THIS TRAIL WAS NOT IT Having just moved from Portland to San Jose, I was eager to find my new go-to biking route. I spotted this trail along the Guadalupe River on Google Maps and thought it had potential, so I set out on a Sunday morning to test it with a ~20-mile round trip from DTSJ to Alviso and back. Let's just say, I PR'd because I've never biked so fast in my life. LMAO! DON'T RECOMMEND Starting from Arena Green Park on the east side of the trail, my initial excitement quickly dwindled. The beginning of the trail was NOT ideal. There were numerous homeless encampments, piles of trash, and stretches where I honestly felt unsafe - even in broad daylight. HALF OK, HALF BAD Some sections ran alongside the highway, with no one else in sight for miles. In other areas, I had to bike under long, dark overpasses. It wasn't until I passed the airport and the tech company buildings near Montague Expressway that I finally felt a bit more secure, especially seeing other people walking and biking. Unfortunately, that feeling was short-lived. Past Southbay Freeway and into Alviso, the trail became increasingly barren and far less scenic. TLDR While I did like that this trail goes on for miles, I wouldn't recommend tackling it alone, especially in certain areas. Some parts are decent, but this overall first experience left me looking for another go-to biking route. read more

Lower Guadalupe River Trail - End of Trail - Alviso - Hiking Near Me - San Jose, California

I had seen some major work to clean out camps near the airport. It's holding, but the rest of the trail (as well as large parts of Coyote creek trail and the hwy 87 interconnect) are littered with encampments, active drug use, trash and likely stolen piles of bikes and other valuables. Riding North of First street to Alviso isnt too bad. There are regularly flooded sections- the city does clean them but the river needs to be dredged as fresh rain just backs up on the trail again. There are currently significant closures and detours too. read more

Ok, the *SOUTH* part of the trail is the *UPPER* Guadalupe River Trail, and the *NORTH* part of the trail (Almaden Park to the 85) is the *LOWER* Guadalupe River Trail. Watch out for demogorgons because we're in the Upside Down. If your head is not bleeding yet, Lower has a North and South. The North section goes from Gold Street in Alviso, past the 237, light rail, and a distant Levis Stadium 1.65 miles to Montague, where parking is such sweet sorrow. The South goes from Montague, past the 101 and airport, into Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, to the south of downtown with a dead-end at West Virginia, emphasis on the Dead. That's where we started, an entrance just a block from Prevost and West Virginia, site of San Jose's 17th homicide of 2021. I know this because the news stories popped up as I searched for a good parking spot. This is the only bike path sponsored by KRON. So, if you find chalk on your tires upon your return, it's probably not from a diligent meter maid but from parking on the outline of a body. Anyway, the entrance is marked with a huge heap of overflowing trash cans and graffiti. Running parallel to the 87, we passed a few shirtless guys with more tattoos than teeth and "campsites" before reaching the Children's Discovery Museum downtown. There, we dodged a shirtless guy holding a pipe, a shopping cart or two, low-hanging maintenance-free trees, and a motionless body in a mummy sleeping bag (Barb??) that made this feel like the hood version of Paperboy. Paperboyz in the Hood. I ignored my wife's requests to turn back (which began way back at the entrance with used Huggies mile markers) until we had to pass two sketchers and their pit bull who probably wanted me to answer riddles three, so we gave up and headed back while we still could. Instead of giving up, we packed the bikes and started at the north end in Alviso. We parked at the Alviso Education Center, even though two of the ten parking spaces had remnants of window glass. (I recommend parking a few blocks north at Alviso County Marina Park). We rode five miles south to the airport and this paved, level, straight, and clean bike path was a much different scenario. Couples, fitness enthusiasts, cyclists, and some families were walking and riding in peace, with condos, trailer parks, a driving range, a park, hotels, corporate buildings, and Lupe the Mammoth (public art 441 W Trimble Rd) on one side, and the Guadelupe River on the other. The River is a fine view, though stagnant in some areas. Aside from the trash-filled field of Alviso Towing, there were no homeless, no graffiti, and no obstacles, other than some daring squirrels playing Frogger. Though the north side of the trail is fine for locals, if I am going to pack up the bikes, we much prefer Coyote Creek trail. read more

