We stumbled upon this place while driving thru Cupertino. Cant believe it existed! We were able to stop at the nature center and look at some critters up close. While walking around the park, we saw deer! And love the walk near the creek. Would coke back again! read more

Definitely come on a Saturday at 11 AM - 3 PM, that is when their Environmental Education Center is open! We came on the evening on a Friday, which is perfect for just talking a nice stroll or hike around, but after seeing that they had a bearded dragon (Matilda) and a chuckwalla (Chuck), I knew I had to come back again to meet them. Parking is free and love the wildlife that is around here. Not just the butterflies that I've seen fluttering about but also the coyote that trotted across the lot to cross the street. This is also a great location to find activities to do with the family or with the community. They have a 4 H Club, a community garden that you can sign up for, an entire calendar of events for the month, a Blacksmithing workshop/demonstration, and much more. We were limited on time and didn't get to see the historical buildings or the restored structures, nor was the Blacksmith Shop open, but for our next visit, I'll be sure to check them out. Outside you can meet the alpaca that they have hanging out (freshly shaved for the summer, so it was funny to see the little tufts of hair that they had on their head) and some of their goats too. Now to the highlight of my visit, the Environmental Education Center. Obviously this is meant for kids and families, but I had a great time meeting their animal ambassadors (I didn't ask for them to be taken out, but I'm sure there are events and moments for that) and learning more about them. The staff there are very friendly, welcoming, and informative. It makes me happy to know that the ambassadors that I inquired about were rescues and they have a second chance at life and in educating the community. My favs were obviously Matilda and Chuck, but there are also various snakes, turtles, a toad, fish, tarantulas, and stick bugs. The center also has books, opportunities for hands on observations and journaling for kids, puppets and educational toys and exhibits, and much more. Definitely will come back! read more

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This farm is very boring. It's more like a piece of desolate wilderness. The farm houses and the animals are extremely smelly. There is a stream going through the forest. The water is not clear but it still feels cool by the stream in such a hot and dry weather. read more

This was such a great place to enjoy nature and also visit some pretty cool animals! I wanted to go to see the Alpacas on the farm, but I had realized there would be so many more animals. We took the tour lead by the 4H kids and it was pretty awesome learning all the fun facts. I loved seeing the goats and how playful they were. The chickens were a riot and it was so nice being outdoors. There's also trails nearby if you want to take a hike and extend your time being around nature. Definitely will be back there soon to enjoy the place again. read more

Quiet and beautiful place to go for a walk. The trail back and forth is about 40 minutes. Goes by a ranch, then some woods, then a bocce ball court, then some park, then a golfing area, then a random orange tree farm. It's not the best hike to enjoy nature, but a great walk with fresh air in a close range. read more

Cupertino McClellan Ranch Preserve - Community Gardens Near Me - Cupertino, California

Went running from the overflow parking lot and nearby labyrinth, along the Stevens Creek Trail and past Blackberry Farm, while exploring the many offerings at this preserve. Trekked the dirt path of the very short nature trail loop, viewed squirrels and bunny rabbits hopping around, as well as adorable goats, alpacas, ducks, and chickens hanging out in their pens at the 4-H farm (they have tours on 2nd Saturdays of each month according to signs). Checked out the community garden and various historic buildings on site (ie. water tower and barns). The Blacksmith Shop supposedly has demonstrations the last Saturday of each month. And the Environmental Education Center is open every Saturday 11-3pm, so I got to meet a pacific gopher snake, tarantula, central bearded dragon, and Meatball, the western toad. The entire place is lovely, even in winter, with plant life and trees galore. There are several tables and seating throughout, even benches along the creek, and public restrooms available too. read more

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I grew up going to this farm a lot, either for field trips or for short little hikes along the trail in the back that runs along the creek. Even when you don't go during 'farm hours' you can still see some of the farm animals chilling so that's kind of fun. I also always see deer here which is also pretty cool. You can hike for a bit, there is not exactly any hiking trail, but there is a very woods-y path in the back that leads to Blackberry Farm. This place is stunning during sunset, and I've also gone here to do an engagement shoot for some friends. I'd love to visit again when some of their buildings and farms are open, but it is also just a beautiful place to walk around. read more

