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Friends of Santa Teresa Park 

Chris Horii at Trail Day with the FOSTP sign

 

The Friends of Santa Teresa Park is a volunteer organization based in San Jose whose purpose is to support Santa Teresa County Park. The president is Mike Boulland. Meetings are normally held the first Thursday of each month. Check for schedule changes below. The public is invited. Typical meeting topics include park news, history, trail conditions, community issues, volunteer opportunities, and future plans. 

Our meetings are usually held on the first Thursday of the month at 7 pm. Our meetings were previously held at the Santa Teresa Golf Club upper clubhouse/banquet room (on top of the hill) at 260 Bernal Road, San Jose. We don't know when we'll have meetings there again. Starting with the COVID-19 shutdown and until further notice, we will be having virtual meetings only, using Zoom video conferencing. Send an email request to fostp@stpfriends.org to get the Zoom meeting link. (Download and install Zoom if you haven't already.) 

Our next virtual meeting will be on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 7:00 pm. 

We have been having volunteer cleanup work days at Santa Teresa Park, usually on the first Friday of each month. We meet in front of the ranch house at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch on Manila Drive at 9:00 am. See the latest news or Santa Teresa Park Pictures for past work days. The next work day will be on October 6, 2023. Contact us at fostp@stpfriends.org or the County Parks Volunteer Office if you're interested in helping out. Bring work gloves and sturdy shoes.

Minutes from past meetings are available below. See the meeting minutes for park news and upcoming events.

 See you Thursday night,
 Mike Boulland

For more information on the Friends of Santa Teresa Park, contact Mike Boulland.

Like us on our Facebook page, where you can see the latest news, events, announcements, and pictures.
For questions on the stpfriends.org website, contact our webmaster, Ron Horii.

For County Parks volunteers, enter your volunteer hours here. This is the new Samaritan sytem. Contact the County Parks Volunteers Office for access information and instructions.



Mike Boulland greeting ranger on Stile Ranch Trail

Greetings from Mike Boulland:

The Friends of Santa Teresa Park welcome you and your family to our web page. We welcome you to participate in our service activities to make Santa Teresa Park a gem in the Santa Clara County Park system. Please use this web page to find out about our various activities. 

We invite you to explore and walk in the evening after work along the foothill trails to visit some of the most scenic sites in the entire Santa Clara Valley. Hopefully, you will visit our majestic waterfall trail and eat a snack at its base. Included, in our invitation is a walk to the upper meadows. We encourage you to sit in the shade of the Pueblo area and enjoy watching the various wildlife animals graze on the wild vegetation. Those of you who like views may take an enjoyable hike up Coyote Peak to get a vista view of the whole county. The trail’s scenic views can stretch the boundaries of your eye from San Mateo to Morgan Hill. 

We encourage you to use our web site to help you and your family gain information about our activities and events. We are a growing organization, whose members are dedicated to improving Santa Teresa County Park’s resources for the public to enjoy. 

Join us on our trail building day events, historical adventures, docent activities and other park service projects. We welcome all the volunteers we can muster. In the future we will need lots of volunteers to help us establish a docent program for the Joice-Bernal Museum site. 

Our organization is recognized with the County of Santa Clara Volunteer program and we can offer you and your family an opportunity to volunteer for fun service and be rewarded with a free County Parks parking pass. 

We meet monthly on the first Thursday night at 7:00 in the upper Santa Teresa Golf Course Upper Clubhouse/Banquet Facility. 

Mike Boulland 
President of Friends of Santa Teresa Park

Vision Statement: Our Vision is to help protect, enhance, maintain and restore Santa Teresa Park and the surrounding neighborhood through education, volunteer involvement, coordination, and communications with the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department Staff, the City of San Jose, and the greater community.


News 2020-2022

FOSTP at Santa Teresa Library Anniversary 2/5/11

  • See here for archived news from 2010-2017.
  • See here for archived news from 2018-2019.
  • Jump to 2021 news
  • Jump to 2022 news
  • Jump to 2023 news
  • For the second year in a row, the Friends of Santa Teresa Park were invited to come to Oakridge Mall's Senior Resource Fair on 2/21/20. Steve Crockett and Mike Boulland staffed the table with information about FOSTP, Santa Teresa Park, and the New Almaden Ting (pavilion) project  The picture posters are by Ron Horii.
    FOSTP at Oakridge Mall Senior Fair, 2/21/20

  • On March 12, 2020, the Health Officer of Santa Clara County issued a shelter-in-place order because of COVID-19. We were planning to lead another pre-Mother's Day hike in Santa Teresa Park on the Stile Ranch, Mine, and Fortini Trails on May 9, 2020. Ron Horii was planning to teach another photography class and lead a hike in Santa Teresa Park's Bernal Ranch on May 16, 2020. Both events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 shutdown. All volunteer activities and events in the County Parks are cancelled or postponed until further notice. The volunteer recognition event that was supposed to be in April was postponed until September, but is now cancelled. Our National Night Out in Santa Teresa Park, originally scheduled for August 4, 2020 was cancelled. La Fuente/Fandango and similar events will probably not occur this year because of personnel changes in the park interpretive department.
  • During the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, people are still allowed to go outside for exercise, such as walking, hiking, running, and biking. Trails in the County Parks are open, but users need to practice social distancing, keeping at least 6 feet apart from other people not in the same household. There are signs at the trailheads about these social distancing rules.
    COVID-19 signs

  • Social distancing is easier to practice on wide trails vs. narrow trails. Below is a Santa Teresa County Park map with the wide trails highlighted. Click on the small image below for a larger map. Note that only parts of some trails are wide. (Note that this was made by Ron Horii and is his personal opinion, not an official park map.)
    Santa Teresa Park Wide Trails Map

  • During the COVID-19 shutdown, parking fees in all County Parks, including Santa Teresa, are not being collected. Note that parking is not allowed on Bernal Road from Heaton Moor to the IBM gates. There is a small parking lot just before the IBM gates, but no parking is allowed on the road near it.
    Parking fee machine shutdown

