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.

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.

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!

This was a great trail for my run on a Monday evening. The parking lot on Monroe Street near San…read moreTomas Expressway allows for convenience. And I'm glad I was able to check out this part of the trail, as I'm usually near Alviso (keep in mind that part of the trail, near Great America and Levi's Stadium, is closed on stadium event days). This trail was ideal for me because I normally don't want a big challenge, and the terrain here is pretty much flat the whole way except for brief dips at each underpass. I like how simple this trail is, but what really caught my attention was the beautiful plant life and artwork charming pedestrians and cyclists along the pathway, especially for those who take the time to appreciate it. Near the Monroe parking lot, if you start your way down the trail toward Alviso, you'll find a wall of colorful flowers and greenery, brief but lovely, especially on a pleasant day in July. Further down, another portion of the trail features lovely artwork by designer Linda Patterson, who researched the surrounding wildlife to create, as she describes, a "story wall interpreting the natural environment". Her 15 site-cast concrete sculpted murals exhibit various species in the natural world, including trees, grasslands, birds, turtles, even rabbits! It's definitely unique and is just one of the many reasons I'll be returning to this trail more often.

The San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail is a wonderful surprise! We are used to traversing the Bay Trail,…read moreStevens Creek Trail and other trails (favorable for biking) in the Bay Area. The San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail intersects with the Bay Trail. Recently, we decided to bike from Palo Alto to Levi's Stadium. So, we began on the Bay Trail. We passed our usual haunts (e.g., Baylands Nature Preserve, Shoreline Lake, NASA Ames Research Center, etc.). We pressed onward until we reached Hwy 237. Here, we eventually intersected with the San Tomas Aquino Trail. Like the Stevens Creek Trail, the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail is filled with wonderfully surprising sites and sounds. It feels much more remote than most "urban" trails (especially those located in large population centers). Moreover, it's a clean and friendly place. It takes you right up to Levi's Stadium. It has an entry ramp next to the stadium that takes you between the parking lot and stadium itself. On days when both Levi's Stadium and California's Great America are closed, you can also wander around the parking lots -- right up to the entrances of both the stadium and amusement park. Best of all, you can continue your journey through Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and even San Jose. You'll pass along some major tech offices too -- such as Nvidia's new campus. Overall, it's a fantastic way to journey through the Silicon Valley and South Bay! When I go to games as Levi's Stadium, I usually take the Light Rail. Next season, I might just take my bike to an afternoon game. It would be a fantastic and serene experience to enjoy both before and after the game.

This is a short but steep hike with a nice view of the Almaden Valley along the way!…read more This trail spreads out and connects with other trails which makes it easier to turn this into a larger hike/mountain bike ride. There is plenty of shade along the way, so it can be traversed on hot days without heatstroke. Parking at the trailhead has never been a problem.

Cute little park and playground with moderate hiking trails. The trail is very uneven and steep in…read moresome parts. Overall a pleasant short hike. It does lead to the Santa Rosa Open Space trail which is a longer and more strenuous hike.

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!

Hill work anyone?…read more Why is it that this trail hasn't been reviewed yet? No, it's not the Holy Grail of running/hiking trails, but it's definitely worth knowing about. Currently, I'm training for the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon on June 5th. This is my first shot at a full marathon, so I'm taking all suggestions with regards to my preparation. At this point in my training, I'm pretty comfortable through the half marathon point (13.1 miles), but beyond that, things begin to get a bit difficult. This past weekend a friend (who has run the SD RNR Marathon) insisted I introduce some hill work into my routine and she gave me verbal instructions on how to get to this route that she ran in her preparations. As I got to my computer and brought up a map, I realized that she was referencing an actual trail, Upper Silver Creek Valley Trail - to be exact. And considering that the piece that I'm looking at is only 7 miles (Hellyer Ave to Yerba Buena Rd and back), I don't give it a second thought - this will be cake. (Disclaimer: Yes, this is a "trail", but it really isn't what you may be used to as most of it [I'd say about 90%] is actually along Silver Creek Valley Road. C'mon... maybe it's fancy, but I know a sidewalk when I see one) So, let's just say... I was wrong. Really wrong! "Hill work" I'm comfortable with, but THIS... oh my! Let's just put it this way: There are several points on the map that are marked with caution symbols that say "steep grade"... and they aren't kidding. Fortunately though, I have adopted a barefoot/Pose stride that really illuminates its efficacy on an uphill grade. The problem is that the same stride definitely struggles with the inevitable downhill segments. I took my time with the trail (as if that was MY decision on the uphill) and eventually got through the run. I have to admit that the lungs were burning more than they have in a long time and that it was a GREAT workout. It's one of the more challenging 7 miles stretches I've ever faced. Oh, and its also nice to stroll through a neighborhood and look at all the houses I'll never live in. Yes, you're running past some seriously lavish homes and estates on this trail. THAT BEING SAID!!!!.... there is one thing I have to warn you about before you head out here. It would seem that some of the natives carry a sense of entitlement about them, and they conduct their vehicles accordingly. It would appear that there are those for whom little things like red lights, stop signs, and road barriers simply DO NOT APPLY! And being that the trail does cross several crosswalks, be sure to be aware of the approaching traffic - your green light means nothing to them!

Why is a Downtown San Jose address given? Silver Creek is at least 1/2 hour drive from DT San…read moreJose. The trail itself is a nice urban hike with views of the pretty Silver Creek area.

if you know YOU KNOW. i still have nightmares about this park. dusty, hot, hilly to the max! you'll…read moreget some days where it's above 90° and this course does a great job making it feel above 100°. drastic uphills followed my STEEP downhills, not the long and gradual hills hype of xc course. one flat back section that's 0.7 miles but otherwise ur in for a treat! bees on occasions and lack of shade. besides that, i miss this course sm now that im graduated. its tough! not for the faint of heart, but no doubt truly rewarding by the end of it all! for reference, my 5k is a 20:18 but my time for the 2.74 mile course is a 19:18. my second mile is ALWAYS 45-60secs slower than my 1st/3rd mile. that should tell u something

Great local place for leisurely hiking. It's sort of like a figure 8 trail on the backside of…read moreEvergreen Community College. But don't be fooled... there's a monster hill to climb if you want something a little tougher. It's about 0.125 miles up from the tree at the bottom to the first lookout point at the top. In other words, 1 miles after 4 up and downs. Probably 0.75 miles if you walk the loops. It can be busy on Saturdays but Sunday mornings are chill.

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!

Have not been up here since I was a kid and wanted to check to see how it has changed. Well now…read moreit's a park and the military left, so it's been 45 years..... but the view is still gorgeous and a must see. Bay Area icon. Plus the drive is worth it.