Coming from Palo Alto, this is the last exit before driving onto the Dumbarton Bridge. There's…read moreparking on both sides of the bridge, connected by an underpass. You'll find a bit of seating here along with info boards about the historical baylands, salt pond restoration, and hetch hetchy aqueduct. There's access to a couple different trails, one running parallel to the traffic with the whooshing sounds of vehicles zooming toward the bridge. This pathway more ideal for biking. The other, which I enjoyed much more this past weekend, leads to the Ravenswood Open Space Preserve, with birds galore in and around the ponds and piers extending over the water creating engaging lookout points with info boards about the surrounding wildlife and seating available to relax and appreciate the serene atmosphere. A decent spot to go for a run on a Saturday afternoon with hardly any other visitors in sight.

The Dumbarton Bridge Vista Point and Trail is a fantastic spot located alongside the western shore…read moreof the Dumbarton Bridge. It is a great spot to view the bridge, bay and both the local preserves and entire Bay Area. This is a remote spot located next to the very busy Hwy 84; however, this spot has great parking and some nice trails. It's just down the road from the Meta (aka "Facebook") campus. It's also a great for anyone biking along the Bay Trail. Despite the noise, the views are fantastic! In addition, it's (apparently) a great spot for fishing. Each and every time we visit, we hear individuals boasting about their catches. If you're looking for a good view of the Bay Area or Dumbarton Bridge or just a nice spot next to the San Francisco Bay Trail, then this is a fantastic find that is ever so slightly off the beaten path!

Sabercat Creek Trail is tucked between stunning, large homes and pockets of quiet neighborhoods,…read morejust five minutes from 680. Fremont has so many beautiful hiking trails, so I was surprised to discover this one, I had no idea it was even there. We started at the Pine Street entrance, which sits along a busy street and between residential homes. We were careful not to block any driveways, especially after noticing several hand-painted "No Parking" signs. The trail is paved... until it isn't. We got a little turned around at one point and ended up near some barbed wire, so we turned back and retraced our steps. In total, we hiked for about an hour and fifteen minutes. The trail winds behind these magnificent homes and connects to several other trailheads along the way. It offers beautiful Bay Area views, and we heard so many birds throughout the hike. There was even an audio tour available via a QR code created by a local Boy Scout troop, such a cool touch! I'm really looking forward to returning and feel so grateful to have access to these wonderful, accessible trails.

I really enjoy this trail. It's an easy trail, dog friendly, and family friendly as well. Plenty of…read moreshade which is great for summer time.

I usually go for runs at Hidden Lake Park which is attached to the Berryessa Creek Trail, but I…read moredecided to change it up this past weekend. There's nothing really special about this trail, but it was in good enough condition this past Saturday, so no complaints about the cleanliness or terrain. The paved pathway stretches from North Hillview Drive at Milpitas Town Center, past Hidden Lake Park, to N. Abel Street... a little over a mile one way, with no noticeable inclines, so definitely easy for biking or taking a stroll. And I've never seen it get crowded here. One negative is that it is disconnected at N. Milpitas Blvd with no crosswalk for pedestrians, which can cause an inconvenience if you're not willing to jaywalk and make your way through the center divide. Otherwise, it's a simple trail surrounded by neighborhood homes and the creek, of course, as well as the aforementioned Hidden Lake Park providing lovely views from above. And parking is free and easy, either directly on N. Milpitas Blvd or in the small parking lot for Hidden Lake Park.

3.99 walk/run trail. I participated in a 5K/10K fun run that took use partly along the Berryessa…read moreCreek Trail. Obviously the trail runs along a former creek bed. It was nice to discover this part of the Bay Area for exercise.

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.

I am lucky to live near this trail & the others here in SVL so I have taken full advantage of them…read morethese 2 weeks off work from the holidays. This spot has plenty of parking. There are loads of lush green grass with beautiful trees, trails and benches to take in the awesome bay views.

We went to Baylands Park Trail for a cross country race…read more Plenty parking available. Handicap parking is easily accessible. Lush green grass with beautiful trees, trails and benches. Be advised that a lot of the benches have spider webs and moss so be prepared to wear jeans that you can throw in the wash! Pro: Bathrooms! Not just port u potties. This park also has dirt trails for running XC that is flat with rolling hills. Overall, this is a beautiful venue for a cross country race!

