Be aware: The most commonly reviewed part of Stevens Creek Trail is the stretch from Landels Park and School on the south to Shoreline Park. A lesser known fragment of the trail exists between Stevens Creek Blvd to Linda Vista Park. I review these two pieces, and not the third stretch, which is a strenuous hiking trail that goes from the Stevens Creek Chestnut Parking Lot off Stevens Canyon Road up the Stevens Creek Trail through Stevens Creek Park past the Stevens Creek Spillway to the Stevens Creek Reservoir and the Stevens Creek Quarry to the Steven Creek Bathrooms where you can take a Stevens Creek Leak. Landels Elementary was a safe place to park and start the 3.2 miles toward Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Area Preserve. Following the shallow creek, the path is relatively flat, straight, and shady, with no detectable change in elevation. Because it parallels the 85, passes by numerous transponders, crosses the 101 with a long bridge, and then splits Microsoft/Google and NASA, it is not as bucolic as Coyote Creek (separate review). That said, the smell of the landscape as you pass a tree nursery is surprising and refreshing. I am guessing it is eucalyptus and lemongrass, or a koala bear dusting furniture) What makes this trail better than the Los Gatos Creek trail (separate review) is that you have the option to ride a portion of the Bay Trail past the shoreline, with the wind-rippled bay on one side and mossy water on the other, both filled with waterfowl, like black-necked stilts, mallards, snowy and great egrets, great blue herons, cormorants, pintails, and maple-necked strats. OK, that last one is a guitar. Are they ponds? The ocean? I don't know, the sign said SLOUGH, so I decreased my speed. The view is a little surreal: half natural and half industrial but with barbed wire fences protecting Google and NASA's irregularly shaped buildings, with a few fighter jets taking off. Be warned: that trail has loose sand and constant cold winds- even in late June it was chilly. PART 2. The trail from Linda Vista Park to Stevens Creek Blvd is what Google Maps recognizes as the trail. It makes for a nice walk, but the trail was too short for a workout or leisurely ride worth packing the bikes, but also too dodgy for kids, unless you know what to expect. Parking at Linda Vista Park, we rode down an unpaved and slightly pebbly yet "flat" trail about 1/3 a mile between backyards and lawns/golf course to McClellan Road. The incline might be too much for kids- even with an electric bike you must brake going down and pump going up. Right before reaching the cross traffic of the desolate McClellan Road, the lane abruptly turns into a narrow S-curve through two gates so be prepared to stop unless you were good at Nintendo Paperboy. Crossing McClellan Road into McClellan Ranch (separate review), we accidentally went toward the garden, riding past people to a No Bikes Sign. So keep right. You will see a few goats at the ranch. Another 1/4 mile brings you to the sand volleyball courts and bocce ball court of Blackberry Farms (separate review), which was a nice surprise worth a stop (public pool and golf course). From there, you can drive by "You can't sue us if a golfball hits you" signs another 2/5 of a mile to the uneventful end at Stevens Creek Blvd. Total one way estimate: 1/3 + 1/4 + 2/5 = about a mile. read more

Stevens Creek Trail - Stevens Trail is actually cut into 3 pieces. This is the short middle piece between the hiking and biking. - Hiking Near Me

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Was looking for a simple trail to walk with my parents when I found Stevens Creek on All Trails. Went on a Saturday around 10am and it was pretty busy. It's an out and back trail - we started near Cooper Park, walked about 2 miles and then turned back. Trail is well maintained, but it felt a bit crowded at times as with all the pedestrians and cyclists. It was somewhat shaded, but the portion we walked did not have much of a view. The bridges also pass over highways and busy roads so it didn't really feel like we were in nature. Overall, Stevens Creek is an easy and conveniently located trail, but fairly average in terms of scenery. I would consider coming back on a weekday if I am looking for a relaxed stroll read more

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Easy trail with flat paved path. It leads to bridges that go over Central Expressway and 85. It's a nice trail to hike even in the Summer as there are a lot of sections with trees that shade the path. Lots of bike and ebike riders. read more

