The Mockingbird Hill entrance is accessed off Mockingbird Hill Lane. “ The park may be accessed from three areas. Here is an excerpt from the park’s homepage. There are a number of different trailheads on all sides of the park, so if you chose to do a different hike, there are lots of places to enter the park. If coming from San Francisco, it is about a one hour drive. From downtown it is about a 35 minute drive. You will likely take highway 85 to Camden Ave, and then turn onto Hicks Road. To access the trailhead on Hicks Road on the backside of the park, my recommendation is to just put Wood Road Entrance into Google Maps and follow the directions. The park is very easily accessible from San Jose as some neighborhoods literally butt against the park boundaries. And while the industrial mining operations are over, there is still enough mercury in the ground to contaminate the water here, so any fish caught should be released, not eaten, and don’t drink the water! Getting To The Trailhead: Looking up at Loma Prieta, the highest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains!Īlways be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors! While hiking is my main interest, there are miles upon miles of trail open to horseback riding as well as mountain biking!īe aware that this is mountain lion country, and while sightings are rare, you should be alert, especially if you bring small animals or children. Interspersed among the hills and ridges of the park are the ruins of mining towns, old shafts, as well as other infrastructure developed for the procurement of the metal!įirst designated a park in 1976, Almaden Quicksilver now contains 37 miles of hiking trails that criss-cross the over 4,000 acres of the park. Today, the park protects this rich history of mining, and the people who came here to do it, in a beautiful natural setting. history course, the California Gold Rush was a pretty big deal here starting in the 1840’s! The mine was so crucial and so valuable because it was used in the refining of gold. Named for the mercury that was mined here, quicksilver is another name for the dangerous metal this park has a long mining history!įirst used by the native peoples of the region, large-scale mercury mining really began here in the 1840’s, and by 1865, there were about 1,800 people living in what is now the county park! The mines here were so productive that “it became the richest mercury mine in North America and the most productive mine in California history!” Near the southern edge of San Jose, Almaden Quicksilver County Park is a fascinating combination of natural beauty and human history. This loop on the southern side of the park gets you away from the noise and hustle of the city, and has solitude, excellent views, and lots of interesting history! Miles/Elevation:ħ84 feet vertical gain About Almaden Quicksilver County Park: Conveniently located just steps from the neighborhoods of San Jose, Almaden Quicksilver County Park is a fantastic place to enjoy the outdoors without driving too far! The park has tons of trails that can be linked into short and long loops, so there’s plenty of choices.
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