About Joseph D. Grant County Park: At 9,553 acres, Grant is the largest park in Santa Clara County. It is located in Halls Valley and the foothills of the Diablo Mountain Range east of San Jose. The landscape is characteristic of the eastern foothills of the Santa Clara Valley with both grasslands and majestic oak trees. There are 51 miles of trails for hikers and bikers. The park's somewhat remote location shelters a great variety of wildlife and plants. In late summer and early autumn, Grant is overrun with mating tarantulas, and all year long you might see wild pigs. The park is lovely in winter with mistletoe dripping from oaks and long clear views. Spring wildflowers are legendary. In autumn maple leaves, acorns, and tarantulas are on the ground. If you're lucky, we might spot a wild pig or a coyote.
Hike Description: We began the hike with a tour of the beautiful Ranch Home that was built in 1882 and remodeled by Joseph D. Grant into the home it is today. We then began the hike on the Hotel Loop Trail where we passed by Grant Lake with its abundant waterfoul. This took us to our first climb along the Halls Valley Trail up to an elevation of about 1,300 feet elevation. While on the ridge we enjoyed the magnificent views of Mt. Hamilton, Halls Valley, and in the distance, the Santa Cruz Mountains. We were also lucky enough to spot a herd of pigs in the distance as the approached the Canada de Pala Trail. On our descent down, we connected to the Yerba Buena Trail from the Canada de Pala trail which took us to the Loop Trail where we passed by the lake which took us back to the parking lot. Our eight mile loop hike was moderate and took us a little over three hours.
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View of Mt. Hamilton from Trail |
Grant lake |
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Hikers at Grant Park |
Lake View from Trail |
Park Details and Maps |
| Hours: 8 a.m. to dusk |
Carpool Info: There will be a carpool meeting at 8:00 a.m. from a high school parking lot which has free public parking on the weekend. The lot is located on the northwest corner of Alum Rock Ave and White Road. Heading east on Alum Rock Ave, turn left at White Road and turn left into the lot at the first opportunity. The opening on Alum Rock is an exit only.
Driving Directions to Trailhead: From Highway 101, exit Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Ave. and drive east on Alum Rock Ave. a little less than four miles, From Highway 680, exit Alum Rock Ave. and drive east two and a half miles. Turn right onto Mount Hamilton Road and drive about eight miles on the narrow winding road to the park entrance on the right side of the road. Once past the entry kiosk, go straight past the first parking area on the left, then turn left where the road splits and go to the parking lot where there are some nice shady spots near the restrooms. There is a five dollar vehicle entry fee (self-registration if kiosk is closed). There are maps at the entry kiosk and near the beginning of the hike.
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