Lower Guadalupe River Trail - I recommend Alviso to Airport. - Hiking Near Me - San Jose, California

Where fresh river water meets the Bay! The lower part of Guadeloupe River Trail subtlety vibrates with a different shade of green life. Here different plants grow that are irrigated by both the waters of the Bay and river water. When the tides comes in you can see this part of the rivers change course. All the water flows upriver. It is a strange sight to see, even though the tide changing is the least strange thing to witness. I suppose growing up near San Jose, I didn't live day-to-day experiencing the changes of the tides. So, what might be somewhat mundane for the fisherman is magical for me. If you stand on Gold Street bridge in Alviso you too can see some of this beauty. read more

Lower Guadalupe River Trail - Golden grass to blue sky - Hiking Near Me - San Jose, California

I applaud any effort to put greenways in the heart of cities but I was not a big fan of this trail, from a running perspective. I think maybe for biking or something it might be a little bit better. Went for a run on a weekday morning about 7:00 am. Sun was up and I got on the trail at Park and was running north on the east side of the river. It is not particularly scenic, but that isnt a big deal to me. Running north, I only saw one other runner. As we waited to cross the street at Julian, I asked him how safe the trail was because reading reviews it seemed like there were some sketchy areas. He was from out of town too so we just ran on. Right after that, the path narrows and there is a long underpass that goes under train tracks. When we approached that, there were three guys standing there just blocking the path. We both took a look at them and made a U Turn. It just didn't feel safe. Running past other underpasses where the path was wider and it was more open, there were lots of people living under them. But that one, I did not want to chance, especially being outnumbered. The areas where the people live do not smell great and it is an unfortunate situation all around. I saw people riding bikes on the west side and maybe that is better. If I was on a bike going fast, I would be more comfortable, but being out there with no defense except my running shorts and my razor sharp wit, I just didn't feel safe. I would be very uncomfortable if I were a woman running alone, to be honest. Where the trail was above ground or wide open by the river , it was fine. The trail was actually pretty clean otherwise, just overgrown in places. read more

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The Lower Guadalupe River Trail (LGR) is the 2nd longest concurrent trail in Santa Clara County; with the Los Gatos Creek Trail being the longest (9-miles vs 9.7-miles). However, once it's linked up with the Upper Guadalupe River Trail -sometime in the future- it will be almost ±15-miles long. The LGR is nicknamed "San Jose to the Bay" as it runs from the southern edge of the San Francisco Bay in Alviso to Downtown San José. Here are some of the high (and low) lights of the LGR: -Mostly paved AC Trail which is a must for those of us that push a jogging stroller, or don't like running/walking on dirt. -Most of the roadway crossings are under-crossings except for St. John St. and Julian Ave. -At the right times of year, the greenery can be beautiful and awe-inspiring-- just try not to pay too much attention to the debris in the river. -A lot of San José's major facilities and tourist destinations are accessible via the LGR. Here's a (not-so) short list: SJC; SAP Center (aka The Tank); Diridon Station; Heritage Rose Garden; Historic Town of Alviso; Children's Discovery Museum; Tech Museum of Innovation; San José Convention Center; various parks (Columbus, Arena Green, Guadalupe River Gardens, etc); and even Levi's Stadium will be accessible via the LGR. -Not the most nature-centric trail as you're almost constantly surrounded by vehicles and freeways--you never get that lost in nature Zen that you may be seeking. -Huge Local Outdoor Enthusiast (LOE) population that's spread throughout the entire length of trail, but is heaviest in the Downtown area between Columbus Park and the Guadalupe River Gardens. I hate bashing the LOE but I've had various run-ins with them on this section of trail and I've even had to call SJPD a few times because one maniac was brandishing a firearm. The LGR is a classic example of how its greatest strength (accessibility, length, and proximity to key facilities) is also its greatest weakness. It's not a bad trail on its surface, but I can't really recommend coming on this trail alone, late at night or early in the morning; I know for a fact that there's a boatload of shenanigans afoot at any given time. But if you feel adventurous then go right ahead--just don't say I didn't warn you. read more