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I came for the walking paths but so happy I went to the visitor center first. A couple of knowledgeable and friendly young men introduced us to the property and the creatures they house in their office area. I even held a gopher snake! There is a farm area with pigs, alpacas and goats. There are many meandering walk paths to choose from. The main cemented one will take you to the pool, park area and golf course. There is an orchard at the end of the trail. The creek runs throughout the property. read more

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i really love walking here. my friend suggested that we meet here to switch up our usual rancho hikes (since rancho tends to get really crowded and parking can be difficult when weather is good). we've come a few times, usually early morning on a weekday, and parking is always super easy, even though the lot is small. restrooms are always open, and clean! we often hear and see deer roaming about, probably looking for breakfast! we stroll thru the farm and wind around the trail, and walk a bit into the neighborhoods of cupertino before turning back to the farm. the park is very quiet and peaceful, there is a swimming pool as well as multiple picnic areas. we can also walk across the street to connect to stevens creek trail and linda vista park, to add a bit of elevation gain to our walk. super convenient to 85 & 280. read more

Great afternoon walk that is dog friendly. It's a great place with a lot to do as you walk down the paved trail. There are public restrooms, a pool, volleyball courts, and bocce area. The Stevens Creek runs nearby! read more

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We are so lucky to live here! After aggressively exploring our area since Covid began, we are still discovering cool new spots. Our latest exploration brought us here this afternoon. It was super fun! There is a nice creek to walk along, lot of shade and nice spots to stop and take in the sights. The only regret is that we could not see any of the animals. Turns out a mountain lion attacked a goat a couple of months ago, so they have the taken the animals to a different spot temporarily. read more

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My son and i love coming here. Open educational hours are free and you can pet a snake. Great spot to visit after a hike with your family.

My family and I came here because I saw online there was a farm/petting zoo for little kids. We looked everywhere for animals but finally found out there were animals in the barnyard on saturdays but we came on a Sunday. We were bummed because I never seen that mentioned anywhere when doing research on the property. We weren't even that mad though, because the park itself is so beautiful on a nice day and stroller friendly. We enjoyed walking around with all the trees on the trails, so it wasn't a total bummer of a day. read more

As a little day trip I traveled around looking for community gardens and this one was mildly dissatisfying. This spot is very clearly meant for groups and summer camps and not super welcome to visitors. I hunted around for the community garden only to realize that it was hidden by an eye height partition to obstruct the view of the garden with a lock on both of the entrances. I have no problem with people being protective of their gardens, perfectly understandable. And there are definitely reasons for this! As a visitor I was a little saddened as I could not see the garden beds that people have taken the time to care for and design :( read more

Once a horse ranch, McClellan Ranch is now a wildlife preserve and a neighborhood treasure. This preserve is on the small side - just 18 acres, and you won't find miles of trails here. In fact, the only named trail is the paved multi-use Stevens Creek Trail which runs through the length of the preserve. The connecting dirt trails are so short that they aren't named. Features include a community garden with over 60 plots, two volleyball courts and two bocce ball courts at the north end, and some of the original buildings from the ranch still intact. Various classes are offered during the year, and free farm tours are held the 2nd Saturday of each month between March and November. There are goats, mini horses, chickens and more! There's a small paved parking lot by the ranch buildings, plus a small unpaved overflow parking lot nearby. Bathrooms are available. To the north, the preserve connects with Blackberry Farm, where there is a small playground, pool, cafe, orchard and more. Overall, this preserve isn't a hiking destination, but if you're looking for a relaxing stroll in the park, McClellan plus Blackberry Farm make a good pairing! read more

