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Alum Rock Park
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53 reviews for Alum Rock Park
I've come here to mountain bike and run. I like that a lot of the trails are shaded by trees and there is a variety of terrain to ride and run. I had nasty cuts on my elbow, knees and legs after I fell of my bike and the staff at the park visitor center were nice enough to get me some bandages and alcohol wipes.
I've never parked inside the park so I can't say much about that except that I'd rather not pay especially since I go there to bike or run.
There are bbq areas that I see people at every time I go. There's an area to toss horseshoes or something. I see day camps during summer.
First off. How to get here. Take highway 680 exit Berryessa Rd East. Make a right on Capitol and a left on Pentitencia Creek Road up the hill. You will pass a residential area, but keep following the creek up the road until you hit the dead end. This is where you park and begin your adventure whether it be biking, hiking, walking or having a bbq.
If you're going to Alum Rock to bike, hike or walk then park before the gate or by the residential area that's not too far from the trail entrance. Why pay $6?
This is a good beginner trail for mountain bikers who want to try short steep climbs and bomb down. Good for hikers as well.
Best views - at the top of Boccardo trail and the top of Eagle Rock. From these vantage points you can see the Saratoga mountains and downtown San Jose and all the way north to the Dumbarton Bridge on a clear day. The view of the canyon while you're on the North Rim trail looking down into the park floor below and heading East into the canyon is very nice especially in the early morning and late afternoon light. Because of the sheer drop to the south, you feel like you're gliding in the air.
Best section for a mountain biker - The Todd L Quick trail heading from the park bench at the top to the trail head sign...it goes by in a flash but it's enough of a quick rush and I usually do two loops in the park so you can ride this part twice.
Other things to note: Most trails have good shade. Most people on these trails are nice. The majority of picnic areas need to be reserved. Overall, a decent park with decent trails.
Have gone here twice...the first time with my bff, so we had no idea where we were going and I guess took the easiest route possible...it felt like a rip off, but she got a good workout in. We also paid for parking which we shouldn't have.
The 2nd time I went was with someone who knew more of the paths. I got a much better workout in. Nothing compared to Mission Peak though. No paying for parking either. Views were awesome. Still bring plenty of water, sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, etc.
Good place for bbq, parties, etc. plenty of restrooms. Would definitely go back!
Good place to take a family for some fresh air, from your elderly grandpa to your little niece. A lot of the paths are relatively flat and very shaded, making the hike pretty easy going. There's also some uphill ones if you're looking for a more rigorous challenge. There are plenty of grills and some even have horseshoe pits. All the bathrooms have running water. There is a parking lot inside the park right before the station where you pay fees, which is free. Always see wildlife, last time we went we saw two separate family of deer.
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I've been here several times for bbqs and hikes. It's a great park if you don't mind the $6 parking fee; yet, for some reason the parking attendant isn't 100% present so you might get free parking.
Recently we just had our July 4th bbq here. We snagged the best spot since my friends reserved a spot at 8AM. The park was very full of families. I think this is a very family friendly spot because they have a large play structure as well as a separate infant play structure down the way. There's also a volleyball court and a public restroom. Plenty of bbq pits as well. I assume there are many other things but I didn't have a chance to roam around.
I totally forgot how the hiking trails are but from emotional memory I remember having a great time.
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4 stars because, although I had a good time, it wasn't the greatest hike ever. It was fun, but not incredible.
It was our first time there and we had a tough place finding the entrance (on account of my GPS and stupidity). We went up Alum Rock ave, only to be turned around. Parking is on Penitencia Creek Rd. Everytrail was helpful, although I should have read the directions carefully. (http://www.everytrail....)
Parking is free on the weekdays. I'm a beginner when it comes to hiking, and this park was pretty straightforward.
We started hiking at 3 and the weather was good; low 80s. Most people had bikes but the trail was big enough to share. I got a map online that was really helpful. (http://www.sjparks.org...). We went on Penitencia Creek, crossed to North Rim, went up to Eagle Rock (there are two benches up there), continued back along North Rim, crossed the river back to Penitencia Creek, went alongside the creek (next to the trail), got back on the trail, and ended up back at the main entrance. It took us about 3 hours.
