- we found several ripe ones! We will be visiting a new site next Wednesday, but we will definitely be back as our 1.5 hr walk barely scratched the surface of the trails. I think we'll bring our running shoes next time as it's a great area for a soft trail run.

It's a little dusty. You'll probably get some really small bugs in your mouth and nose (they tend…read moreto swarm in clusters). You might even get lost as the trail forks every now and then headed off to strange places. But if you want to get from south to north (or is it east to west?) north (or east) of 101 on a bike, this is the way to do it. The portion that runs adjacent to Moffett Field is interesting if there are planes (or an airship!) taking off.

We went to Baylands Park Trail for a cross country race…read more Plenty parking available. Handicap parking is easily accessible. Lush green grass with beautiful trees, trails and benches. Be advised that a lot of the benches have spider webs and moss so be prepared to wear jeans that you can throw in the wash! Pro: Bathrooms! Not just port u potties. This park also has dirt trails for running XC that is flat with rolling hills. Overall, this is a beautiful venue for a cross country race!

I am lucky to live near this trail & the others here in SVL so I have taken full advantage of them…read morethese 2 weeks off work from the holidays. This spot has plenty of parking. There are loads of lush green grass with beautiful trees, trails and benches to take in the awesome bay views.

Honestly? Alviso Marina County Park isn't really bad after all. The first time I went was a few…read moreyears ago when I visited after a rainy day and that the trails are very muddy. Rarely any people came here. However from this visit, I came in the right time. It was sunny during the day and many people came here for a reason. Keep in mind that it's not a regional park but rather a wetland. When you look at the water, it's colored slightly red from its edges. Also, the trails are light since there is no elevation here. It's really good for jogging and biking. I've seen people do that here. The trails are very long which is why I selected a stop so I can turn back to where I started. Ideally, you want to come here in earlier in the morning so that you can hike longer and end sometime in the early afternoon. It was hot outside and I prefer not to hike longer. Basically, I powered walk from halfway. It's not necessary to bring hiking shoes due to light trails but you should use them if it's muddy. Perhaps, I should come here way earlier so that I can maybe hike longer.

Mostly dog friendly location in Santa Clara. There are a few decks that dogs are not allowed but…read moreit's like 1% of the whole thing. The views are jaw dropping! You can see the mountains in the background. Very clean and well maintained. I love seeing the wildlife. I've seen so many different bird species, plants species and I've even seen a seal once. Super special place indeed.

"Beautiful Mountain" Yes, indeed!…read more PSA: No dogs allowed - I had to leave mine at home. It's ok, you can enjoy this one alone! Take the drive! Yes, the road is windy and please slow for cyclists on your way up. Come along, sing a song. Dancing feet, magical retreat. Bring a friend or brave alone, it'll be worthwhile - 2, 4, or 7 miles! Our small group hiked the 7 mile loop, and had many photos stops along the way. Our leisure hike took approximately 4.5 hours. We spotted a tarantula early on the trail, other hiking groups, a backpacking group, bikers in groups and a few solo peeps. Shaded Hike & Open Space Sunny Hike: If you're wanting a shaded hike, start on the White Oak Trail located to the right of the Monte Bello parking. If you begin your hike on Bella Vista Trail, it's more of an open space with direct sunlight. Start early and enjoy! =)

Monte Bello is a hidden treasure for the Mid-Peninsula area…read more Funny thing, though. For being hidden, it's sure well known. To get there, you drive seven miles up a narrow, windy road. You're wondering if there's anything here besides big houses on tree-filled hills. Make a sharp left at Foothills Park - oops, never mind, you don't live in PA, you can't drive in here. More driving, more driving . . . and you finally get there, only to find a spacious parking lot crammed with cars. Here's why I gave it five stars: At first, it looks like typical landscape on this part of the Peninsula. But then I went down the narrow Stevens Creek Nature Trail. And ended up in a deep, dark forest with a babbling brook, pretty wildflowers, romantic bridges, and interpretive signs to explain what you're gazing at. If you felt like you got away from it all by driving up Page Mill Road, now you *really* feel like you're away from it all. Monte Bello also has a few peaks to climb up, and a backpacking camp. I'm itching to come back to try these out. I was not here long enough to really appreciate Monte Bello, but I saw enough to appreciate it a LOT. I had written about Russian Ridge that it's part of a conglomerate of Mid-Peninsula Open Space Preserves that gives you a few days of outback hiking. Monte Bello is part of that conglomerate, which combines with Los Trancos (and Foothills Park, but don't tell anyone, shhhh) to give you even more wandering. And bring a lunch, because you'll be so mesmerized that you may forget to leave and get food.

Hidden gem of a trail! Easy to get to, ample & free parking, mostly shaded, very lush with a cute…read morepond and eventually leading to Stevens Creek. It's out & back and most of the out is downhill, so coming back uphill is a bit challenging but definitely doable (probably moderate level difficulty). There is some poison oak but it wasn't overgrown. Unpaved trail but well maintained. There's some picnic tables and a restroom at the end of the trail (if you walk 2 more minutes on creek trail at the end of zinfandel). The part I look forward to trying the most next time is the winery right next to the trail (Pichetti Winery).

Trail was well maintained and covered with lots of leaves which provided cushiony landing. However…read moresign was unclear and it was easy to get lost if you weren't paying attention. There were mild ascents here and there, overall it was an easy hike. Beware of the rattlesnake sign posted at the farther entry, we stopped proceeding because of it. It was a nice hike. We enjoyed what the nature offers.