Snell Trail

Snell Trail starts at a well marked trailhead sign, at the southwest corner of a large parking area. It begins as a wide asphalt path. One soon comes to a trail fork. Go left at this fork, past a large gate, onto the wide dirt path here, to hike Snell Trail. The right fork, continuing on asphalt, is Amphitheater Trail that takes one to a small rustic amphitheater. Snell Trail is a wide flat trail as it circles around Halley Hill. Initially heading south, the trail passes Barn Trail at the 0.4 mile mark, and then bends west at about the 0.7 mile mark. Lower San Felipe Trail is passed at the 0.9 mile mark just before Snell Trail ends at Brush Trail after a total of about 1.0 miles. The wooded Halley Hill rises gently to the right/west of Snell Trail. To the left/east, the broad, open San Felipe Creek Valley gradually descends to the creek and its wetlands. Across the valley are the rugged, tree studded grass hills of the Diablo Range rising up above 4,000 feet. Mount Hamilton, 4,265 ft., with Lick Observatory on its summit, can be seen on a distant ridge. Truly stunning views here.