I've came to this park twice and I absolutely love it!! The wildlife is beautiful, and so is the…read morelayout of the park. Sunsets here are just surreal some days in the best way possible. And there's even a short hiking trail along the path with small bits of information about plants and wildlife. There is a $6 parking fee, but worth it!

Off With Your Ed A…read more1,500-acre county-run park located in eastern Santa Clara County in the Smellpitas (iykyk) foothills. The Good: * Multiple entrances * Horses OK (check trail signage) * Mountain biking OK (check trail signage) * Leashed dogs OK (check trail signage) * Speaking of dogs, there's also an off-leash dog park here. * Volleyball courts * Fishing with license * 20+ miles of hiking trails that range from super easy to uphill slogs that have some incredible views as your reward. * Picnic tables The Meh: * $6 vehicle entrance fee * Lake levels can be very low during drought years. The Ugly: * This park gets hot AF in the summer, so choose the days and times you visit carefully. Conclusion: Great park with tons of features, but check the weather.

Paradise reclaimed. It's not perfect, but the city of San Jose has done a great job of helping…read morepeople find housing and cleaning detritus. I wrote through recently and was pleasantly surprised to see a couple other riders and even person jogging with no tents.

I frequently run the lower trail as it's closer to home, it's quiet and clean for the most part, I…read moreoften pass by adorable waterbirds along the pathway, and good for me it connects to Alviso Marina Park (over the train tracks and past South Bay Yacht Club). The full trail is at least 11 miles long, but I usually try not to go more than a few miles beyond Alviso and definitely try to avoid the downtown SJ area, a less desirable portion of the trail, littered with trash and graffiti, and I've crossed paths with foul-smelling homeless camps and questionable characters, it just doesn't feel very safe. But on my recent run through the Guadalupe River Park on a Saturday afternoon, it was emptier than usual, still a few shady looking individuls around, and beautiful murals tarnished by dirt, graffiti, and wear and tear, but the area as a whole was tolerable, for a daytime run at least. Lupe the Columbian Mammoth, a life size sculpture made up of bent steel pipes, is a cool statue to check out along the trail as well, near West Trimble Road, about 4 miles from Alviso.

Came on a Saturday in February around 10:45am and there was no parking fee that day. Most of the…read morelots were pretty full, but we were able to find parking in the overflow area. We did the Canyon View to Little Yosemite trail and I recommend downloading the map ahead of time as there was no service in the park. Trail was well maintained and the views of the green hills were very pretty! Came across some very friendly cows as well. Just be aware if you are going during the summer that there are no trees so limited shade. We did the trail clockwise, which starts off with a somewhat sharp incline and finishes with a gradual decline. I would recommend this direction so that you tackle the difficult portion first and then recover at the end with the descent. We also did part of the McCorkle trail, which was pretty tiring, so we decided to skip Little Yosemite using Cerro Este Road - appreciated how there are shortcuts available. Canyon View trail was not too busy, and we ran into more people (+ dogs/kids) on the Camp Ohlone Road heading toward Little Yosemite. Overall, it was a great, moderate hike and I would definitely come back to see Little Yosemite next time!

A group of 5 of us decided to do Rose Peak Trail from Sunol. This is a brutal 17.8, 9.5-10 hour…read morehike and up to 20 miles depending if you start from the visitor center. Started late at 9 am with few breaks and got to 3k elevation and still didn't reach the peak at 1:30 pm. A lot of hills and valleys with climbing/walking for 4.5 hours straight. Going back wasn't as easy since there's still some hills to pass. All in all, we did 18 miles for 8.5 hours of hiking. At least know what to expect for next year. The trail markers are numbered decently with not all marked. Bring a map and plenty of water! 2.5-5 liters is recommended by people who finished. Start right at 8 am. Saw 3 tarantulas and there are rattlers/mountain lions from the signs. Definitely one of the hardest hikes in the bay! Not much to see on the trail or views.