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This pathway stretches to Cupertino, but I went running on the Mountain View side of the trail (parked my car in a neighborhood near Moffett), and got a good 5 miles in. There were plenty of egrets and ducks in and around the flowing creek. It was quite peaceful, with numerous joggers and just a few cyclists on a Sunday afternoon. I didn't see any kids or families, which is actually a perk for me. Not as scenic as other trails and nothing noteworthy that makes it stand out, but it crosses several parks and connects to other trails, so it's more than sufficient for getting your steps in. read more

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I absolutely love going hiking and this is my new trail!! Very calm and beautiful area. I love to go on prayers walks here, jog, listen to music and just meditate ‍ read more

As I noted in a prior update the trail has been closed just North of El Camino Real and thus necessitated a bypass that was sketchy at best. However, during yesterdays ride I was pleased to discover that the 2 year old landslide that had damaged the path had been repaired. The repair now reopens both lanes of pedestrian and bike traffic so you ran run unimpeded along its length. There are persistent rumors this trail will be extended West, and I hope it comes to fruition read more

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I wanted to go for a long walk so my friend suggested Stevens Creek Trail. We parked our car at Landels Elementary School at 115 West Dana Street in Mountain View and walked to Michael's Cafe at Shoreline Lake. I crossed a bridge, a tunnel, saw a giant tree nursery, birds taking a bath, field of squirrels eating grass, geese by the lake. The trail was all flat, easy walk. You can walk skate, scoot, or bike there. I went there on a cloudy day so it was a perfect day for long walk. weather for a long. We had some snacks and drinks at Michael's Cafe and rested for an hour while enjoying the fountain view. Next time, I will pack my own snacks and bring a backpack. I suggest wear a hat and sunglasses and SPF 50 to protect your face. DISTANCE One way is about 4.4 miles so round trip was 7.8 miles. TIME We started about 11:30am (we made two pit stops) and reached Michael's cafe about 1:45pm and started walking at 3pm and reached to the car at 4:30pm. BATHROOM There is a bathroom at Shoreline Golf course The only thing I don't like about this trail is the infestation of pigeons living in the tunnel so bird feces smell bad. Wear your mask. read more

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Beautiful trail down through a forest. Lots of running water. Self guided tour. Very cold and I never get cold! I saw lots of families with little kids. Parking is easy at Monte Bellon and there is a restroom. Such a nice trail! read more

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The simple act of sharing a trail with people is a bit magical. There's something to be said about being out in nature, exercising the body and the mind, and being amongst other people doing the exact same thing. Call it, perhaps, the human experience. The Stevens Creek Trail is a paved multi-use trail spanning 5 miles between Shoreline Lake to the north and Heatherstone Way to the south. The trail runs parallel to Highway 85, and crosses roads and highways via a system of bridges, tunnels and underpasses. The trail also connects to parks, office complexes and neighborhoods. With so many connections, it's no wonder this trail is so popular. Heck, it even has its own website! North of Highway 101, shade on the trail is lacking. South of the highway, trees line the edges of the trail and can provide cover when the sun isn't directly overhead. Water is available only at a couple locations, like this resting area at La Avenida Street: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/stevens-creek-trail-mountain-view?select=IyA0vz2HCrc_HSGaPoxttg#IyA0vz2HCrc_HSGaPoxttg And not to mention, the cities of Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Los Altos are cooperating to come up with plans to extend the trail south, with the ultimate goal being to reach the Santa Cruz Mountains! Now that would be awesome! Are they making progress? Well over the last few years, I've seen two new bridges constructed (like this one to Heatherstone Way: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/stevens-creek-trail-mountain-view?select=vTIXP4zl7vqW1ZfH-WVrZw#vTIXP4zl7vqW1ZfH-WVrZw) and the trail extended half a mile to the south, so I have faith! read more

