It’s wildflower season! We love to get out onto nearby trails looking for fields of poppies and other wildflowers. Seeing the Santa Cruz mountains and Santa Clara Valley can be truly breathtaking this time of year.
If you want to take in this wild beauty in all its glory, there are some great places to do it within a short drive from our office. These are a few of our favorite places:
Fremont Older Open Space Preserve
Located just an eight-minute drive from our office, this 739-acre swath of natural land also has close proximity to Stevens Creek County Park. With a wealth of hiking trails, gorgeous open meadows, tall hills and more, it’s an oasis for the family right on the fringes of urban sprawl –and this time of year, it’s loaded with wildflowers!
Gorgeous views of the Santa Cruz mountains and Santa Clara Valley, too. This part is a terrific place for the family, with plenty of rooms to explore. Dogs on leashes are welcome, too!
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
If the more than 3,300 acres of open land aren’t a big enough draw, the dazzling display of wildflowers between now and June will be. Poppies, lupine, gumweed, mules ears and many more turn the hills a wash of dazzling colors that have to be seen in person to be believed.
The numerous hawks, eagles and turkey vultures fill the sky, too, making the view something special no matter here you look.
Long Ridge and Skyline Ridge
One of the top spots for wildflowers in the area, Long Ridge offers spectacular views and trails suitable for both short trips and extended hikes. It’s connected to the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve by one of the longest continuous segments of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, making it perfect for adventurous types, but this time of year the big draw are those amazing flowers.
Spread out across rolling green hills, the scenery is some of the best in the state, especially in the late spring.
Almaden Quicksilver County Park
With spectacular natural diversity spread out over more them 4,000 acres, most of them packed with trails, this is a fantastic park if you love to take in the spring and early summer wildflowers. In fact, the park is widely known for its amazing wildflower displays, which boast breathtaking color like you’ve never seen.
It’s certainly worth the trip! In New Almaden, access the park from Mockingbird Hill Lane, Wood Road, and via the Hacienda entrance.
The Los Gatos Creek Trail
If you want to see poppies in abundance, this is where you want to be. This fantastic 10-mile trail is great for hiking. It extends from the Lexington Reservoir all the way into San Jose to Meridian Avenue, providing extensive walking through some of the most gorgeous nature our area has to offer and connecting a number of key areas worth exploring for those who want to see some of the region’s natural wonders.
You can find access points at East Main Street at College Avenue, Miles Avenue, through Oak Meadow Park, Vasona County Park, and from the Lexington Reservoir.