  • While County Park trails are open, other park facilities are closed. These include visitor centers, picnic areas, playgrounds, and drinking fountains.
    Picnic table closure at the Bernal Ranch

  • During the start of the COVID-19 shutdown, the golf course and archery range in Santa Teresa Park were closed. They have since been reopened, but with significant safety protocols. Here are the safety protocols for the Santa Teresa Golf Club. Here are the protocols for the archery range.
    Santa Teresa Golf Club Clubhouse Signs

  • The Koopman Family made this gorgeous video of Santa Teresa Park. Greg Koopman did the videography and text labels. Vanessa Koopman did the video editing. Roxanne Koopman inspired the production.
  • On 6/4/20, there was a fire in the Santa Teresa Hills. It started in the hills above Colleen and Chesbro. It was named the Colleen Fire. It was allegedly caused by arson. A suspect was detained. The Greystone neighborhood in the Almaden Valley was evacuated. No houses were damaged by the fire. Part of the land that burned was owned by the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. See this Facebook album for pictures of the aftermath of the fire.
    Colleen Fire aftermath

  • On 6/25-26/20, there was a prescribed burn in the Pueblo Area of Santa Teresa Park. This was in conjunction with the San Jose Fire Department, who used it as a training exercise. The city published this notice about it: "The purpose of this training is to instruct our recruit firefighters in wildland firefighting practices. This live-fire training is consistent with previous exercises the San José Fire Department has conducted in the park, allowing recruit firefighters to utilize specialized tools and equipment, personal protective equipment, and employ wildland suppression strategies and tactics in a controlled setting. Impacts of the training exercise on the surrounding area are expected to be minimal. Benefits to the areas being burned include removal of non-native, invasive species of plants, such as the star thistle. Park visitors are advised that the Mine Trail south of Bernal Road will be closed as well as the Pueblo Trail and the connector trail between Pueblo and Mine Trail. The Pueblo day use area and the road to the equestrian lot will also be closed." Here are Facebook albums (Facebook sign-in required) with pictures of the fire training and its aftermath: Firefighter Training, Santa Teresa Park Part 1, 6/25/20, Firefighter Training, Santa Teresa Park Part 2, 6/26/20, Aftermath of Prescribed Burn, Santa Teresa Park, 6/27/20.
    Firefighters in Pueblo Area, 6/25/20

  • While organized group events in the County Parks and open space preserves have been suspended due to COVID-19, videos and Zoom conferences are available from various organizations. Here are some examples (note: Facebook sign-in may be required):
  • On 8/19/20, there was a small vegetation fire at the corner of Curie Drive and San Ignacio Avenue along the base of the Coyote Alamitos Canal. This is part of the Santa Teresa Park Historic Site, which is not open to the public yet. It is across the street from Bernal Interemediate School. The fire came close to the historic buildings on the site, but the San Jose Fire Department brought the blaze under control before any structures could be damaged.
    Curie Fire, 8/19/20

  • New Park Interpreter Rob McDonnell, assigned to Santa Teresa Park's Bernal Ranch, made this video about the ranch, telling about its history. On 8/20/20, he gave a longer presentation called "Santa Teresa Spring Across Generations." He talked more about the history of Rancho Santa Teresa and the Bernal, Gulnac, and Joice Families that lived there.
  • Author Jenny Clendenen, who lives in the Almaden Valley, wrote a book called MINE. It's about Maria Zacarias Bernal de Berreyesa, who was the daughter of Jose Joaquin Bernal, founder of Rancho Santa Teresa. She married Jose de los Reyes Berreyesa, owner of neighboring Rancho San Vicente. Here's how Jenny describes her book: "MINE is about a Spanish matriarch of early San Jose whose family helped settle the entire Bay Area. María Zacarías Bernal de Berreyesa lost ten of eleven beloved men, the Almaden mines, and her south San José ranch to Americans after the Gold Rush. For the last thirty years her personal history and mine have shared the same league of land in the Almaden Valley, and I felt her presence there long before I 'met' her." Here's more about the book on Jenny's website. It's available on Amazon. There was an online interview with Jenny Clendenen about her book, hosted by the Peninsula Open Space Trust and the Santa Clara County Parks on October 2, 2020 from 12-1pm. You can view the interview on Youtube.
    Mine by Jenny Clenenden

  • Because of the pandemic shutdown, we have been unable to have regular in-person meetings. Starting in April, we have been having Zoom virtual meetings. In our January 7, 2021 meeting, we invited and talked with Blair Pagano (see below). She is the new Volunteer Coordinator for the County Parks' Volunteer Program. You can read about our discussion with her on volunteer opportunities and procedures in the meeting minutes.
    FOSTP Zoom meeting with Blair Pagano

  • There's a new bike repair station at the Hidden Springs Trailhead in the Pueblo Day Use Area. It's called a Fixit by Dero. The Fixit unit has hanger arms on top, which allow hanging the bike with both wheels off the ground to make it easier to do wheel repairs and adjustments. It has an air pump and attached tools. The air pump doesn't have a pressure gauge, so you'll have to bring your own gauge or guess at the air pressure by the firmness of the tire. Here are the online instructions. 
    Bike repair station

  • There is a new viewing bench along the Joice Trail, near the PG&E tower service roads. It was donated by the Hunter Family and says "Do what makes you happy." It has a panoramic view of the Bay Area and the Santa Teresa Hills.
    Viewing bench on the Joice Trail

  • There is a new trail plan in Santa Teresa Park's Historic Area that was recently approved by the Board of Supervisors. It is currently out for bid. It runs from Santa Teresa Spring to San Igacio Ave. near Curie Drive. Park Director Don Rocha described it in his report to the Park Commission: "The scope of the project will consist of the following improvements: an 8-foot wide, graded, dirt/gravel trail along Manila Drive, continuing through the historic site of the former Jacoba Bernal property, and ending at the corner of Curie Drive and San Ignacio Boulevard. Spur trails consisting of two 5-foot wide decomposed granite trails will connect the residential sidewalk along Curie Drive to the 8-foot wide trail, and another to the corner of Curie Drive and San Ignacio Boulevard. In addition to the trail construction, other amenities include security gates, split-rail fencing, wire fencing, chain-link fencing and barricades, and relocation of the Bear Tree Monument to an area along the interior trail, closer to the Bear Tree." It partially implements the original trail plan shown in the 2009 site plan. It goes closer to Curie and does not go to the back of the property. Here is a notice about the construction project that was distributed to the neighborhood. Below is a map showing the new trails. Click on it for a bigger picture:
    New Trail Plan

