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Mount Madonna County Park
Introduction:
Where?
: Mount Madonna county park located on the south west section of Santa Clara
county, just west of Gilroy (less than 1 hr from the south valley).
What? :
The large park at the top of the mountain dominated by the dense redwood forest.
The park has large camping site at the top of the mountain.
When?
: Year round, it is ideal visit for
winter foggy day travel destination where the fog add mystery to the woods.
Due
note: The park is not bike friendly, not sure they allowed on any trail.
Usually single-track trails will not fit any stroller, but you can find wider
trails that can fit especially at the mountain top.
My
thoughts: I really like this park; at winter it is less crowded, and the rain
and fog add a lot of atmosphere to the visit.
Usually I parked my car at the
lower park section (Sprig Day Use Area) and hike up all the way to the top.
The
Visit:
There are
many different hiking options mainly surrounding the mountain top with many
fire-road and single-track trails.
Most of the trail near the mountain summit
are relatively shorts and you can combine many loop options, there are few
longer trails options.
The
hikes:
Short
hikes (2.2 mils, Red trail on the map): Park near the hilltop visitor center.
You can watch the white
deer’s in the fenced area and hike west on Lower Miller Trail till you will get
to the ruins of the Miller house.
From here you can keep going down till you
reach the Loop Trail.
Turn right on Loop Trail, you will reach Iron Spring
Trail, turn right.
You can
head back to the parking by climbing up on Redwood trail or Rock Spring trail.
You can extend this hike by keep left on Rock Spring Trail, cross the road and
keep going right on Bayview Trail.
Reach the Blue Spring trail, turn right and
go 0.6 miles to the parking lot (addition of 1 mil).
Recommended
long trail (6 miles, Orange trails on the map): park at Sprig Day Use Area on highway 152 (right when
coming from Gilroy). Start to climb Spring Trail (do not confuse with the wide
road and the horse trailer parking, the trail starts from the road parking
lot), the trail clime for 1.3 miles and reach the ridge top, keep going.
At some
point you will continue at Blue Springs Trail (or other trails going to the
visitor center), it continues to climb moderately up until you reach the
hilltop visitor center (after 3.2 miles).
From
there you hike west on Lower Miller Trail, pass ruins of the Miller house on
your right, keep going down till you reach the Loop Trail.
Turn
left and after 0.1 mile you will reach Merry Go Round Trail, turn right and
start descending the road all the way to the parking lot (2.2 miles).
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Map:
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