Conveniently located just steps from the neighborhoods of San Jose, Almaden Quicksilver County Park is a fantastic place to enjoy the outdoors without driving too far! The park has tons of trails that can be linked into short and long loops, so there’s plenty of choices. This loop on the southern side of the park gets you away from the noise and hustle of the city, and has solitude, excellent views, and lots of interesting history!
Miles/Elevation:
4.9 miles
784 feet vertical gain
About Almaden Quicksilver County Park:
Near the southern edge of San Jose, Almaden Quicksilver County Park is a fascinating combination of natural beauty and human history. Named for the mercury that was mined here, quicksilver is another name for the dangerous metal; this park has a long mining history!
First used by the native peoples of the region, large-scale mercury mining really began here in the 1840’s, and by 1865, there were about 1,800 people living in what is now the county park! The mines here were so productive that “it became the richest mercury mine in North America and the most productive mine in California history!”
The mine was so crucial and so valuable because it was used in the refining of gold. If you’ve never taken a U.S. history course, the California Gold Rush was a pretty big deal here starting in the 1840’s!
Today, the park protects this rich history of mining, and the people who came here to do it, in a beautiful natural setting. Interspersed among the hills and ridges of the park are the ruins of mining towns, old shafts, as well as other infrastructure developed for the procurement of the metal!
First designated a park in 1976, Almaden Quicksilver now contains 37 miles of hiking trails that criss-cross the over 4,000 acres of the park. While hiking is my main interest, there are miles upon miles of trail open to horseback riding as well as mountain biking!
Be aware that this is mountain lion country, and while sightings are rare, you should be alert, especially if you bring small animals or children. And while the industrial mining operations are over, there is still enough mercury in the ground to contaminate the water here, so any fish caught should be released, not eaten, and don’t drink the water!
Getting To The Trailhead:
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
The park is very easily accessible from San Jose as some neighborhoods literally butt against the park boundaries. To access the trailhead on Hicks Road on the backside of the park, my recommendation is to just put Wood Road Entrance into Google Maps and follow the directions. You will likely take highway 85 to Camden Ave, and then turn onto Hicks Road. From downtown it is about a 35 minute drive. If coming from San Francisco, it is about a one hour drive.
There are a number of different trailheads on all sides of the park, so if you chose to do a different hike, there are lots of places to enter the park. Here is an excerpt from the park’s homepage.
“ The park may be accessed from three areas. The Mockingbird Hill entrance is accessed off Mockingbird Hill Lane. This entrance is accessible to all users, including bicyclists. From Highway 85, take the Almaden Expressway exit south 4.5 miles to Almaden Road. Proceed 0.5 miles on Almaden Road to Mockingbird Hill Lane, turn right and continue 0.4 miles to the parking area.
The Wood Road entrance is accessed off Wood Road. From Highway 85 take the Camden Avenue exit south. Turn right on Hicks Road and follow for 6 miles. At the intersection of Wood Road and Hicks Road, turn left into the staging area.
The Hacienda entrance is located at the south end of New Almaden. This entrance is accessible to all users, including bicyclists. From Almaden Expressway, proceed 3 miles along Almaden Road through the town of New Almaden to the unpaved staging area on the right.”
The Wood Road, Castillero, Mine Trail Loop:
Wood Road:
Leaving the trailhead, the first leg of the hike brings you onto Wood Road, an old gravel road which takes you into Almaden Quicksilver. The first half a mile or so follows a gentle incline through the forest, providing occasional views towards Sierra Azul and the high peaks of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!
After about half a mile of hiking, the trail takes a 90 degree left hand turn and begins heading downhill. Once you begin descending, you will be able to see where you are headed; directly into Almaden Quicksilver towards an old mining ruin. The terrain opens up, and views of Almaden Quicksilver and nearby Sierra Azul pick up!
Looking for huge old growth Redwoods instead? Head to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park!
After a quick 150 foot descent, you will reach the low point of the valley and begin hiking uphill again towards Mine Hill and some abandoned mine equipment.
