Bay Area Ridge Trail: Alum Rock Park

Begin in a creek corridor and climb to high ridges on the east side of the Santa Clara Valley for a bird's-eye view of nearby San Jose, the South Bay, and the Peninsula. The steep trail winds up a grassy, southwest-facing hillside. Because of the sun exposure, the trip is best done with an early start on cool spring days or midday in winter, when skies are clear after rains. Elevation Gain/Loss 1,775 feet/205 feet one-way. This trail description is excerpted from the 2019 Guidebook. For details on all trails, trailheads and more buy the book from Wilderness Press.