It was a lot of fun! I'm definitely coming back to explore some more!
If you live locally, try this park out. I go here for running a few times and it is a pretty good dirt trail. It gets way scary when it starts to get dark. And a lot of places are pretty isolated.
There are some sulfur fountains and they smell like fart. At first I thought they were little hobbit cave entrances. But upon closer inspection, I noticed a pungent "fart" odor.
It is the San Jose hills, so expect a lot of dry brush and dirt.
Some people sneak a bike on the running/hiking trails, so be careful.
Not a lot of scenery to be had. Just a few spots to stop and admire the vastness of San Jose.
It would be a nice isolated spot to resevre a table or seomthing on the weekend and have a barbeque.
It's not that far a drive to get to as well.
I've lived in this city almost my whole life, and even went to middle and high school just a mile away from this place, but I haven't visited it until now, in my adulthood.
I went here with my family a few weeks ago for a walk.
I liked it so much I think I might go mountain biking there in a few days.
The view from the top of the mountain is awesome, just like lord of the rings :D except you look down and see san ho se :(
People on the trail were really friendly, and it's good to see that at least there's something like this to look at in san jose that hasn't been touched by man's black hand of death.
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Besides the used rubber we saw along one of the trails (yuck!) the sulfur springs and variety of plants and footpaths here at Alum Rock Canyon Park provide an alternative source of scenery for nature lovers.
One of my favorite trails is walking along side the heavily woodsy and green creek path then zig-zagging up a hill to eagle rock. There you will find a gorgeous view of the south bay. You can even climb the rock if you'd like!
This park gets moderately crowded. Though not as bad as some of the Rancho San Antonio Trails. There are also picnic tables and a Youth Science Museum within the park.
Great for beginning and intermediate hikers.
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Sooo this a really nice place for a hike. Nice scenic trails and when you get to the top - the view of SJ awaits you. Whoever said life at the top isn't great... has never been to Alum Rock!
I love going up to Eagle Rock. And then climbing on TOP on the ROCK itself. I really like the sound of nature; the cute animals, water running along side the trail, the nice trees and vegetation.
It takes me about 2 hours to complete the whole hike. Its great... nice scenic cardio with a great view to top it off (no pun).
Ohh and after the hike, there's alot of cool places in the vicinity to grab a cold drink and a small snack.
Enjoy!
My bff Krista T. suggested we check this place out today. So we loaded up the water and sunscreen and headed out. Yeah blondes day out! Easy to find the park, it's right off the freeway. Got there around 3ish, the weather was perfect. Paid the $6 to get in and started looking for parking. Tons.....go nutz! Wish we had a tour guide. Anywho.....somehow my son ends up leading the way, we ended up taking at least 3 different trails. Came across a friendly jogger along the way, nice. Saw lots of different parties/bbq's goin on. I got my sweat on, but think the other 2 were not even breathing hard. Had a really nice time and can't wait to go back!
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I miss this place so bad.. Used to hit the fire trails and technical track in my back yard.. no such place near natomas. Watch out for vu tang and his mountain bike posse.
Used to run here a lot for cross country and track. Good routes and trails for running and biking. Eagle rock has a nice view and same for the trail past the sulfur springs up to the way top where the bench is.
Place is good for a stroll, bbq, picnic and birthday parties.
I'm sad to give a San Jose landmark a 4.
Alum Rock park has had a long and rich history. From the 1800's to the 1930's it was a health resort. It was also the first municipal park in the state of California. At one time it had Zoo's, a public pool, a giant slide, and the trolley went all the way from downtown San Jose up into the park.
In the 60's it got overused and damaged so they closed all that stuff down and tried to keep the park nature focused.
For a while, they had the Youth Science Institute. Like many non downtown San Jose features and parks, the city has decided to not fund anything outside of downtown. I hear the YSI is in in danger of closing.
