Huckleberries at the Crack of Dawn! [Mount Madonna County Park]

It is well established that god helps those who help themselves. So, let's help ourselves to some of the wild huckleberries (** see Berry Disclaimer) of Mt Madonna before the birds and less deserving hikers have their way with them.

Join us on this early morning, hike to beat the heat. Redwoods, chaparral, huckleberries, spiritual retreats, mountain lions, snakes and bugs — you can find it all at Mt Madonna.

Click here for our approximate route, ~3 hour hike + lots of berry grazing time: 5.5mi, 1300 ft elevation

Fees: Sprig entrance is free parking, but space is limited.

Dogs are allowed but should be on leash the entire time.

General Park Info: Click here for a detailed map of the park, or view the Mt. Madonna County Park main web site.

Carpools: We encourage carpooling. Put offers or requests in the comments, including possible meeting spots. If it creates too many notifications, we can move the carpool arrangements onto an outside app.

Natural History: Mt Madonna is home to native flora and fauna and, prior to colonization, was populated by the Oholone people for thousands of years.

Recent History:
“Mount Madonna was named by cattle baron Henry Miller in the late 19th century for its resemblance to the Blessed Virgin Mary in profile.”
— AI Version

“A late 1800’s resident of the mountain, the recluse
pioneer and poet Hiram Wentworth, has been given the
credit for naming this 1,897 foot peak “Madonna” after
the Italian name for the Virgin Mary.”
— Santa Clara County brochure PDF

**Berry Disclaimer: Wild blueberry bushes (huckleberries) were seen in peak ripeness this past week. By clicking the RSVP button, you agree to not sue us if a hiker, or perchance a bear, has gotten to them first.

The Other Hand: If we do find a mother-load of ripe huckleberries, we will stop for a brief berry break, of 10 to 30 minutes, or skip the harvest and just munch on a store bought snack.

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Legal Disclaimer: The organizers and hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a trip/meetup/ or outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. Outdoor activities are inherently hazardous. By signing up for this hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with vigorous outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge “Connect Outdoors”, the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from and against any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. As always, this is a “Participate at your Own Risk” event..