moderate hikes

Five Fall Hikes Near Silicon Valley

Wild turkeys on a fall day at Rancho San Antonio Preserve. Photo by Karl Gohl

Enjoy the changing colors of the leaves and the serenity to be found hiking in the hills around Silicon Valley (Santa Clara Valley). Oh, and a chai recipe to warm you up!

Figueroa to Serpentine Loop at Calero

Serpentine Loop is exposed but offers lovely views. Brendan Bane photo.

A moderate 6.7-mile hike including the shady, easy Figueroa Trail and the more challenging and exposed Serpentine Loop.

Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve

Those golden waves along the Ridge Trail.

High views from oak & meadow trails.

Mockingbird Loop Trail

Photo by Jeremy Zawodny/CC.

A pretty loop on the park's north side that climbs to a ridge and back down.

Heritage Grove Trail

An old-growth redwood in the Heritage Grove at Sam McDonald County Park picks up the light. David McSpadden photo/Creative Commons.

A half-day hike through a redwood grove inherited from an impassioned public to a high ridge lookout.

Gordon Mill Trail

Happily, there is shade and plenty of scenery on Gordon Mill Trail in El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve. Photo by L. Clark Tate.

A relatively easy-to-follow, wide-open dirt road diving deep into mountainside forests.

High Meadow to Vista Point at Rancho San Antonio

Vista Point (the lower one, as opposed to the one at PG&E and Quarry) is one of the park's most popular destinations. Kelsey Farabee photo.

A 4.4-mile loop to one of the park's most popular destinations, the lower Vista Point overlooking the Valley and the Bay.

Rogue Valley Loop at Rancho San Antonio

Wildcat Loop Trail is partly shaded. On some days, that's a very good thing.

A 9-mile trail with 1450 feet of climbing just outside of Cupertino offers views of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay.

Chamise Trail at Rancho San Antonio

Chamise Trail in its best spring outfit.

The northernmost trail at Rancho San Antonio park in Silicon Valley climbs 1000 feet in 9.2 miles and traverses chaparral, oak woodland and beautiful meadows.

Año Nuevo Trail – Goat Hill Trail

Ano Nuevo Trail is popular with banana slugs in wet weather. Hilltromper photo.

A moderate three-mile hike in the redwoods of Butano State Park near Pescadero.

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