I live not too far from here. I went a few months ago when I took the day off to hang with Gavin. He said he would like to tun with me, so I found this trail nearby so we would not have to go all the way to Los Gatos Creek Trail to get our sweat on. It turned out Gavin wasn't as enthusiastic about running and I didn't have the patience, so I jogged/ran/walked while he no longer appeared when I turned around. It's a manageable trail/loop, but I had to maneuver around quite a bit because they were doing construction. It's a hidden gem. read more

This is one of my favorite spots in San Jose, such a great place for walks. You can park inside the park and it's $6. Also, you can park on the side towards the neighborhood and walk in. I really love that there's a path you can walk that breaks off in so many directions. The best part is there's so much wildlife in the area and they're so active as well! We seen squirrels, birds, cranes, and more! read more

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I grew up coming to this park, and it still holds up as one of my favorite spots in the area. It's a really peaceful place to walk, bike, or just get some fresh air. The trails are well-maintained and scenic, with plenty of room to spread out. Even during peak times, it never feels too crowded; there's enough space for everyone to enjoy without it being overwhelming. Whether you're out for a jog, walking the dog, or just need a mental reset, this park is a gem. read more

I love this park so much and love coming here for walks and just to be outside with nature. The roads are paved and wide. Avoid going during peak sun hours because it'll be hot since there is not a lot of shady areas. Ample parking. read more

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This has been a great park that my family has been frequenting as there's just still so much to see. The paths are endless and it's fun to explore different parts of the park. The parking is ample and easy to find a convenient space. It's nice that there's always a lot of people enjoying her park all the time. I'm most excited to see the different animals that pop up during my visit. I've seen squirrels, hawks, hummingbirds, lizards, and all types of birds. It was cool that we recently discovered that the park has a plant sale every 3rd Saturday of the month, which has a bunch of native California plants, succulents, and even growing your own garlic. read more

I've been coming here for many years with my fur babies . We had the best memories , going for walks , hanging out on a nice sunny day & riding around on our electric scooter. This place is clean & very well kept ! There's so many places to sit around and hang out and it's very well maintaned park. Loved coming here for our walks... this place has brought us so many amazing times and also some sad times . We took our fur baby Hazel here on her last day with us , since it was her favorite park. We strolled her around the park in her wagon and sat down on our favorite ledge , & reminisced all the amazing times we had together & said our goodbyes . I think coming here brought her so much peace and happiness she was finally able to let go and cross the rainbow bridge that day . The pain & grief of loosing a dog is the worst pain ever. I still haven't been back here after her passing a few months ago but in time , i'll be back again. We love you Hazel =)Thanks for making the last 15 years so incredible . We'll forever miss you my Angel ! This place will always hold a special spot in our hearts. read more

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I like coming here a few times a week to go for a walk. Beautiful walking paths around farmland. It's a great place to have get togethers. There are plenty of picnic spots with tables and barbecues. Lots of open lawn space and a playground for the little ones. There are public restrooms available and plenty of parking spaces. note: You may have to pay an entrance fee to park inside the picnic area but, there is free parking on Chynoweth Ave. read more

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Stopped by Martial Cottle Park on a hot Sunday morning for Viva CalleSJ, an event which takes place at changing locations several times throughout the year. The park is more like a nature preserve, they have barely any trash cans around, lots of grassy fields and open space to run around, a few trees but not a lot of shade compared to other parks, educational programs, sheep on site, farmland and community gardens, concrete trails, a slippery boardwalk, picnic tables and bbq grills, and a cute farm-themed playground with a tractor and animal structures, as well as at least one restroom building. Due to the lack of water features and minimal shade, this park isn't exactly on the top of my list for those warmer days. We also found a corn snake here that creeped me out. But it's still a clean and beautiful place, with a bit of free parking too. read more