I got to see Parker going for his evening walk with his mom Anna. Anna was very kind to answer all of my random alpaca questions, and I learned that Parker is the youngest of the three they have here on the farm! All three alpacas are from Oregon. Now, they live here on the farm and although they can be a little sassy they're cute and fun to look at while walking around the park trails. Thank you to Anna for making our experience meeting Parker so special. Highly recommend! read more

Cupertino McClellan Ranch Preserve - Parker - Community Gardens Near Me - Cupertino, California

I think maybe in not Covid times it can be more fun for toddlers. We only got to see the alpacas and from afar. There's a nice trail to walk though and people were almost everyone mask wearing. There's a little creek that runs nearby too. No parking fee (but few places available though). There're many picnic tables on site. read more

Cupertino McClellan Ranch Preserve - Community Gardens Near Me - Cupertino, California

Another Bay Area masterpiece. This place has an incredible service they offer on the weekends during the summer where the staff will guide you through their vast collection of animals and skulls. You may have to ask but they are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I took the boys there and ended up spending a couple hours there. If you have a few hours on the weekend that you want to spend with the kids. This is it. read more

Cupertino McClellan Ranch Preserve - Community Gardens Near Me - Cupertino, California

Great spot to take the kiddos. The restrooms are still open during covid which is a huge plus with a toddler. There is a creek, a nice walking trail and even some animals to check out including alpacas. My daughter loves coming here to check out the animals and splash in the creek on a hot day. She can easily spend a whole morning exploring here. read more

Just visited this preserve this morning (on a Monday) with my 3 yo for a nature walk during this pandemic. More people here than I had expected but it never got to the point where it was too crowded and we couldn't safely social distance. There was plenty of space where you can walk off trail to safely avoid others but I'd avoid coming here on a weekend until the pandemic's over. My tot and I both really enjoyed seeing some alpacas and goats in the barn and the nice little creek along the trail. Trail's nicely paved and it's stroller, bike and dog friendly. We also came here at the end of 2019 for my tot's class field trip where we hiked and visited the education center. The children got to pet a bearded dragon, snake, crawfish and other species which was super cool. Both kids and adults had a blast. read more

Looking or a place to watch the nice planet conjunction during June and July brought me to McClellan Ranch in Cupertino. A total paradise in the Silicon Valley! the real valley filled with fruits, vegetables, flowers and even goats for you to pet! (if the owner lets you, which was my case:). I found the community garden to be extremely prolific, veggies in full splendor, people working in their gardens, butterflies flying around, nice smell from the seasonal flowers...everything picture perfect. We arrived to an area where you need some sort of permit as there are animals (like pigs) and there are educational events going on. There are also hiking trails, you can picnic, go to the creek and many other hidden treasures. Loved this ranch as has so many things to do and haven't even had time yet to see the whole thing. read more

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A nice little gem in Cupertino! The paths are well defined and you can enjoy the sounds of the stream, an abundance of nature, a childrens playground, a swimming pool, and other great features in and around the park. Some features are seasonal. Some restrooms are seasonal... This park is best for people looking to do a little bit of walking in a scenic area. read more

Hidden treasure. I brought my kids here on a whim on Sunday. My son interrogated the docents in the nature museum about the animals for over an hour, and they patiently answered question after question. Both kids for to see and in some cases touch dozens of animals. Although it's closed while the Blacksmith is away, we got to see the shop and a lot of old tools from the era that the Stephens of Stevens Creek was settling the area. We look forward to coming back when the Blacksmith shop reopens and making a day out of seeing that, hitting the pool, and playing some bocces. read more

The coolest thing in Cupertino besides Ike's! It's lovely to get a sandwich to go and eat it here. It's really quiet, tucked away in the hills behind some neighborhoods. The scenery is lush, and there are lots of trails to get lost (in a good way) down. The best part was the stable area with the miniature horses (!!), chickens, pigs, and wide variety of goats. A baby pygmy goat jumping around was one of the best things I've ever seen in my life. read more

