This is my go-to local hike!…read more I love that this trail is near to many things and I can go for a nice long (or short) hike within half an hour from where I'm at. While parking can be tough if you go a bit later on the weekends, it's pretty easy to find parking on the weekdays - just make sure you don't park in the employee spots near downtown LG! I love that I can vary the length of the hike just by choosing different trails to take. On days that I have more time and the weather is nice - I take the long trail and soak in the beauty. On days where I'm a bit more rushed or the weather isn't as good - I can do a quick up and back down then head on my way. Afterwards, a short walk takes you to downtown LG with lots of options for shopping and eating! A very nice place to hang out with friends/a date after a good jaunt into nature. And if you're here on Sunday - there's the farmers market to enjoy as well!

Parking is limited. Park at the street. The trail is middle to easy, a bit steep, very noisy with…read moretraffic next to the trail. The peak is nothing but grassland and not shaded. We finished the trail quickly and headed back to Los Gatos downtown, lot of nice shops and restaurants.

I had always heard about this trail but never had a chance to come and finally did for my Sunday…read morehike. So many different trails and options that you can take. It's very picturesque and lots of wildlife. And honestly you could spend the whole day. Just walking around the trails. Parking is on the street but not too hard to find. So I definitely recommend it.

Spring is here at Quicksilver! On a Friday morning around 9 am, the Mockingbird Hill entrance was…read morequiet and there was plenty of parking. We did the Hacienda trail from this parking lot and it was mostly at an incline which made for a great workout. It took us a little over 1 hour to do the loop back to the parking lot. The restrooms in the parking lot were very clean and there is a map you can take a photo of to help guide you around the park. There were a few benches scattered throughout and there are views of downtown San Jose on a clear day.

Limited parking spot in Mt. Baldy parking area…read more Paths are well maintained Brought 32 oz H2O for 8 mile round trip on a partly cloudy day and it was all gone! Great path to walk with kids, but just be weary of bicyclists Nice views of San Jose Thanks!

This is a bit of a treck, but we'll worth checking out. It is an obscured view of san jose and…read moreabsolutely breath taking. There are stairs to the top or it has an ada accessible parking area that will take you right to the top.

We are so lucky to have such a beautiful place near-by. Since the pandemic, it has become our…read moreweekly routine to hike here multiple times a week in the early mornings. This is a very popular venue for weddings and special events especially on weekends. For early birds like us, we get to enjoy the fresh air, quietness and peacefulness in the gorgeous environment, a real treat to the body and mind. We hope to keep up our weekly activities and very appreciative of the wonderful gift.

This is Leland Stanford's first residence in California and the grounds are so beautiful! It's…read moreclose to Saratoga and they have great walking trails and you can get a ton of steps in. The house itself is an architectural masterpiece and it's nicely preserved and full of art. The parking is challenging but it's worth it to experience this beautiful palace!

This is a good neighborhood park, not a destination park but if you live reasonably close it's a…read moregood option. There's a separate playground for under-5s and over 5s, and swings and level-ish ground to play on. There are also some rocks which are climbable but not really meant for it. There are some hiking trails too, I can't comment on the length or steepness but they look doable. Parking is street-only and there are zero restrooms, so come prepared. It's also deep in suburbia so don't expect walking distance anything. It is well-shaded thanks to its hill-locale, so if you come in the afternoon there's no direct light. Overall, it's a nice little neighborhood park.

I have driven past this park a lot of times on Camden and finally made a stop here yesterday…read moremorning. It was a lot of fun. It is a reasonably sized park and the highlight is the hill in the middle of it that has a great view. We ended up running up and down a few times to get a bit of a workout as well. A lot of good bird watching as well.

Fremont Older Preserve is right in the neighborhood and has trails of various lengths, perfect for…read morea short walk or lengthier, leisurely hike. How did I not know about this spot growing up! This natural sanctuary from everyday life is nestled right into Cupertino. No narrow, winding, hilly driving necessary. No need to go too far to get a scenic hike and a view. Just drive a bit into a neighborhood and park by the street near the trailhead. This place is beautifully grassy and lush, with areas that feel surprisingly removed from Silicon Valley life despite being so close by. I'm conflicted about sharing this somewhat hidden gem, but it's such a nice place to be. Looking forward to visiting a few times as the weather gets warmer :)

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!

