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    Ed R. Levin County Park

    4.1 (211 reviews)

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    Trail (June 2025)
    Anusha S.

    Went on a hike in Ed Levin County Park on a Sunday in June! We arrived at 7:55am, just as the park was just opening. Parking costs $6, and you can pay with cash or card. We decided to do the Agua Caliente trail and Calera Creek Trail loop and the parking lot for that was conveniently located right by the trailhead. The hike starts off with a steep incline, then flattens out, and then goes back down to the trailhead. My dad was able to do it but it was not that easy for either of us. The views were nice at the top - could see the lake in the park and all of Milpitas. We also encountered a friendly cow! The trails were not maintained very well. There were portions where tall grass and thorny bushes almost completely overtook the trail so make sure to wear long pants. Not very dog friendly. There were also not many trail markers so we ended up accidentally veering off the main trail a few times. No shade so make sure to start in the morning and bring lots of water! When we returned from the hike two hours later, the lot was full so another reason to go early. Overall, while the views were good, the trails should be maintained better considering there is a $6 fee to park. I wouldn't recommend

    Allison Y.

    I've been here several times, for hikes, casual strolls, and to bring my dogs to the dog park. This is simply a very peaceful park, with lots of space to explore and do different activities, with plenty of parking. It's a bit of a drive to get up to the park, but that's part of what makes it so serene - it's a little out of the city and that is a good thing :) parking is $6 but it's worth it!

    Raymond M.

    Great park with amazing views. Not too overcrowded and the areas were maintained well.

    State Monument Peak
    Amie N.

    8 MILE STATE MONUMENT PEAK HIEK TRAIL!! SOO HILLY and hardest hike. we went summer hottest day of week. trail had barely any shade, one short forestry cool area, and the killer is that its hilly for miles unlike most that level out with gradual hills if yk. i'm anemic and love hiking, walk 4-6 miles daily and have ran for 5 years. but i was SORE. had to grab onto my teammates' backpack to pull me up occasionally, started seeing stars and heatwaves when i stopped to squat down. a bit dizzy for hours after + headache. the view on the top was okay. u could see all of milpitas. NO BENCHES, u sit on rock and metal platform thing on the ground. thought there would be a monument. there is a shortcut route. not sure if i'd do again. i don't hate it, i had a fun bonding experience with my track team

    Eileen Q.

    This park is so beautiful and is a great place for a stroll or to have a picnic. The large lake in the center is so calming to look at and there are so many beautiful yellow flowers in bloom in the spring. I like how there's a park and also a hiking trail area. Just keep in mind that parking is $6.

    Anaya P.

    Beautiful, Peaceful Park I had a great time at Ed R. Levin Park. The park is clean, spacious, and has a beautiful lake that adds to the peaceful atmosphere. There are plenty of picnic areas, perfect for families or a quiet afternoon outdoors. There are so many trails in the area. The walking trails are scenic and not too crowded, which made it even better. There's a $6 entry fee per vehicle. Definitely a spot I'd visit again!

    Stray dog chasing kids and people!!!!!!!
    Me Iz S.

    MLK weekend: we went to have a picnic. A stray dog seen in this picture disrupted the entire plan. It chased many kids and a lot of families were afraid. I informed the lady at the exit and entry gate and she said "oh yeah we know the park ranger has been trying to capture the dog for two weeks." We left within 30 minutes very unhappy with the experience. I wish I got the refund for the entry fee.

    Caught some catfish
    Lisa S.

    Beautiful park here and it's nice and peaceful place to hang out with families. The park is nice and clean and they have a dog parks , trails and you can fish there .

    Montage of images from Ed R. Levin County Park
    Ed U.

    Oh yeah, Ed Levin Park and I go way back. Like when I was in high school. This was the place where my science teacher met a bunch of us in his class to collect bugs for our projects. We had to catch them in Mason jars filled with chloroform and pin their dead carcasses on styrofoam. Except mine would still be flapping their wings days later. I guess that's why I got a C- on my collection. I've returned all these years later just to take advantage of the network of trails to be found in this family-friendly 1,558-acre park anchored by two large ponds, Spring Valley Pond south of Calaveras Road and my destination, the bigger, bird-populated Sandy Wool Lake, which required a $6 entrance fee. There were a lot of guys around with fishing poles planted on the shore. But as for me, I walked the surrounding trail that leads to Monument Peak, that is, until I tuckered out and chose to be entertained by some animated cattle. I swear I saw the descendants of the insects I captured and killed because they were after me that day. I've come home, Ed Levin. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

    Swetha R.

