Incredible hike! However go early because parking is sort of difficult to find later in the day…read more The best time I find to go is early morning since it's cooler and the parking will be easier to find. Around 7-9 am. Super clear trails, beautiful plants and livestock that occasionally walk by. Fantastic hike and I will continue referring majority of my friends here!

I can't believe I've lived here almost my entire life and didn't know this was right in my…read morebackyard! We came here last weekend to hike around 10 am and got lucky with parking. I'd say that's the biggest downside--there is only one small lot for the entire space and fills up very quickly, with rangers monitoring and prohibiting parking anywhere else on Sierra Rd. So either come early or be prepared to make a few circles and speed back as soon as you see someone leaving. The trails themselves have such beautiful views of the South Bay. I do wish there were more signs on what paths are what--there are a couple but there were a few forks where we weren't 100% sure which route would keep us on the loop. It is a pretty steep hike downhill to begin with if you're starting from the lot, which unfortunately means it's almost all uphill back but hey, you can feel good about earning that extra side of fries afterwards! There are also no restrooms so be sure to go before leaving the house!

Easy paved trail with not much of steep uphill/downhill sections, ideal for anyone with elderly…read morefolks in their group. Along the creek and some beautiful green areas. Our kids enjoyed the various exercise stations along the trail, though some of them are in need of repair. Trail ended in Campbell Park, where they have a nice playground for kids under 8 years old to enjoy. Happy trailing!

The ride is always very nice! You have to pick the right time though. On a gorgeous day on the…read moreweekend, there's a lot of foot traffic so riding a bike may be slow down and go. The serene surroundings of the creek and trees always makes it very nice, though!

Berry Creek Falls is absolutely stunning! If you're coming to Big Basin Redwoods State Park and…read moreyou've never hiked to the falls, you MUST do it. Don't come all the way out here and miss out on this gorgeous waterfall. We did an 8 mile out and back hike to the falls via the Skyline to Sea Trail. The hike is moderate and begins on a downhill slope into the forest. Going down is always the easiest part for me, especially when a trail starts off descending. The real challenge is going back up once you reach the falls. It's nothing too strenuous but I'd definitely bring plenty of water and bug spray because there are lots of bugs on the trail. The trail itself is mostly shaded and features an abundance of beautiful redwoods, vibrantly green foliage, and scenic viewpoints. The waterfall is definitely the highlight of the hike! The falls were still flourishing in mid-July which worked out for us because we were able to take full advantage of the scene. When you make it up to the falls, there's a small deck area with two benches where you can sit and enjoy the picturesque views of the falls. Surprisingly, it wasn't too crowded on a Saturday afternoon in mid July. You may have to wait your turn to take a picture next to the falls. People were really courteous and didn't spend too much time which allowed for others to capture the moment. Bring your lunch and take a break here before continuing on your hike back. The scenery is so amazing here. Definitely recommend a hike to Berry Creek Falls is you're visiting Big Basin Redwood State Park.

AMAZING PLACE…read more Beautiful views and scenery. We did the Redwood Trail to the Skyline to the Sea to the Berry Creek Falls to the Sunset back to the parking lot. There are so many beautiful waterfalls along the trail. Some parts of the trail near the falls are muddy so wear good hiking shoes Note: This is a long trail (11 miles). Pack water and lunch and stay on the trail. You pay for parking with the rangers (10$ cash or card). Bathrooms at the park entrance are nice!

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.

Rock the Block Alum…read moreRock Park is what many, myself included, consider to be *the* crown jewel of CSJ parks, and it's easy to see why. From the vast 730-acres of green space includes thirteen miles of trails that run the gamet of flat sojourns, to steep hikes to Eagle Rock. It's also California's oldest Muni park (1872) but has always served as land since 1777 when the Pueblo was established. The Good: *Variety of trails, as mentioned above, and they're mostly shaded. *Lots of history here as there's remnants of an old train trestle that used to run visitors up to a health spa of sorts. There's still remnants of the spa as you can see--and smell thanks to the sulfur springs. *Trails also connect to adjoining Sierra Vista OSP, and is part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. *Sand volleyball courts *Playground *Reservable and non-reservable picnic tables *Restrooms *Six miles of Horse trails *Three miles of Bikes trails *Home to the YSi (Youth Science Institute), which I highly recommend to parents. They have a bunch of summer camps that are great ways to get kids to love nature. The Meh: *No dogs allowed *Lots of poison oak *Parking costs $6 *Cell service is spotty, at best. The Ugly: *Budget cuts, budget cuts, budget cuts... Thanks to the lack of caring by our leaders for our parks, this place is not as great as it once was. As there's several entrances that have been closed off for nearly thirty years! *I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet. As the (unofficial) Mr San José I find it very shameful and shall self-flagellate immediately. Conclusion: Not as great as it used to be, but still pretty damn amazing.

If you arrive before they open at 8 am, there is a line to enter. Luckily parking in the…read moreneighborhood and walking into the park is fairly easy. Arrived at one the trailheads hoping for a park map near the restroom but none were to be found. The trails were a little hard to follow and we ended up landing on a different one. Fortunately they all connect! Great place to hike with a ton of trails to choose from. Finished my hike at 9:30ish and the park was packed!

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.

This is a fun place to come and explore. I love that they have a variety of different trails to…read morecheck out. It is also one of the few places that has no charge for parking!

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.

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.

Nice relaxing place despite the number of people visiting…read more The first dirt parking lot we saw was actually an overflow parking. The signs in that lot were quite confusing. The signs point toward the hill like you can drive up the unpaved path but don't. The actual entrance actually has the Dragon Mountain sign with a paved parking lot further down the narrow road marked "private property." There's a blue boat in the parking lot. Two ways to get up to the monastery: hike up the long driveway or stairs next to it OR drive up the winding road. There's very limited parking at the top. Stairs have some steep sections. Free incense to light at any of the incense stations in front of the diety statues. They had free water bottles. No food ro purchase so bring snacks if you plan to stay long but don't litter. There were a couple of areas away from the main lot that are great for meditation. You can hike up higher, above the Mother Earth temple. Very clean. They have a public restroom.

What a great place to do a sunset hike! The total trail is about 4.6miles and we finished it in a…read morebit over an hour. We arrived at the parking lot around 6pm, no fees needed. The first part is all stairs, after reaching the end of maybe about 200 flights, we arrived at a lawn patch with some big Chinese gods statues and a panel about Jesus. There's one man there burning the incense to pay respect but mostly it was just visitors checking out the place like visiting a museum than worshipping gods. This spot also has a restroom. Then there're more stairs up, and soon transitions to uphill trails with big patches of grass growing along sides. No cows or other animals insight. To our left is the beautiful valley and a dropping sun. When the wind blows, it was beautiful and magical. As we continued the climb and reached the top where there are a lot of smaller porcelain statues displayed on top of poles. It was super windy up there so we didn't linger. Going down was much quicker. There's a portion of the trail where it was slippery with gravel, fortunately, next to it there's a flight of stairs for easier walking and the steps are not that high. By the time we got down to the first gods lawn, there's a security car probably clearing out the place. A car just arrived and was told to turn back because they were closing. We were all very satisfied with this hike.

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.