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So enjoyed this trail during my 4 day stay in the area. My pup and I walked it everyday. The attention to detail is evident. Clean trails, well placed benches, parks, doggie stations and trash cans. The informational signs, all along the trail, were excellent. Such a wonderful preserve area for plant and wildlife. People whether walking, running or biking were all quite considerate. Don't miss this trail! read more

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This is my favorite trail to go running on. It's a multi-use trail that has a lot of flexibility in terms of how far you want to run. I love that there are no cars so it provides a great alternative to getting around as well. It is connected to where I work, so it is such an easy option for me. It's a very safe trail to run on as well. Dogs are allowed on the trail too for certain parts of it. :) read more

Stevens Creek Trail - Hiking Near Me

I live very close by to the trail, so at least once a week, I'd run a 5K or go on a bike ride using the trail to get to Shoreline Park, Shoreline Amphitheater and the Duck Pond. In the Summer time, there are a lot of gnats flying in the sun. Sometimes near the gough when the Steven Creek trail meets the Bay trail, the water there sinks like the steward system. When the sun is about to set, sometimes all these wild birds come out like falcons and owls, I even once saw a raccoon as I was walking home from Beyond Wonderland and there are a cute duck family, but be careful, even though they're cute, they'll chase after you if you get too close to them. I'd recommend this trail to friends and family, the sight of when you're doing activities such as jogging and running is worth the experience. Oh yeah, please don't go jogging or walking on the trail by yourself along at night because I've done it and I can say it's scary, when I hear something fiddling near a bush or when I come across a bush, I'm afraid someone may jump out! read more

Stevens Creek Trail - Crittenden Ln - Hiking Near Me

Straight trail that's perfect for running on flat surfaces. It's decently cool and there's usually a few other joggers to keep you moving and motivated. Also close to a shopping center with a coffee shop to meet your friends at beforehand. read more

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Just checked out the Stevens Creek Trail for the first time and it is a social distancing nightmare. Trail is very narrow and 50%+ people were not wearing masks, nor do they make an effort to veer on the further side of the path to maximize distance. I feel like we just walked through a few dozen people's droplets with our baby... :'( Definitely not recommended if looking for a family friendly trail with young children, older relatives, or other loved ones who may be vulnerable against infection. Such a pity as it is a beautiful and highly convenient trail! read more

I've always been curious about this trail and I'm glad Yelp led me here today! I was able to find lot of street parking at the Heatherstone & Dale Trail entrance . Once you cross over the 85 freeway overpass, the trail is very nice and scenic. The garden on the left ( as you are going Northbound) was very cool. I was running today with my son in his stroller. The slight elevation changes with the overpasses made for challenging conditions. There is a good amount of variety on this trail which is great for training for racing. Overall, I had a great experience on the Stevens Creek Trail and look forward to going back soon! read more

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This ~5 mile trail in Mountain View is absolutely beautiful. I honestly wish more cities would have a trail like this in their neighborhood to boost a healthy lifestyle in it's community as well as having an easy way for residents to get to work and enjoy the scenery. There is a creek and many trees+bridges along the trail. You will see many bikers or people running on this trail so be aware of people passing behind you on your left side! Make sure that if you're walking or running to stay in the far right so bikers can easily pass you and not hit another biker that's coming towards you. What I love about this trail is that the city maintains it so well. There is often someone working to blow the leaves away from the trail, cleaning up the creek and or removing of trees. One great example was that I was running along the trail at 7am and a tree was on the trail blocking both ways. Workers came right away to remove is and within an hour, it was almost all gone. I highly recommend this trail for anyone who lives or works around this area. read more

