Santa Teresa Park 2015-05-28

Mine trail

Apollo and I had hiked Santa Teresa Park & Stile Ranch Trail recently. The park has more trails that justified another trip to it. I parked in the small lot by Bernal Rd., just before the road becomes restricted for use by IBM employees. There is room to park just 5 or 6 cars in this lot.

Crossing over Bernal Rd, we started hiking Mine Trail and we turned left on Joice Trail at the first intersection. The first mile involves a 300 ft climb, a little more if you choose to do the short vista loop from Joice Trail. The Santa Teresa hills presented a dry, brown setting for our hike today. The vista loop also offered some panoramic views of the Diablo mountain range in the East Bay and Coyote Park nearby. 

Ohlone trail

Continuing on Joice Trail, we descended nearly 700 feet over the next two miles or so. Joice Trail connects to Norred Trail, which passes close to the Norred Ranch. Mine Trail, Joice Trail and Norred Trail are all dirt trails / fire roads. Crossing over Bernal Rd, I chose to hike trails that we hadn't included in our hike earlier this month.

Brown Park & Golf Greens 

The narrow, mile-long Ohlone Trail running by Bernal Rd and Santa Teresa Golf Club was first. In spite of the drought, the watered lawns of the golf course provided a sharp contrast to the dry scenery in the park. I can only hope that they were using recycled water to make the lawns look so green. 

From Ohlone Trail, we joined Ridge Trail first and Hidden Springs Trail later. Our hike today was fairly exposed, with some light shade on certain trails. Ohlone Trail had the most amount of shade. 

Passing Pueblo day use on the left, we continued on Hidden Springs Trail, connecting to Mine Trail, and then finished our hike, crossing Bernal Rd twice in the process. Just before reaching the trail head, Apollo decided to chill out following our second water break. 

Our 7.3 mile hike today (Mine Trail --> Joice Trail --> Vista Loop --> Joice Trail --> Norred Trail --> Mine Trail --> Ohlone Trail --> Ridge Trail --> Hidden Springs Trail --> Mine Trail) took nearly 2.5 hours and involved more than 1000 feet of climbing at different points. 

More pictures from the hike today.

#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #SantaTeresaPark

San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail 2015-05-26

Running by the San Tomas Aquino Creek, San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail is one of the three riparian trails in the South Bay that feed into the larger San Francisco Bay Trail system. The other two are Guadalupe River Trail and Stevens Creek Trail. When fully completed, this will join the Saratoga Creek Trail that is quite close to our home. I used the parking lot at the intersection of Monroe & San Tomas Expwy. 

A properly paved blacktop trail, this is a "bicycle highway." Apollo and I started out at around 9 am, which is apparently peak time for bicycle commute. I am sure in the first half hour or so, we must've seen 50+ cyclists zipping by us in both directions. You will have to keep your dog on a tight leash in this trail.

Great America

From Monroe St, we headed north. Once we crossed over Monroe St, the trail takes you through several underpasses, obviating the need to cross any street until Agnews Rd. There isn't much to describe for the first couple of miles - you will cross Walsh Ave, Central Expwy, Scott Blvd, Hwy 101, and Mission College Blvd before coming up to Agnews Rd.

Not impressed?

The next mile has some action. On the left is Great America Park where some rides were operating when we hiked. On the right, Levi's Stadium will loom garishly. I could never understand the rationale to build this stadium here in Santa Clara, even though it is now complete and operational. 

The trail continues ahead beyond Tasman Dr., crossing Great America Pkwy, Old Mtn View-Alviso Rd and Hwy 237 before joining the SF Bay Trail. I had hiked that segment on Day 7 of my SF Bay Trail walkabout.

Water break

The cloud cover we had earlier in the morning had given way to sun by this time. After a water break, we turned around and headed back, the underpasses providing some light shade every now and then. 

We completed the 8.2 mile out and back hike today in 2 hours and 16 minutes. 

More pictures from the hike today.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #SanTomasAquinoTrail

Devil's Slide Trail, Pedro Point Headlands 2015-05-20

Devil's Slide Trail was opened to the public in 2014 and is part of the California Coastal Trail. The treacherous and landslide prone 1.3 mile stretch of Hwy 1 was replaced by a tunnel in 2013, allowing San Mateo County to convert this beautiful stretch with panoramic views of Pacific Ocean to a trail for hikers and cyclists last year. Parking is available at both the north and south ends of the trail. I used the lot on south side and would recommend that for anyone traveling north on Hwy 1.