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There are parts of the trail that are nicer, but for the most part, there is a lot of overgrown grass and nothing too scenic. The place is overrun by the homeless and drug users - every 50 feet or so we walked, we would see a tent set up off path in between the bushes. Personally, I wouldn't come here alone. They also have a rose garden near this trail that's rather small but pretty nice. There are a couple of parking lots around different parts of the lower and upper trails which is pretty convenient. read more

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Decided to try a new running trail today and explore and quickly realized thos trail wasn't ideal. There were several camping tents out where homeless people slept and trash strewn everywhere along the path. It was like this throughout and at times felt unsafe and this was in broad daylight. I would not return to run here. read more

I love living close to this trail. It's very scenic and a great place to go for a run, walk your dog, or take a stroll before sunset. It does get crowded sometimes and if your walking, you may find yourself dodging bikes here and there. I have never felt unsafe but I would recommend giving yourself ample time to walk back to your car or home before the sun sets. I often get stopped by walkers asking to pet my mini goldendoodle, so he loves the attention he gets as well. Its very beautiful before sunset so I recommend bringing your camera for some golden hour shots! read more

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First of all: I love this trail and use it almost every day for commuting on my bicycle. I also use to love taking my kids riding or hiking on the trail but unfortunately, this is not possible anymore. Over the past 5 years, it has become completely overrun by drugs and homelessness. You cannot walk 50 feet on almost any section without encountering either: - unsavory characters that you would not want to encounter at night, or if you are a female or if you are with young children. - tents - trash - glass - needles etc. This problem is completely out of control and is getting worse, fast. A few years ago, there was only a few "campers" here and there, now some sections are completely overrun and unsafe. This is a disgrace, especially given the untold amount of taxpayers money that have been poured into building these trails. They are rapidly being destroyed. If you care about the environment, you should also be extremely concerned as large amount of trash, plastics and human excrements are being poured every day into the river and surroundings. I really hope the city/county wakes up soon to this unfortunate reality. read more

I believe the entire trail is a little over 7 miles, 14 roundtrip but unfortunately I was only able to do a little over 8 miles because my monster was getting antsy in the stroller. I decided walk the trail on Sunday for various reasons: a) groceries completed Saturday, b) laundry completed Saturday, c) free parking on Sundays, and d) decided to rest my body instead of going to the gym. I parked right across from the HP Pavilion - Home of the Sharks! Both of us seemed to enjoy the peaceful and serene surrounding. Cristal C. is right about the even paved roads. This trail is very stroller-friendly! I saw a guy jogging w/ his stroller and it made me envious because I can't do that w/ the stroller that I have currently. That just means that I need to check www.craigslist.org for used strollers geared for jogging. I need to find a bike trailer, too because once the sun is shining its rays down on us, I would like to be able to bike around to a) burn calories, b) build lower body strength, c) save on gas, and d) eleminate the hassle of finding parking (not to mention the majority of drivers out there are idiots). Not a scenic trail by any means. I saw a lot of litter *sad* which makes me want to return to this trail to organize a "clean up day" because I like to do stuff like this. This is our trail and if we don't take care of it, who will? I do understand there are a lot of homeless folks that reside on this very trail... it was even on the news this morning on KTVU. I just feel that we need to take better care of our environment and our people... some people are homeless due to the choices they have made (drugs, alcohol, etc.) but there are a few out there that are homeless simply because they got laid-off or because they can't make ends meet. I was hanging by a thread for a long ass time so I empathize greatly. As I walked, my monster kept me at peace, I started to recall good memories that happened not too long ago. Like when Kevin drove from SoCal to see me in June 2012. Our first meal together was at Smoke Eaters; I don't know how much exposure he has w/ kids but he gave my monster a piece of fry and it nearly choked the kid [haha]. On a separate weekend, we had a long albeit fun day in Monterey, we went to Safeway to get jambalaya and jalapeno bread; that was our late night dinner whilst sitting on my futon watching American Dad via Netflix. We had our first date (no kids) the second weekend we spent together... we watched Ted at the theater located at Santana Row. He asked me to the movies before ever meeting me. Having a long distance relationship calls for a lot of arguments, compromises, and the anticipation of when we'll be able to see each other next. I miss him dearly. I was also thinking about weddings. No, not my wedding but my best friend's wedding. I'm one of her bridesmaids so I need to start looking for a dress. I want a corset-style dress. I want the dress to be a flattering dark fall color (her colors are orange, brown, olive green, dark red), short in length (above the knees), and long-sleeves... hell, I might need to have it made especially for Tram! I don't know why but I'm excited and that excitement just started. I blame Cuc Crystal N. because of her review and awesome pictures of Vera Wang, San Francisco. I am starting the complete P90X program today so that my upper body (back, deltoids, biceps, and triceps) will be toned for the wedding. My legs are the only thing about me that I'm actually happy w/ but thankfully the program is a complete full body home bootcamp. I do have Insanity, too but I'll save the cardio for the gym and doing trails such as this. I'm just a bridesmaid and I'm going crazy already - hair, makeup, shoes, body fat %, dress must flatter body and look fabulous, how to smile [haha], pedicure, etc., etc. I can't imagine how insane I'll be when it's my own wedding. I'm typing freely and that's what being on the trail made me feel. I was thinking freely and smiled a lot to myself from the memories and future endeavours that I will embark on. Here are the things on my to-do list: - start volunteer journey at Heartland Hospice - use all my baking ingredients and bake for the 2 fire stations nearby - find tickets for San Francisco Giants' April 6 game - find tickets for San Jose Shark' March 28 game - look up airfares - start shopping for Kevin's birthday (I won't be publicizing my check-ins!!) What a great start to my week. Happy Monday!!! read more