There are many secret places within Alum Rock park. There's the cave, the secret airport by cherry flats reservoir. The waterfall. You would always hear about these hidden locations in the park being whispered by your friends in Jr High and High School.
It's a good park, but with funding cuts all over I just hope they keep it maintained.
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Gosh am I such a beginner! I went here yesterday, hoping to get some exercise with my cousin and sister. I was thinking its "ONLY" 3-4 miles piece of cake! Boy was I in for a trip. My cousins and sister didn't even look tired. Sadly I was an outcast, I was super tired! The address on this yelp takes you to the trail, not the parking lot so be careful and find the right address. I must admit I felt really good after the whole hike. The trails starts to get very tiny, so make sure you have the right shoes and a lot of water. I am probably gonna be back soon for some more exercise. Also, the park is very clean and well maintain.The bathroom is super duper clean +1. The park rangers are very nice and helpful.
I really enjoyed mountain biking here after all the paved trails I've been on lately. Don't let your biking get off to a rough start by paying the $6 for parking though! I'm sure all the residents around Alum Rock don't enjoy people parking in front of their homes and then biking to the park, but hey, unless you are having a BBQ and have to drag coolers and heavy charcoal up, keep the $6 for some grub post-bike ride and park near the houses. My friend and I had no idea where to go, but the map pretty much showed one trail getting up past the BBQ/picnic areas and then branching off from there. It's a moderately challenging trail, with some slight inclines and quite a few bumps in the trail, but when you get to the picnic areas, it's a nice change of scenery to see green grass and shady spots to take a breather before continuing on. The trail runs along the creek and some mineral springs, and there are small squirrels and deer running around occasionally. We biked for awhile, stopping at a narrow bridge that has some steps to go down on the other side. Turning around and going back towards the parking lot is really easy to pick up a lot of speed on, so be careful about the pedestrians and little kiddies especially as you approach the picnic areas again. Most people are pretty conscious when they hear people behind them though, and will move out of the way. Overall, a really nice place to bike especially if you are not super hardcore yet, but want to veer away from the paved stuff and see how the mountain bike really works!
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I may or may not have been conceived at Alum Rock Park.
That is the way with those things, who knows and the value is in the ambiguous nature of the stories. Like ones your friends' grandparents told you growing up, they were probably untrue but belong no less with the factual stories that make up who you are.
When I moved back to San Jose I missed the nearby hills of Belmont and not having to drive anywhere to feel outside. Alum Rock Park took off where I left off in Belmont, and, for a long time was my silent refuge. I've never been a person for gyms I find the time I spend outside running more valuable. As I sat at a table at Wahoo's Fish Tacos in Santana Row (don't ask) I wondered what it would be like to join Club One and be one of those people on the treadmill by the window looking down on me at Wahoo's or the cars at Winchester. That will never happen.
We park on Alum Rock near the Country Club I realize I haven't been here in a very long time. The gravel under my feet feels familiar but I many things about me had changed. I haven't been running like I used to, so my face turns beet red faster than usual and my shins begin to ache at .8 of a mile. The distance from the bridge at the beginning of the hill to the entrance of the park seems huge. It feels good to be outside away from 880 and Santa Clara University (the normal 5 miler) I think about the story about the person who was attacked at this very park by a man with a rock and I hope he was caught. When I read the article initially I envisioned a guy throwing a rock at a jogging girl and with very good aim taking her out with one throw. I realize now he probably hit her at close range she must have been within arms reach. It is safe today, the sun and people are out.
I'm a nature person. I like being outside. I like different scenery when I am running and after a few month hiatus hills feel pretty good.
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I've been enjoying my weekly bike rides up on the north rim and finally attempted the Boccardo Trail, which is the newest trail (since 2002) that is connected atop the Todd Quick Loop Trail. There's over 2 miles worth of open space with gorgeous views to the north. On a clear day, you might even see as far as the Bay Bridge.