  • There are new signs in the County Parks. They replace the flip-down signs that say the trails are temporarily closed to equestrian and bicycle use due to wet trail conditions. The signs are posted at the entry to the park and trailheads. They are used during the rainy season. All trails are closed after measurable rain and are reopened after they dry sufficiently. This is to prevent damage to trails. Unfortunately, many bicyclists ignore the signs, don't see them, or don't read them because they are too wordy. This is what the old sign looked like:
    •
    Old trail closure sign

  • This is the new trail closure sign. It's very simple and direct, without a lot of fine print. Whether this is more effective than the old signs is yet to be seen. With the lack of rain, the signs haven't gotten much use.
    New trail closure sign

  • There are signs posted by the park entrance on Bernal Road, by the entry gate to the Pueblo Area, and by the parking meter parking lot. They announce that the $6.00 vehicle entry fees for the County Parks, which have been suspended during the pandemic, will be reinstated starting April 5, 2021. Fees are required to park in the Pueblo Day Use area, but not at other Santa Teresa Park entrances, including the tiny Mine Trail parking lot on Bernal Road. Fees are collected at County Parks that have developed facilities, like Vasona, Hellyer, Martial Cottle, Mt. Madonna, Sanborn, Grant, Ed Levin, etc. All of the ones that charge fees have much more extensive amenities than Santa Teresa. Usage of the Pueblo Area increased dramatically during the pandemic, when parking was free. How park usage will be affected by the reinstatement of the fees has yet to be seen. This is an old issue. Parking meters were installed in April, 2000. Ron Horii created a webpage about this in 2001. A lot has changed since then, such as the opening of the Open Space Authority preserves, the Rancho San Vicente entrance to Calero, and the Coyote Creek Visitor Center, all of which have free parking. The Friends of Santa Teresa Park have concerns about this issue and will be observing the impact of the parking fees on park usage.
    • Parking fee sign

  • There is a new memorial bench below Santa Teresa Spring. The plaque on the bench says, "Forever at play in Daddy's park. In loving memory Avery Willow Celaya." The area was cleared of blackberry vines and landscaped around the bench. There are decorative rocks placed, and a willow tree was planted. The outlet of Santa Teresa Spring, leading into a culvert, was lined with rocks. Picture taken 3/30/21:
    •
    Memorial bench by Santa Teresa Spring

  • On Friday, 4/2/21, FOSTP members had their first monthly work day at Santa Teresa Park. They went to the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch and cut weeds in front of the ranch house.
    • FOSTP work day at Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch, 4/2/21

  • During our May 6, 2021 meeting, we had a special presentation by Teri Rogoway, Educational Programs Coordinator for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. She gave a presentation about the OSA, how it responded to the pandemic, and partnership opportunities. This was the flyer for the meeting. Santa Teresa Park is very close to the Coyote Valley, which has a lot of recently-purchased and preserved land (see below). There may be opportunities for FOSTP to do activities in partnership with the OSA, which has a grant program.
    •
    Coyote Valley Conserved Areas

  • In 1996, at the same time the Clampers installed the monument at the Bear Tree Lot, a time capsule was buried next to it. It was assembled by students from Mike Boulland's 4th grade class at Baldwin School. The Clampers buried it next to the monument. In anticipation of the relocation of the Bear Tree Lot monument, as part of the Curie Drive trail construction, the Friends of Santa Teresa Park unearthed the time capsule on 5/28/21. It will be unveiled and possibly re-buried when the construction project is complete and the area is re-opened.
    Time capsule recovery, Bear Tree Lot, 5/28/21

  • The Friends of Santa Teresa Park had a trail work day at Santa Teresa Spring on 6/4/21. They cut brush blocking views of the spring from the viewing platform and cut vines and removed dirt from in front of the spring's font and shrine. Here are pictures from that work day.
    Santa Teresa Spring Cleanup, 6/4/21

  • Construction of the new trails along Curie Drive has begun. This is from 6/4/21. Construction fences have been put up along the project from Curie Drive near Korhummel to San Ignacio Avenue. Crews started putting up internal fences and marking off the trail route.
    Trail construction, 6/4/21

  • On Saturday, 6/5/21, the ranch house and west barn at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch were open to the public for the first time since March of 2020. They will also be open on Fridays and Sundays as park staff become available. There is a list of COVID-19 safety protocols posted. The doors of the house and barn are left open for ventilation. Only one household at a time can be inside. Everyone over 6 years old must wear a mask. They will go in through one door and come out the other. A wheelchair ramp is at the exit of the barn. Hand sanitizers are inside the house and barn. The east barn is still closed.
    Ranch House opening, 6/5/21

  • On 7/1-2/21, the San Jose Fire Department, in conjuction with the County Parks, held a training exercise for newly-recruited firefighters, with a controlled burn in the Pueblo Day Use Area of Santa Teresa Park. They have been doing this annually. Here are pictures from the exercise.
    •
    Firefighter training, 7/1/21

  • On 7/2/21, members of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park, Mike and Dorene Boulland, Youngmee Kim, and Ron Horii, continued cleanup work at Santa Teresa Spring. They removed mud and vines from the rocks and stone structures at the spring, and cleared dirt, leaves and vines from the cistern. Here are pictures of the cleanup.
    Santa Teresa Spring Cleanup, 7/1/21

    Santa Teresa Spring cleanup, 7/1/21

    Santa Teresa Spring cleanup, 7/1/21

  • On 8/6/21, members of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park, Mike Boulland, Youngmee Kim, Marilyn August, Joan Murphy and Ron Horii, had a work day at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. They removed dead plants and pulled weeds in the garden boxes, pulled weeds from around the ranch house, and trimmed the trees. Here are pictures from that event.
    Garden box cleanup, 8/6/21

    Workday group at the BGJ Ranch, 8/6/21

  • The ranch house and west barn at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch is open. On Fridays and Saturdays, Park Interpreter Rob McDonnell is there (see 8/20/20 above). On Sundays, new staffer Katrina Semene is minding the store. Here's Katrina and the ranch hours:
    Katrina Semene at the Bernal Ranch house

    BGJ Ranch hours

  • Patrick Joice passed away on 8/18/21. He was the last of the Bernal Family descendants who owned Rancho Santa Teresa. He sold the ranch to IBM, which later sold it to Santa Clara County. The ranch he lived and worked in is now the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. He came to many park events at the ranch. This is him at the Family Fandango on 8/1/09. The last time he came to a public event at the ranch was at La Fuente in 2018. He brought his family and memorabilia and talked to people about his life growing up on the ranch. Patrick's grandfather, also named Patrick Joice, married Susan Gulnac, who was the daughter of Carlos Gulnac and Rufina Bernal. Rufina's grandfather was Jose Joaquin Bernal, founder of Rancho Santa Teresa. Here's an interview of Patrick Joice.
    Patrick Joice at Fandango, August 1, 2009

  • This memorial bench is on the Joice Trail, just before it turns left under the Vista Loop Trail. This picture is from 8/31/21, so it was installed sometime before then. It says, "In Memory of Frank 'Carl' Ginzel, April 1, 1958-January 20, 2021, Donated Lovingly by Friends."
    Memorial bench on the Joice Trail, 8/31/21

  • On 9/10/21, Friends of Santa Teresa Park members Mike Boulland, Woody Collins, Marilyn August, Youngmee Kim, Joan Murphy, and Ron Horii had a work day at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. They continued weeding the garden boxes, pruned bushes, and whacked down the grass on the flagstone path in front of the ranch house. Here are pictures from that work day.
    Work Day, Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch, 9/10/21

  • On 9/14/21, there was an event at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. Park Interpreter Rob McDonnell gave a presentation about kingsnakes, using a live snake named Morticia from Martial Cottle Park's visitor center. Rob talked about kingsnakes, their physical characteristics, life cycle, diet, how they move, how they hunt and eat prey, coloration, skin, and relation to their environment. There were over 30 people who showed up, mostly families. Rob answered lots of questions from kids. This was the first in-person interpretive event in Santa Teresa Park by park staff since the start of the pandemic shutdown last March. Here are pictures of the event.
    Rob McDonnell and Kingsnake

  • On 10/1/21, Friends of Santa Teresa Park members Mike Boulland, Youngmee Kim, Joan Murphy, and Ron Horii had a work day at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. They continued weeding the butterfly garden box, removed blackberry vines and other weeds from the front of the ranch house (pictured), trimmed bushes, and swept up leaves. Here are pictures of the work day.
    Cleanup in front of the ranch house, 10/1/21

  • On 11/5/21, Friends of Santa Teresa Park members Mike Boulland, Youngmee Kim, Greg Koopman, and Ron Horii had a work day at Santa Teresa Spring. They cut blackberries, repaired erosion and improved drainage on the ramp to the spring, and cleared dirt and vines from around the spring itself.  Here are pictures of the work day.
    FOSTP Work Day, Santa Teresa Spring, 11/5/21

  • On 11/6/21, there was a Bay Area Ridge Trail service day on the Stile Ranch Trail in Santa Teresa Park. Here's the description of it: "We plan to prevent erosion on the trails by creating long lasting drainage points using rock to armor eroded sections of the trail, as well as block off a shortcut trail, and remove introduced species in the area." It was a partnership between the Santa Clara County Parks, the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship, and the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. The County Parks Trail Crew spent several days preparing the trail. They put base rock on the lower half of the switchbacks and marked off the work areas. Here are pictures of the work day. Here's what the trail looked like afterwards.
    Stile Ranch Trail Work Day, 11/6/21

  • On 11/7/21, Mike Boulland led a history/ghost tour of Rancho Santa Teresa for a Meetup group. Mike took the group through the historic ranch house, the grounds, the barn, Santa Teresa Spring, the new trail by the Bear Tree Lot, and to the Bonetti Ranch across from Bernal School. Along the way, he talked about the history of the ranch, the people who lived there, legends, and some real ghost sightings. Here are pictures of the tour.
    History/Ghost Tour of Rancho Santa Teresa, 11/7/21

  • After months of construction, the new trail from Santa Teresa Spring to San Ignacio Avenue, was open to the public in mid-November. Here is what the trail looked like. The Friends of Santa Teresa Park and the County Parks are planning to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 11 at 11 am, at the trailhead below Santa Teresa Spring. Here is the announcement. The trail took only a few months to build, but it has been in the discussion and planning stages for decades. Here is a collection of FOSTP meeting minutes, dating back to 2000, with discussions about the trail and preserving the historic area that it runs through. Our latest newsletter talks about the history of the trail.
    New Trail, 11/20/21

  • In preparation for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Park Maintenance cleaned up the area below Santa Teresa Spring. They cleared the area of brush, put down weedcloth, covered it with mulch, placed picnic tables, and repaired the fence around the spring. See this album on the transformation of the area from 2015 to now.
    Preparation of the area below Santa Teresa Spring

  • On December 11, 2021, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new trail, tentatively called the Curie Drive Trail. (It will be given an official name later.) About 80 people came to it. County Parks Director Don Rocha, County Supervisor Mike Wasserman, Former Congressman Mike Honda, FOSTP President Mike Boulland, UNSCC Executive Director Ken Podgorsek, and Ranger Ruben Suarez gave talks. FOSTP had an information table and gave out newsletters and snacks. Here are pictures of the ceremony.
    Ribbon-cutting for the new trail

  • After the ribbon-cutting, there was a hike on the new trail, led by Mike Boulland and Ranger Ruben Suarez. They talked about the history of the Bear Tree, the Bernal Hacienda, and the historic houses. Here are pictures of the hike.
    Inaugural hike on the new trail

