Los Alamitos Creek Trail 2015-08-25

Los Alamitos Creek Trail is a 4.7 mile multi-use trail running from Almaden Lake Park in the north to Harry Rd / McKean Rd in the south. Parking is available inside Almaden Lake Park (fee) or on the roadside at several locations. We started our walk from Almaden Park parking on Winfield Blvd (near Coleman Rd intersection) by the east entrance to the park. Dogs are allowed inside the park, but only on the east side (by Winfield Blvd). 

Almaden Lake

Our starting point, Almaden Lake Park, is a nice community park with lots of interesting facilities including a Bocce Ball Court. We walked little more than 1/4 mile by the Almaden Lake trail before connecting to Los Alamitos Creek (LAC) trail. LAC trail is paved, black-top trail running parallel to the creek. It also runs through several south San Jose residential neighborhood, so this is a well utilized trail with lots of bicyclists, joggers, walkers and dogs. 

There trail also doubles down as a fitness trail with more than 15 exercise stations. The scenery today was drab, the creek dry for most part and the foliage sporting a dull brown color. I do intend to check out this trail following the promised El Nino this winter. 

LAC trail has mile markers, with the zeroth mile just outside of Almaden Lake making it easy to track your hike. In addition, the multi-use trail has an exclusive equestrian path that is a dirt trail. On the way south, we went by the busy paved section. After Pfeiffer park, the trail crosses over to the west side of the creek, running by Camden Ave. 

Singer Park, turnaround point

It was quite impossible to make out that we passed by Pfeiffer park given how dry the vegetation was. There is a road crossing at Graystone Ln after which the trail winds close to Leland High School. Past the three mile mark, the trail reaches Singer park. We turned around at this point. 

Creekside equestrian path 

On the way back, we decided to take the equestrian path. From Singer park until the foot over bridge by Pfeiffer park, the equestrian path is a single track dirt trail running right by the creek amidst lots of trees and shade. After crossing the bridge, the equestrian path becomes a more exposed and much wider dirt trail, especially when it runs parallel to Pfeiffer Ranch Rd. 

The walk by the equestrian path provided a nice variation to our 6.4 mile walk today, although we didn't run into any horse riders. Apollo met plenty of dogs in our walk today. Located in an urban residential setting, this is a popular trail for dog owners.

And for those interested in a longer walk, LAC trail connects to Guadalupe River trail north of Almaden Lake which Apollo and I had hiked in March this year. And south of where we turned around at Singer park, the trail goes further down running on both sides of the Alamitos creek for about a mile.

More pictures from the walk today.
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