What can I add that other reviewers didn't say yet? I agree with all reviews - this place is a true gem in the heart of Cupertino urban(ish) view. The farm brings a lot of joy and tender animal care to the children volunteering here and the community garden is a bless. I sometimes walk my tiny dog up and down the path that connects the farm with blackberry farm. Lately I entered the restrooms at the farm and pleasantly found the most clean and maintained restrooms I've ever saw in a park. This place shine. read more

This place is one of those hidden gems in Cupertino. The Santa Clara chapter of the Audubon society is homed here so it's a pristine place for bird watching. The working ranch sells honey made by the bees on the ranch. Our daughter absolutely loves the nature classes. read more

Beautiful place to spend a time with kids/friends. Nice picnic area, place to walk, farm animals

Even during the pandemic this place is so pretty! I had never been before, until last week and it was a very lovely walk! I can't wait to go back to check out more of the animals read more

Found this place after a yelp search... What an awesome lil treasure. Hiking trails, picnic areas, beautiful creek, community garden, playground, kid friendly museum...lots to see and do. Definitely hope to return next time we are in the area. read more

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we stumbled on this park when looking for a short easy hike during some rainy days. At the trailhead, we noticed the nature center and never left for the hike! The volunteers were extraordinary, very enthusiastic and quite knowledgeable. They kept our kids entertained for over an hour, no small feat! Big shout out to Austin and Eric for being the best. read more

This is in regards to a field trip, not a personal visit: My son's class had a field trip here that I chaperoned this April. They had river water with insects in it that they had to identify, which was mildly fun for 10-20 minutes, but it dragged on for over 30. Then we broke for snack and had to go back and do it again! We ended the trip with a hike where the guide pointed out a certain leaf, some trees, a section of the river and told us to find deer scat in a field. At the end she let the kids pets snake... Literally the most boring field trip I've ever had to endure. read more

18 acre preserve run by the City of Cupertino. There is a paved path where dogs are allowed. It's all flat and a relatively short walk good for younger kids too. Also has the Cupertino Community Gardens, various 4-H animals, office for the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and the office for the City Naturalist. They offer classes for kids during the year and a summer camp that my children also enjoy a lot. read more

I found this place on yelp after searching last minute for a location (that allow dogs) for a Christmas card photo shoot. The park was really easy to find (across from a golf course) and parking was not a hassle at all. It was early fall when we did the shoot, and the trees and leaves were all so beautiful and colorful! It wasn't crowded at all and I liked that it was really quiet-helped a lot when doing a photo shoot with my dog because there were no distractions at all. Will be back here again in the near future! read more

Such a lovely place with a cute museum. We loved exploring this place. The bathrooms Are super clean too. The adjacent blackberry park is so fun as well. We can bike, walk, picnic, play volleyball, visit the museum, play on the play structure, swim, and explore the creek! read more

the eduction center staff is super nice. We saw and touched some animals there ! cool!

Favorite park ever with paved trails, a mini farm that teaches kids leadership and decision making.

The city council agreed to change the official name of McClellan Ranch Park to McClellan Ranch Preserve a couple of years ago. Of course it will take time for all signage to be changed. In 1976 the recently purchased property was given the special designation of Nature and Rural Preserve, so the name "preserve" better communicates its mission. A second McClellan Ranch Master Plan is ongoing now within the Parks and Recreation Dept., a followup to the 1993 Master Plan. Not much was ever done after 1993 with the comprehensive recommendations, but now 21 years later the preserve is receiving some attention and capital funds. You can learn more about the studies and plans on the Cupertino web site (just search around). McClellan Ranch has always needed more advocates speaking to the folks who make the decisions and hold the purse strings, so if you like MRP, read up a bit about what's going on now and speak up (email, write, phone, attend meetings and testify) so that this preserve never falls into years of neglect again. It is a gem but it needs some loving care and funding to fulfill it's mission "to maintain and protect the ecology of the area, conserve the natural features and scenic values, expand community awareness and understanding of natural history and the environment and provide enjoyment of the resources present consistent with their preservation." read more