Destination: Santa Teresa County Park

Santa Teresa County Park is located at the Southern End of the Santa Teresa Hills in South San Jose.  The parks offers a variety of activites - from golf to archery to historical landmarks.  Here are my top picks for your junior explorers.

Bernal-Gulac-Joice Ranch
Originally part of Rancho Santa Teresa, the Ranch site features a historic ranch house, gardens, and a barn. The Ranch site is open daily from 8am to sunset, although the Ranch House and Barn exhibits are only open on Fridays and Saturdays. Visit the Ranch to immerse yourself in the reality of living on a working farm over 100 years ago.

Geocaching Along The Ridge Trail
Geocaching is a fun activity and a great way to get your kids involved in exploring the outdoors. There are many geocaches in Santa Teresa, but you can find several caches close together along the Ridge Trail.  Find more information about Geocaching at Geocaching.com.

Creek Splashing on the Fortini Trail

Santa Teresa Creek off the Fortini Trail

Start at the Stiles Entrance off of San Vincente Ave (no parking fee).  Hike .75 miles along the Fortini Trail and on the right side of the trail, you'll find a nice shady spot for splashing in Santa Teresa Creek.  When you are done, you can walk back to the car along the Fortini Trail, or if you are up for a challenge, make a loop by continuing on the Fortini Trail to the Mine Trail turnoff.  From there, turn back along the Stile Ranch Trail.  The total on the loop is 2.7 miles with about 450 feet of elevation gain.

Coyote Peak
At 1,155 feet high, Coyote Peak offers a great view of the Santa Clara Valley from the top, but you have to put in some work to get there!  You can start from the Archery Range Parking Lot (no parking fee), for a 4.4 mile loop (1100 feet elevation gain).  Or you can follow the suggestion in the Healthy Trails Guidebook and start from the Hidden Springs Parking Lot (Parking Fee $6.00) for a shorter, and less steep hike (3.0 miles, 555 ft. elevation gain).