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I went with my group I love that park too it was so amazing and it was so cool too that park is for everybody is for walks too I love to walk too read more

its natural beauty (lush grass, trees, flowers), amenities (playgrounds, trails, restrooms, benches), the atmosphere (peaceful, family-friendly, good for jogging), and specific features (ponds, fountains, unique structures) to give readers a clear picture of what to expect for a fun, refreshing, and well-maintained outdoor experience. read more

Martial Cottle Park - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

Beautiful park in San Jose that is owned by the Cottle family. Great for exercising solo or with your family. There are small play areas for the little ones that include statues of farm animals (pigs, chickens, horses, cows). They have nice picnic areas that are perfect for both large and small parties. Pro tops: check out the visitors center on your way out to learn about the history of the land and the family that owns it. Parking is $6 inside the park, but if you don't mind an extra short walk you can park on the street on the residential area right outside the park. read more

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Best park and really safe. Always a ton of people walking around and biking. Love this park!

This is the kind of park that Leslie Knope lives for! If you don't know who Leslie Knope is, I highly recommend you go watch episodes of the TV comedy series Parks and Recreation! You can thank me later... ;) It's Presidents' Day 2021, and my hubby and I decided to look up a new place to go for a walk/hike together since we wanted a change of scenery other than our neighborhood streets or usual trails (something we've done almost daily since the pandemic started in March of last year). How neither of us had ever been to or even heard of Martial Cottle Park is beyond me! This place is a true South Bay gem! Walkers, runners, cyclists, roller skaters/bladers, and pretty much any type of park-goer and nature-lover will love this place. It's got something for everyone, and a ton of space to boot! Current COVID closures include the Visitor Center and all the group picnic areas. We did see people go in/out of the restrooms, so those are open. Aside from the large open space (287 acres) and 3+ miles of paved trails, the other incredible feature of this park is its history. You can learn all about Martial Cottle Park's agricultural past, their innovations in organic, sustainable farming practices, and the Cottle family's amazing story. The park is still very much an active farm/ranch, and even provides ongoing community education. For Valentine's Day (which was yesterday), my husband had a tree planted in my honor as part of the park's Our City Forest organization. Now that's what I call long-lasting love, and the gift that will keep on giving! There's ample parking within the park and many designated spots along its perimeter. Currently, there are no parking fees within the park due to COVID, as they're encouraging people to get outside and enjoy nature during these tough times. read more

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This is a nice place to take a walk or ride a bike. It's pretty much all flat, with a few exhibits to look at, a community garden, and a playground area for kids. Dogs are allowed, but not in the playground. (Sorry Zoey!) On the day we came, there was a biting, cold wind, so I did not want to explore the entire park. read more

Martial Cottle Park - Sign at entrance - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

This park is nestled between farmland and housing in the middle of South San Jose. While there are different walkways and "trails," this park is mostly flat-surfaced. There are plenty of areas to sit and barbecue, and the space is great for your kids to ride a bike or for a person to walk or run on a flat land. One lap, I'm told, Is approximately 2.5 miles. There is a Safeway, Panda Express, McDonald's, Subway sandwich, pizza joint, Baskin-Robbins, and a Japanese restaurant across the street. It would be great to grab a bite from there and sit on the grass in the park and enjoy a picnic. The only downside for my kids was that they were expecting a big playground for monkey bars, swings, and the like. But, I was happy. read more

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Generally I like to take long hikes in very woody areas but today I took a different kind of hike. This one was at Martial Cottle Park, a 287 acres urban farm. What I like about the Martial Cottle trail was that it was completely paved so if you wanted to share hiking with someone who couldn't walk on uneven surfaces you can take them here. It's well paved and maintained. The Martial Cottle trail goes around the perimeter of the farm. If you walk from main parking lot to Snell Ave's entrance to Martial Cottle trail and take it all the way around and back to the parking lot, it will be about 3 miles. It's beautiful walking past all the amazing fields of tomatoes, squash, melons, corn, pumpkins, herbs, and flowers. One of my favorite things that I saw was the cute ground squirrels running up and stealing fallen tomatoes. The park has 5 picnic areas, green space, a playground for kids, and visitor center/ education center. Parking is $6 for all day parking. read more

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We picnicked here on a cooler summer day. Had benches and bbq. You have to reserve to have the bbq pits unlocked.