    Ample parking space. $6 parking fee. Nice hike spot with a lake as soon as you walk towards the trail.

    lake
    Noel B.

    It's a nice park. There's a nice dog park. A tiny lake you could fish for trout. A playground for kids. Hiking trails and hang gliding. You pay $6 for parking. There's no free parking nearby, unless you want to walk a mile uphill. You can pay $95 for an annual parking permit across several parks in Santa Clara county. However, do NOT buy this online. The annual permit activates on the day of purchase, BUT Ed Levin Park for won't accept this. They'd rather have you buy at the park itself. The park ranger's argument for not accepting the online receipt is that the rangers who check for parking permits won't be able to see your permit on the car dashboard and they'll ticket you. (BY THE WAY, the website CLEARLY SAYS that it should be OK TO USE before the actual permit arrives) You cannot refund the online ticket, so you're wasting about a month's worth of parking waiting for the printed ticket. Too bad the county doesn't read Yelp reviews. Your policies are not tech-friendly and you're in the Silicon Valley. Get it effing together!

    Peter X.

    Spacious dog park within Ed R. Levin county park. There's two sections, I assume one for smaller dogs and one for large ones but they are not labeled. Seems like a lot of people bring their dogs here as the park itself is dog friendly, but the admission into the park is $6 so you might as well take advantage and also do some hiking with your pup while you're there. You can avoid the entrance fee if you park outside alongside the street and walk in, but I highly do not recommend that. The walk is long and steep.

    Waiting to play
    Wayne T.

    This is one of the better county parks. It has everything. You can fish(with a license) hike, picnic,or watch the people hangglide off the mountain. I usually come here for the dog park. It has a really big dog side and a smaller side for the smaller dogs. I prefer the larger size because it has grass,the smaller side is mostly dirt. The park supplies water and doggie poop bags. A bonus is you can walk your leashed dogs on the many trails around the park.

    Entrance sign

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    Beautiful spot. It's not that big but very picturesque with a small lake and a nice hiking trail.

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Ed R. Levin County Park

    Do they charge a parking fee for motorcycles?

    Yes any vehicle is $6. They don't have designated motorcycle parking spots.

    I wanted to take my dogs here. Any signs of ticks on the trails? ? Answer: yes they have ticks! Sign posted on my review.

    Can u fish?

    Yes! Spring Valley side is "kids-only fishing" so it's reserved for children ages 5-12, whereas Sandy Wool side allows adults to fish (unsure about permit being required though)

    What time does the park close?

    Website said park hours were 8am-sunset

    Are the picnic areas first come first serve or reservable? What is reservation fee?

    The picnic areas are first come first serve. If you have more than 20 guests, you are able to reserve with the park for a fee. It's probably about more than $100. I don't have an exact price as it may vary between seasons and holidays. Do call in… Read more

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    Review Highlights - Ed R. Levin County Park

    Ed Levin is a pleasant park east of Milpitas that serves as the starting point for the Monument Peak Trail.

    Mentioned in 19 reviews

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    Penitencia Creek Dog Park - Super friendly cat

    Penitencia Creek Dog Park

    4.4(7 reviews)
    3.8 miBerryessa

    This new dog park is listed as "Piedmont Road dog park" under Google maps since it is technically…read moreon Piedmont Road but also connected to Penitencia Park. The park is divided in two: big dog and small dogs. Its mostly just dry dirt with some tanbark along the edges. No poop bags are provided however, there is a spot for some tennis balls and a water fountain along with a big bowl. Theres 4 benches mostly parked under the shade of big trees so you can expect a bit of seating. Parking right next to the dog park is pretty limited as it's mostly just street parking along Piedmont Road. No food or drinks are allowed and people, for the most part, follow the rules. Sometimes people bring their medium/large dogs into the small dog park so do keep an eye on your dog. The park is pretty well kept and clean throughout despite no bags being provided. Most of the people who frequent this park seem very kind and warm. If you have a social pup, I would come here and check it out.

    This is a very new dog park! It officially opened around summer of 2024. I heard the residents of…read morethis area are very happy about it since the next closest dog park was in Santa Clara? I briefly visited from out of town for a breed specific meet up so my experience is not that of a regular. Pros include the spaciousness, real grass, bench seating, mature trees providing shade, trash bins inside the park area including poop scoopers, and a water fountain/bowl. When I went the water fountain wasn't working. I did some research beforehand. (Google Maps calls this the Piedmont Road Dog Park. I don't know if that's the official name.) They don't have poop bags either. I think these drawbacks will likely be remedied in the future. I've seen at other dog parks the community members step up and install back up poop bags or bring in stainless steel troughs for the water. In the meantime, bring your own bags and water! The one thing I really did not like was the parking situation. Piedmont seems very busy. There isn't a parking lot to pull into. I drove past the park initially. It's street parking on Piedmont with some areas of the curb being red or green. The solution would be for someone to park in a lot inside the park (another entrance) and to walk to the dog parks. There's also a shopping plaza across the street and residential streets nearby if you don't mind crossing the street. The real grass and mature trees/shade are really rare for a dog park! I could see this place being five stars for someone that lives in the area and is more experienced with the parking situation than me.

