Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve
On this day, I intended to summit Mt. Umunhum. Alas, when I made it to the Bald Mountain parking lot, it was full, so I settled for this hike.
The trail is shaded about half the way, with flowers adorning the sides of the trail. This is a deceptive trail where there are no strenuous inclines, but at the end of the hike, my GPS app told me that I had gained more than 500 ft of elevation.
The only other thing I remember is that this trail was very hot by the time I finished. The sun had come out at the half way point, and by the time I came back to my car, it was sizzling—at least for spring.
What I Learned:
The Bald Mountain parking lot gets full before 9AM.
Succulents can be found in the wild. I mean, this totally makes sense if you think about it, but I had never seen one in natural settings until this day.
Although my allergy tests didn’t show it, I’m definitely allergic to some of the flowers I encountered on this trail.
One could park in the Almaden Quicksilver Park, if this trail’s parking lot is full.
5.3 miles, 2 hrs and 28 min, 526 ft of ascent
Hike Review:
I really thought this was an easy trail, only to find out that it had 500+ ft of ascent. Deceptive!
Although there is plenty of shade, it gets hot by the late morning.
There’s no real views to speak of, though there are interesting, seemingly abandoned, trails and side roads.