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Activities
Máyyan ‘Ooyákma – Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve Information
Opened to the public in 2023, this scenic preserve offers visitors diverse chances to view serpentine grasslands up close.
Watch for:
Flashes of a waxy, greenish rock known as serpentine. Serpentine soils are home to many rare, local species, including vibrant wildflowers.
Hike Details for Serpentine Spring Trail
Note: A Butterfly Pass is required for all visitors accessing the trails.
Distance: 2.6 miles round-trip (see hike map)
Elevation change: 1,000 feet
Hiking time: 1.5-2 hours
Trail surface: Dirt
Best Season: All year, will be warm in summer on exposed sections
Managing agency: Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (more info here)
Parking lot location: Click here for directions
This short-but-steep climb rewards every step with incredible views! Just past the main trailhead, you’ll look out over Coyote Valley and San José. A freshwater spring along the way nourishes the rare Mount Hamilton thistle, and farther up, an interpretive overlook offers a well-earned rest after the steepest stretch.
Though you may notice narrow cow crisscrossing the hillsides, please remain on the main path to protect this sensitive habitat.
Those looking for a longer hike can proceed along the Tule Elk Trail and the Bay Checkerspot Trail to make a 5.3-mile loop. If you’re hoping for a gentler route, the overlook trail that stems from the gathering area offers a peaceful stroll through a meadow with spots to rest along the way
Máyyan ‘Ooyákma – Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve Photo Gallery
About Coyote Valley
The valley floor of Coyote Valley, close to this preserve, is the last intact valley floor connection between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. Considered a “last chance landscape,” connecting over 1.13 million acres of life-sustaining habitat in the Santa Cruz and Diablo Mountain Ranges, it serves as a lifeline for both wildlife and our conservation work in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
After decades of debate over land use, the San Jose City Council voted unanimously in November of 2019 to enter into agreements with POST and the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to acquire 937 acres at the northern end of Coyote Valley. Then in the fall of 2021, the San Jose City Council voted unanimously to rezone portions of the valley from industrial use to agricultural and open space use for farming and wildlife. This critical wildlife habitat is now protected in perpetuity.
