Picchetti Ranch Open SPACE
About Picchetti Ranch Open Space
Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve has 308 acres of rich history. The ranch is named after the Picchetti family who emigrated from Italy in the 1870s and operated a winery at Picchetti for 72 years. There is a beautiful brick winery building and a farm complex at the preserve.
Homestead House: Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve offers much more than just hiking trails. You can enjoy the property by visiting the Homestead House which was built in 1882 by the Picchetti brothers as a temporary home while they were waiting for the main home to be built. It eventually was used as lodging for ranch hands, storage for gallon wine jugs and housing birds.
Picchetti Winery: A highlight of a trip to the Picchetti Ranch is a visit to the history winery complex. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the winery is open daily to the public for tasting's from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The winery grounds are also open to the public and include picnic tables and lots of grass areas. Expect to see peacocks nearby during your visit to the winery area.
The hiking is fabulous and includes the Bear Meadow trail which leads to the summit offering superb views. The 1.9 mile Zinfandel Trail provides easy hiking through shaded areas lush with ferns and great views of Stevens Creek Reservoir. This trail connects with Stevens Creek County Park.
Hike Description: This hike is approximately six miles long in both the Picchetti Ranch Area and the adjacent Stevens Creek Park. We'll begin at the Picchetti Ranch parking area and pass by the winery complex and through remnants of orchards and vineyards from the early days of the ranch. We'll take the Orchard Loop Trail along the oak-shaded hilltop overlooking Stevens Creek Reservoir which will connect us to the Zinfandel Trail. This will take us through oak-studded and chaparral-covered hills to Stevens Creek. From there, we'll take a short walk along the paved road which connect us to the Bear Meadow trail which we'll take us back to the Zinfandel trail and back to the winery.
This hike should take about two and a half hours, and the Winery will be open for tasting at about the time we return (11:00 AM). There are also picnic tables at the winery complex for those who want to stay. Meet at the trailhead at 8:30 .a.m. Leaders Dawn and Charlie.
Park Details
Hours: Call park for trail details. See park web site below.
Carpool Info: No carpool will be arranged. This is an easy drive to the trail head. Parking is Free. See you there!
Driving Directions to the Trail Head: From Interstate 280, exit at Foothill Expressway and drive 3.5 miles southwest on Foothill Expressway (which changes to Stevens Canyon Road about halfway there), Turn right on Montebello Road (immediately after the quarry entrance) and drive six-tenths of a mile to the parking area on the left. Parking is free.
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