I was here late in the afternoon and had a wonderful visit. Initially, I was incredulous that this…read moreis even called a park given that there's nothing here but once you make it to the top of the hill and get on the trail, it's beautiful. I did not see one other person on the visit and had a very serene run with great views of the Bay Area.

"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb."--Nelson…read moreMandela Foothill Park (FP) is a rather unusual park located at the base of the Santa Teresa Foothills. It's essentially a trail (actually SCVWD access road) that follows the Coyote-Alamitos Canal (CAC)--which protects against hill runoff, and conveys water between Coyote Creek and Los Alamitos Creek. FP might be known more for what it doesn't have, than what it *does* have. What it does have are great views of Santa Teresa/Blossom Valley, and a fun adventure if you have young kids; if those two things intrigue you, then read on. The official beginning of the park begins at the south end of Cahalan Ave at Foothill Dr. There you'll have to hike up a decomposed granite trail for ±150' elevation gain on a series of switchbacks until you get to the top. Then you will be faced with a perilous decision: left or right? Left (Southeast): This is the less interesting direction; it just essentially follows the CAC as it parallels Colleen Dr until you reach the end of the line at Snell Ave. Right (Northwest): This the more compelling of the two options, as it provides an interesting shortcut to Almaden Lake Park. It starts out much the same way as the left side, following the CAC and paralleling Foothill Dr until you reach the official "end" of the trail about one mile in. However, if you're feeling adventurous, near the end is an unofficial, well-used dirt bike trail, that will take you up another small foothill (with even better views!) and towards Almaden Lake. I believe the master plan is to eventually have the trail officially take you there, but until funding is available it's nice to know it's still a viable option. Parking- Plenty of street parking is available on Cahalan Ave and Foothill Dr. Amenities- No restrooms, no playground, no nothing--this is a no frills park that's just dirt, trails, trees and rocks. Although, there was one lone picnic table and garbage can halfway up the hill, but that's about it. Ordinarily, I don't give parks with such few amenities anything above 2-stars, but there's something about FP that's alluring to me. It's peculiar, and peculiar is welcome in my book. Plus, it's a great place to take your kids hiking, and that's always a good thing. Now grab your hiking stick, some granola and come check it out!

A lovely and peaceful county park in the foothills of Saratoga. Getting here is a pretty easy shot…read moreup highway 9 before it gets too windy, though there are still many curves. Since it's a County Park, there is a $6 entry fee, though you can also park outside of the park and still enjoy the trials. The outside parking is quite far from the actual entrance, so I wouldn't park there if you're trying to enjoy the picnic or main grounds. There are a couple of easier short trails, and then some longer steep trails, but not a ton in between. Parts of the park are ADA accessible, including the deck in the circle of trees. There are a good number of picnic tables and picnic areas, with many of the picnic tables having charcoal grills at them. I was here on a warm winter day and some were in use, but most were open. One of the parking lots was closed when we were there, but there was still plenty of parking since it was winter.

Pine in the Ass…read more +3,400-acre park located in the Santa Cruz Mountains that's just a short--but windy--drive from Downtown Saratoga along scenic Hwy 9. The Good: * It seems like they've upgraded their parking situation quite a bit, as they have several large lots. * Restrooms in aforementioned parking lots * RV camping year-round (check website) * Hike-in Campsites (check website) * Open picnic tables and reservable areas * Leashed dogs okay on certain trails (check signage) * Equestrian trails okay (check map) * Biking (check maps) * Good place to see salamanders thanks to the lake * 22 miles of trails The Meh: * $6 entrance fee * We did a nearly five-mile loop (look up San Andrea & Madrone Loop on AllTrails), and I just found the trails to be pretty mundane and not nearly as exciting as other parks we've visited recently. The Ugly: * Why do they have to have the parking machine at the entrance of the park? This just causes traffic to back up unnecessarily as everyone has to stop, get out, pay, get back in their car, and then drive off. Seems like a silly place to put them, but what do I know? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Conclusion: Not a bad park overall (probably 3.5*) but just didn't have that "can't wait to come back" feeling that I usually get after a nice hike.