This park is huge and clean! If you're looking for a park to walk, jog, run, ride your bike, or fly a kite check this one out. I like to walk around this park during the evening and watch the sunset. Moreover, I love seeing all the animals at the park. It's a kid friendly park and they have a nice play area for the kids. Also, you can bring your pet to this park. For parking, you can pay $2 per hour or a flat rate of $6 for all-day parking. There's a Harvest Festival that's happening on 10/6/18 from 10am-3pm so mark your calendars if you don't have plans and want to check out this park. read more

Martial Cottle Park - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

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When I went the grass was really dry and dirty. Not sure if that how it always is. It was my first time there.

A nice walking path around the farm to walk your dog or ride your bike or push a stroller or push your baby stroller. Nice bathrooms, picnic tables, benches etc. Pretty at sunset, a bit hot in the direct sun / midday. read more

Great open park for walks, picnics, and gatherings. It's a really big park with pathways and my kids love going on their bikes and hanging with their friends in the open grass. It's mostly flat so it's good for new riders. I went during the covid pandemic so they suspended parking fees at that time. I believe the regular rate is $6/car. There isn't a lot of trees, so be aware if you're going there during a hot day. The trees can be occupied by other families. They also have tables and grills that are available to use as well, but also they are not shaded. The park is huge and you could spend a long time walking/running the pathways or even the perimeter. It's clean and looks to be well maintained. read more

While most places are closed due to Covid, at least we still have our parks and if you have to go to any park you might as well go to Martial Cottle! There are plenty of paved trails for walking, jogging, roller skating, biking, and scootering -- saw it all last weekend! The kids will love the farm animals and tractor. The older kids will get a kick out of the "tree".. I'm just grateful we still have this little bit of the outdoors right in our neighborhood for kids to be a kids. Please if you go, be mindful of social distancing and pick up after yourselves!! Let's show others that we "can have nice things". read more

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Wow! This trail is small but just beautiful! I stumbled across it after completing the Guadalupe River Trail (over by Oakridge Mall) thought I'd try to find the northbound Guadalupe connector trail but found this one instead. It's just off Chenoweth, very easy bike ride on street since there is a bike lane. This is the perfect park/trail for beginner cyclist, great for the kiddos starting out. This is probably the BEST trail for biking newbies in South Bay. I flagged down a ranger and asked him what's in the works for this park, he said check back in a year they will definitely be expanding it. Yay!!! We need more open spaces in SJ. Just wish this somehow was connected to Guadalupe River Trail off Blossom Hill. Oh well! The parents of little ones must check out this park. It is by far the cleanest park in SJ. Lots of people always around, especially rangers. I would feel totally safe coming by myself. read more

Martial Cottle Park - beautiful mustard fields! This was taken in late spring - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