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What can I say. I use a section of this trail couple times a week to run during the day time. Note: DURING THE DAY TIME only. Dana K. and I run from near Julian toward the airport and back. There are some friendly runners, bikers and dog walkers in that section of the trail, usually people says hi to you. Note: DURING THE DAY TIME only. The trail is well kept and we usually see a park ranger truck on the trail, which makes me feel a little better. There are some benches and picnic tables along the trail, and I even smell the sweet scent of blooming flowers! Note: DURING THE DAY TIME only. After the sun goes down... hmm...no comments. I pass a section of this trail near HP Pavilion when I go to the Sharks game, but I smell some other smells and see some other peoples during the night time. I bet I can break a world record of short distant sprint if I were made to run this trail at night. But over all, the city of SJ had done a great job cleaning up and completing this trail, connecting north of San Jose (237 Alviso area) and south of downtown San Jose (Children's Discovery Museum area). For more details of the trail go to: http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/GRiver/index.asp read more

First of all, I don't know what some people are complaining about. I read some of the reviews and we're just lucky we have a trail to run, bike, and walk our dogs. It has been a blessing to have this trail to train for my marathon. There are many ways to access this trail. This trail is a little over 20 miles, so it's perfect! On my longer runs, I would run down past 237 to Alviso and down to San Jose International Airport. If you continue all the way down it will lead you to the Rose Garden in San Jose. I never had any problems running on this trail. There are rocky, dirt, and paved paths along the way. You also run under levees to avoid the streets. If the levees are flooded then you just run across the street to get to the other side of the trail. I've been seeing the same people using this trail, so it's always nice to see familiar faces. Of course, don't use this trail or any other trails when it gets dark. I had to knock down a star due to the litter along the levees. People PLEASE don't litter! Also, this is a LEASHED dog trail. I almost stepped on an unleashed little chihuahua once while running. There's also a man with two big rottweilers that does the same thing. Hopefully, I don't get attacked one of these days by them :ox read more

Lower Guadalupe River Trail - The trail accessing from the Rivermark in Santa Clara - Hiking Near Me - San Jose, California