Be cautious hiking or biking to this higher elevation loop....hikers have told me they've seen rattlers in this area. Also expect a good couple of hours on this trek.....just getting to the front gate of this loop trail is a daunting task.
At the start of the summer I've noticed that the nearby stables were not in operation. I guess horse rides at Alum Rock are a thing of the past. Even though I hated their crap on the trails, I somewhat miss those friendly creatures roaming around the park.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/10/2008
When we were in high school, we used to play water war up here, hiding then ambushing our opponents… Read more »
Alum Rock park is my favorite park in the whole wide world! If u go off trail up the creek u will reach the waterfall, but just don't get caught by the park ranger. Great place 2 bbq and get a game of horseshoe going.
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Very nice park that's not too far away. The scenery isn't too bad (not great either) and the trails are good. I like to run so the lower trails provide pretty good mileage. Most of the lower trails are pretty flat with little elevation changes so runners can do a good run.
As for hiking, the trails provide a fun trot that you can do on a whim. Its not incredibly difficult and even beginners can make the hike. This is nice for a good hike that you just decide you want to get out. Very good for beginners.
friday, it rained really good in the south bay. sauturday, alum rock park was very damp - i should have stuck to the paved roads for my routine. so, me being stupid which happens every once in a while, i'm going to ride in the dirt anyway - shouldn't be too muddy?!
wrong!!!
as i get closer to eagle rock, the mud got denser and denser and denser to a point where i couldn't pedal no further. i had soooo much mud clogged up in my fork and rear wheel well, my bike just stopped.
i got tot he bottom, finally, and began to clear the mud so i can finish working out - all i cared about is my wheels turning without any mud resistance.
the air was extra fresh yesterday which felt like my lungs were getting clensed. not alot of people there yesterday - affraid of a little mud i guess, but, a bonus for me with less traffic on the trails. all the mud riding was still fun.
today was better. ideal riding condtions. all the trails were damp but not super muddy. saturdays drying out did this park well - all the way up to eagle rock. air was still fresh and a little more traffic which was ok for me.
thanks alum rock, my legs feel stronger.
=)
note: they have a new toilet facilities right at the trailhead of the park (near the free parking lot).
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2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/2/2008
epiphany today.
the past few months i have been devouring all kinds of bad food. bad food for me, not… Read more »
Unfortunately Alum Rock can be closed off and on as fire season picks up with this extreme heat wave. Was reminded of this as i drove up to the Penetencia entrance this morning, only to be faced with a huge PARK CLOSED sign.
D E N I E D.
As sucky as that was, I couldn't help but laugh because this ALWAYS happens to me every year.
So during the summer months, be sure to call ahead and check status before coming.
As much as i come here as a routine, it makes me realize how much I love and appreciate this park when it is closed for access.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/17/2007
IMHO a decent mountain bike ride if you are in a rush but want to actually hit DIRT (no roadbiking… Read more »
Very easy hike. Good for beginners or casual hikers. I can easily walk through the whole trail in about 2 hours. A lot of people come here on the weekend so parking is a little tricky to find if the lot fills up. Overall very clean. Good for picnics and parties.
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I am so lucky to live steps away from this park. When we bought our house last year the biggest selling point for us was having this as our backyard. First of all, I know everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion but this place is far from "ghetto." In its inception Alum Rock park was where the most affluent citizens of San Jose were able to play. They would soak in the sulfur baths for healing purposes, it was considered a high end health spa. There is also a story about the big rock right at the Penitencia entrance being a meteor. There is so much history here and as you walk through it you can feel it. It's in the old bridges and bathhouses.
Luckily for us the park is now public and open for all of us to enjoy. Bikers will be in heaven with the abundance of trails. Joggers, runners, walkers, and hikers can try a new route or trail everyday. One of my personal favorites is walking up to Eagle Rock, sitting on the bench, and looking out on to the bay area. Picnic space is plentiful and there are nice little unique areas such as the Log Cabin and the gazebo area. There is a nature center at the heart of the park where you can sometimes see falcons and owls and even handle them. They offer a summer camp for kids of all ages which is fairly reasonable and educational. There is plenty of wild life in the park such as deer, wild turkeys, banana slugs, lizards, etc. I did get some kind of poison oakish rash on my face after walking through the park one day. It was weird but only happened once out of the many many times going there.