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My favorite trail for good conversations and singing lessons. This 5-mile path spanning roads and freeways is well-paved and relatively flat, so it's perfect for holding a conversation with someone whose company you enjoy, while also getting some calorie burn! Although the path is usually traversed by many bikers, runners, and walkers, one is still able to maintain a mood of serenity and privacy. Passersby are typically friendly if you are feeling social, and there is high potential for seeing cute puppies! It runs alongside the Stevens Creek, which can be flowing or extremely shallow, depending on the rainfall. The creek houses various birds, and during your journey you'll probably see at least five pairs of ducks. They are usually in male-female pairs, but on a few occasions I've seen some "boys' outdoor time" or "ladies' night" gatherings. You may even see some beautiful egrets. If you walk from the trailhead at Central Ave to the very end, you will witness the following: * A few short pathways through tunnels or under overpasses that tend to be loud * Bridge connecting the trail over streets * Wildlife Corridor which has some gorgeous trees * Rest stop and water fountain at La Avenida Trailhead * Foxtail Lane - My nickname for the area after La Avenida Trailhead. Multitudes of foxtails dot the landscape on either side of the trail. In spring the grasses are lush and green. In summer, Foxtail Lane is reminiscent of a glowing golden field. Breathtakingly beautiful! * A beautiful nursery with tons of trees * Trailer park * Google I've walked the entire trail at various times of day, even in the evening to view fireworks on the hills overlooking Shoreline Ampitheatre. It gets rather dark at night, so bring a flashlight... unless you are going for the ultimate nature experience, in which case it can be exciting. Maybe I'll see you here. Or maybe you'll hear me (and one of my voice students) approaching from miles away. DATE TIP: This is a great venue for getting to know someone. But you may want to make sure beforehand that your date enjoys an active outdoorsy setting. read more

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Pros: -A lovely way to traverse Mountain View via bike or foot (it's about 5 miles long in Mountain View). -Not usually crowded; a great way to escape car traffic. -Lovely trees and creeks along with several pedestrian bridges; you can even go off the trail to learn about native plant species (this is by the newer mountain view portion of Dale/Heatherstone road). -Near one of my fav Starbucks; I like to study there then pop out on this trail for a walk. Cons: -It runs parallel to freeways and Central Expressway which leads to breathing in car exhaust. -Poorly lit at night; ladies beware. Use lights and reflective clothing. -There are some shady characters near the 101 and 85 area and when you cross the bridge by the power station. read more

