Saratoga Quarry Park
Hike Review:
I hiked the Saratoga to the Skyline Trail from Quarry Park until it met the Stuart Ridge Trail, then hiked back.
The trail starts off at Quarry Park, and it is a dull fire road trail that is filled with gravel. Then, after about a half mile (or so), it turns into a beautiful single-track trail that climbs the hills through different types of forests. During the climb, there are small creeks and vista points to keep it interesting. The Stuart Ridge Trail is a paved fire road that didn’t look very fun, so I’m not sure if that trail is worth hiking.
There were not that many people and maybe due to that, the trail was pristine. No trash what-so-ever.
There were lots of downed trees about 1/2 a mile before the Stuart Ridge Trail intersection. I thought it made the trail more fun, but others may disagree.
There is a restroom at Quarry Park, and it’s functional and clean.
It either lightly rained or was misty the whole time I hiked, and it kept me cool. Once the trail turns into a single-track trail, it is entirely shaded—I bet this trail is very good in the summer.
There are plenty of wood or rock benches through out the hike.
Media Consumed
Salt to the Sea
What Happened?
6.7 miles, 2 hr 29 mins, 1493 ft of ascent
I was supposed to go hiking with Kyle, but he fell ill, so I decided to hike something closer to San Jose. I was thinking about going back to Calero Park, but I wanted something just a bit shorter; while I was chewing on my options, I remembered Quarry Park and the two times I had come here with my girls. We had stuck to the main Quarry Park trails (the gravel-fire-road), but my map software was telling me that there was a longer trail, so I took a chance and stopped by.
Due to the rain, I thought there would be almost no one at the park, but I was wrong. The parking lot was 70% full, though I think only a few hiked the Saratoga to the Skyline Trail, since I only bumped into a few people.
It was quite windy, but once I got heated up due to the inclines, I actually hiked with just a t-shirt layer to stay cool. It’s not the toughest hike, but it definitely still made me pant in parts. And when I got high enough to the vista points, a beautiful rainbow greeted me, with an amazing view of San Jose proper.
I think this hike is a hidden gem and is one of my favorite hikes in the Bay Area.