  • After the hike, the time capsule that was buried in 1996 behind the Bear Tree Lot monument and unearthed on 5/28/21 (see above) was opened, and the contents were revealed. Here are pictures of the unearthing and the opening of the time capsule. A new, more durable waterproof container has been prepared and will be used for a new time capsule, which will be buried in the future. It will have new contents.
    Time capsule notes

  • On 12/30/21, Park Interpreters Katrina Semene and Rachel Caoili led this event starting from the Bernal Ranch: "Take a walk in the late-afternoon light and explore the wonderful oak woodlands along the new trail at the historic Bernal Ranch. Learn about the value of this protected habitat for both people and animals, and look for signs of native wildlife as the daylight fades to darkness." Here are pictures of the event, the first to be held by park interpreters on the new trail. There will be a similar hike on 3/13/22 at 6 pm.
    Twilight Hike, 12/30/21

  • On 1/7/22, members of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park had another First Friday Work Day and pulled weeds out of the garden boxes at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. See here for more pictures. 
    FOSTP Work Day, 1/7/22

  • On 1/16/22, there was this event at the Bernal Ranch: "Join Park Interpreter Katrina to explore the moon and the night sky on a dusk-to-dark walk at historic Bernal Ranch. Share your traditions that involve the moon, get to know the lunar phases, and navigate through the ranch using only the light from the night sky. Families are welcome. Best for ages 8+." This was a demonstration of the phases of the moon using flashlights:
    Full Moon Hike 1/16/22

  • There are numerous young trees and shrubs planted on the hills along the Mine and Pueblo Trails (2/3/22). They are contained in tree tubes, which are tied to wooden stakes or metal rods. The tubes protect the young trees from herbivores and the weather. The tubes are translucent and let light in, but are vented to prevent overheating. There's a net on top to keep birds out.
    Tree tubes

  • On 2/4/22, members of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park had another First Friday Work Day at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. We went back and continued weeding the garden boxes and helped park staff members clean up leaves and brush around the ranch house and the walkway (see below). We also talked to Dave Zittlow, Volunteer Park Lead at Martial Cottle Park about what we could do to improve the grounds of the ranch. Here are pictures from that day.
    Cleaned up path in front of the Bernal Ranch House

  • There are 2 new concrete picnic tables and 1 new memorial bench in the Pueblo Area next to the corral parking lot. The replace the old wooden tables that were here. They are shaded by a large pine tree and surrounded by newly-planted trees. There's a drinking fountain next to them. They were donated by FOSTP member Ed Von Runnen. There's also a new memorial bench below parking lot 1 in the Pueblo Area and another near the top of the Vista Loop Trail.
    Pueblo Area memorial bench and tables

  • On 3/4/22, there was this cleanup event at the Bernal Ranch: "Bernal Ranch Chicken Coop Cleaning. Chicken-loving volunteers are needed to help revamp the chicken display coop at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch of Santa Teresa County Park. Join park staff to help prepare the coop for a future flock of resident hens. Sign up to help scoop out old shavings, rake out and pack down the run, and assist with general repairs." The coop was originally built in 2002 as an Eagle Scout Project by Neil Steiner and designed by Park Interpreter John Dorrance. The chickens were cared for by 4-H. After the 4-H contract expired and wasn't renewed, the chickens were cared for by the park interpreters. There were 2 chickens left, until one of them, Nina, died on 1/15/22. The remaining chicken was moved off-site to another flock, so the coop was empty. The department is looking for someone or some organization to bring in more chickens and take care of them.
    Chicken coop cleanup, 3/4/22

  • On 3/4/22, the Friends of Santa Teresa Park had a First Friday Work Day at the Bernal Ranch. We pulled weeds around the garden boxes, cleared the weeds from underneath the farm equipment on display next to the west barn, and cut some of the blackberry vines that are smothering the ceanothus bushes that are along the pathway between the west barn and the street.
    Blackberry vine removal from the ceanothus bushes

  • On 3/7/22, Ron Horii made a new Facebook photo album, using pictures from the dedication of the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch on 6/29/02. He made a webpage on it back in 2002, but it used small thumbnail pictures due to bandwidth limitations at the time. The Facebook page shows the pictures at their maximum resolution, though they were taken with a 1.3 MP camera. The old webpage has been updated to link to the higher resolution pictures when clicking on the thumbnails. This year will be the 20th anniversary of the dedication of the ranch. The Friends of Santa Teresa Park will be working with the parks department to see if there's a way to celebrate that anniversary. More details will follow as plans are formed. In the picture below, FOSTP President Mike Boulland is giving former Parks Director Paul Romero an award in appreciation for the work by Paul to make the ranch a part of Santa Teresa Park. Mike is surrounded by his 4th grade students from Baldwin School. They put on a skit about the Black-Robed Woman at Santa Teresa Spring. To the right of Paul is Neil Steiner, the Eagle Scout who made the chicken coop. Next to him by the palm tree, is Lisa Killough, who was the acting Parks Director at the time. On the far right is Lorie Garcia from the Historic Heritage Commission, which helped to fund the ranch restoration.
    BGJ Ranch Dedication, award to Paul Romero

  • On April 5, 20222, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors authorized the purchase of the 47-acre property at Fortini and McKean Roads, adjacent to Calero County Park and Santa Teresa County Park. They authorized $9.5 million from the County Park's budget to be set aside for this purchase, $8.5 million for the property itself, $1 million for closing costs. The north end of the property is across San Vicente Avenue from the Stile Ranch Trail entrance to Santa Teresa Park. The south end is across McKean Road from the Rancho San Vicente entrance to Calero County Park. The purchase will allow connecting Santa Teresa to Calero and expand parking for either or both parks. Here is a TV news story about it. Here's a Mercury News story about it. See the Board of Supervisors April 5, 2022 meeting agenda packet starting from page 18 for more information and maps. Below is a view of the property from the Stile Ranch Trail. At the bottom is the small parking lot for the Stile Ranch trailhead. It often fills up, and people park illegally on side streets. Fortini Road runs next to the property on the left. In the distance, at the base of the hills, is the Rancho San Vicente staging area. Before any trails or parking lots can be built, the property must go through a multi-year planning process. It will involve community input, environmental reviews, permitting, and budgeting. We'll be following the development of this property and will post updates in the future.
    Fortini-McKean Property