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The Stevens Creek Trail is a 5 mile paved trail for walkers, runners, toddlers, and bicyclists, running from Heatherstone Way near the Mountain View-Sunnyvale border, below El Camino Real to San Francisco Bay. The trail starts at the corner of Dana and Heatherstone Way in a residential area of Mountain View east of Highway 85. The Heatherstone bridge, opened in June 2012, crosses Highway 85. This concrete bridge has long on-ramp approaches to the bridge. These ramps have hairpin corners requiring 180 degree turns. There are two lanes, one lane in each direction. Bicyclists must turn 180 degrees in as few as 5 feet, to avoid traffic in the other lane. Cyclists in the inside lane have to come to a near stop to make the turn within the lane against oncoming bicyclists. We go from a near standstill up the next cross traverse ramp. No place to pick up speed before going up the bridge. The paved trail continues on the west side of Highway 85, through grass land under transformer towers. It goes into a lighted tunnel under El Camino Real, with a skylight under the median area of the road. There are exit ramps to El Camino. This is the first of several tunnels under roads, and all are very noisy from the vehicle traffic above, with sounds amplified off the concrete walls. The paved trail resurfaces next to the backyard parking lot of the Hotel Zico next to the freeway, the eyesores of Mountain View! The path goes through several narrow underpasses, at least one a blind curve- with a mirror- next to the sound wall of Highway 85. These pathways are only 6 feet wide, where people have to walk in a single column, when meeting opposing traffic. No lighting in these underpasses. Next the paved trail goes over a 350 foot concrete bridge above the 4 lane freeway 237, with fenced in sides, with ramps with hairpin curves. We bike the 1100 foot Central Expressway Bridge, over a light rail route, 2 lanes of Evelyn Ave, 2 railroad tracks, and 4 lanes of Central Expressway. Like the Heatherstone Bridge, this bridge has long approach ramps with hairpin curves. It is a wooden plank bridge arching at its peak. Eucalyptus trees and redwood trees tower next to the path, emerging for another long narrow bridge, over Moffett Boulevard, before hitting a straightaway, going through an underpass under highway 101. The Moffett Blvd bridge, opened in 2009, has a very long ramp leading straight onto the bridge, with no hairpin curves. The Stevens Creek emerges behind a dense foliage of shrubs and trees. The creek has ducks when the water is deeper in the winter. The trees disappear, and the shade recedes, as we are now in open grassland area, leaving the traffic noise of the highways behind us. The path crosses a mobile home park, a tree nursery, and then NASA with the giant blimp hanger being dismantled in the background, and finally the back parking lots of Google. There are side streets, and a resting area in this part of the trail, with bike racks and drinking fountains, but no rest rooms. The parks off the trails have rest rooms, and Shoreline Park at the end of the trail has rest rooms. This part of the paved trail is on a raised levee, with steep inclines on each side. You do not want to have a tumble on your bike here! Purple flowers abound. The area has no shade, but is not hot, as afternoon breezes blow from off of the nearby San Francisco Bay. Everything is slightly downhill, with the trail going straight to the Bay, with grasslands and then swampy areas on each side. Once we reach the Bay the trail curves to the left to the north into Shoreline Park, and next to a golf course. Birds are overhead, and a white pelican standing on the mudflats. A nice place for a date with a fellow bicyclist, but smelly on the Bay itself, as it like a slough. We reach Shoreline Park with the twin towers of the Shoreline Amphitheater, and then Shoreline Lake. The Bay trail starts and wraps around Shoreline Lake and through the former Mountain View dump, onto a dirt trail into the Palo Alto marshlands. The Stevens Creek trail in Cupertino goes 1 mile of residential area near DeAnza Park near highway 85, and crosses over the ten lane hwy 280, and runs into Mary Ave and Homestead Rd in Sunnyvale. This will join the Mountain View trail in the distant future. The Stevens Creek trail gets 3 stars, as it isn't very scenic. 4 star bike/pedestrian trails: the 10+ mile CA Orange County coastal trail, and the 6 mile Kauai East Coast Path. 5 star bike/pedestrian trails: the 2 mile Wailea beach trail and the 13 mile Grand Canyon South Rim Trail. Other South Bay bike trails: Vasona Park bike trail in Los Gatos, Coyote Point bike trail in San Mateo, the Foster City bike trail, Hellyer Park bike trail, Guadalupe River bike trail, and the Sunnyvale Bayland parks trail. read more

SUMMARY: Easy to get to, but not super awesome as far as trails go. THE GOOD: - Paved so easy to bike through. - Very clean and well-maintained (props to Friends of Stevens Creek Trail - http://www.stevenscreektrail.org/). - The bridge over Caltrain is fun. It shakes if you jump (not to say I jumped, nope). - Not super crowded, but crowded enough that if you're walking alone, an axe-murderer would think twice before jumping you. - Long with many entrances, and Shoreline Park is a fun destination at the end. - It's so close to many parts of Mountain View, including Downtown. You have no excuse not to visit for a quick outside excursion. THE BAD: - Because much of it's paved, if you're walking, it doesn't really feel like a "trail". It's probably not good for your knees either if you're going for a run. If I'm going to walk on concrete, I'd have more fun wandering the streets of Downtown Mountain View or Palo Alto (or even the mall, heh). - Since it's parallel to Highway 85, the super loud freeway noise reminds you you're nowhere near real nature. Ditto when you see a suburban street every half mile or so. - Hearing the name, you're expecting to see a creek and hear the sound of water, but there's no water and the "creek" is more like a big ditch. - No especially neat plants or wildlife. I was pleasantly surprised to find a trail nearby and I'll undoubtedly visit again because of the proximity, but I wouldn't make a special trip. read more

Stevens Creek Trail - Hiking Near Me

Spent most of the day cycling along the Stevens Creek Trail with my family and we had a blast. Seems that you could go on forever as the trails veer off north and south at the east end. Hats off to the City of Mountain view for developing and maintaining such nice trails in an urban area. My only complaint is that the maps could be more useful in showing where you are and adding enough detail. Aside from the occasional clueless cyclist who has no awareness of others, the path is really nice to walk or cycle along. I like the open stretches where, in the absence of others, you can really crank. As Arnold would say, "I'll be back!" read more

