Hike on the Hidden Springs, Coyote Peak, Boundary, and Rocky RidgeTrails, 2/17/13

This is the Hidden Springs Trail leading to Coyote Peak.

This is a map showing the hike route, which starts at the Hidden Springs Trailhead next to the Pueblo Day Use Area at the upper left. Note that the part of the route on the Mine Trail, Hidden Springs Trail, to Coyote Peak are part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.

Along the side of the trail, leaves are beginning to sprout on the buckeye trees. Unfortunately, the same is true of poison oak.

This is a view looking back down the Hidden Springs Trail, just past the start of the Ridge Trail, which goes off to the right. The Pueblo Area parking lot is in the background.

This pond is along the Hidden Springs Trail where it levels off before it reaches the Coyote Peak Trail. When it overflows, it fills the creek that runs along the Hidden Springs Trail. That creek flows down steep Laurel Canyon and forms 2 waterfalls.

Colorful lichen are growing on these rocks above the trail.

The trails are very busy today with people of all ages walking their dogs, hiking, and biking.

A lone poppy is blooming on these rocks.

Redmaids are growing around these lichen-covered rocks.

This is a view looking back along the Hidden Springs Trail, near the Coyote Peak Trail junction.

The IBM Almaden Research Lab is in the background in this telephoto view looking back on the Hidden Springs Trail towards the pond.

In this telephoto view looking back down the Coyote Peak Trail, Tulare Hill and Metcalf Road are in the background.

Downtown San Jose and Kaiser San Jose Hospital are in the background in this view from the Coyote Peak Trail.

The Coyote Peak Trail drops steeply downhill.

Ahead is the junction of the Coyote Peak Trail on the left and the Boundary Trail on the right.

A hummingbird perches on blooming poison oak.

From the Boundary Trail junction, this is the Coyote Peak Trail heading downhill.

The start of the boundary trail runs relatively level along the hillside.

These plants are growing in a shady area next to the Boundary Trail.

Ahead, the Boundary Trail makes its steep ascent up the hill. This is the steepest trail in Santa Teresa Park. Fortunately, it is not very long.

This is a view looking up the beginning of the steep part of the Boundary Trail heading up to Coyote Peak, whose antenna is behind the bush on the right.

This is a view from the Boundary Trail. The Santa Teresa Golf Course is below.

This is a view looking down from the Boundary Trail. What looks like a trail below center is actually the Coyote-Alamitos Canal levee, which is not a trail. The canal levee goes around Tulare Hill.

Still climbing the steep section of the Boundary Trail, but it looks like the end is near. Not quite.

Looking down from the trail is the flat part of the Boundary Trail.

This is a view looking down about halfway up the steep part of the Boundary Trail.

The Boundary Trail runs next to the Boundary of Santa Teresa Park. A service road on the south side of the runs nearly parallel to the Boundary Trail, except it is not designed for trail use. It goes straight up and over the hill, while the trail on the right makes a less steep switchbacked ascent.

From higher up on the trail, more of the park can be seen, including Bernal Hill.

Down below is the seaonal lake, Laguna Seca, at the head of the Coyote Valley next to Santa Teresa Blvd.

This is a wider view from the trail, looking down the Coyote Valley, showing the trail and the parallel service road along the park boundary on the left. The hills below are owned by IBM.

Finally, this is the start of the Boundary Trail on top of Coyote Peak, next to the transmitter.

These serpentine boulders overlook Big Oak Valley and the Rocky Ridge Trail. Since it wasn't a very clear day, I did not go to the viewpoints on Coyote Peak. For views from a clear day, see the pictures taken on 12/27/12 (go to the link on the upper left).

This is near the start of the Rocky Ridge Trail. The soil here is mostly clay. It soons changes to rocky serpentine, which is dryer, harder, and is better for wildflowers.

This young hawk is hunting overhead.

These rocks are stacked along the edge of the Rocky Ridge Trail.

The top of the Rocky Ridge Trail gets lined with wildflowers in the spring. At this time, there are just a few flowers, like these poppies.

There are lots of these lichen-covered boulders along the top of the Rocky Ridge Trail. The ridge behind is the real Rocky Ridge. There are no trails over it, but the Rocky Ridge Trail runs along the base of it. A triangle of land at the top of Rocky Ridge is private property. Behind it is the Pueblo Day Use Area.

The trail passes through this ancient rock wall. In the background, the first hill is part of Rancho San Vicente, the newest addition to Calero County Park. Behind it is a hill covered with private estates along Cinnabar Hills Drive. Behind it on the left are the ridgeline of Calero County and Rancho Canada Del Oro. Farthest back is the Sierra Azul Range and Mt. Loma Prieta, the highest point in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

This part of the Rocky Ridge Trail is very rocky.

As seen from the Rocky Ridge Trail, across the way is the Mine Trail, the Fortini Trail, and the Stile Ranch Trail.

Below, the Mine Trail leads to the Pueblo Area.

The lower part of the Rocky Ridge Trail also gets lots of spring wildflowers, but different species than the upper part of the trail. There were not many flowers blooming yet, but there were these shooting stars.

At the bottom of the Rocky Ridge Trail, it crosses over the creek on a small bridge.

Looking back on the Rocky Ridge Trail coming down to the creek crossing in Big Oak Valley.

This is the only part of the Rocky Ridge Trail that actually traverses Rocky Ridge, which is on the right.

The Rocky Ridge Trail turns and runs parallel to the Mine Trail on the other side of the creek. It eventually meets the Mine Trail, which goes back to the Pueblo Day Use Area.

Healthy Trails

The County Parks has a program called "Healthy Trails" (see the link above). It's an incentive program that invites visitors to take trails in the County Parks, log their visits, and receive a prize after a certain number of trips. They can hike, bike, walk, run, dog-walk, or ride a horse on the trails. On some trails, they can take a stroller, skate, or use a wheelchair. The trail route taken above contains trail sections that are part of Healthy Trail routes, which are listed in the Healthy Trails Guidebooks. The routes are rated as Easy, Moderate, or Strenuous depending on the distance and elevation change. So far, there have been 3 editions of the guidebook. Here are maps from each guidebook that include portions of the trail taken today.

In the first edition, a 3.5-mile strenuous route followed the Hidden Springs, Coyote Peak, Rocky Ridge, and Mine Trails, with a 655' elevation gain.

The second edition added more of the Mine and Hidden Springs Trails to make it a 5-mile strenuous hike with a 655' elevation gain.

The third edition has a shorter 3-mile route with a 555' elevation change, but it includes steeper trails. It goes up the Hidden Springs Trail, up then down the steep Ridge Trail, up the moderately steep No Name Trail (actually the lower part of the Coyote Peak Trail), to the very steep Boundary Trail up to Coyote Peak, then down the Coyote Peak and Hidden Springs Trails. While these hikes are strenuous, there are also Healthy Trails routes in Santa Teresa that are easy and moderate.