Parking is a little pricey but they offer discounts for senior citizens and handicapped. A little secret one might not know is that you can park up at the old Alum Rock entrance and just walk down for free. That is how I found my house =) Just remember if you park under the trees where most people park, be sure to park parallel because they do ticket we see the sheriff there ALL THE TIME.
This is a San Jose gem if you haven't been yet check it out or you will be missing out.
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We went hiking at Alum Rock Park after we finished El Toro in Morgan Hill. We're crazy hikers I tell you. Since we were done around 10am at El Toro we rushed to Alum Rock Park to spend the rest of the day.
V. told us the views at Boccardo Trail were good plus he hadn't tried a new trail. So we went. Parking is $5, but for some weird reason the lady didn't collect the money from us. That doesn't happen often, so I'd bring money just in case if u want to go.
We parked near the Rusticlands Picnic Area - no bathrooms in the parking lot. Then we hiked to Eagle Rock Overlook - you can even climb Eagle Rock. I didn't, but A. did.
After Eagle Rock we went on the Boccardo Trail to do the 1.5 mi trail. It's pretty steep and felt hella long cuz I was hungry & tired. It's a 1,100 ft climb up from the top of the Todd Quick Trail, which is a climb from the parking lot. Boccardo Peak is at 1896 ft Elev.- a grassy knoll overlook of Silicon Valley. Lots of cows up there. Then we went back down another way to make a loop.
We then drove to another parking lot closer to the Visitor Center, which is Closed indefinitely - due to building renovation & staffing issues. Bathrooms available here. Playground & picnic tables. Alum Rock Bridge 1913-historic bridge is cool.
Many mineral springs & one mineral grotto here. It's stinky, but cool.
It's Calif. oldest municipal park & San Jose's largest.
Recommended.
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I have been coming to this park for a long time and recently haven't really been visiting. However with the new lifestyle change happening I find myself wanting to start my walks back up.
This place is great to come for walking, hiking, biking. Its also great for some good BBQ and some horseshoes. I have spent many weekends and weekdays with some friends just grillin and chillen.
IMO- this is one of the better parks still left on the East Side of San Jose.
This park is excellent to enhance your seasonal allergies! I had an allergy attack while hiking, which was beautiful by the way. At first you enter, and it seems as if it's all one leveled and just a walk in the wilderness, as two hours past, and I was almost done with the trail, I looked behind me and I wanted to CRY! YESSS, Cry because I'm scared of heights and I don't even recall the trail going up 2,000 feet or so! Anyway, hiking is fun, this park is local, but not meant for people scared of heights like me!
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Was here the other day for an elementary school field trip. Don't ask. And I was reminded of the times as a youth when my mother would wake my ass up buttcrack of dawn to take me hiking here when we lived out in the eastside.
Lots of trails, for beginners, intermediate, advanced, equestrians, kids etc.
Paying for parking sucks, ride your bike up instead for an added workout and reduce that carbon footprint.
Back in the day, they had a faucet coming out of boulders where you could bottle some mineral water for your hike or take home for miraculous healing powers. Don't know if they still have that but worth checking out regardless.
Someone told me there is a faultline that runs through the park, don't know i this has been confirmed but don't fall in and remember to stop, drop and roll in the event of an earthquake. =)
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Parks like this do exist in san jose.
I have been going to alum rock since I was in the womb, probably. There are oodles of trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, bridges, and many other natural wonders to behold. It is peaceful, beautiful, and a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.
I remember as a kid, the main playground, with it's giant swing set, large metal slide, and humongous wooden jungle gym provided hours of entertainment. I know it's not exactly the same these days, but it's still pretty fun. They also used to have a small natural history museum filled with taxidermied and live animals, and park rangers who would give talks on the wildlife that inhabited the park. This talk was always highlighted by the up close and personal appearance of a spotted owl.