Nice paced and stroller friendly trail. However, it's right next to the highway, and the noise from cars make the walking intolerable. We parked at Heatherstone & Dale. There was almost no scenery either. I don't think I would go back. read more

Great trail for walking, biking, and running. Please be aware of your surroundings so you, your child, nor your dog gets in the way of bikes. This is good trail etiquette and helps prevent collisions with bikers or fast runners. My only two wishes for this trail would be for it to extend all the way to Steven's Creek Reservoir and for more barriers from the freeways. There are a few spots that are just feel like concrete jungle with cars racing by and some select plants or walls would help that a lot. read more

Great trail with lots of trees, bridges, passes through Google, Moffett Field, NASA, and 750 acres of marshland. We biked around 5 miles to get to the shoreline feom Middlefield Road. Really scenic and peaceful. Will definitely come back again! read more

I typically run the Crittenden stretch for about 2 miles. The view here is beautiful, especially at sunset when you can see the rays of orange yellow lights peeping through the clouds, and the sky transforms into a magnificent hue of orange. Pretty amazing to be running the trail, but it does get rather chilly so definitely bring a windbreaker. You can park your car near the Google Crittenden campus and start your run from there. Part of the trail gets rather smelly, especially at the bay (mud? poop?), but it is fine once you cross it. read more

The whole Sunnyvale cupertino and mountain view Area is pretty unpleasant unfortunately: lots of unattractive winding suburban streets as speedways, bad strip malls, bad housing architecture and not many parks. It's not as bad as Santa Clara or north San Jose but it's also not a place you'd want to spend too much time in outside of work if you like an urban and active lifestyle. However if you go on Stevens creek it's awesome! It's a total shield against the unpleasant environment. You forget you're in the South Bay and are transported to a magical bike way in Denmark where women and children ride bikes too! Creeks and streams and little animals and bridges over the freeways that crisscross the area ! Hopefully there can be more of these but whoever fought to create this bike trail is so awesome! This bike way makes networking after work possible at google or LinkedIn: anyone with a car is unable to go anywhere at all in the evenings and only people who bike can pull it off! read more

This is a really nice trail for cyclists and runners (also walkers and strollers and pooches) alike. It's paved, and wide enough for two people to ride or walk abreast unless someone needs to pass. It can be a little confusing to pick up in Mountain View-- If you're coming from the Dana Street entrance, you have to continue south past the Mercy Street turnoff to get to the real trail. My only complaint? I just wish it was longer! read more

Serene and quiet, go and walk or job and breath calmness! But just don't got when they are working (construction ongoing near the NASA research center) because it kills the purpose of relaxation. I just like to observe and meditate and since it is pretty flat you can go miles and miles without noticing time flies. Apt for everybody and I like that there are so many entrance points, this way you can never get bored. read more

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Decently long, scenic trail that takes you vertically through some of the South Bay area. When I rode my bike on the trail, I experienced some people on the trail in the early hours before noon, and many people from the afternoon to evening. You can see a lot of nice scenery as you go along the trail, especially as you approach the bay. Some of the dimly lit underpasses were sketchy, with some of them making dark, nearly blind turns, but the rest of the trail is pretty straightforward and pleasant. This trail isn't a good environment for high-speed cycling and overtaking, as there are only two narrow lanes, but it perfectly suits runners or people cycling at a slower pace. read more

This is one of the lesser known hiking/biking spots in the South Bay. The Stevens Creek Trail stretches all the way from El Camino / Highway 85 in Mountain View into the Shoreline Park. 5 miles of paved, flat road, next to Stevens creek. Eucalyptus and redwood trees. Amazingly fresh air. And, depending on the time of day, you're guaranteed to get some "me" time. My favorite part of the trail is when it reaches Shoreline Park. The little hill on the right, a golf course on the left, and the scent of gras and trees in the air. It is stunningly picturesque. read more