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Finally reached the end of the Lower Guadalupe River Trail. I have done many portions of this long trail, but just coincidentally went for a picnic at the Don Edwards Educational center (which is mostly a set of picnic tables under a wood roof and some posters explaining the history of Alviso and the importance of the water in this area) and found out my lost and last portion of trail. I met a lovely old Mexican man who told my colleague and I stories of the area from someone like him who spends most of his day seating by the sign seeing life pass and many employees from nearby companies walking and exercising during their lunch breaks. You cross the sign and you are already in Alviso, still San Jose but like a quaint semi ghost interesting town with things to discover (and construction going on, so won't last like this forever). This trail portion is well taken care of, very clean (they are clean public restrooms nearby) and extremely pleasant to walk without complications. You will even see water! (not always possible) and animal life, especially families of goose enjoying their lives. Very relaxing, quiet and refreshing. read more

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Just decided to try this trail out on July 4th after reading other reviews the night before. I guess I picked up on all the good things people said about this trail. Really even pavement, wide pathways, a lot of directional signs and mile markers, nice views (especially of the new 9ers stadium), nice people, restrooms and cool rest benches, off ramps to main streets and a really cool end point rest stop at Gold Street with people you can talk to. Because of its gradual elevation decrease from San Jose to Alviso and then increase from Alviso to San Jose, it really makes it a great trail to bike. I bike it from East San Jose then get on at Julian so I have to climb 2 overpasses before I start the trial. Coming back home really pushes my endurance and I love it! Definitely my fav trail so far. Don't plan to doing a night ride, but early weekend mornings are great. Good riding ya'll! read more

Lower Guadalupe River Trail - Just a stitch of my fav bike trail - Hiking Near Me - San Jose, California

A nice flat paved course that takes you through San Jose. You'll need to be careful as there are homeless encampments along the trail and you may come across strange goings on. read more

Walked on this trail over the weekend. Started on Coleman and before we knew it we were at the airport. The trail is nicely paved and big enough to have bikes and runner pass you without being rude about it. Who knew a park inbetween a freeway and a mainstreet right next door to downtown could be so serene. What I like most about this trail is that dogs are allowed. Its been harder and harder to find nice places to walk our dog. But beware we did run into a skunk once and were pretty close to being sprayed. A good portion of the trail is preserved so your not able to walk on the other side of the river. Theres lots of different types of birds. We even saw a crane last time. I suggest bringing water and other sun protection since most of the trail isnt covered the sun just beams on you. read more

I have run along the Guadalupe River Trail three times this past week and walked along it once as well. It almost felt like the tale of two trails as the downtown portion was vastly different to the part up by the airport. Since I was staying at the Hilton in downtown, that is where I started the trail at and the first time that I ran it I headed south towards I-280. This proved to be a mistake as I had to dodge a homeless man sleeping smack dab in the middle of the trail and some skateboarders using it as their own personal skatepark. Beyond that the large number of homeless encampments really creeped me out, especially when they were watching me run by myself early in the morning. The downtown area of the trail also has a ton of trash around it and the river and the path is convoluted and not that well marked. It was frustrating to be constantly switching sides to stop from the path running out or to avoid the homeless tents sitting in the middle of the trail. I also happened on a tighter area of the trail where a bike was laid down sideways impeding the progress and if I had been a cyclist and not a runner, it would have been bad news. So everything that I just said has to deal with the downtown part of the trail and after 3 days I finally got the right path so that it didn't feel as sketchy. Thankfully as mentioned above this trail also felt like two different trails as everything past the main park area of the Guadalupe River Park and out to the airport was great. The path was nice and wide and didn't meander between sides of the river and so it provided a nice running area for myself. There also wasn't nearly as much trash and it was much more populated with both cyclists and runners. The bottom line for me is that I would use this trail again in the future. Of course that comes with the caveat to avoid the downtown portion of the trail due to its meandering and the fact that it is trash strewn and can feel sketchy. read more

