South Bay Ramblers
2010 Hiking Schedule
Welcome to the South Bay ramblers hiking group! We have been leading twice monthly hikes in the south bay since 2005. Our hikes generally cover six to eight miles and can be fairly strenuous. Please visit our meet-up site to become a member of our group, receive the twice monthly hike notices and to RSVP for hikes at http://www.meetup.com/SouthBayRamblersHikingGroup/.
Jan 9th - Calero County Park
Calero County Park is one of Santa Clara County's most diverse parks. It is nestled in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and is bounded to the south by Rancho Canada del Oro Open Space Preserve. On this hike we will pass through oak woodland, grasslands, canyons and chaparral riparian plant communities, including Llagas Creek, the headwaters for the Pajaro River. Near the parking area is a pasture which the horses share with wild turkeys in the morning at feeding time. Our route will take us by the Calero Bat Inn, past several ponds in which we may see water birds, and along the shore of Calero Reservoir in which we will probably see a number of birds. There are several moderate ascents on this hike which is about eight miles long and.should take about three hours to complete. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at carpool location or 8:30 a.m. at the trailhead. Leader Monica. Click here for directions, maps and carpool information.
Jan 31 - Almaden Quicksilver Hacienda Entrance
This hike was rescheduled from 1/23. We'll make a 7 1/2 mile loop with beautiful vista's of New Almaden while walking through chaparral, grassland and oak woodlands. We'll see some remnants of the quicksilver mining era as we walk along. The hike is strenuous, because of some steep hills and it will takes us 3 hours to complete. Click here to RSVP. Leader Dawn
Feb 13 – Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
Windy Hill was the first protected property of the Peninsula Open Space Trust and is now administered and maintained by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Located in Portola Valley and named for its breezy grass-covered hilltop, it features open grassland ridges and forests of redwood, fir, and oak. Our hike will start with a short walk along the Betsy Crowder Trail and then up through grasslands from to Skyline Blvd along the Spring Ridge Trail. The highest point on the hike, which offers simultaneous views of the coast and bay, is the top of a hill along the Anniversary Trail. We will descend on the forested Hamms Gulch Trail. This hike is about eight miles long and should take about four hours to complete. Restrooms are available at the parking lot and about midway at Skyline Blvd. - Leader Marcia. Click here to RSVP
Feb 20 - Phleger and Huddart Park
Hike Description: This is a loop hike to Skyline Road via Phleger and Huddart parks. We will start from the Zwierlein Picnic area of San Mateo County's Huddart Park at 8:30 AM. Our route will take us into Phleger Estate of the GGNRA and on an ascent, steep at times, to the Kings Mountain area near Skyline Road. We will descend through Huddart park on the Chinquapin and Dean trails back to the start. The hike will take four to five hours. The parks feature mixed oak, redwood and fir forests, and the route is mostly shaded. This is a strenuous hike of nearly ten miles and 1700' of elevation gain.. Click here to RSVP.
Feb 27 – Stevens Creek County Park
Meet at the Stevens Creek County Park Parking Lot at 8:30 a.m. We will be hiking along the Coyote Ridge and making a complete loop back to the parking lot via Vista Loop Trail and the Lookout Trail. This is a wonderful refreshing hike with good combination of hills and flat lands. We will be hiking for approximately 3.5 hours. Click here to RSVP. Leaders Dawn and Charlie.
Mar 13 - Henry Coe State Park - Details coming soon!