  • On 4/23/22, the 27th annual Volunteer Recognition event was held at Hellyer County Park, after going virtual the previous 2 years. Among the volunteers receiving honors was Woody Collins (below), who received the Presidential Lifetime Service Award. He recorded 4200 volunteer hours, mostly working on trails. Ron Horii was recognized for 14,000 volunteer hours. 
    Woody Collins receiving award

    Kitty Monahan talked about the history of the volunteer program:
    Kitty Monahan at Volunteer Recognition Event

  • The County Parks' PixInParks Challenge runs from May 1 until December 15, 2022. Participants hike 7 trail routes in different parks, take a picture at the prescribed destination points, and post the pictures on social media, with the hashtag #PixInParks. After completing the challenge, they can get a t-shirt or bandana. The route at Santa Teresa starts at the Pueblo Area, with the destination on the Vista Loop Trail (below). Other hikes are at Almaden Quicksilver, Ed Levin, Mt. Madonna, Coyote Lake/Harvey Bear, Upper Stevens Creek, and Sanborn.
    Vista Loop Bench

  • Sat. May 21, 7-9 pm. Preservation Awards Night. History San Jose Park. $15 General Admission, Under 18 Free. In recognition of this year’s National Preservation Month, the newly formed Santa Clara County Preservation Alliance will host a Preservation Awards Night to bring the public and local preservation groups together for a celebratory event. Former NAQCPA President and FOSTP Vice President Kitty Monahan and NAQCPA member Bruce Bartlett will be honored at this event. See here for more information and to purchase tickets.
    The intent of the SCCPA Awards Night is:
    • To recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations in the community who have made outstanding contributions to historic preservation.
    • To showcase exemplary preservation throughout the community that may serve as inspiration for future preservation.
    • To encourage preservation of historic homes or buildings that may prevent future demolition of historic properties.
    • To educate the community on the merits of historic architecture and preservation.
    • To share ideas and projects various preservation groups throughout the county.
    SCCPA Awards Night poster

  • At the 1st Annual Preservation Alliance Awards Night in History San Jose Park, Kitty Monahan received the Preservation Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented by current NAQCPA President Tere Johnson. Mike Cox accepted the award for Kitty, who couldn't attend due to her health. Kathy Sutherland, Executive Assistant to County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, presented a commendation to Kitty from the Board of Supervisors. Here are pictures from the awards night. Below (L to R) are Tere Johnson, Kathy Sutherland, and Mike Cox:
    Kitty Monahan's Awards at Preservation Alliance Awards Night

    • On 5/25/22, friends and NAQCPA members visited Kitty Monahan at her house in New Almaden and presented her with the awards. She was happy to see everyone and receive the awards.
    Presentation of Awards to Kitty Monahan

  • 2022 is the 30th anniversary of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park. We celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2012 at the Santa Teresa Library on 3/24/12. Below are District 2 Councilmember Ash Kalra, FOSTP President Mike Boulland, Supervising Park Ranger Eric Goodrich, and FOSTP Vice President Kitty Monahan. Mike is holding FOSTP's 20th anniversary cookie. Here are pictures of the event.
    FOSTP 20th Anniversary, Santa Teresa Library

  • After 2 years of being suspended because of the pandemic, the usually-annual Fandango/La Fuente event at Santa Teresa County Park's Bernal Ranch came back this year! It was held on Saturday, July 30 from 5-8 pm. It was a celebration of the families who have lived at Rancho Santa Teresa. It included music, dance, historical presentations, crafts, games, and exhibits from partner organizations. The Friends of Santa Teresa Park had an information booth with our newsletter, flyers, pictures of the park and events, a model of the Bernal Adobe, a time capsule, and a sponge toss game. FOSTP President Mike Boulland taled about FOSTP's history, the anniversaries being celebrated this year (see above), and memories of Kitty Monahan (see below). Here are pictures of FOSTP at La Fuente. Here are pictures of the whole event. The previous La Fuente was held was on 10/19/19. Here are pictures from that event.
    FOSTP at La Fuente 7-30-22

  • FRIENDS OF SANTA TERESA PARK 2022 Speaker Series, August 4, 2022, 7-8 pm. Here's the flyer.
    PRESENTS: Michael Cox, Local Historian and Geologist, Santa Teresa and Bernal Mines: Yesterday and Today, On Zoom
    Michael Cox gives fascinating and humorous presentations about Santa Teresa Park’s and  Almaden Quicksilver County Park’s natural geology and mining history. You will not want to miss Mike’s slideshow about his experiences, starting as an eighteen-year-old in the New Almaden mines and exploring the various deep tunnels and shafts. Then, as an adult and professional geologist, the Santa Clara County Park and Recreation Department hired him to document the mines and close up the various mine portals to make the newly-acquired property safe for the public.Also, Mike is one of the founding members of the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association, which started the first mercury museum in the United States. Another reason you don’t want to miss the presentation is that it includes slides of historical mines and land formations overlayed on current maps, showing where they were in the parks.

    Mike gave his presentation. Click here to see it.
    Mike Cox Talk, Morgan Hill, 8/15/18

  • We are very sad to report that, Kitty Monahan, passed away on July 25, 2022. She was a co-founder and Vice President of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park for 30 years. She has been in declining health the past few months. Most recently, she fell and suffered a hip fracture. She received hospice care and passed away peacefully at home. There will be a memorial/celebration of life for her at the Santa Clara County Horsemen's Association at 20350 McKean Road, San Jose, on September 4 at 1:00 pm. Here's a biography of Kitty from 2018. Here's her obituary in the Mercury News. Kitty was also the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association's founder and President for nearly 40 years. Here are pictures of Kitty over the years at different events:
    Kitty Monahan
  • On 9/4/22, there was a Celebration of Life for Kitty Monahan at the Santa Clara County Horsemen's Association. Kitty was a lifelong member of the club. She joined it in 1983 and was an avid equestrian. A couple hundred people came to the celebration. There were scheduled speakers and an open mic where anyone could come up and share their memories of Kitty. Here are pictures and videos of the event:


