Review Date
January 30, 2007

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Every few months

Reviewed by: switchbaxr ,  Downhiller

Summary:
When I used to live a mile and a half from the trailhead, I rode this trail network quite frequently and found this park to be a great weekday afternoon ride during the long days of summer and a nice early weekend ride with just enough of a fix to keep me a happy dad. You have to mix this type of ride in because you can't be gone the whole day riding every singele weekend or it can put a strain on the family. It's definitely no Soquel Demonstration Forest - Braille Trail ride, but if you live in East San Jose it's not a 45 minute drive to the trailhead either and when the demands of a young family require you to be home before 10AM, then this ride can be just the ticket. It can be moderately technical in some sections and very easy on others. There is a singletrack section off to the left of the paved road just past the parking lot entrance where there is a quick drop with a jutting rock right in the middle of the trail and a very steep and loose ascent that puts you about 80 feet above the paved road with a sheer cliff to the right. I clear this section most days, but during the summer when the trail can get very loose and powdery, it's very tough to climb without a dab. The Boccardo trail that is located at the top of the Todd Quick trail is a challenge for even the most fit riders...12-15% grade in some sections...definitely on an ass on the tip of the saddle with your chin low to the stem to maintain your cadence kind of climb in some sections of this climb.

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 - 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.

Plants and wildlife - Oaks, Sycamores, and Bay trees, wild yellow mustard, blue lupine and thistle in the spring. Bobcats, deer, turkeys, cows, hawks, and squirrels.

Recommended Route:
Take a look at a park map and ride every trail in the park, you can easily hit every trail in under 2 hours, even if you do the Boccardo climb.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Grant Ranch, but it's another 6 miles up Mt. Hamilton road to get there and well worth it if you like to climb and downhill on fast wide open fireroads with sweeping hillside views.

Mission Peak if you head another 10 miles north to the Milpitas/Fremont border.

Review Date
November 20, 2006

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: Gina ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Folks - the comments about 'thugs' on the trails? Those riders must live and work in Palo Alto...guess what? You are on the EAST Side folks! People here aren't wearing Tommy Hilfiger and driving beemers. Just because they dress or look a certain way doesn't mean they are thugs. I live right outside the park and ride there several times a week and never have had a problem.

You can have a lot of fun at Alum Rock - although the trail system is not very extensive, and some of the trails are crowded with hikers so bombing downhill on the main fire roads can be curtailed.

Recommended Route:
Park outside the park entrance in the lot at the end of Penitentia Creek. Ride the road, past the kiosk, wind along until you see a single track trail marker off to the left - take this. It runs straight, then dips, then climbs a short technical climb. Afer it flattens out, you come to a juncture veer left up the hill for a short gut-buster. At the top, turn right and continue on to the juncture with the main fire road - the North rim trail. Head up, take the lower trail at the next juncture, down a little drop, until you get to the Todd Quick Single track trail on your left. Go up. At the top, you can continue on Todd Quick which loops back down to the North Rim trail, or you can venture up the Boccardo trail...which is a great 1.5 mile climb where you come face to face with beautiful cows with huge horns. The view at the top is fantastic, and the descent is fast and fun, particularly when you are doing slalom around the cow pies.
After Boccardo, head down either side of Todd Quick, and basically re-trace your ride back. You can head up to Eagle Rock - but the view is nothing after Boccardo. Also, go to the end of the park - which is a nice ride just for the historical aspect. Great old rock bridges, mineral water grottos...really cool

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Alum Rock is the only game in town in the north east area...it's eighter north to Misison Peak or South to Grant Ranch or Santa Teresa.

Review Date
March 6, 2006

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: Rex_Skidmore ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
On a very rainy day, I wanted to test out my new Marmot PreCip Plus rainwear for waterproof and breathability performance. On the way in, a jogger commented that we wouldn't have to deal with crowds. He was right. Many people eating their lunches in their cars. Or wanting to hike, but waiting for the rain to stop?

There are two entrances, but take only Penitencia Road to enter. The other on Alum Rock is frequently closed.

From the Creek Trail, I crossed over (North or East) and then took the Todd Quick Memorial Trail to the Boccardo Trail.

Mr. Boccardo set aside some land, and there's a two-way gate at the trailhead --- which is located almost at the top of the hill of the Todd Quick Memorial Trail. There were several bulls with horns checking me out. I was checking them out, too, looking for the Alpha male. We all got along OK.

The clay/mud on the shared singletrack and fireroad trail (equines/peds/cyclists) was intense and I recommend a less wet day OR a 1.9" rear tire for your ride.

I read the other review about the shady characters in the park. They're just getting high or whatever. I could outrun any of them I saw.

It's not a technical ride, but if you're in the area for no other great reason, then I would check it once. Stunning views of Silicon Valley and the bottom of the SF Bay.

Review Date
February 24, 2006

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: Ty.S ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Not a bad climb up to eagle rock, but be selective in the times that you go. The trails up can get a little congested with hikers, and some... should I say, questionable looking people. My last trip there, I came across a couple of "thuggish" lookin fellas who were standing on the trail tossing rocks off the edge trying to hit some other thuggish lookin fellas in the picnic area. Riding can be dangerous enough without ending up in crossfire. This was a 3-4pm weekday ride, I haven't tried it on a weekend yet, but I'm hoping that it will be a little less tense. When you're on the fireroad at the bottom of the hill.. watch your speed there are several blind corners and lots of kids with parents.

Review Date
January 8, 2005

Overall Rating
 0 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 1 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: b12yan88 ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Well i live really close to this trail so i ride it the most out of all the ones i ride. its about 4 blocks from my house to the trail head. If you pick a good path it's pretty good. Can mix in all the single track parts and their's lots of fireroads.

Recommended Route:
First start at parking enttrance. -Take the creek trail, if your novice, but if your better i suggest going to the left, down the road -when you see a big fat rock that's in the middle of an entrance to a climb on the left side, go up that -keep climbing this part, it's a mix of single track and bumpy fire roads keep going up till you reach stables( i think it's called), its at the top basically -Then continue on and go down until you reach the beginning of eagle rock climb, and go up - go up until you reach a split you can ride up for a good view, but you'll have to come back down, go down this part - on the left side tthere'll be another split that leads to Todd Quick go up this and it comes to a single track climb, pretty good. - After you get too the top, if you want to do a crazy climb go up Bacardo throuogh the gates, going up is hard, but you'll have fun comming down. - or you can continue on the other side of todd quick, some more slowish single track. go out of this place and you'll end up on the road again that takes you to the gazebo. -Take a left and try to find an entrance to some more fireroad next to a creek, or you cantake the road back.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Santa Teresa - stile ranch- rocky ridge
Saratoga Gap