mar 20 - Pinnacles National Monument
This is a loop hike to Pinnacles National Monument's most scenic attractions. We will start from the east entrance and hike up Bear Gulch through the caves to the reservoir. From there we will go on the High Peaks Trail to spectacular views, and down the Tunnel and Juniper Canyon trails to the west entrance for lunch. We will return on a relatively flat route along the Balconies Trail through caves, Old Pinnacles Trail, Bench Trail, and finish with a climb up Bear Gulch back to our starting point. There will be an option to bypass the two caves for those who don't want to try them. This is a strenuous hike of about 11 miles with about 2,000' of elevation gain and is a full day commitment including driving there and back. Leader Fran. Click here to RSVP
Mar 27 - Long Ridge Wild Flower Hike
Long Ridge Open Space Preserve: The hike will be on Long Ridge Trail and Road, Ward Road, and Hickory Oaks Trail on which we will pass through both forest and grassland. There will be great views all the way to the ocean from the open areas. We will finish on the Peters Creek Trail through a wooded canyon. This hike is 7 miles, 1400 feet elevation gain. Leader Sharon. Click here to RSVP
Apr 10 - Santa Teresa Wild Flower Hike
Santa Teresa Spring Wild Flower Hike. - Santa Teresa Park is located in the Santa Teresa Hills in south San Jose and supports many diverse plant and wildlife habitats. Our hike will be mostly in open grasslands and on gentle slopes. We'll start with a climb to Coyote Peak, where there are views of southern Santa Clara Valley and the Diablo and Santa Cruz Mountains. There are spectacular wildflower displays along several trails in the spring. We will be following two of Santa Clara County Park's Healthy Trails on this hike: the Hidden Springs/Coyote Peak/Rocky Ridge Loop and the Fortini Loop. The hike is about seven miles long and should take about three and half hours. Click here to RSVP
Apr 24 – Alum Rock and Boccardo Trail Wild Flower Hike
Alum Rock Park. North Rim Trail to Boccardo Trail Open Space - We we will the hike by accessing the North Rim Trail from the Big Bear Parking lot in the park which is at the far west boundary of the park. We will proceed along the north side of the canyon where we will get a panorama view of the Santa Clara Valley and San Francisco Bay from the Eagle Rock Overlook. We will then connect to the Boccardo Trail from the Todd Quick Trail. At the top of the Todd Quick Trail (1- to 1.5-miles) there will be a gate that will lead to the Boccardo Trail. We will hike for one and half miles to the prominent knoll which is 1896 feet in elevation and offers a spectacular view of the valley. The descent back down will be via the Boccardo Trail where we will connect back to the Todd Quick Trail and then to the North Rim Trail which will lead us back to the parking lot. RSVP Details coming soon!
may 8th - Castle Rock State Park
May 8th –Castle Rock State Park. Join us on this wonderful and exhilarating hike. We will hike an approximately 8 mile loop stating at the Saratoga Gap Trail from the main park headquarters, going through the campsite to Loghry Woods Trail. We'll cross Hwy 35 and walk back to the parking lot on Skyline Trail. Allow approximately 3.5 hours for this hike. Meet us at the trailhead at 8:30 a.m or carpool from 4th Street in Saratoga at 8 a.m. Leader Dawn. RSVP Details Coming Soon.
May 22nd - Purisma Creek Open Space
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve -Join us for a wonderful scenic hike through the redwoods along Purisima Creek. The centerpiece of this 3,360-acre preserve is Purisima Creek Canyon, with its towering redwoods, rushing creek, and understory of ferns, berries, and wildflowers. Coastal scrub and hardwood forests of tanoak, madrone, and Douglas fir border the cool moist canyon. We will start by climbing the Harkins Ridge Trail then make our descent via Soda Gulch then complete the loop by taking the Purisima Creek Trail for a total of 7 miles. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the carpool or 9:00 at the trailhead. Leader Monica. RSVP Details Coming Soon.
june 12th- Old Cove Bluff Trail at Wilder Ranch
Wilder Ranch State Historic Park encompasses an agricultural preserve of brussel sprout fields and the cultural preserve of the former Wilder Ranch. The buildings, barn, gardens, and Victorian house are all open to the public. The 8+ mile trail heads coastward on an old ranch road, then turns north along the bluff tops, offering a birds-eye view of the surf and harbor seals resting on the rocks off shore. It then follows ranch roads past pocket beaches, retreating inland now and then to bypass deep gullies. Leader Marcia RSVP Details coming soon.