Lace Up Those Sneakers and Hit the Trail!

Photo Credit: www.creativecommons.org

February 2, 2010

Kathy O'Neill  

Filed under Sports

Are you tired of going to the movies every weekend? Are the local malls getting a little old? If you’re looking for something cheap, new and fun to do on a weekend afternoon, try checking out some of the great parks in our area where you can hike, bike and picnic. Even for the less athletic, there are plenty of flat, non-strenuous hikes that still offer plenty of beautiful scenery and exposure to nature.

One of the easiest but most beautiful hikes in the area is in Uvas Canyon Park on the east side of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which offers a short but beautiful one mile walk. This time of year is a great time to go, since in the rainy season there are a myriad of waterfalls—30-foot Black Rock Falls and several others—and the forest comes alive with new green ferns and wildlife.

Alum Rock Park in San Jose is another great option, especially if you want to picnic. There are places to barbeque, playgrounds for younger kids and lots of open grass. Then, if you are in the mood for a hike, many options for hiking or mountain biking are offered. A favorite is the Eagle Rock Loop, a hilly 2-mile trail that will give you a fantastic view of the valley when the air is clear. Or, if you want a hike that is more flat, you can walk along the creek and see rows of sulfur springs along the hillside.

If you want to be nearly sure to see some wildlife, Coyote Hills Regional Park outside of Oakland is a great place to visit. It is a wildlife sanctuary, and you can be sure to see lots of birds in the marsh there. From the main parking lot there is even a boardwalk path out into the marsh. The Shoreline Trail is the most popular in the park. It is a 3-mile loop that is paved the whole way, but it can be steep in some areas. It is great for any bike lovers as well, with the trail giving great views of the bay and touring the edge of the marsh.

The Monte Bello Open Space Preserve in the Palo Alto foothills is another fantastic place to hike. If you go there in the spring you will walk over hills covered in long green grass, and then you can follow the trail down into a forested canyon where you will walk along a creek and tour the lush growth in the forest. On a hot day, the cool, mossy forest is a great relief. If you’re willing to get your hands dirty, you can also scramble down to the creek near the bridges and find newts and salamanders in the water there. If you continue along this route out of the forest you will be walking along the San Andreas Fault. Points of interest are labeled and if you picked up a brochure at the trail head you can find explanations there. This loop is called the Stevens Creek Nature Trail, but there are plenty of other routes you can take in the park for a longer or shorter hike. Mountain Bikes are allowed here, but not on all of the trails.

If you’re more athletic and want a challenge, the hike up Mission Peak at the Mission Peak Regional Preserve near Fremont is a great option. Its only 3.5 or so miles round trip, but it’s very steep, so it’s a good idea to wear good hiking shoes. It is worth the effort though—once you reach the top, you feel like you’re on top of the world and on a clear day you can see the far corners of the Bay Area including San Francisco and on a good day the Sierras are visible in the distance as well. There are plenty of places to stop along the way that offer great views as well. If you live near enough, from the top you might even be able to spot your own house.

If you’re willing to make a drive down to Carmel or will be in the area anyways, Point Lobos State Reserve is a visit you can’t miss out on. This gorgeous coastal reserve is very popular and offers many trails, all of which offer beautiful views of the dramatic rocky coastline and seaside wildlife. If you look carefully at the right times of year, you may also spot adorable sea otters, harbor seals, or if you’re lucky even spot a whale in the distance! Point Lobos used to be whaling station because of the multitude of whales off the coast there, and you can visit Whalers Cove where they have whale skeletons and information of the history of whaling. There is also a Cypress grove here, one of only two natural groves remaining in the world. There are several options on different routes of trails that you can take: the half-mile Sea Lion Point Trail, 4-mile Whaler’s Knoll Trail, 6-mile Perimeter hike, or just take a stroll down to the rocky beach. At the end of the road that you drive in on there is also a picnic area where you can stop and eat. Point Lobos is a beautiful park that can’t be missed.

So what would you rather do? Spend $20 to sit in an uncomfortable chair in a dark movie theatre for a few hours? Or spend that time and maybe $4 to get into a park with the sun and wind in your hair as you hike through beautiful scenery and experience the freedom of the trails?

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Tags: hiking trails