It's 102 degrees out, and I for some reason decided it would be a good time to go check out Martial Cottle Park on my bike. It wasn't a good idea. But it was. It was, obviously, super hot, but the plus side is that essentially no one was on the path (except for like another biker, a jogger, and a walker--props to you guys). Thus, I was able to have virtually free reign. Firstly, let it be known that there is absolutely zero shade on the outer path. Zero. There are trees planted which, in 2030, MAY provide shade, but for the next many years, you're out of luck. Sunscreen, people! Also, as far as the sights go, you will see a dirt field, perhaps some cows, a pumpkin patch near the fall, a little playground area, and...those doggie bag stands. There isn't a ton to see at this moment, but there are probably bigger plans for the park down the road. The whole outer trail only took me like 15 minutes to bike. Keep in mind that it doesn't connect in the typical O-shape around the perimeter, but instead you have to cut across the middle section. Entrances/exits are in select neighborhoods and on the corners of that street with Safeway and McDonald's on it. Is that Snell? Too lazy to look it up on Google Maps but not too lazy to ride a bike in deathly hot weather?--OK... Anyways, the park itself is not excruciatingly exciting, but it is nice that there is this little walkway at all. For the longest time, this was just land not really used at all. My ride was pretty refreshing for whatever reason. Riding on a bike is always kind of fun, and having the wind--even as arid as it was--rush past me was exhilarating. The heat was really an afterthought, surprisingly. In the future, I'd love more signs visible from the outside roads to indicate where exactly to enter as well as more vegetation and interesting things to do on the inside. For now, though, it is perfect for absorbing magnificent amounts of UV rays whilst walking down a wide-open pathway. read more

Martial Cottle Park - 102 degrees F out--perfect for a bike ride! - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

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OPEN UNTIL SUNSET, not 5PM. Large park with paved roads for walkings/jogging and biking which are only a few years old. It is definitely hard to find shade so bring a hat and sunglasses if you go during hot weather. It is nice to be able to walk around and check out the nursery with lots of Dahlias, Sunflowers, and other plants growing. There is definitely a wide variety of weeds as well haha. They have a nice shaded picnic area with 2 BBQ pits. I have yet to use them, but would like to one day. The playground area is very nice for kids as well! Lots of obstacles to tire out the kids. I enjoy takings my dog here for walks and running wild with her on the grass too. It is NOT an off-leash area so please remember to keep your dogs leashed. There are plenty of dog poop bags available around the park as well to help keep it clean! Overall, a large, clean park that is great for walking and biking. read more

This is half park half farm half a lot of other curiosities that make me curious who tf came up with the idea for this place. Honestly it's as if the city planners were on lsd when they came up with the idea of this place, there's a petting zoo, random bridges, weird fenced off sections, community garden. Just a bunch of random ppl. Anyways worth the lunch stroll for sure. If you Have miss this is a great place to get them to wear themselves down in. read more

I love walking my dog here! There are a lot of runners, bicyclists, and people in general here. Beware of snakes in the dirt! I saw one crossing the road one time and it scared me! read more

Such a peaceful and great for a walk or jog. It's new, clean, have play ground for kids, or playing some game , enough shade for BBQ group. Parking is $6.00 but you will feel relax and have quiet time here read more

A really big park with lots of open space in the middle of South San Jose. It's so nice to see so much grass in the city. There are plenty of picnic tables and grills for picnics as well as a very large walking loop around the entire park. Close to 2 miles all the way around. There are plenty of walkers, bikers, roller bladers, and pups on a nice sunny day! A lovely place to spend a beautiful day. The only thing that would make it better would be if there was a fitness loop or some more things to do in the park! read more

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This is a great spot to go for a walk or run, very nice long trails. Not a lot of shade though, so be prepared.

We took the kids here with scooters. Not much to see or do. No playground. Not many shaded areas. There is a small "museum" where there was a volunteer who went over the history of San Jose. She was extremely friendly. I enjoyed chatting with her very much. $6 to park. Wouldn't go again. read more

Decent park near where I live. Good for walking dogs or biking. Glad to see there's a parking lot now so that visitors don't park inside the surrounding neighborhoods. read more

A slice of suburban paradise! Martial Cottle Park is one of the things I miss the most about living in the Snell/Branham Neighborhood. Park is HUGE and is perfect for a jog, bike ride, or evening stroll. The park is very clean, lots of grass with playgrounds and exhibits you can check out. Water stations along the trail and it's very dog friendly. It's very accessible with multiple entrances and both free and paid parking. There is a TON of free parking along the perimeter. Parking fee is $6! I recommend paying for parking if you are having a BBQ so you don't have to carry in your items but overall I do like that both options are present. Since it's a review and I guess I should list one complaint...and the only complaint would be a lack of shade. On a HOT summer day, it can bring you down so just be mindful and make sure you have a hat/sunscreen. Final Piece of Dirty Donovan Life Advice? Well it's more of a fact - the park is a whopping 287 acres! read more

