The
entry to the archery range is off Bayliss Drive between Keeler Ct. and
Ingram Ct., just past the end of the golf course, marked by the sign
just inside the entrance.
This service road leads to the archery range. The Ohlone Trail entrance is on the right.
This is the start of the Ohlone Trail. It leads uphill, then levels off when it reaches the level of the Coyote Alamitos Canal.
Ahead
is the Coyote-Alamitos Canal. A trail bridge crosses over the canal.
The canal levee is closed to public access on both sides of the trail.
The canal levee to the left of the trail serves as a backstop for the archery range, so it is very dangerous to walk on it.
On the other side of the canal, a volunteer trail going up the hill has been closed off.
This is the Coyote-Alamitos Canal to the right of the trail. It departs from the trail and winds through the golf course.
This is the Ohlone Trail. It is a dirt single-track trail running almost level along the hillsides.
The trail continues to run along the sides of the hills.
The trail is generally in good shape. There are a few small holes. Wild mustard is starting to intrude in a few places.
This is the canal passing through the golf course. There are several bridges over the canal in the golf course.
The trail goes uphill slightly.
The trail surface was renovated relatively recently, so it is not seriously eroded yet.
The trail drops down into a shady area.
The trail leads to a bridge over a small ravine with a creek that is usually dry.
There's a picnic table on the other side of the bridge. This is a shady place for a picnic.
The trail continues on the other side of the ravine. Grass has been cleared from the trailsides.
After emerging from the woods, the trail runs along the hill, climbing slightly.
There are many places along the hillsides that have been torn up by wild pigs.
The trail begins to climb up to the service road.
This is the final climb to the service road.
This
is the service road. It continues on to meet the service road entrance
behind the driving range and continues on to the start of the middle Ohlone
Trail, which branches off of it. It eventually becomes the Coyote
Peak Trail.
The service road to the left is closed off. It leads to a storage area on top of a hill above the archery range.
This is the turn-around point for this trip.
Back
at the start, this is the parking lot at the archery range. While it is
run by the Black
Mountain Bowmen, under a lease agreement with the County Parks, it
is open to the public. Non-members can use the archery range when there
are no archery meets in progress. There are safety rules posted which
must be followed.
This is one of the target ranges. The Coyote-Alamitos Canal runs behind it.
The Black Mountain Bowmen have been a club for about 60 years, since 1948. Their first target range was off Hicks Road near the Almaden Mines. When the land there was sold for development, they moved to the south end of Santa Teresa Park in 1979. It was an area that had previously been used as a gun range. It was a bare area. The club planted trees all over the site. The trees are now mature, providing a forest-like setting. The range has 56 targets, in a variety of settings, including a field course in the hills. The club currently has about 60 members and welcomes new members. (Contact information.)