Located just outside Cupertino California in the South Bay, Rancho San Antonio County Park is one of the most popular hiking spots in the area! Looking for a quick day hike somewhere new, I decided to hike the High Meadows Loop via the Coyote Trail!
This short lollipop trail was conveniently located for me, and fit the difficulty profile I was looking for that day. And, since Rancho San Antonio is pretty popular, I figured I should check it out!
Miles/Elevation:
5.4 miles
826 feet vertical gain
About Rancho San Antonio County Park:
Rancho San Antonio County Park and the adjoining Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve combine to create an area of about 4,000 acres of wild lands open to recreation just outside Cupertino and Los Altos Hills California. Generally just referred to as Rancho San Antonio, the collective area is one of the most popular hiking spots in the South Bay.
With about 29 miles of hiking trails, Rancho San Antonio has plenty of different choices for all levels of hikers. There are plenty of mainly flat walks under 4 miles, but there are also difficult 12 mile plus combinations that can be done in the park.
Parking can be congested here, so if visiting on a nice Saturday morning, expect parking areas to be either full or close to full. Trails are also open to horses and cyclists, so be aware while on trail! There are no parking fees at Rancho San Antonio.
Getting To The Trailhead:
Rancho San Antonio is located just off I-280 outside San Jose CA. Take the exit off I-280 towards Foothill Expressway, and turn south onto Foothill Blvd. Then take a right on Cristo Rey Drive. The parking area is pretty clearly marked, and there are a few different lots to choose from. Rancho San Antonio is about 15 minutes from San Jose, and 45 minutes from San Francisco.
High Meadow Loop via The Coyote Trail:
Coyote Trail:
The best place to start this hike is the large main parking lot, but if you park at one of the smaller lots along the road, just make your way to the main parking lot. From the main lot, cross Permanente Creek, and continue straight through the intersection up the hill, gently turning right as you climb!
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
This first part of the hike is the Coyote Trail. It starts off with a nice little 200 foot climb up a gravel road. The climb isn’t anything too tough, and just about anyone should be able to make it up. At the top of the ascent, you’ll find some infrastructure and a trail intersection. Continue straight-ish/turn slightly left to continue on the Coyote Trail.
Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!
From the top of the initial climb, you’ll actually start descending for the next mile. The Coyote Trail on this next mile is a nice single track or double track trail through the woods, and the gentle downslope makes for really easy walking.
The trail is really busy through here, so definitely don’t expect to have the trail to yourself. There are a couple of turnoffs on your right that will take you down to a road and some historic buildings, but continue straight, and don’t turn right!
High Meadow Trail:
Eventually, you’ll come to an intersection. One branch of the trail goes through a wood fence, while the other branch turns sharply right. You can go either way at this intersection as it simply completes a loop, but I choose to turn right.
The main reason for my choice was it seemed like the climb was a bit shorter, and would leave me with an easy descent. In hindsight, I don’t think there is a clear cut best way to do it. If I did this trail again, I’d probably go through the gate first, but I don’t think there’s an obvious choice.
Turning right gets you onto the High Meadow Trail which almost immediately begins climbing. This is definitely the main bulk of the climbing on the hike, and you’ll gain about 450 feet over the next ¾’s of a mile or so.
It’s certainly not an overly difficult climb, especially if you’re used to hiking in the big mountains, but if you’re not an experienced hiker, this climb could certainly take the wind out of you! I personally didn’t struggle with it too much, but even though it was only in the 70’s I was really sweating hard through this climb!
As you approach the summit of the climb, you’ll encounter a 4 way intersection. You’ll eventually go straight through this intersection to complete the loop, but the true summit of the climb requires you to take a left here and finish with about 20 more feet!
Your reward for finishing the climb is a really nice view overlooking the South Bay. At the top of the hill, there is a nice bench that makes for a great resting point! This is the obvious rest point of the hike: you’re about half way distance wise, and nearly all of your climbing is done!
Enjoy the views, and soak up the sunshine. Then, whenever you are ready, head back down to the nearby 4 way intersection and turn left to continue on!
Views from the top!
Wildcat Loop Trail:
Turning left at the intersection near the summit takes you onto the Wildcat Loop Trail. You’ll immediately start a gentle descent down the backside of the hill you just ascended. Rather than having views looking over the Bay, you’ll descend through a tree filled ravine deeper in the hills.
I generally don’t really enjoy tree covered trails where I can’t really see that much, but honestly I really enjoyed this descent. It’s not overly long, and it isn’t especially steep, so I felt like I was able to make good progress, and my knees weren’t sore!
After around half a mile of descending, you’ll reach the bottom of the hill you were on and arrive at the bottom of the ravine. You’ll need to cross the creek and take a left to make your way back to the trailhead. Turning right will lead you further into the park and could net you a few more miles than you bargained for!
From this intersection, it’s about ¾’s of a mile back to the Coyote Trail, and the point where you turned off to begin the lollipop section of the trail. It’s easy walking, and while it isn’t especially exciting, the forest is pretty, the trail is flat and gently graded, and you’ll have plenty of shade!
Coyote Trail:
Before long, you’ll arrive back at the gate that marks the end of the Wildcat Loop and the resumption of the Coyote Trail. From here, all you have to do is retrace your steps back to the trailhead!
It sounds really simple, but I actually made one or two wrong turns! The connector trails that immediately head back to the road and take you to the historic farm buildings look like the way to go, but you actually need to stay right, and stay on the high trail.
Unfortunately, it’s not all downhill on the way back. It’s hardly noticeable on the hike out, but there’s actually about 150 feet left for you to climb. After the initial climb you start with, the trail very gently drops those 150 feet, and I hardly noticed it. I definitely noticed it on the hike out!
It’s not that it’s difficult. It’s really not. It’s 150 feet over ¾’s of a mile, so really not a big climb at all, but nonetheless I was annoyed I was going back uphill! Soon enough, you’ll be back to the final descent, and you’ll be able to see the parking lot from the top of the final hill! Continue on down to the parking lot and you are done!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 7/10
This is a solid hike with nice views, pleasant forest, good trails, and it’s easily accessible. However, it’s not really unique in any way, the views are good, not great, and it’s really busy. This feel like one of a number of good not great hikes in the hills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Definitely go to Rancho San Antonio at some point, and if you want a 5 mile hike while you’re there, this isn’t a bad one. But, I certainly would not recommend really going out of your way to do this hike.
Pros:
- Easily accessible
- Well constructed trail
- Good views
Cons:
- Busy
- Good not great views
- No wow moments
Alternative Hikes:
Almaden Quicksilver County Park
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve Loop
When To Visit Rancho San Antonio County Park:
The South Bay is hikable for all 4 seasons, but you will get very different conditions depending on the time of year. Summers get warm, and you can expect temperatures in the 80’s most days, with the possibility for 90’s. Fall and spring days are generally in the 70’s and 80’s, while winter is the coolest with highs usually in the 60’s. Rain is most common from late fall through early spring.
I think the best time to hike this trail is actually winter or spring. California is at it’s greenest during and just after the winter rain, so if you can find a sunny day between the rain, this area will be beautiful! Otherwise, it really depends on what kind of weather you prefer. If you want to sweat, go in the summer. If you want it cooler, go towards the winter!
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