I was on a real downer when I found out my office was relocating from downtown Los Gatos to Shitsville San Jose. Mostly, it was because I wouldn't be able to cycle into work on the beautiful Los Gatos Creek Trail anymore. I figured out I could get 90% of the way to my new office on this trail. However, the view just isn't the same. No cougars. Only bums. No lake. Only storm drains. Did I mention the lack of cougars? Ok, so I've been riding it for three months now and I guess it isn't really that bad. Just different. If you like bird watching, there's some beautiful herons living under the 280/87 section. I'm certainly getting a better workout now - once you get over the 880 heading to the airport , the trail is gravel so there's a lot more resistance to overcome. Parts of it were a bit confusing when I started using it. Do I cross the bridge? Do I go under the bridge? Do I go up or down this ramp? My best advice is to follow the yellow lines on the path and you cant go wrong. Also, since parts of the trail up past the airport are totally exposed you get a fantastic farmers tan. Am I selling this to you yet? Hahaha. The only strangeness I've encountered so far? What's with all the flamboyant gentlemen walking their toy dogs in the evening? Oh no. :-O read more

This Trail keeps on going and going and going..... All throughout San Jose. I run on the portion next to a golf course with a great view of the magnificent 49ers Stadium being constructed. A plethora of diverse people Ride, Walk and Run all throughout the trail... From early in the morning to right before dark you can find someone trying to get some exercise in .... My favorite person that I see 3 times a week or so is the "backwards man" He walks the whole trail backwards it is damn funny looking, but I imagine it works out a different set of muscles - I just hope the "backwards man" can avoid walking blindly into a bike riding fool. read more

this is the longest trail that i have seen in the bay area. it is also the quietest and least-populated, which tells me that it's a lesser known recreation trail. i've only run along the northern part of the trail, spanning santa clara & alviso, so my review pertains only to this portion. pros: *family friendly *bikers, strollers, walkers, runners, dogs welcome *multiple trail entrances with parking lots, bathrooms & water fountain *mainly dirt path (easier on the joints when running) *mostly flat trail (some dips when going under roads/freeways) *wide trail/path which reduces congestion *water fountains along the trail *bathrooms along the trail *officially, this trail is 11 miles long. adding on alviso slough loop (northern end of trail) gives you an extra 9 miles. cons: *on a rainy day (or day after it rains), trails can be very muddy *no tree coverage, can get uncomfortable on a hot & sunny day *trail not marked, no mile markers *views aren't the greatest since trail runs through an industrial area i hope to run the southern part of the trail one day, as i'm told it's much more scenic, and update my review. read more

Like Monica L. wrote, this trail is definitely better to use as a means from getting from point A to point B as opposed to a recreation trail. Nonetheless, the bf and I use it quite often on our bikes to get from Downtown SJ to the Coleman Plaza. It's well kept and there are definitely some segments of it that you would forget that you're in San Jose. Beautiful greenery and little areas to feed the duckies. You'll see a good amount of folks using the trail from bikers to joggers to people walking their pups. However, I would definitely suggest using this trail only during the day. There are many secluded areas that have the potential of getting sketchy when the sun goes down. And as a general rule of thumb on any trail, try to use the buddy system as often as possible :) read more

I enjoy coming to this section of the Guadalupe River Trail for a stroll or jog because of its convenient location. It is close to the River Oaks light rail station and parking is easy if you drive. The trail hugs the creek which provides a change of scenery along the way. If you head north starting from Montague, it will lead you all the way to Alviso and Levi Stadium is in sight. A round trip makes a decent 6-mile run. If you go south, you will come across the Shark Tank and downtown San Jose. In recent years, they have paved one side of this part of the trail so it is smooth for biking. Personally, I hope they keep the other side untouched for those who prefer gravel. There are also many walkers from the residential area nearby. We just need to be respectful and share this pleasant trail. read more

Lower Guadalupe River Trail - Entrance from Tasman Drive - Hiking Near Me - San Jose, California

This is definitely not my favorite trail in the area and I don't recommend it if you are riding a bike especially a road bike. It is a good place to get around downtown San Jose though if you are trying to avoid traffic and it's day light out. We came here for a bike ride and were disappointed. it's short and confusing at times. Plus you can't go the entire way to Montague if you are on a road bike. The paved road turns into gravel road once you hit SJ airport. Unfortunately we had to turn around on our bikes. It's well kept and it seems safe in the day time but it probably won't be a place I will venture to again on our bikes for a good long ride. read more