This was THE place to take a class fieldtrip to in the 80s.
It was, and still remains a great place for a family picnic or barbecue. There is a small fee to enter on the weekends, but on the weekdays, it's free, so take advantage! especially in the spring and fall. It is beautiful!
So when did Satan get his own park?? Yeah a lot of strange stone altars of sacrifice and plenty of hiding spots for you to get mugged, raped, or mauled by a small mountain animal. Not to mention this used be a pretty hot spot to dump bodies or go have a gangland duel. People say that the park has cleaned up a lot since then but I don't I will be hanging out there after dark or at all for that matter.
Finally went to Alum Rock Park this past weekend after hearing so many great things about this oldest city park in San Jose.
Beautiful hills, view of the SJ city, sights of little creatures (squirrels, lizards, birds, ducks, caterpillars, butterflies, banana slugs), flowers, flowing river, and intriguing looking rocks are all over this park. The park provides all kinds of trails to fit your needs. There are open trails if you want to get tanned, trails covered in shades of trees if you don't want to get sun burns, wide flat trails if you just want to relax, and steep trails if you want some serious hike to the top. There are lots of picnic tables, BBQ racks, bathrooms and a volleyball court in the area which I appreciate. So many things you could do there and I had a wonderful time!
There are a lot of poison oaks in the park. My bf was walking in front of us and decided to hide in the bush to scare us when we walk by. Well, we got scared but he also ended up being covered in serious rashes (including his eyes and face) due to poison oak. He can't even make it to work this morning. So just in case if you plan to hide in the bushes, please BE AWARE of the poison oak!!
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I ride here three times a week. The north side has some good bike trails. There are a number of good day hike trails too.
Just added this to my list of places to go mountain biking in the South Bay. The park has a decent number of biking trails of varying difficulties/inclines. The North Rim trail is mainly a rolling fire road that runs through a large part of the park and has a decent amount of ascents and drops. From there, I break off to the Quick trail loop which is a singletrack trail with switchbacks and decent incline. When I'm looking for a workout, I'll go through the gate up top and take on the Boccardi loop trail, but let me warn you, it's a brutal ascent and the trails are all open. The trail to Eagle Rock point is worthwhile too as you get nice views up top. Surprisingly, I ran into only a handful of bikers but there were alot of hikers on the trails. Also, I recommend parking in the residential area around Alum Rock Road and riding down to the park so save on parking fees. There's also a large dirt lot right at the turnoff to Highway 130 to Mount Hamilton which comes in handy. Safe riding!
Love hiking here, beautiful views of San Jose. One of my favorite places to get a nice little work out and fresh air. Seen lots of deer, squirrels, 1 rattle snake in the middle of a path, but NO mountain lions thank goodness!
I had such a great work out just walking around! Or, hiking I would say. I went up around almost half the park because we went so late... yet I still found panties hanging on a tree. I'll have to add that picture to the pictures for Alum Rock park. HAHAHAHA! I had a lot of fun just taking pictures, seeing stuff, running on dirt and even just being around natural things. It was cool!
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This place is ~3 miles from my house and I love it there. Eagle Rock is the best 45 minute workout ever, and I like that there's lot of different levels of trails to check out.
Unfortunately someone told me JUST last night that I should NEVER GO THERE ALONE, that they find dead people and women get assaulted, etc. Does anyone know anything about this? I saw a sign up about 3 weeks ago saying there was an attempted assault on a woman by a man who hit her in the back of her head with a rock.
I travel with Mace, and sometimes my 6'2" husband, but I don't always want a chaperone and he doesn't like to run at 7am on the weekends. Heard anything? I don't know what to think now and am sad to miss out on this beautiful park if that's really the truth :(
Five stars for beauty and proximity to the city, one less for safey if it's the truth. Lemme Know-
11/16/07 update- went hiking here with my new hiking guide GurE and we saw: wild turkeys (magnificent), deer (one buck), banana slugs, hawks, and bunnies- this is right outside of the city and it's teeming with wildlife- so beautiful, we had a great hike-~ 4 miles of putzing around and taking in the scenery is like getting a massage for your head.
