hard
Activities
Rancho Cañada del Oro Information
This hike is best in winter and spring, with the creeks and vegetation renewed from recent storms.
Watch for:
Keep an eye out for bobcats, deer, coyotes, foxes and mountain lions. It's also a great place to see wildflowers in the spring.
Hiking Details for Rancho Cañada del Oro
Distance: 5.8 miles
Elevation change: 1,460′ elevation gain
Hiking time: 4-5 hours
Trail surface: hard-packed dirt
Best Season: Winter, Spring
Managing agency: Open Space Authority
Parking lot location: Click here for directions
Overview: Rancho Cañada del Oro has over 12 miles of trails offering amazing views of nearby Loma Prieta, the highest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Follow trails that wind through native grasslands, oak woodlands, sage-chaparral scrub and creekside habitats. It’s also a spectacular place to see spring wildflowers.
For a moderate-to-hard 5.8-mile loop hike, head to the preserve entrance and turn right onto Little Llagas Creek Trail. Follow this for 1.5 miles to Bald Peaks Trail. Continue on the Bald Peaks Trail for about 2 miles before turning left onto Catamount Trail and descending into the Longwall Canyon. (There’s a picnic table on the Catamount Trail that’s a great spot to stop and have a snack — you’ve made it over half way!) Finish the hike by turning left onto Longwall Canyon Trail and enjoy views of the creek as you head back to the parking lot.
Rancho Cañada del Oro Photo Gallery
More about Rancho Cañada Del Oro Preserve
POST protected this property in 1999 and soon after transferred ownership to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority for permanent management. The 4,685-acre Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve was then opened to the public in 2004 with the dedication of the Bald Peaks and Longwall Canyon trails.