Well, we had quite a few destructive storms this past month! This has left to many of our local trails inaccessible due to down trees, mudslides, and washed out roads. Yikes!

Normally I try to avoid urban trails when I go hiking, simply because hearing urban noise while hiking is not exactly relaxing. I go out into nature to relax, not hear the daily grind of the city. That being said, when many of the good trails are closed, and you don’t know the status of some trails, it is good to play it safe and enjoy the urban trails we have here in Silicon Valley.

The Los Gatos Creek Trail is an urban trail which goes along the Los Gatos Creek and parallels highway 17. It winds through the city and passes through Vasona Park, eventually leading you to the Lexington Dam. There are several places to catch the trail, depending on how long you would like to hike, and which landmark you would like to either hike through, or end up at for a picnic.

We caught the Los Gatos Creek Trail at the Lexington Dam Loop trailhead which is located on Main Street at Highway 17 in Los Gatos. I like this trailhead because after you loop back to it, you can grab a coffee, brunch, or boba downtown. It’s a fun, social trailhead which combines the benefits of an urban trail, and a great workout while hiking.

When you enter the Lexington Dam Loop trailhead, I recommend turning left and heading towards the dam. If you turn right, you will wind through downtown and end up at Vasona Park; which is fine if that is your goal.

The Los Gatos Creek Trail, when you turn left after entering at the Lexington Dam Loop trailhead, leads you towards the dam. In your first minute on the trail, there is a fork in the trail. If you continue to the right, you will parallel the highway, if you go left, you will hike uphill towards a more nature-friendly view. Please keep in mind, you will hear the highway the entire time.

We took the trail on the left at the fork, and hiked uphill to a clearing where you can find majestic trees and a small meadow. We continued through the meadow to another trailhead which put us back on a trail towards the dam. This is a great trail for hiking since bikes are not allowed on this portion of the trail. It is a lot calmer when you don’t have to worry about a bike taking you out on a narrow trail. Love that!

This portion of the trail continues to lead you uphill until you have a viewpoint of the dam and the valley.

It is a great spot to stop and drink some water, as well as snap a few pictures for social media. After hydrating, you can continue on the trail downhill and towards the dam. The dam is a nice spot to rest and possibly eat a snack you packed in your backpack. At this point, you can either continue hiking along the dam and follow the trail, catch another trail, or turn around and head back towards downtown Los Gatos. We like to turn around, and then grab brunch in town.

At this point in time, when many trails and parks need to be cleaned up after the storms, or need additional rehab from washed out roads, the Los Gatos Creek Trail is a safe bet to be able to get a good hike in, as well as a good workout. While the sound of the highway isn’t exactly giving an escape to nature vibe, it is still a great hiking trail which offer a workout, as well as many trees, plants, and a nature vibe.

Things you might need for your hike:

Have you hiked on Los Gatos Creek Trail lately? Which trailhead is your favorite?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

The Villa Montalvo hiking trails are some of the prettiest trails in Saratoga, California. If you are local to the San Francisco Bay Area, you may already be familiar with Villa Montalvo in Saratoga. It is an historic mansion which is currently used as an event venue, artist retreat, children’s activities, and for outdoor activities.

Sometimes you don’t want to go on an aggressive hike. There are days when a one or two-hour hike is just perfect. The hiking trails at Villa Montalvo are for those days. There are several connecting trails which you can make into a half-hour hike, or a three-hour hike. It all depends on how long you feel like staying out. It is easy to adjust and find a linking trail which takes you back to the Villa or the parking lot in a few minutes when you get tired.

We hiked at Villa Montalvo with my daughter’s girl scout troop, and since we had some younger girls with us, we lasted roughly two hours. This was perfect because the girls had fun, but it wasn’t overly strenuous. There is definitely some elevation on the trails, so even if you hike for a short time, you will still enjoy beautiful views of Silicon Valley and get a great outdoor workout. Love that!

In addition to hiking, the artists in residence have added some beauty to the natural trails. There are inspirational quotes along the trail as well as occasional artwork. It is very pretty and unique.

The hiking trails at Villa Montalvo can get busy since it is a favorite hiking spot for locals and families. If you plan to go, I recommend arriving early in the morning, before 10am. The trails close at 5pm, so plan ahead.

What I wore hiking on a fall day:

Have you hiked at Villa Montalvo before? What did you think?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy