I discovered a love of hiking after moving to the Bay Area in the spring of 2015. Mountains, hills, redwood forests, creeks, beach walks, wildflowers, caves…you name it, its there, waiting to be explored. Trails meandering next to creeks, lush green hills, awe-inspiring giant redwoods, magnificent views of the ocean and the bay, and the cities spread out all around from atop a hill or mountain….it never gets old. The more you explore, the more there is to explore!
One of the first places I went on a hike after moving here is to the Alum Rock State Park. The rocky outcrops, tangled oak woodlands and the gurgling Penitencia Creek make it easy to forget Alum Rock is a city park. Trails to the top of the canyon walls offer impressive views of San Jose city in the west and the wild hills of the Diablo Range to the east.
One of the 
unique things about Alum Rock are its mineral springs. Historically, The Alum Rock mineral springs were said to have “world-wide fame and patronage” according to the San Jose Chamber of Commerce. People came here from all over the country to partake in the health benefits of the springs. Some of the springs are salty, some carbonated and most are sulfurous.  The sulfur in the water is the source of the rotten-egg odor you remember from high school chemistry lab. Today, the few active springs enclosed in yellowing stone work grottos (because of chemical residues) are in the Mineral Springs area near the visitor centre and are mostly a source of curiosity, and the water is polluted.
It doesn’t matter if you are beginner or a veteran; there are trails for every age and ability in the Alum Rock Park. I’ve even gone on a hike with my friend’s 2-year-old in Alum Rock! And I kick-started the year with a 4-mile hike with my 7-months pregnant friend and her husband.
What I love about the Alum Rock Park is its diversity. If you love the outdoors and feed off the energy of wilderness all around, this place is perfect. There are picnic spots with barbecue pits and a volleyball net if you don’t want feel like climbing up a hill. There is the easy, flat Creek Trail along the Penitencia Creek if you just want a stroll without exerting yourself. You breathe in the fresh air, listen to the relaxing bird sounds and the sound of critters skittering about, a tiny breeze blowing around you– perfect. (Perfect for a date!)
If you are a biking enthusiast there are paved biking paths as well as dirt roads to suit your level of expertise. I also spotted equestrian trails though not a single horse was in sight. One oddity was the no-dogs-allowed rule, which didn’t make any sense to me.
On Jan 1, 2016 my friends and I decided to start walking along the gently sloping Penitencia Creek Trail that meanders next to the creek and eventually connected with the South Rim trail, which is considered a signature Alum Rock hike. The Penitencia Creek Trail starts paved, then turns to dirt pack. The South Rim trail is mostly forested and about 4 miles long from the canyon floor up to the rim at a height of around 600 feet, with many excellent overlooks through oak woodlands and chaparral. There are several switchbacks that make the elevation climb much less strenuous. It was a cold, but sunny day and the park wasn’t very crowded.
Once we hit the summit, the spectacular views we were rewarded with were the best way to start a new year.
We were able to complete the hike in 2 hours at a comfortable pace. My friend is obviously super fit since she barely broke a sweat, as she walked up and down the switchbacks with a tiny human inside!
Alum Rock has a $6 parking fee and if you want to avoid that, you can park in the free parking lot just at the entrance of the park. It’s a good 15-20 min walk to the visitor centre area from the entrance. Once you enter the park, you will find parking areas at various spots along the way depending on what you plan to do that day. When I came biking here with my husband a few months ago, we parked outside in the free parking lot and biked our way in. On this New Year hike, we parked near the Visitor Centre and walked inside towards the Youth Science Institute from where the trail began.
These are pictures of what you will see along the way.
There is a wooden-planked steel bridge to cross the Penitencia Creek. The last time I was here the California drought had left the creek dry. After the recent rains, it was nice to see the creek gurgling with water.
There is something magical about walking along a gurgling creek.
During an earlier hike in Alum Rock, I was pretty sure I saw a mountain lion cub up in the hills, hiding in the thicket. My husband insisted it was a wild cat. Our debate continues….
[…] I started the New Year with an energizing hike, I thought I was setting the stage for a number of great weekly hikes for this year. However, it […]