This past year I bought a bike and decided I wanted to try to commute to work. I was living in SF and working in Mountain View - I made the journey twice and both days accomplished nothing at work except for telling everyone "hey I biked in from SF today". Lame I know. So when I moved to Sunnyvale a few months ago I jumped on Google maps for bike directions and found the safest path to work was Stevens Creek Trail. A few miles up Evelyn and I can swing onto the trail and get my commute on. Its a smooth ride and most people are used to sharing the trail and make room for passing but I still ride very cautiously. Trail users are also friendly - thanks for helping me fix my tire fellow cyclists! Coming from the south once you get past Crittenden prepare to gag. The sewer stench is overwhelming - the first time I went to Shoreline lake I actually got sick from the smell during this stretch of trail. Families were just hanging out and I had no idea how they could just stand around smelling poo. Its gross, but making it to the lake is worth it and its a great place to hang out before biking home. Overall its a great paved trail that is perfect for commuting. You get some scenery on the way but never escape the traffic noise. Thanks Friends of Stevens Creek Trail for keeping my path to work so awesome! peace, love, and good booze ~ chase read more

Stevens creek originates in the Santa Cruz Mountains on the west side of Black Mountain in Rancho San Antonio. It goes to the Stevens Creek Reservoir and also a branch runs north through Cupertino to Mountain View and finally ends at San Francisco Bay. There is a Stevens Creek Trail from Shoreline Park in Mountain View along the Stevens Creek to El Camino in Mountain View. The entire distance is now about six miles. Since 1990 the trail has been extending, and eventually it will be connected to the origin of Stevens Creek in Rancho San Antonio. I run this trail from time to time. I see a lot of local people enjoying the trail by running, walking, biking, and just relaxing watching the scenery. This part is along the San Francisco Bay, so the view is great. You can see the dry mountains in the East Bay across the water. The contrast of blue sea and brown mountains makes an interesting scene. This area is surrounded by slough, so you can enjoy seeing the natural habitat, for especially several kinds of birds. This is why this is a part of a nature study area. This trail is in the natural habitat area, but at the same time, it is surrounded by a lot of famous industries and institutes, such as Google, Microsoft, Linkedin, NASA research area, and Moffett Field. The view and the industries give me a sense I am in the Bay Area. When I am running in this area, I always feel how lucky I am. Not everyone is able to have an opportunity to live in a foreign country. When I am living in the Bay Area, I almost forget that how fortunate I am to be able to experience another country, because so many people here are from other places. However, the vast majority of people in the world are never able to live in different countries. I should appreciate all the people who support me. I like Stevens Creek not only because it is scenic but also because it gives me an opportunity to think about a lot of things. read more

Trail head at La Avenida Address: 1065 La Avenida, Mountain View I've been training for an upcoming run and looking for a flat, paved trail. From the start of the trail at the Evaporation Ponds to La Avenida trail head, there is absolutely no shade but a flat, straight, paved trail. From La Avenida down to Landels School and Park, there is off and on shade with 2 bridges, curvy, but paved trail. It just depends on what you're looking for. The scenery is nice, but the smells as you approach the ponds are not so nice. People are friendly and it's a good place to stay motivated to do your run, walk, bike, rollerblading, etc. as you see others doing their own thing! read more

It's good... it's not great though. Probably more of a 3.5/5 stars to be honest. The good: - From the southern most point to La Avenida is great. It's scenic, there's good shade coverage, and you never really get bored. - I love the bridge over the Caltrain tracks, and the random fruit tree farm (seriously right? Fruit tree farm?). - From Crittenden through Shoreline is a joy as well... just beware the duck poo... The not so good: - Did i mention the duck poo? - Lots of concrete stretches... so bad for your knees. - The bit where you run under an overpass and the sound of the 85 just shatters your ear drums. - From La Avenida to Critttenden it is straight. And boring. For a mile. - Oh YEAH! And the FREAKING gnats! Which usually leads you to stepping in the duck poo... read more