Very very very beautiful park! Lovely to the max, we are doing the "Parks for Life" challenge organized by the Santa Clara County parks and allows us to check all these amazing places in the Silicon Valley area. Very green, flat, fantastic fake zoo with funny animals to play with, trees to hug, visitor center, and the most important, tons and tons of tables for picnic purposes and the respect and love for sustainable agriculture and farming life. When we went they were having a picnic dinner with candle lights and music to support local farming. I could not expect more from an urban park. read more

Martial Cottle Park - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

I came here for a picnic with some friends. It's a clean park but not much of a playground. There's some grass for some lawn games. They have some nice picnic tables, BBQ grills, and clean bathrooms. We did pay $6 for parking. You can park on the side street and walk but with the heat and all the things you need to carry, I think you might want to pay. Also, bring your bikes, there's a nice path. I came on a Sunday and it was pretty quiet. read more

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A fantastic local park near me, great for running, walking, jogging, or bring the family out for a day. The whole loop is about 2.45 miles and all concrete pavement. There are plenty of porter potty in the park and I think there are few drinking fountains. There is a BBQ picnic area (although you need reservation), and kids playing area Parking is $6 (unless you have the annual parking pass) or you can park in the bordering neighborhoods (it is on the opposite end of the picnic area, about a mile walk) Overall, great park to get your 10k step in. read more

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Nice trail around the park. Playground is small but lots of fun because it centers on the history of the park. So blessed to have this donated land to preserve our city/areas heritage. Tip: Parking on the street Chynoweth is free. I paid because the money goes to fund city of san jose parks. Thank you for this great park. read more

I love this place!! Since the weather is warmer, it's so nice to go on a evening walk. The environment is very calm and relaxing. I like to come here whenever I am stress out about work or life and take a walk. The rangers on-site are always nice and friendly. Family friendly area. It's also very clean park. I recommend to come and check it out. read more

Martial Cottle Park - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

It took me a minute to find this park because it's actually hidden from streetview, and it's also located on a farm that that used to be private property. You can't really see it if your driving on Snell or the other main nearby roads, and the only way to access the park is through it's main gate (off of Snell). You also have to drive a bit down a road to get to the main parking lot, which is located right next to the clean and accessible park restrooms. From the parking lot you can also see tables and bbq grills which are located away from the "play area", which you actually have to walk around the corner a bit to find. The play area is very unique and as others have stated, is country-farm themed, with statues of typical farm animals like cows, chickens, and pigs (see my pictures). There also fake tractors to play on kids and a cool tree stump lookout that's located up a small hill, which gives you a nice view of the entire play area section of the park. However, one downside of the park is that the play area does NOT have a REAL actual playground which is something that my kids noticed and pointed out to me right away. There are no slides, no swings, and no real playground equipment (there are rock structures however and logs to climb and crawl through) but no real playground equipment that you would usually find at a typical neighborhood park. read more

Martial Cottle Park - Sitting on a piggy! - Parks Near Me - San Jose, California

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I just went to Martial Cottle Park recently after wanting to go for a while to check out the Master Gardener's plot. I went for the Master Gardener's spring sale (and picked up more pepper plants than I have use for... free jalapenos for everyone!) and had a very good experience. Parking is $6, and it's an easy walk to the master gardener's area. One thing about the parking lot, though, it's more of a parking 'field' if you catch my drift (lots of bumps, no lined spaces, etc.). I regretted bringing my civic; it was definitely a job for my truck! Overall, I had a great experience here and am planning to go back. It is a large space, with picnic benches and barbeque areas for parties. read more