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    Penitencia Creek Dog Park - Well loved Tennis balls

    Well loved Tennis balls

    Penitencia Creek Dog Park - Looking at a squirrel

    Looking at a squirrel

    Penitencia Creek Dog Park

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    Creighton Park - Play structures

    Creighton Park

    4.7(24 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    This is a hidden gem of a park in a quiet neighborhood in Milpitas. We were looking for local parks…read morethat were suitable for a toddler play date and decided to check out this place in person. We wanted to find a park that is relatively new/in good condition and not too crowded to let the little ones safely play. I'm honestly surprised that this isn't a more popular place to bring your kids. I suppose a part of it is because it is a neighborhood park without dedicated parking, although there is plenty of street parking. With that being said, the play area is gated so it is safe to let your children roam with supervision, the play structures are all in very good condition and the padded flooring is intact across the park. Very suitable for toddlers and older children, they even have a baby changing station inside of the bathroom, as well as adequate drinking fountains and drinking fountains for dogs. We were there on a Saturday morning, from 9 to 10am and were the only family there the entire time. This is completely different compared to some of the other parks in Sunnyvale or San Jose, where it can become a zoo by that time. We will definitely be setting up future play dates here.

    This is a nice little park in milpitas! I was looking for dog parks. Found this place because I…read moredidn't want to go too far or to Ed Levin (i don't like having cellular signal issues lol). Definitely meant for the surrounding neighborhoods. There are multiple entrances but are basically towards the end of each street. It seems dog friendly enough with a dog enclosure and easy to stroll around and walk your dog. There's a nice grassy area in the center and I noticed a few instances of owners playing catch with their dogs off-leash. There are picnic tables by the playground and public bathrooms all in the same area. The only water fountain I found was by the picnic/playground/bathroom area and it had a lower fountain for dogs. **Dog park: The dog area was really small, all dirt with one bench. Big dog and small dog are separated but the size is pretty similar to each other with the big dog having just a LITTLE bit more space. It was empty for me except for 1 dog owner but I wonder if there would be more dogs after-work hours for some socialization :-) you would have to walk a little but further down to the main area for water fountain.

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    Creighton Park - Park rules

    Park rules

    Creighton Park
    Creighton Park

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    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area - Flowers

    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area

    4.5(361 reviews)
    4.8 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area - Hill side scenery

    Hill side scenery

    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area
    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area

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    Sandy Wool Lake - sandy wool lake

    Sandy Wool Lake

    4.3(21 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    This picturesque lake is so impressive. I went here to fish, but there's something to do for pretty…read moremuch everyone. There is a $6 entry fee, and plenty of parking in multiple spots, and closes when the sun goes down. The fish limit is 5 fish per person. There is a lot of fishing space, some on muddy terrain, and some over rocks and grass. People were paragliding and hang gliding on the beautiful lush green hills next in the back. If the only thing you can do is walk, then it's a great one filled with much wildlife like cute hawks and birds; not too short not too long with plenty of shade if you stick near the lake with dispersed picnic tables, and that wonderful view. Cell phone service here sucks. They have barbecue pits and fish cleaning stations. Definitely a hidden bay area gem.

    We recently had a large group picnic at the Sandy Wool Group Area, which is a reservable picnic…read moresite right next to Sandy Wool Lake. The Sandy Wool Group Area includes a giant gazebo with a new-looking roof providing shade, a large BBQ grill in the center, and plenty of picnic tables surrounding the grill - plenty of space for our group of 30+ to spread out. Very peaceful area, even on a weekend. + Plenty of parking available ($6 per car) + Clean restroom, even stocked with pads and tampons + Dogs allowed Note: none of us had any cell phone service there, so make sure to coordinate beforehand and enjoy the present moment! I'll have to come back another time to walk around more and maybe try my hand at catching some fish in the lake.

    Photos
    Sandy Wool Lake - Lake

    Lake

    Sandy Wool Lake - Tiny frogs

    Tiny frogs

    Sandy Wool Lake

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    Ed R. Levin County Park - dog_parks - Updated June 2026

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