Oh my goodness I love this trail. I walk my dogs on this trail everyday and try to run them a couple of times a week. TRY. I'm the small girl dragging a stubbornly voluptuous 40 lb Puggle while shouting "COME ON". The trail goes for just over 4 miles so you can actually get a pretty good run in if you start from or near the beginning. The trail has a fun bridge with a tiny bit of an incline that is fun to sprint up and down. It does wobble so if you're nervous about heights or heights that wobble be prepared. There is more concrete than I would like for running purposes but on the upside the website has a map and a distance calculator. This trail is in my backyard so I consider myself very lucky. You never go too far without seeing another person so with my dogs I feel pretty safe. I have started seeing a few crazies on the trail, so please everyone be aware of your surroundings. Women, especially, even if the trail feels safe please don't run with your ipod on so loud that you're unaware of your surroundings. PLEASE. In the past month or so I have noticed some type of ranger patrolling the area. read more

This is a great for an easy ride that is pretty close to a straight line. Its not as "scenic" as some trails, but it is a nice smooth ride. I like the paved trails, and they seem to keep it pretty well maintained, as compared to some paths that I have ridden on. It has many places to park your car and join the trail. Here is a link of a map of the trail: http://www.stevenscreektrail.org/Virtual_Tour_Home.html read more

my "backyard" trail, since this is running distance from my home. i'm running this trail at least once a week and enjoy doing my speedwork & tempo runs here since it's mostly flat. pros: *family friendly *bikers, strollers, walkers, runners, dogs welcome *multiple trail entrances with ample street parking *well paved paths (mostly paved road, some dirt paths) *mile markers every 1/4 mile (marked on wooden stumps along the trail) *great combination of flats/straightaways, gentle rolling hills, and foot bridges *several water fountains along the trail *tree coverage on southern part of the trail, which is nice on a hot, sunny day *roughly 5 miles long *for runners: mile markers are great for speedwork (400m/800m/1600m repeats) cons: *the path is quite narrow, so on a busy day, bikers, strollers, walkers and runners need to share the path which can cause some congestion *no bathrooms (at least, i've never seen one on this trail) read more

I do not compare this trail to preserves or open space trails. It is an urban trail, and what makes it special is its length, and many entrance points. The Friends of Stevens Creek organization do their best to landscape, and keep it clean and maintained. We run or bike it to shoreline park at Mountain View. This is one of our fave trails to take the kids biking on weekends, because we can take a break at Shoreline Park at the end of the trail, have a picnic, or buy something to eat in the cafe by the beautiful lake before we head back. I think round trip, from El Camino at Mountain view, to Shoreline cafe, gives us about 10 miles trail. I'll add a fifth star when they add the planned new sections that takes it closer to where I live. It will spare me the need to drive to the trail head and will practically make it my back yard. read more

Checked out this trail yesterday from beginning to end. We started in the residential area off of sleeper ave in mountain view and ended when, the trail ended out of nowhere in a business area in palo alto, past the baylands. Defintely one of the better road bike trails I've ridden. There is a good variety of scenery, from overpasses and tunnels to the marshlands. If you are an avid bird watcher like myself, you'll enjoy it. Some of the birds I saw yesterday were american white pelicans, a bunch of egrets, swallows, ducks, curlews and you even get to bike through an owl nesting area. There are so many ins and outs along the way to investigate and I will definitely be back to bike it again. The one bad thing that resonates with me is that once you get to the marshland/slough, it really starts to smells like sh*t! lol read more

I mostly walk along Stevens Creek Trail at the tail end in Mountain View near the bay lands. Great to have a paved road off of the main streets for bikers and pedestrians! You walk right past NASA Ames, so you can look in and see the hangars and the wind tunnel building. You also walk past a tree nursery, and a trailer park. The Friends of Stevens Creek run a 5k/10k annually to support the upkeep of the trail http://www.stevenscreektrail.com/trailblazer/ read more