  • Long-term County Parks volunteer Roy Ichinaga passed away on September 3 at the age of 84. Here's his obituary. He worked for IBM for 30 years before he retired. He spent thousands of hours volunteerin in the County Parks. He helped to build trails and was a trail crew leader. The picture below is him directing volunteers working on the Ohlone and Nature Trails in Santa Teresa Park on California Trail Day (4/20/02). He helped at South Bay Fishing in the City events, teaching kids how to fish. In 2014, he received the President's Volunteer Service Award for over 5000 hours of volunteer work for the County Parks. Here are pictures of Roy volunteering in the County Parks.
    Roy Ichinaga 4/20/02

  • There's a new ramp that was installed on the sidewalk at the end of the new trail that ends at the corner of San Ignacio Avenue and Curie Drive. There's also a new corresponding ramp on the other side of San Ignacio Avenue, next to the Bernal School field. Prior to this, there was only a ramp leading to Curie. That required bikes coming off the trail to make a quick 90 degree left turn to Curie. If they wanted to go south on San Ignacio, they would have to make an immediate U-turn. The trail was built by Santa Clara County, but the sidewalk is the City of San Jose's responsibility. After the trail was built, FOSTP Treasurer Greg Koopman contacted District 10 Councilmember Matt Mahan's office and recommended that a ramp be put in on the sidewalk inline with the trail. Matt Mahan's office responded and said that city staff would look into it. The ramp was completed on 10/27/22. Now bikes can go down the ramp and turn right to go south on San Ignacio. It's also easier for them to get onto the trail from San Ignacio northbound. Wheelchairs can go straight off the trail and cross to the sidewalk on the other side.
    End of New Trail, 6/25/22
    Mike Boulland and Greg Koopman at the end of the trail on 6/25/22.

    New trail ramps
    New ramps at the end of the trail on San Ignacio Avenue, 10/27/22

  • On 11/18/22, there was a ribbon-cutting celebration for the new trail that was part of the US 101/Blossom Hill Road Interchange Improvement Project. It was held at Shady Oaks Park at the south entrance to the Odette Morrow Trail. It was hosted by the Valley Transportation Authority, the City of San Jose, and Caltrans. The project was funded by VTA Measure B of 2016. Here's an album on the ribbon-cutting ceremony: Blossom Hill Road Trail Ribbon Cutting, Shady Oaks Park, 11/18/22. It allows a safe pedestrian/bike crossing over Highway 101 to Coyote Road, near the Coyote Creek Staging Area on Silver Creek Valley Road. It made this bike ride possible: Santa Teresa Park to Hellyer Park.
    Blossom Hill Road Trail ribbon-cutting

  • Santa Teresa County Park has a new forest of native western sycamore trees in the Pueblo Area. They came from Devil Mountain Nursery . They were actually rescues and were not purchased or previously planned. The trees were getting pot-bound and would have ended up being chipped if the County Parks hadn't agreed to take them as a donation. They got them in May. They were stored in the Pueblo Area's corral and had a network of pipes to supply water. They started to plant them in the fall, with help from students at West College's Park Management Program. By 11/26/22, most of the trees were planted. New Sycamore Forest, Santa Teresa Park, 11/26/22. Here is an update on 4/7/23.
    Pueblo Area sycamore trees

  • Santa Clara County Parks is in the process of updating the Countywide Trail Master Plan. The plan was originally adopted in 1995. It is intended to be used for trail planning. It includes trails of countywide significance, not all trails. Here's the description of the updates: "Since the Countywide Trails Master Plan was developed in 1995, trail segments have been refined and implemented on the ground, local governments have adopted new trail plans, new public lands have been acquired, mapping and landscape-level understanding of trail feasibility has improved substantially, additional constraints and opportunities have been identified for trail implementation, and potential new trails have been identified that may serve a regional purpose. The proposed Map Update will consider these types of changes while remaining centered around improving regional connectivity and maintaining the core vision of the Countywide Trails Master Plan." There's an interactive map and feedback tool, where you can see the map, zoom in and out, and complete a survey about it. Rebecca Coates-Maldoon is the Countywide Trails Program Manager.Contact: rebecca.coates-maldo@prk.sccgov.org.
    Countywide Trails Master Plan Map

  • 2023 is the last year for the County Parks' #PixInParks Challenge. They have a list of 7 hikes. For the challenge, you go on the hikes to the destinations, take a picture, post it to social media, and submit your hiking info to claim a T-shirt or bandana. One of the hikes is in Santa Teresa Park. It goes to the memorial bench overlooking the Fortini Trail off of the Mine Trail. 
    #PixInParks 2023

  • PG&E is working on the service roads to their power towers. It affects the Joice, Bernal Hill, and Vista Loop Trails. The trails are subject to temporary closures while construction crews are working, from 7 am to 5 pm from 4/10/23 to 5/12/23.
    Trail closure sign



  • On 5/13/23, from 9 am to 12 pm, the Friends of Santa Teresa Park led a 2.5-mile history and nature hike on the Stile Ranch, Mine, and Fortini Trails. We first started giving this hike on May 3, 2009, a week before Mother's Day. We have given this hike many times, with volunteers portraying historic characters from the Bernal, Berryessa, and Fortini families. We also saw late-season wildflowers along the way. The last time we gave the hike was on May 11, 2019. We could not do it from 2020-2021 due to the pandemic. We were thinking about doing it in 2022, but did not apply to do it in time. This year, we got the approval to do the hike. We talked about the area's history and saw wildflowers and wildlife. Here are pictures of the hike.
    History-Nature Hike, 5/13/23

  • On 6/24/23, members of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park and the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association went on a field trip to visit Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. We got a guided tour of the open parts of the mines, led by Naturalist Jaclyn Caldwell, who was previously a Park Interpreter at the Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum, so we knew her. Here is an album of the tour.
    Black Diamond Mines Tour