Today was another cloudy, foggy, damp day by the ocean. A reminder that we folks living in Bay Area cannot take our beautiful blue sky days for granted, especially closer to the ocean! Along the trail, there are multiple overlook points to enjoy the view. The 1.3 mile stretch may not be long, but it does have something for everyone - bird watchers, geologists, and whale watchers. Carrying your binoculars wouldn't be a bad idea when hiking this trail.

Tom Lantos tunnels

Apollo and I decided to include Pedro Point Headlands along with Devil's Slide Trail during our hike. The access is right by Hwy 1, at the north end of the trail & tunnel. Pedro Point is about 600 ft. above sea level. We made our way to the point by taking South Ridge Trail and Bluff Trail. Both are dirt trails, and Bluff Trail was narrow in stretches. South Ridge Trail offers a fantastic view of the Tom Lantos tunnels. 

Bluff trail, San Pedro rock

As you get closer to the top, you will get to see San Pedro Rock in more detail. Unlike Mori Point, you cannot get close to the edge of the Bluff and ocean. From the top, you can see Pacifica Beach, Rockaway Beach, Mori Point and Sharp Park Beach. On a clearer day, you should be able to see Farallon islands in the ocean. 

Arroyo trail

On the way back, we took Bluff Trail and Arroyo Trail to reach the trail head by Hwy 1. The rough dirt trails in Pedro Point Headlands will provide a nice contrast to the well paved Devil's Slide should you choose to combine these two. 





Our 5.6 mile hike took us just shy of two hours. More pictures from the hike.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #Devil'sSlide #PedroPoint #CoastalTrail

Mission Peak (from Ohlone College) 2015-05-18

Apollo and I had hiked Mission Peak at the end of January from Stanford Ave. It was time to hike the Bay Area favorite again, but this time from Ohlone College. Plenty of parking is available at the college parking lot (43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA) for a nominal $2 fee.

It was in the mid 50s and cloudy with an occasional light drizzle. From the parking lot, the access to the trails is about a quarter-mile. We chose to stick to the Peak Trail and skip the Panorama & Dry Creek Trails by Ohlone College. Peak Trail climbs steadily right from the get go. You'll see an interesting cave within the first mile in the trail.

A little ahead, the trail opens up to a broader dirt trail and the picturesque hills will unfold in front of you. The trail narrows and gets some shade cover in the section that runs right by Mill Creek Rd. It didn't make a difference today, but on a warmer day, you would welcome the shade. 

Once you are past Mill Creek Rd, the trail again widens to a fire road. Thanks to EBRPD's dog friendly rules, I could leave Apollo off-leash for the better part of the climb. We came across a couple of defiant calves, who stood their ground as Apollo and I made our way past them. Almost 3 miles into the hike, you will see the Hang Gliding launch spot. You should be able to see the peak from here. Unfortunately, in addition to being cloudy, the peak was covered by a stubborn, thick fog. While the cloudy, foggy day made the climb that much easier, it did impact some of the views today. You win some, you lose some!

The home stretch climb to the peak was in a thick fog with a visibility of about 10 feet. Just shy of 4 miles into the hike, we reached Mission Peak. It was a bit cold, making it somewhat uncomfortable to hang around there. Instead of trekking right back, I decided to explore the trails ahead of the peak. 

The descent from the peak is gentle in the other direction. I went ahead on Horse Heaven Trail for a while before retracing my steps and taking the Eagle Trail to loop around the peak and come to the hang gliding spot. It was a steady climb down all the way back to the trail head. I got to see a beautiful yellow billed magpie on the way up and in much closer quarters at the trail head. 

Our ~9 mile hike today took more than 3 hours and involved an ascend of 2100 feet over 4 miles. Hiking Mission peak from this spot is more peaceful - there's a lot less traffic compared to Stanford Ave, it's a slightly easier climb, and there are no parking woes. 

More pictures from the hike.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #MissionPeak #EBRPD











Update 2015-08-15

Celebrated Indian Independence with an early morning hike to Mission Peak from Ohlone College. After back to back hikes, Apollo took the day off, especially since he'd done this hike before. I did this hike with my friend Shubho Nag.

We hit the trail at 6 am, when the park officially opens from Ohlone College entrance. It was cool with a gentle breeze blowing. The sun was just rising in the eastern horizon and we were treated to some really awesome sights of the hillside, sky and the valley. It was as though the brown hillside was getting painted with an orange brush and the valley was getting awash with a orange hue as the sun climbed up.

My friend set a brisk pace and the hike itself was a relentless 2100 feet climb. He was definitely fitter than me and I felt good keeping up with him. Our first break was at the peak, about 75 minutes from the start covering almost 4 miles. The route we followed was exactly the same one I did earlier on 5/18.