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Alum Rock holds a special place in my heart. My dad would take me here when I was a kid and we'd feed the squirrels peanuts and take photos of the creek. You'll find the squirrels aren't afraid of people, they'll take peanuts right out of your hand. My dad even tricked me into drinking the water from the sulfur springs. Yuck.
I never cared for the park on the weekends, because it gets really crowded--lots of families having barbeques and playing in the creek and in the playgrounds. There are a variety of picnic areas with parking, bathrooms, bbq pits, horshes and benches.
I usually went to the park on week days in the events. There's lots of shade, making it nice place to run, ride a bike or walk during summer. Be careful for wildlife. I used to live near the park and every year there would be mountain lion sightings and there's always rattlesnakes throughout the park. I've seen other animals, like falcons, tarantulas, deer, and squirrels (of course).
I don't care much for the Eagle Rock trail, there's lots of rocks and it makes walking or running the trail awkward. On a clear day it's worth the hike to see the view.
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I cannot believe I haven't reviewed Alum Rock. (kick me)
I was awakened at the gym today as I ran next to some man on the treadmill. I was a trained athlete. I ran track in high school and practically turned pro in figure skating. As I stepped on the treadmill and set it to 4.5 incline and a 5.6 speed I realized how lame I was.
The sun was out and I was inside a stank gym next to some guy running 10 miles per hour at a 0.0 incline. I'm an incline freak. I will laugh in the face of any 0.0 runner b/c I can. LOL
Enter Alum Rock. You NEVER run at a 0.0 when you're outdoors. Especially not at Alum Rock. I've ran many marathons in my lifetime but they have not been your common charity or community based marathons. They are personal milestones I set for myself every time I'm at the park. I don't need a paper # on my t-shirt to prove that I ran 6.5 miles.
When I'm here I'm at peace. The hills are my competition. I don't have to smell some stinky man running next to me. Instead I smell dirt, grass and fresh air. It's more than a cardio work out. It's a mission for me. In my head I'm running from mountain lions and la migra! LOL jk
I got kicked off the treadmill tonight for going over 30 minutes because it was "peak" time at the gym. BIG MIDDLE FINGER to the GYM. I'm hitting Alum Rock. Who's coming with me??!!!!
ps. Alum Rock boasts beautiful scenery and hiking trails. You can get lost here. My personal fave is the "rocky trail" we named it because you can't ride your bike on it but we do. I'll start to look at the real names of the trails and update them when I re visit this week.
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Ehh lame park to chill like other parks. But i guess this pakr really isnt for hanging out. I hate how the drive up here is terrible beacuase there are cyclists everywhere and you have to share the road. It can be pretty dangerous up here. The bugs are annoying and the playground sucks. The only good thing i guess is the hike/walk but i never did that here. There is this waterfall thing which smells really bad so thats also a minus.
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I love this place. I have been coming here since I was a little baby with my parents and Grandparents. I used to go to Horse camp at Alum Rock stables in the late 80s and I go here every once in a while recently just to walk a bit. My roommates go hiking there too, probably on some of the same trails I used to ride horses on.
I know why and how Eagle rock was painted Yellow in the 60s and although it is mostly faded, some of that paint still remains. Kids.
I like the way that all of the deer come out around dusk and there are just hundreds of them that appear out of nowhere all over the Fields and even on top of the bathrooms roof.
Sometimes part of it can be creepy if you are alone, especially with the thought of increased mountain lion activity, but it is still a great place.
I especially like the old bridge and stone ruins by the creek. They make me feel like I am in an older country that I am, like English castle ruins.
The only thing is to remember that there is a high amount of alkali deposits in the creek, so don't drink the water. I think the steanch of sulfur in the air is a good warning about that.
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