Alum Rock and Sierra Vista 10.3 mi Moderate Plus Hike

SIGN WAIVER HERE: https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/waiver-signing-form/

For us to hold our large events at local parks, the local parks require us to carry insurance for our events. To participate in our events, please sign this waiver (required by our insurance underwriter) for each event. Please do so online prior to arriving (works on mobile)

CARPOOL REQUEST COMMENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED DUE TO THE LARGE SIZE OF THE GROUP. Please read below how to carpool.

Level: Moderate Plus

Total Distance: 10.3 miles, two loops and out and back sections

Hiking Time: 5 hours

Elevation Change: 2,277 feet

Parking fee: $6 per vehicle

Official Trail Use: No dogs.

Facilities: Restrooms located off the parking lot.

Please read our tutorial for hiking in the sun:
https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/tutorials-how-to-hike-in-the-sun/

ALUM ROCK TRAIL MAP:
https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showdocument?id=31867

SIERRA VISTA TRAIL MAP:
https://www.openspaceauthority.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/SVISTrailMap_Georef_2025-10.pdf

ALLTRAILS MAP:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/alum-rock-sierra-vista-10-3-miles-0797317?u=i&sh=pyl4xm

DRIVING DIRECTIONS:

(Most Cars) GPS Degrees Minutes Seconds Format:

37°23'49.5"N 121°47'53.9"W

(Google Maps) GPS Degrees Decimal Format:

37.397083, -121.798306

Nearest street address:

Use North Gate entrance. Drive here first:

15156 Penitencia Creek Rd, San Jose, CA

Then drive into the park all the way down about 1.5 miles to the gate.

WAZE APP:

The Google Waze app will route around "restricted access" roads, unlike the Google Maps app, using the same map data as Google Maps. Therefore, Waze is recommended over the Google Maps app for your phone.

If you have the Waze app installed on your phone, click this URL:

http://waze.to/?ll=37.397083,-121.798306&navigate=yes

Just click it. It will open Waze and start navigating to the North Gate.

As always, it is good practice to confirm the night before that any app you use takes you to where you expect by comparing the destination with what is posted above on your PC/Mac.

• Most street addresses provided are approximate, and may be up to a couple of miles from the hike location. Use GPS coordinates when driving, if possible.

Parking:

Plan to arrive 30 minutes early to find parking, and walk to the trail head.

Carpooling:

We will use this link for carpooling:

https://groupcarpool.com/t/9vhbi0

Please sign up here.

CARPOOLING MANNERS:

Please refrain from trying to negotiate your carpool in the comments, as it is equivalent to sending multiple "Reply All" emails to everyone.

Please start your carpool quest, by first adding yourself to the carpool link above.

Then, use the contact info provided by the driver or rider in the link above to contact them directly and privately.

Please be considerate of others and resist the urge to "Reply All".

Thank you for understanding.

HIGHLIGHTS

Alum Rock Park is one of California’s oldest municipal parks. Located within the Alum Rock Canyon in the foothills of the Diablo Mountain Range, the park’s 740 acres of natural, rugged, beauty provide visitors with many leisure outdoor activities including, hiking, jogging, bicycling and picnicking. Due to it’s proximity to rural, natural lands, the park is home to many wild animals. Those animals include mountain lions, bobcats, deer and a number of other smaller animals.

Special features of the park include Penitencia Creek which transects the entire park, the Mineral Springs area that contains active mineral springs and grottos, the Gazebo and the Log Cabin which was constructed in 1913. Nine reservable group picnic areas provide barbecue pits, picnic tables and nearby restrooms for groups ranging in size from 30 to 300. Boccardo Peak offers sweeping views of San Jose and neighboring cities. Sierra Vista includes elevated views of Alum Rock Park and the surrounding mountains.

TRAIL HIKING DIRECTIONS

->> Turn left from the end of the parking lot onto Alum Rock Falls Road for 0.1 miles.
->> Continue straight at the junction onto North Rim Trail for 0.4 miles
->> Turn right onto Weather Loop for 0.1 miles
->> Continue straight at the first junction onto Todd Quick Trail for 0.4 miles
->> Turn right at the first junction onto Boccardo Loop Trail for 0.2 miles staying right at the first junction and continuing to the second junction
->> Turn right to stay on Boccardo Loop Trail for 1.4 miles
->> Turn right onto Sierra Vista Trail for 0.5 miles
->> Turn right at the junction with Kestrel Trail to stay on Sierra Vista Trail for 0.7 miles
->> Turn right at the junction with Upper Calaveras Fault Trail for 0.5 miles
->> Continue straight through the next intersection onto Upper Calaveras Fault Trail 0.2 miles
->> Turn sharply right at the next intersection to stay on Upper Calaveras Fault Trail for 1.8 miles, passing straight through 3 junctions and continuing to the fourth junction
->> Turn right onto Sierra Vista Trail for 1.2 miles, passing straight through two junctions and continuing to the third junction
->> Turn right for a short distance, then turn left onto Boccardo Spur Trail and continue to Boccardo Peak for 0.2 miles. Enjoy the view.
->> Turn back down the Boccardo Spur Trail for 0.2 miles
->> Turn left onto Boccardo Loop Trail for 1.1 miles
->> Continue straight at the junction onto 0.1 miles to the second junction
->> Turn left onto Todd Quick Trail for 0.4 miles
->> Continue straight at the junction onto Weather Loop for 0.1 miles
->> Turn left onto North Rim Trail for 0.4 miles to return to the parking lot

PLEASE READ THE EVENT DESCRIPTION ABOVE BEFORE POSTING A MESSAGE.