We had reached the peak just in time for a well deserved few minutes at the top for ourselves. Today being weekend, I was expecting hordes of hikers at the peak; sure enough, they materialized as we made our way back from the top. There were so many people that it felt like we were at "Mission Peak Mall". I even saw couple of "conducted tours to Mission Peak". The popularity of this peak, especially from Stanford Ave entrance is simply amazing!

We retraced our steps on the way back, making it a 7.7 mile out and back hike shaving about a mile off my earlier hike on 5/18 that included the Eagle trail. This was also my best time hiking Mission peak at a brisk pace of 3.3 mph. 

Few more pictures from the hike.
#Hiking #MissionPeak #EBRPD 

Santa Teresa Park, Stile Ranch Trail 2015-05-15

In the mood for a slightly longish hike up the mountains, I chose to hike Santa Teresa Park and include Stile Ranch Trail as part of it. I parked at the trail head by San Vicente Ave. You can reach this trail head by turning right at the end of Almaden Expwy onto Harry Rd, taking an immediate left onto McKean Rd, then turning left onto Fortini Rd and left onto San Vicente Ave. 

Stile Ranch Trail

We started out hiking Stile Ranch Trail, which is technically not part of Santa Teresa Park. The rugged trail climbs uphill, steadily zig-zagging in the Santa Teresa hills. By about three-fourths of a mile, you'd have climbed ~350 ft. in a a real rough & rocky dirt trail. This is a multi-use trail. While I can see hikers and equestrians heading up, you'd have to be a serious mountain biker to make this climb. 

Around a mile into the hike, the trail opens up to some fine views of the Santa Teresa hills all the way to Diablo mountain range in the East Bay. You will also pass by the IBM Almaden research center on the left before entering Santa Teresa Park.

Pueblo Trail

There are plenty of trails and options inside this park. We turned left onto Mine Trail and continued on Pueblo Trail that runs right by Bernal Road. This stretch took by the Pueblo day use area. Using the Connector Trail and a small stretch on Mine Trail again, we made our way to Hidden Springs Trail. All these trails are typical fire road / dirt trails and easier on the feet than the rough Stile Ranch Trail.

Coyote Peak

The next mile on Hidden Springs Trail & Coyote Peak Trail involves some serious climbing. About 700 ft or so. With no one in sight, I took the liberty of letting Apollo off-leash, which made it easier for both of us to do the climb. At 1150 ft, Coyote peak is the highest point in the Santa Teresa hills. The views of the Bay Area from the top are simply astounding. We were fortunate to have a great spring day - partially cloudy, great visibility, light breeze and the perfect hiking temperature of mid-60s - throughout the hike. On top of Coyote Peak is also a transmitter for KSJS FM radio station. 

Panoramic view from Coyote Peak

After a short break, Apollo and I continued down on Coyote Peak Trail to join Rocky Ridge Trail. Still off-leash, Apollo was having a field day setting the pace for the next 4+ miles, all the way back to the trail head.

Rocky Ridge Trail

Rocky Ridge Trail lives up to its name 100% - similar to the first stretch, this 1.8 mile trail is very rocky with lots of ridges on either side. You will essentially give up all the elevation over a longer stretch. Around 6.5 miles into the hike, we crossed Santa Teresa Ceek, but it barely had a trickle flowing in it. 

Rocky Ridge Trail then ended at Mine Trail. Turning left, we joined Fortini Trail about a quarter-mile ahead and made our way to the trail head. Our 8.4 mile hike involved a little more than 1000 feet of climbing in about 2 hours and 40 minutes. I'd characterize this as a moderately difficult hike. 

This is also a fully exposed trail. Carry water and choose a cooler day to do this hike. You can also customize this hike to skip the Coyote Peak / Rocky Ridge Trail loop and make this a much shorter ~3 mile loop, still involving Stile Ranch Trail. 

More pictures from the hike.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #StilesRanchTrail #SantaTeresaPark

Mori Point, Sharp Park & Rockaway Beach 2015-05-13

Mori Pt, Sharp Park Beach

If a coastal hike right by the Pacific Ocean with breathtaking views from hilltops is what you are looking for, then the hike from Sharp Park Beach - Mori Point - Rockaway Beach in Pacifica will fit the bill perfectly. Plenty of roadside parking is available on Beach Rd, Paloma Ave and other roads that run parallel to Paloma. From 280, taking Skyline Blvd - Sharp Park Blvd - Francisco Blvd - Paloma Ave will get you right to Beach Rd.

Sharp Park Beach

Apollo and I started our walk on the Beach Rd sidewalk that runs by the sea wall. In about a quarter-mile, the Pacifica Municipal Pier will be on the right, a popular spot with anglers. Just ahead, there is access to Sharp Park Beach. From here, you have the option of walking on the beach or by the promenade that runs by it. 

