SPECIAL: 5-mile docent-led Tulare Hill Ecological Preserve hike (So SJ)

This is a special hike with Stan's Bay Area Hiking & Anything Fun group!

We have been invited on a private tour of Tulare Hill Ecological Preserve in south San Jose. These lands are currently closed to the public but we have received a special docent-led group opportunity to hike these lands.

This 5-mile 2.5-hour hike gains 600'. Pace is leisurely as our docent will periodically stop to talk & give you a chance to take photos. We will visit a new location, where the wildflowers bloom late. We'll find a scenic spot to eat, so bring a portable lunch or snack.

If you have small shampoo, conditioners & body wash that you get from hotels, please bring them. We give them to our docent, who donates them to a cancer treatment center. It's a good gesture on our part since we get a no-cost docent-led hike on closed property. Bring as much as you can. Thank you!

=====

Description from LTSCV:

This a easy to moderate hike in the serpentine hills within the city limits of San Jose. Views of Coyote Valley to the south and San Jose to the north. Typical serpentine wildflowers are in full bloom in the protected area for the Bay Checkerspot butterfly and other threatened and endangered species. Access only with authorized guides as this is private property and not normally open to the public.

=====

To RSVP, please sign-up and answer the RSVP questions. +1 guests are not permitted for this event. You cannot go if you have no-shows on your record. (Do not try to go out on your own, as it's closed land. Do not trespass.)

We will carpool or caravan (follow each other by car) from the parking lot in the Santa Teresa Village Shopping Center. Please take extra time to find this place. Take care of your restroom needs at the nearby Taco Bell or 76 gas station. No facilities at Tulare Hill.

There's limited cell coverage on the hike.

Since we are guests on this private land, there are rules/requests:

Since the closed property is not yet upgraded for public use, we must all stay together. That means no one should plan on arriving late or leaving early. In the event of an emergency, we’d all leave together.

Have fun - enjoy the rare views - take photos for yourself. Feel free to put your photos on social media. Mention the owner, Silicon Valley Land Conservancy, has graciously allowed us this tour. For the privacy of the land owner, do not tell others the address or post photos of the address on social media. Disable geotagging of your photos.

No pets, smoking or alcohol.

Do not no-show. We don't want to waste any precious spots. No +1. Members only.

No costs:

volunteer to carpool - drivetime to Tulare Hill is minutes
entry to this special hike & to explore its lands - priceless!
no parking fee at Santa Teresa Village Shopping Center or Tulare Hill

Websites:

https://www.landtrustscv.org/ (LTSCV)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulare_Hill

Photos:

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/7/0/e/highres_469710478.jpeg

Up Tulare Hill, Mar 2018 (PC: Stan)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/8/a/0/5/highres_502895333.jpg

Buckeye butterfly, Apr 2022 (PC: Stan)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/0/4/8/highres_495657416.jpeg

Bay Checkerspot, Apr 2021 (PC: Garrett L)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/0/c/c/highres_489748876.jpeg

On tour, Mar 2020 (PC: Stan)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/0/f/5/highres_489748917.jpeg

Lewisia, Mar 2020 (PC: Stan)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/3/6/e/highres_479717262.jpeg

First rule of selfies - get in the frame, Mar 2019 (PC: Stan)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/0/c/2/highres_479741154.jpeg

Endangered Santa Clara dudleya, Mar 2019 (PC: Carole)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/6/f/2/highres_469710450.jpeg

Group shot, Mar 2018 (PC: Stan)

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/e/7/e/highres_460035998.jpeg

Our docent talks about preservation of these scarce lands, March 2017 (PC: Stan)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/USA-San-Jose-Tulare-Hill-1.jpg

Tulare Hill, adjacent to Metcalf Energy Center, south San Jose

https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/8/5/8/2/highres_448354178.jpeg

Green Tulare Hill as seen from Coyote Ridge, 3/2016