  • From 6/28-30/23, there were prescribed burns in the Pueblo Area of Santa Teresa Park. The purpose of the burns was to remove invasive weeds, but it was an opportunity for firefighters to train in fighting wildland fires. The firefighters came from multiple departments in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. There were firetrucks from Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Milpitas, Menlo Park, and Woodside. Here are pictures from 6/28 & 6/29. Here are pictures of the aftermath on 6/30.
    Prescribed Burn in Pueblo Area, 6/29/23

  • On July 4, 2023, San Jose District 10 Councilmember Arjun Batra hosted the 8th annual 4th of July Fireworks Festival at Almaden Lake Park. There was live entertainment, games, crafts, food vendors, facepainting, and booths. The Friends of Santa Teresa Park had an information booth there, along with the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association and the Friends of the New Almaden Ting. This is what the booth looked like.
    NAQCPA-FOSTP booth at Almaden Lake, 4th of July 2023

  • On 9/23/23 from 4-7 pm, the La Fuente celebration will be held again at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. Here's the description: "As part of Hispanic Heritage month, celebrate the families of the past, present, and future at Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch and their relationship to the Santa Teresa Spring. Evening festivities include music, stories, crafts, and games for all ages. This event is also part of Binational Health Week. No registration required, just come on by between 4 pm and 7 pm!" Here's more information about it. The Friends of Santa Teresa Park will be participating as usual and will have a booth there, with informational handouts, artifacts, games, and prizes. Below is our booth in 2022. We are looking for volunteers to help us set up, staff the booth, and clean up afterwards. County Parks is also looking for volunteers to help out. You can sign up here.
    FOSTP booth at La Fuente, 2022

Newsletters
Santa Teresa Park Pictures
Rainbow over Santa Teresa Golf Course from the Ridge Trail

Santa Teresa Park web pages & albums with pictures (newest first):
2023
2022
2021
2020
 2019 2018
 2017
 2016
 2015
 2014
 2013
 2012
 2011
 2010
 2009
 2008 and Earlier
 Pictures and Special reports: 2000 to 2007

See here for archived links to pictures in other parks.
Yahoo Group Pictures

Coyote Peak
These were pictures for FOSTP Yahoo Group members only (anyone can apply to join, but you need a Yahoo ID, which is free).  Below is a list of the albums that used to be there.

Note: due to policy changes by Yahoo, which is now owned by Verizon, after 12/14/19, these pictures were no longer available. Yahoo Groups will still be active, but only for email communication. All the files on the group site have been archived here (note that this is an archive only and is not formatted for easy viewing). Some of the photo albums have been re-created as Facebook albums. Facebook sign-in may be required to view them.

Park Events


Pre-Mother's Day Hike, Fortini Trail

Santa Teresa Park Events for 2023

See our Events Archive pages for information from 2001 to 2006, 2007 to 2008, 2009 to 2010, 2011 to 2012, 2013-2014, 2015-2016, 2017-2018, 2019-2022. They include events in other parks. See these links for events in other parks and preserves:
The following activities and events are in Santa Teresa Park and/or FOSTP members are involved:
  • First Friday of each month (typically), 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. First Friday Beautification Days. Join us to volunteer and be part of the Santa Teresa community. Volunteer opportunities available include gardening, barn maintenance, and historical house upkeep. Hope to see you at the community volunteer days! Sign up here.
  • Saturday, May 13, 2023, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. When History and Nature Collide. Join the Friends of Santa Teresa Park volunteers for a moderate 2.5-mile hike. View late spring wildflowers, look for wildlife, take in the gorgeous views, and learn about the rich history area. Meet at the Fortini/Stile Ranch Trailhead with sturdy shoes, sun protection, and water. Questions? (408) 355-2240. 
  • Friday, May 26, 2023, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. The Myths About Rattlesnakes. Learn how to survive a rattlesnake encounter. It's easier than you think! Meet at the Bernal Ranch picnic tables with snacks and water. Questions? (408) 225-0225. 
  • Sunday, June 4, 2023, 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm. The Nighttime World is Full of Interesting Sights and Sounds. Join a park ranger to discover the nighttime world in our beautiful park system. Meet at the Pueblo Group Area with layers, water, a fully charged flashlight, and comfortable shoes. Questions? (408) 225-0225.
  • Sunday, June 11, 2023, 10:00 am - 11:30 am. Intro to iNaturalist & Community Science. Are you a budding naturalist or just want to learn about the nature that surrounds you? Join us for an informative program to learn how to use phone apps such as iNaturalist and Seek to identify the natural world, and contribute to community science. Meet at the Bernal Ranch picnic tables. Reservations online. 
  • Friday, June 23, 2023, 5:00 pm - 5:45 pm. Evening With a King. We learn about all kinds of monarchs in history class, but have you ever wanted to hang out with a king...snake? This program offers you and your friends and family the chance to meet Morticia, Santa Clara County Parks' Claifornia kingsnake, and learn why she is so well adapted to the habitats surrounding the Santa Clara Valley and beyond! Meet at the Bernal Ranch near the barn. Families strongly encouraged to attend. Questions? (669) 275-5330.
  • Sunday, June 25, 2023, 8:15 pm - 10:15 pm. The Life of Nocturnal Animals. Join a park ranger led hike and discover the life of nocturnal animals in our beautiful park system. Meet at the Pueblo Group area with layers, water, full charged flashlight, and comfortable shoes. Questions? (408) 225-0225.
  • Saturday, July 1, 2023, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Walk in the Woods: Field Notes in Nature. Join a Park Interpreter for an afternoon nature walk to the Santa Teresa Spring where you can learn some techniques for field notes, drawing, and nature journaling. Program best for ages 5 and up. Families are encouraged to attend. Meet at the Bernal Ranch picnic benches with a notebook, pens/pencils/markers. Questions? (669) 275-5330.
  • Saturday, September 16, 2023, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm. La Fuente Mexican Heritage, Santa Teresa/Bernal Ranch. Bernal Ranch is "La Fuente" or "The Origin" for family histories, local economy, and a growing new community. Join us to celebrate the different histories of Santa Teresa Spring, the original water source of thriving communities from the past to present day. Contact Rob: rob.mcdonnell@prk.sccgov.org.