The PG&E TrailRancho San Antonio County ParkLength 8.8 mi · Climbing 1600 ftCalifornia > San Francisco Bay Area > Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
A view of downtown San Jose from the Upper High Meadow Trail Background
Rancho San Antonio is one of the Bay Area's most popular parks. Although it's not quite as busy as, say, Muir Woods, on a nice summer day the main road to Deer Hollow Farm is a continuous stream of people, and even on the challenging 8-mile PG&E Trail you can expect to meet a group of hikers or joggers every 1 or 2 minutes. It's often said that the park is overcrowded, but the crowds (along with the wide, well-maintained trails) also help to make the park feel safer and more family-oriented than other nearby parks. It's easy to see why the park is so popular: it's just a few minutes' drive from most of Silicon Valley, and although it doesn't compare with more distant parks to the west of Skyline Ridge, it's still an enjoyable place to hike, with a mixture of woodland, open grassland, and some very nice panoramic views of the Bay Area. The park is also large and well isolated from the nearby suburban neighborhoods, so it offers a real escape from the city without the hassle of a long drive. Even though it's partly wooded, Rancho San Antonio, like most area parks, can get really hot and unpleasant in the summer. I avoid the park whenever the forecast high for the day is above 85 degrees and instead head to the coast. The PG&E Trail loop is a good workout with some great scenic views and is one of Rancho San Antonio's most enjoyable hikes. |
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Hike description
Click here to see the trailhead location in Google Maps. Although the park has three large parking lots, parking can be difficult to find on a nice day. Drive in to the main park entrance on Cristo Rey Drive. Stay to the left and continue to the dirt equestrian parking lot at the end of the road. The Coyote Trail begins from this lot at a footbridge. The Coyote Trail immediately begins to climb a grassy, oak-studded hillside, offering a few views of the nearby suburban developments before entering a wooded area. Arriving at a 5-way intersection near a water tank, turn left onto the PG&E Trail. The PG&E Trail was presumably built by PG&E to service the electrical towers that are found every few hundred yards along the trail. The buzzing electrical towers can be annoying but can also be kind of scenic, marching off into the distance over the green hills. At least since the trail is mostly wooded, you can't see them most of the time. The trail descends to the intersection with a crossover trail, then begins a longer and steeper climb. There are increasingly scenic views of the Bay Area along the way. The woods open up and much of the climb is out in the sun. The trail finally tops out at a bench next to an electrical tower, then begins a steep descent. Having switched from the south to the north side of the canyon, the trail has much less tree cover on the descent.
The PG&E Trail The next intersection is the Upper Wildcat Canyon Trail. From this point you can either turn right onto the Upper Wildcat Canyon Trail, or continue straight and take any of the three trails that branch off from the next intersection. All four options are equally scenic. Wildcat Canyon (the option shown on the map) is an excellent choice in the winter, when a little creek flows alongside the trail, but can be a little dull in the summer. The High Meadow Trail descends along the edge of a forest where it meets a grassy, oak-studded meadow and is also very scenic. The trail bottoms out near Deer Hollow Farm. The farm is a bit of a disappointment since visitors are fenced off from the animals and there really isn't much to see. The similar farm a few miles away at Hidden Villa is a lot more fun — but also charges $5 for parking. The remaining mile or so of road is the most crowded in the park; it feels more like an urban park than an open space preserve. It's still fairly scenic, though.
The PG&E Trail runs alongside a string of electrical towers More information
© 2010 David Baselt |