This trail has the potential to be a beautiful trail! But there is almost none to little upkeep on the landscaping. They do have a bathroom on the trail but no fountains from what I saw. Also, there was a naked guy walking around. I wouldn't recommend running this by yourself. It made me uncomfortable and I wouldn't want myself, children or anyone else to be alone on this trail. read more

I love the Lower Guadalupe Trail as a place to work on Time Trialing on my bike. It's wide and flat with good visibility and several long straightaways. It's also a great way to bike-commute from the Bay to San Jose. Lately there has been more security and police patrolling, especially on the San Jose side. I haven't witnessed any suspicious activity here, and trash pickup happens at least once daily. That being said, I wouldn't be comfortable jogging here alone at night. There are some things that would improve the trail. Sometimes it ends without warning, only to continue on the other side of the road without being obvious. There is at least one short gravel section that makes me cross my fingers against flat tires. And if there was a way to improve shade or greenery along much of the trail, it would be much more suitable for a family walk. read more

I've biked this trail a few times between San Jose airport and downtown. The pavement is pretty good except there is a short unpaved portion by Coleman Road. Some of the dashed dividing lines have faded though, but if you follow them you will basically follow the main trailway. Its nice because there are lots of offshoots that connect roads and neighborhoods to the trail, but those do not have the yellow dashed line. It can get a bit confusing by downtown. I think we had to cross the river twice by going up to the street level and then cross a final street to go through the park area. If you follow the signs and the dashed line though you'll make it okay. Also there is always a group or two of people hanging out at downtown under the underpasses. Sometimes its teens. Sometimes pot or alcohol is obviously involved, but I've never had am issue biking past these people. There are also homeless people, especially in the park area by Coleman. Because of this I wouldn't go for running by myself here although the trail and creek and trees seem like a nice running area. read more

Just the fact that this trail exists and is as long as it is are a marvel in this area, which is as suburban as it gets and full of people whose idea of recreation is the gym in their suburban apartment complex. The city of SJ has done an amazing job carving out a peaceful off-street trail in an area dominated by freeways, overpasses, and an airport for crying out loud! It'd be a 5-star rating if the sketchy areas near downtown were cleaned up and the construction were complete. I'm sure both will happen soon enough. read more

Not much of a hiking trail, more of a walk or biking trail. This is great place for an afternoon walk or run and a fantastic place for biking because the trail is very wide and flat. I would recommend this trail more for a walk, run, or biking destination, but wouldn't consider it a hike. It can go as long as 9-15 miles and you can also check out the Upper Guadalupe River Trail as well. Don't forget that this trail is located near downtown San Jose so I would be a bit more cautious (especially since I am born and raised in East Side San Jose). The positive note about the trail is the marks of how many miles you have passed. There are period of sun and shade so you get the best of both worlds. There is also a small creek running a long the trail so you get a taste of a bit of green scenery during your activity. read more

If there's one rule to follow on the Guadalupe River Trail, it's: if you see a bridge, cross it! Parts of the GRT (especially through downtown San Jose) are poorly labeled, making it particularly tough for newcomers to the trail. It's not intuitive and at one point the trail just stopped and I was greeted with a mound of dirt and woods. No signs saying: "trail ends." No orange reflectors. Just a mound of dirt and woods. The rest of the trail is alright and takes you by a trickling creek where you are apt to find plenty of water fowl. However the path turns to gravel so it's not best for road bikes. Also if you're looking to continue on the Hwy 87 trail and further south, it's not always easy to find your way from place to place. The 87 trail is a nice fast straight shot though. If you're taking the trail for purposes of going to Alviso, try taking the San Tomas Aquino trail. It's smoother and easier to follow, with less erratic changes. read more

