Mount Hamilton is a perfect escape from the sprawl of Silicon Valley. The view on the way up is out of this world, which is fitting, because the scientists at the summit spend lifetimes gleaning...

This 7.9 mile / 1554 ft hike goes to Bald Mountain.The trail head is located at the intersection of Hicks road and Mt Umunhum road. Toilet facilities are available and there are usually maps available...

This hike is about 4.5 mile round trip and can be done easily in less than 1.5 hours. It starts at around 800 ft and drops to 600 in .25 mile.

Then it meanders till the start of South Rim Trail....

Quicksilver Mockingbird Loop - Hacienda - Randol - New Almaden is about 3.7 miles long and located near English Town, California. The trail is great for hiking and normally takes 1-3 hours.

The upper...

The distance from sprawling, suburban San Jose to wide-open mountain-lion country is remarkably short--if you start out from Alum Rock Park.

This track will have you walking in the wilderness in...

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All individual trips and trails are in the Other Resource Area to your right and down.
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Our Goal here is to put all our Proven Safe & Enjoyable Bike Rides into one place. We'll never forget the...

Coyote Peak is the must-visit point in Santa Teresa County Park in southern San Jose, California. This loop to the peak is a good way to get there: steep enough to provide a good workout and scenic...

Two small ponds and one large reservoir make this an intriguing route at Calero County Park south of San Jose, California.

I recommend the Javelina Loop because it passes Calero's bat enclosure and...

This hike wanders through a little valley to the headwaters of Peters Creek and then out onto a ridge with striking views almost to the coast. It opens with a dangerous dash across Highway 35 (often...

Coyote Lake County Park southeast of San Jose has plenty of options for boaters, paddlers and campers, but the hiking options were pretty thin until Santa Clara County acquired the neighboring Harvey...

The hills east of San Jose, California, are rugged, steep and wilder than you might suspect, considering the nearby sprawl visible from the peaks overlooking Silicon Valley.

Be ready for a workout...

Sanborn Skyline County Park gets pretty busy on many weekends with family reunions, wedding receptions and other assorted gatherings -- if you end up at one and find yourself craving a hike instead of...

These are excellent nearby hikes if you're in San Jose on business and you've got a free day or afternoon before your flight. A quick look at the hike locales:

Santa Teresa County Park: Right on the...

This hike gives a nice overview of Joseph D. Grant County Park, passing through its distinctive oak-woodland ecosystem but sparing you from the brutal ascents and descents that characterize so many of...

The Open Space Preserve characterizes Sierra Azul as being rugged with steep terrain in the largest OSP in the San Jose/Los Gatos Area.

This particular hike from the Limekiln trail head past the...

A paved trail along the Guadalupe River in downtown San Jose, California, might be just what you need to work off some stress or even ride your bike to work.

The Guadalupe River Park starts near the...

The hills east and west of San Jose, California, are brimming with excellent trails, but they often require hour-long drives to reach the trailheads. This bundle compiles the best hikes that are...

Just a few minutes outside of San Jose, you'll find a place to explore 100 million years of history. Alum Rock Park, created in 1872 as the first municipal park in California, offers both ancient...

Tenderfoots need not attempt: This loop hike across parallel ridges of Joseph D. Grant County Park offers sweeping views of the wild, mountainous terrain nearby and occasionally looks out over the...

This hike from Almaden Quicksilver County Park in southern San Jose tours the rusting remains of what once was one of the largest mercury-mining operations in the world.

The Mine Hill region of the...

This is one of my favorite loops in Joseph D. Grant County Park in the hills east of San Jose.

It starts at Halls Valley Lake and climbs steeply into the nearby hills along the Yerba Buena Trail...

Steep trails lead to excellent vistas at Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve, which covers a swath of the rugged foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The high ridges look out over much of...

This six-mile loop over the rolling hills of Harvey Bear Ranch introduces hikers to the wild terrain of the Diablo Range southeast of San Jose, California.

Harvey Bear is a section of Coyote Lake...

Calero County Park in the hills south of Silicon Valley has excellent hiking if your timing is right--and you don't mind the horses.

Most of the trails are multi-use, and the large corral near the...

Stile Ranch Trail comes up often in any discussion of the best places to see wildflowers in the hills rimming Silicon Valley.

The trail zigzags up the southern edge of Santa Teresa County Park, a...

Meadow Trail at Mount Madonna County Park passes the pen holding the park's small herd of white fallow dear - a crowd-pleasing locale for youngsters.

The park south of San Jose, California, has...

A lively, sound-rich introduction to Skyline Ridge, one of the most beautiful and intriguing preserves in the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. The adventure starts at the David C. Daniels...