Almaden Quicksilver

Short hike with a moderate hill. After parking on the street, it is a short walk up to the true park entrance. I prefer to head to the right, past the picnic table and port-a-potties. Take the first left and head up to the wooden bridge. Ten minutes steady climb up one of the park's newest trails will have you at the bench that sits at the junction. Turn left and head downhill back to the entrance.

Trail map

An excellent one-hour hike with fine views and great Spring wildflowers . After parking on the street, it is a short walk up to the true park entrance. This hike works well in either direction, but I will describe the counter-clockwise version. Head to the right, past the picnic table and port-a-potties. After about 0.2 miles, you will pass the historic settling towers of the Senador Mine, as the trail takes its first steep turn uphill. Another 0.6 miles of steady uphill brings you to your left turn, but head up the trail another 50 yards or so to the bench, to enjoy great views, both looking south to Mt. Umunhum and the Santa Cruz mountains, and north to views across San Jose to the Lick Observatory on the Mt. Hamilton Range. Backtrack those 50 yards to the turn and shortly you will reach the high point of the hike. About half way along this 0.6 mile section there is a short path to a bench, with excellent views of San Jose. This section ends at yet another bench, which marks the final left turn. Head down the hill another 0.6 miles back to the start. This section can be quite slippery after heavy rains

Trail map

Moderately hilly two-hour hike. After parking on the street, it's a short walk up to the true park entrance. This hike works well in either direction, but I will describe the clockwise version. Take the left fork away from the picnic table, up the Mine Hill trail, which soon passes under trees then emerges as it climbs steadily for 0.5 miles up to the bench at the junction with the Guadalupe Trail. Continue up the more moderate slopes. Good views of the city can be had here and there to the left through the breaks in the trees. After 0.9 miles we pass the marker for the Cinnabar Trail, then continue 0.2 miles to the first views of the Guadalupe Reservoir. Make sure you turn right, heading steadily downhill to the dam. (The path across the dam leads to Hicks Road where there is a small amount of roadside parking). Continue on the occasionally steep downhill, listening for the Guadalupe Creek as the trail makes its way in and out of the trees. After about a mile, the trail climbs up before a sharp turn brings you onto what always feels like the homeward leg. Pass the bench and head downhill. This section has great views of San Jose, and behind it you can usually spot the gleaming white of the Lick Observatory on the Mt. Hamilton Range. Half a mile more brings you to the Senador Mine area, which is dominated by the two large concrete settling towers. Continue another 0.2 miles back to where you started.

Trail map

Sweeping loop though much of the western half of the park After parking on the street, it is a short walk up to the true park entrance. Head to the right, past the picnic table and port-a-potties. After about 0.2 miles, you will pass the historic settling towers of the Senador Mine, as the trail takes its first steep turn uphill. Another 0.6 miles of steady uphill brings you to a bench where you can enjoy great views, both looking south to Mt. Umunhum and the Santa Cruz mountains, and north to views across San Jose to the Lick Observatory on the Mt. Hamilton Range. From here the trail sweeps downhill to border the Guadalupe creek, then climbs in stages to the reservoir. Continue uphill, past turns to Mine Hill and Randol trails, noticing the remaining scars to the hillside from the fire of 2001. Bear right to take the Providencia trail, whose entrance is shaded by majestic maple trees. The first part of this trail has the best manzanita stands in the park, with glorious masses of white blooms from December into January. Half way along, the trail overlooks the Providencia pond to the right and an old quarry to the left. The quarry really lights up towards sunset. The trail now climbs ever more steeply up to join the Mine Hill trail, where you should take a right turn. After 0.2 miles, make a left turn down the narrow Prospect #3 trail, but make time to stop and enjoy the view at the rocky outcrop at that intersection, which is full of wildflowers in the spring. Afternoon sun colors the very air green, as the light diffuses through the thick canopy that covers the Prospect #3 trail along most of this stretch. All kinds of flowers and ferns decorate the trail, which stays cool and moist longer than most other trails in the park. The junction with the Randol trail is marked by a full picnic bench with fine views of the hills. Take a well-earned break before continuing down the sometimes steep Prospect #3 to the New Almaden trail, where you make a right turn towards home. After 100 yards or so, the trail passes through a rocky area that has just about every kind of bush in the park, then continues on in more typical fashion, winding in and out of canyons for over 3 miles. This section of rather narrow trail is heavily shaded with its large bay laurel and oak trees, and the banks have numerous ferns and wildflowers. Turn right at the junction with the Mine Hill trail and head downhill back to the start. From the map you can see that there are many options on this hike. You can turn on to the Randol trail to avoid a long climb and 0.6 miles, but you will miss some of the fine views, or you can head back on the Randol instead of the New Almaden..

Trail map

Short out-and-back to a picnic table. Three trails leave the Mockingbird parking lot; take the narrow New Almaden Trail. The first 0.1 miles is uphill to the crossing of the Hacienda trail. Head down and along the narrow trail over the small wooden bridge. Between April and May, the next half mile has some of the finest wildflowers you will see anywhere. Like much of the New Almaden trail, this section cuts in and out of canyons as it rises and falls moderately. Cross a small stream to the picnic table.

Trail map

Moderately hilly two-hour hike with some steep downhill towards the end. This is one of the best hikes in the park. Three trails leave the Mockingbird parking lot; you will leave and return on the narrow New Almaden Trail. The first 0.1 miles is uphill to the crossing of the Hacienda trail. Head down and along the narrow trail over the small wooden bridge. Between April and May, the next half mile has some of the finest wildflowers you will see anywhere. Like much of the New Almaden trail, this section cuts in and out of canyons as it rises and falls moderately. Cross a small stream and turn sharp right up the slope. At the top of this section the trail turns back to the left and we should take the left fork up through the big berry manzanita to the Buena Vista area. Here you can see the large granite foundations that remain of a building that held a water pump for the Buena Vista Shaft. Follow the trail around on what is almost a contour, passing the Day Tunnel after about 0.5 miles. Continue on another 0.5 miles to the junction of the Randol and Mine Hill trails, where a picnic bench offers a welcome rest. Climb up over Capehorn pass and make a left onto the Hacienda trail, which will return you to the New Almaden trail after about 0.8 miles of quite steep downhill.

Trail map