Fremont Older Open Space Preserve 2015-02-23

One of our favorite hikes that is close to our home is Fremont Older Open Space Preserve. The Prospect Road parking lot can be accessed by driving west on Prospect Road, past Stelling Road, Parker Ranch and just past the Saratoga Country Club. The parking lot has space for about 25 cars, but this open preserve has become exceedingly popular, making parking somewhat challenging over weekends.

With Parker Ranch on one side and Stevens Creek County Park on the other, both well connected with Fremont Older’s trails, one can do lot more than the 15 miles of trails available in the preserve. We started out on the Cora Older trail from the parking lot. You will start climbing right away through a rugged, narrow dirt trail for about half a mile, after which it opens up to a nice grass hill.

A sunny, blue sky and a spring-like day provided a really breathtaking contrast of colors of the lush green hills against azure blue skies. A perfect photo op for the good-looking Apollo who never fails to attract a compliment or two in each outing!

Hunter's Point is a popular spot with several hikers taking the quick hike up to the left, leading to the vista point. We wanted the scenic, long route, so we turned right onto the Seven Springs Loop Trail. Like Cora Older, Seven Springs Loop is also a rugged dirt trail that takes you up and down the hills in the preserve. After climbing down all the way and reaching Ranch Road, the trail starts ascending again with grass hills on one side and some real beautiful views of SF Bay Area on the other. You'll hardly notice the climb with the sights of the Bay Area on your right. Just shy of 2 miles into the hike, you’ll pass Rainbow Knoll Trail on the right. Stay on Seven Springs Loop unless you want to add another mile by going out and back on the Rainbow Knoll trail.

View from Hunters point

Soon after, you’ll see a fork to the Woodhills Loop Trail. That would lead you to Hunter's Point, the second highest spot in Fremont Older. Hunter's Point provides some breathtaking views of the Bay Area. Once you come down, you'll join the Hayfield Trail, with the option of going back to the trail head (doing approximately a 3 mile loop) or continuing further to explore Fremont Older. We continued on Hayfield Trail and reached Coyote Ridge Trail. Turning right here would lead you into Stevens Creek County Park and open up several more miles of hiking trails for you. We turned left on Coyote Ridge Trail and made our way to Garrod Farms via Maisie’s Peak.

 

View from Maisie's peak

Maisie’s Peak is the highest spot in Fremont Older, some 1150 ft. above sea level. As with Hunter's Point, you get some outstanding views of the Bay Area from here. Staying on Coyote Ridge Trail will lead you to Garrod Farms, which offers horse riding lessons as well as some fine wine tastings.

Garrod farms on the left

More than likely, you will find equestrians from Garrod Farms sharing the trails in this area. Apollo had his ears perked up when he saw two horses making their way past us. We had come to this point when we hiked Parker Ranch Trail a while ago.

We turned into the Bay View Trail from here to make our way back. Soon after, you’ll have the option of continuing on Bay View Trail or taking Toyon Trail on the right. Both would lead you back to the trail head. We chose to hike on Toyon Trail, which I knew would provide more shade, but it is narrower and more rugged than Bay View Trail.

We connected to Hayfield Trail and Cora Older and chose to include Creekside Trail on our way back to the trail head. As you can see, there are plenty of trail names, but Fremont Older is very well mapped and the signs are very easy to follow, should you choose to do a variation from the 6.2 mile hike we did today. With the various ups and downs, we probably ascended some 1000 ft. today.

As with all Mid Peninsula Open Reserves, there are no trash facilities and you have to pack out whatever you packed in. I ran into a ranger at the trailhead and had a good discussion on how to get trash facilities at least at the trail heads. 

Update 2015-06-29

Apollo and I did the Cora Older -> Seven Springs Loop -> Hunter's Pt -> Creekside Trail loop from the Prospect Road parking lot. This was a shorter version of the previous hike. While the preserve was decidedly sporting a summer, dry, brown look, we got to see a pair of deer in close quarters.

The interesting part was that they didn't gallop away at the sight of us. Instead, they posed for a few photographs - much the way Apollo does for me! Familiarity has apparently reduced the instinctive fear these animals have of humans!

More pictures from the hike.

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