This entire park used to be a major site of Mercury mining, and there are numerous reminders of that throughout the park. Here, you get a good look at an old furnace, and elsewhere in the park are ruins, still standing buildings, abandoned equipment, and mines themselves. It definitely adds a cool dynamic to an already pretty area! I don’t really know anything about mining furnaces, but it was pretty cool to see!
From the site of the mining furnace, head up the steep hill to the left, and at the top, take a left onto the Castillero Trail.
The Castillero Trail:
The Castillero Trail takes you on another gravel road, but the views up here excuse the road walking! You will be on the Castillero Trail for about ¾’s of a mile. After the steep ascent up from the mining furnace, you’ll have another 75 feet or so of climbing to do, but after that it’s a gentle descent down.
After ¾’s of a mile of easy hiking on the Castillero Trail, you’ll hit an intersection. Continuing straight will take you further north into Almaden Quicksilver on the Mine Hill Trail. Rather than doing that, take a right onto the Mine Hill Trail.
The Mine Hill Trail:
Upon turning on the Mine Hill Trail, you will begin a descent taking you back down into the forest. The trail again is a gravel road, a common theme on this hike, but it at least makes for quick hiking!
Just down the road, Rancho San Antonio has more excellent trails!
The forest is pretty, and does make for a good change of pace from the open terrain of much of this loop, though you do lose the big panoramic views through this section. If you look carefully, you may also see some remnants of the old mines just off the trail as well!
After descending for just under a mile, you will hit a pair of intersections. Stay right at both, and then you will arrive at English Camp. English Camp is a ruin of one of the old mining camps that used to define Almaden Quicksilver. An entire community of English speaking miners lived and worked in this part of the hills (there were other camps where people speaking different languages lived).
Today, most of the buildings are gone and the only signs of them are foundations and a smattering of signs; however, there are still some standing remnants of the past here. The most obvious is a barn alongside the trail, though there is a small flagpole and other little items!
After exploring English Camp, you’ll have another 200 feet of climbing to reach the summit of Mine Hill. Once at the top, you will reach the intersection where you earlier turned down the Castillero Trail, but now, you will head back down past the furnace towards the trailhead along Wood Road.
Hiking Out:
From the top of the hill above the furnace, it is just under a mile and a half back to the trailhead. The first half mile of this return trip is downhill as you head back to the low point of the valley you earlier hiked through.
From the low point, it’s about a mile back, 150 feet back up followed by a gentle descent to the trailhead. It’s a little annoying to have a climb in the last mile of the hike, but it’s super easy! Soon enough, you’ll be back at the parking lot and done with this loop!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 8/10
This is a really nice easy trail that is super accessible and doable in a morning. While this loop isn’t the most spectacular hike by any definition, the views are consistently good, the trails make for quick and easy progress though they are gravel roads, and it’s a great convenient place to get away from the city. This isn’t the best hike in the Bay Area, but if you are looking for a quick and easy hike away from the hustle and bustle, this is a really nice option!
Pros:
- Very nice views
- Lots of history
- Easily accessible
Cons:
- A lot of gravel road walking
- Lots of heat and sun in summer
- Nothing spectacular
Alternative Hikes:
The Santa Teresa County Park Loop
When To Hike Almaden Quicksilver County Park:
Almaden Quicksilver County Park is a 4 season destination; however, each season will give you different conditions. Winter will provide the coolest temperatures, but will have the most rain, and therefore the most mud. Expect winter days to be anywhere from the 50s to the 70s. Spring is a bit warmer and a bit drier, and would be an awesome time to visit. Summer is the hottest month, and conditions could easily reach into the 80’s or even 90’s on extreme days. Fall will yield cooler temperatures as the season progresses, but has the biggest fire risk.
When choosing a time to visit, one unique thing to consider is the condition of the vegetation. The grass covered hills spend all of summer and fall looking burnt and brown as the summer and fall are the driest months. Winter and spring to me are the best months to visit Almaden Quicksilver County Park as the hills turn a beautiful green as the rain comes. Beware of mud after heavy rain days, but for me, winter and spring are the best times to visit.
Links For Further Reading:
Wood Road, Castillero Trail, Mine Trail Loop – California | AllTrails
Almaden Quicksilver County Park – Parks and Recreation – County of Santa Clara
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