Bootlegger's Steps

About a mile into the hike, you will come to Mori Point, which is part of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. We'd been in the neighborhood yesterday at Sweeney Ridge. It is possible to hike between Mori Point & Sweeney Ridge. Mori Point has several trails running criss-cross - a good plan of action is not a bad idea unless you don't mind walking around a bit. 

Mori Point

We took the Bootlegger's steps to reach the hilltop from where we went right to "the Mori Point." It's an amazing spot, and you can go very close to the edge for some breathtaking views of the bluffs, rocks and the ocean. Exercise caution, though, as there is nothing to stop you should you make a mistake!

After retracing our steps to the hilltop, we took the Coastal Trail heading south. The trail will pass through two huge boulders. Right after that, bear left, that will lead you to the bike trail. We made a mistake here! We continued straight and came to a point where it would have required getting down on all fours to safely climb down the hill. With Apollo on leash, it wasn't the prudent thing to do, so we went back and took the easier trail. 

When the coastal trail connects to the bike path, stay on the paved bike path going south. We made another mistake by heading right on the dirt trail that is just a small loop around a flat quarry like valley. This mistake allowed me to see a small snake slithering by our feet with Apollo barely being aware of why I tugged on him so hard!

Rockaway Beach

The walk down the bike path was uneventful and we came upon Rockaway Beach, our destination for today. As the name implies, majestic rock formations will make your visit here worthwhile. We turned back at the beach and headed north. For variation, we took the Timigtac Trail, a slightly steep climb, to Mori Peak - the highest point here - and the Mori Peak Trail on our way back. You can find a map in the link I included above to navigate this small park with a somewhat tricky trail system.

As we exited Mori Point Park and made our way on the promenade, I saw a flock of ravens. An unusual sight, for ravens are known to be solitary birds in general. 

Our 6.3 mile hike in about 2 hours involved couple of ascents, one of 200 ft to Mori Point and another of 350 ft to Mori Peak. This is a very scenic hike, especially on a sunny, spring day like today. Do exercise caution, specifically in the Mori Point Park area.

More pictures from the hike today.
#Hiking, #HikingWithDogs, #MoriPoint, #SharpParkBeach, #RockawayBeach #CoastalTrail

Sweeney Ridge (Sneath Ln trailhead) 2015-05-12

Sweeney Ridge is part of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and can be accessed from Sneath Lane, off Hwy 280 in San Bruno. There is space for about 15 cars at the trail head. I thought hiking ~60⁰F should be fine without a jacket especially on a sunny day... that was a mistake! It was windy and stayed that way through the hike. And I learned that fog settles down uphill with little warning - a jacket is a must lest you want to feel uncomfortable.

We started our hike at Sneath Lane Trail. The trail is paved and climbs steadily from the trail head, and the views are magnificent throughout the climb. By the end of the first mile - as though you'd peeled open the cover of a beautiful picture - the view of San Francisco Airport, the bay, San Andreas Lake, and San Mateo Bridge will open up little by little on your left. The view is marred only by the graffiti on the railings. Today was just windy, not foggy, so the views were awesome.

The steady climb will become steep around this time. Trust me, you will notice it. If you don't, I congratulate you on your fine fitness level! Another three-fourths of a mile or so later, Sneath Lane ends at Sweeney Road. Apollo and I took the unpaved section on our left, heading further south. You could take the sharp curve right and head on the paved section.  

Pacifica State Beach

This spot is particularly interesting - on one side is SFO, San Andreas Lake and everything you'd have seen thus far; on the other side is the Pacifica State Beach by the ocean. On a clear day like today, you can see the waves in the Pacific Ocean!

Sweeney Road Trail is a fire road dirt trail that is predominantly flat - set on a plateau. Right away, we came upon the Portola Discovery Site - the place from which San Francisco Bay was discovered on Nov 4, 1760. If you are a history buff, you'd enjoy this place. The dirt trail continues south until Portola Gate which provides access to Fitfield-Cahill Ridge, although you need permits and a reservation to access that area.

Sweeney Horse Trail

We turned around at the gate. Instead of making this an out and back trip, we took Sweeney Meadow Trail and Sweeney Horse Trail which connected back to Sweeney Ridge Trail. It provided a nice change of pace and scenery. These two trails take you right down to the valley before climbing back to the plateau where the ridge trail runs. 

Once we reached Sneath Lane Trail, our walk was essentially downhill all the way to the trail head. The hike involved a climb of about 800 feet; we completed the 6.4 mile out and back in about an hour and fifty minutes. The park has few more trails that are open for hiking with dogs - so we will be back again.

More pictures from our hike. 
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #SweeneyRidge #GGNRA