I live in south downtown San Jose, so i use this trail to get some miles on my road bike. I get on at Virginia St and head north towards Alviso, 9 miles each way. The trail goes back and forth over some bridges around downtown, but once you get to the airport you stay on the east bank of the river the last 5 miles. If ever in doubt just follow the dotted yellow line. The trail is pretty flat and wide, and the newly paved section north of SJC is very smooth. In the afternoon heading north you hit a nice headwind, which makes it even better turning around to head south. You get a nice view of the new 49ers stadium along the way. Not the best trail ever, but no complaints about a 18-mile car-free ride either. read more

Not recommended for road bikers! The trail from Children's Discovery Museum to the SJC Airport is great..... then it just stops. No signs, just a paved road that turns into a dirt road. Now what? Still not sure.... DON'T DO IT! read more

Mixed feelings. I love that this trail cuts through the city and allows you to not be on the road with cars (because folks downtown honestly aren't that cyclist-friendly and aren't good at sharing the road). The pavement is nice and in the summer it's nice to bike along the river because it's cool. That's the end of the nice things though. 1) not much lighting, so not a good option for night time 2) lots of homeless people in encampments under the overpasses. Pretty sure they were responsible for a brush fire that happened there a month ago. 3) the design is inconsistent and sometimes you'll end up on the side of a road and not know where to go 4) the signs for the detour toward Target are off. They direct you in a way you actually can't go. 5) some of the turns are way too sharp to take in an efficient manner as a cyclist, and there are big cement dividers that make it impossible to see if anyone is coming the other way around a curve... 6) broken glass from booze bottles intermittently throughout the trail. Watch carefully. This could be improved if San Jose had the money, but until then it's functional but not the best it could be. It's a nice safer commute option for bicyclists for rainy days at least. read more

Not exactly a "date" kind of trail. Unless for some reason she really loves airports. But it's definitely a safe way to commute from Santa Clara (the very south end of the actual bay/Alviso) to San Jose Downtown/Diridon. It's a pretty rocky trail that would be pretty hard on a road bike as my hybrid fish tails a little bit on the north end of the trail, but the trail is pretty worn down toward the south. Taking this path saves you the cars, and the lights from a north-south trip, and gets you close enough to the LG Creek trail to work yourself over East-West. read more

The new Guadalupe River Trail or should I say the new surface and the work they've done to improve this trail had been magnificent. I take the trail from W. Tasman Drive for run going towards the Mineta SJ International Airport which is approximately 5 miles. The trail have a new asphalt surface that is smooth for bicycle riding. I like the quarter mile marker they put in along the trail. I gave it 5 star good. read more

Lower Guadalupe River Trail - Hiking Near Me - San Jose, California

Going from Coleman North is a bit of return to nature, and return to the wild, as it should be. Very rewarding and renewing!! Right now, so very green, after the rains!! Be sure and take a look south of the coleman bridge, for a most enjoyable view of river ducks at play, in utter contentment!! Karita Hummer read more

This is probably the nicest trail to ride a bike but I felt so unsafe riding here. It's sad how many tents and homeless people love around this trial. Very sad read more

Watch out for the underpass at Tasman it'll mess up your tires if you're going too fast. Also, the trail north of the airport is all clean and well travelled. The trail is well maintained from the airport to Gold Street save for the aforementioned underpass 4.5 stars read more

Lower Guadalupe River Trail - And the Trail begins - Hiking Near Me - San Jose, California

This is one of the reasons I like where I live because it is close to this beautiful trail. Basically you can get away from the city and civilization in a middle of a city )) Once you hit the trail, it is surrounded by trees and green bushes along the Guadelupe river. You can go all the way from Downtown to Alviso and the open Bay and continue on over there. I like to ride to Alviso and continue on along the trail that goes on the north of 237 and off to the bay all the way pass Moffett Field and Shoreline. Always fresh sea breeze on a north side and really cool scenery of Urban Civil Engineering closer to a downtown. Get on your bike and ride it, what else can I say. read more

This trail is so long... There are parts of it where the water is stagnant and it is kind of smelly. However, if you get to the part by the airport it is nice with flowing water. Of course it is loud, you are walking right next to the airport, but it is still a good walk. The lane is paved and is good for those walking or biking. I have seen lots of families on the trail so that is also great for those of you with kiddos! I have never walked or biked the full trail but hope to one day. read more