Joseph
D. Grant County Park,
County of Santa Clara,
Santa Clara County
In brief:
7.5 mile loop climbs up and down grassy hillsides dotted with oaks, on the high
slopes of Mount Hamilton. Great in early spring, but incredibly hot in summer.
Getting there:
From US 101 in Santa Clara County, exit Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue. Drive
east on Alum Rock Avenue about 4 miles, then turn right onto Mount Hamilton Road.
Drive about 8 miles on this narrow winding road (watch out for bicyclists, motorcyclists,
deer, and foolhardy squirrels) to the park entrance on the right side of the road.
Once past the entry kiosk, drive on the park road to the parking lot nearest the
gated entrance to Hotel Trail (go straight past the first parking area on the
left, then turn left where the road splits -- there are some nice shady spots
near the restrooms).
Trailhead details:
$5 entrance fee (self-registration if kiosk is closed, or if you park elsewhere
in the park). Lots of parking in the main area (on the park's map, that's the
Visitor Center Area), and a few other smaller lots off Mount Hamilton Road, east
of the main entrance. Restrooms located off the parking lot. Maps available at
the entrance kiosk, and at the information signboard at the start of Hotel Trail.
Pay phone at entrance kiosk. There is no direct public transportation to the park.
Gas, food, and lodging:
Gas, stores, and restaurants about 9.5 miles west, on Alum Rock Avenue. Grant's
campground has tent, small RV and group sites.
Rules:
Most trails are multi-use. A few are closed to cyclists, and a handful are hiking-only.
Dogs are only allowed in the campground, picnic and parking areas, and Edwards
Field & Trail; they are not permitted on the hike described below.
Distance, category, and difficulty:
This 7.5 mile loop hike is moderate, with about 1300 feet in elevation
change. The park has high hills and a sloping valley in the middle, with elevation
ranging from about 1300 to 2995 feet. Most trails are moderate, but should you
visit in summer, be careful not to overexert and dehydrate yourself on the lightly
(or not at all) shaded trails.
The Official Story:
SCCP's Grant
page (click Find a Park, then Grant)
Park office 408-274-6121
Map choices/more infomation:
• Use AAA's San Francisco Bay Region map to get to the park.
• Map
from SCCP (download pdf)
• 
This hike is described
and mapped in 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: San Francisco, by Jane Huber (yup,
that's me, the creator of this website). Order
this book from Amazon.com.
• Afoot and Afield: San Francisco Bay Area, by David Weintraub (order
this book from Amazon.com) has a great map and descriptions of a Grant hike.
• 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area, by Ann
Marie Brown (order
this book from Amazon.com) has a simple map and featured hike.
• Check current Mount Hamilton weather at Hamcam!
• South Bay Trails, by Jean Rusmore, Betsy Crowder, and Frances Spangle (order
this book from Amazon.com) has a simple map and trail descriptions.
• View 72 photos from the featured
hike.
With over 9,500 acres, 
Grant
is the largest park in the Santa Clara County Park district. The park's somewhat
remote location shelters a great variety of wildlife and plants. In late summer
and early autumn, Grant is overrun with mating tarantulas, and all year long you
might see wild pigs, whose ranks are spreading like crazy in the area. Spring
wildflowers are legendary, but Grant is lovely in winter (mistletoe dripping from
oaks and long clear views) and autumn (maple leaves and tarantulas on the ground,
and poison oak's lovely foliage show). Cow grazing and heavy bicycle use create
muddy trails in the rainy months, when it sometimes snows on the top of Mount
Hamilton. Visiting in the summer, it's hard to imagine it ever getting cold enough
to snow; when it's hot in the bay area, it's sweltering at Grant. Bring plenty
of water, wear a hat, and pace yourself. The miles really add up here, and many
trails have long, sustained climbs. Unlike most Santa Clara parks, the major,
fire road width trails are clearly signed here, but the minor paths are not, and
they can be difficult to find. With 22 family campsites available, Grant makes
a fine mini-retreat destination for a weekend of camping and hiking (although
the campground is closed in the winter months).
Most visitors start at the visitor center area,
cross Mt. Hamilton Road, and hike up to the ridge line on one of three steep trails.
From the ridge, if you head north on Cañada de Pala you can hike to the
park's high point, 2995 foot Antler Peak. Nice views west from that belvedere
and along the way. The trails are gentler in Grant's southwestern portion, and
the large
network of fire roads and paths make many loops possible. If you wish to avoid
the climb to the ridge, you can park at Twin Gates (elevation about 2400 feet)
and hike along Cañada de Pala Trail from there. Hotel Trail climbs slowly
from the trailhead, and is a popular uphill route for cyclists. The easiest hike
of all at Grant starts at the small parking lot on the north side of Mount Hamilton
Road, just past the main park entrance. The wide, almost level trail skirts the
eastern shore of pretty Grant Lake. An out-and-back stroll on the trail is under
1 mile, and some picnic tables provide a nice setting for an outing with young
kids or elderly folks.
For the featured hike, start at parking lot and
walk east to the signed gated entrance to Hotel Trail. The path crosses San
Felipe Creek, then splits. Stay to the left as the path sweeps past the
lovely Ranch House, then at about 500 feet, meets an unmarked junction. Turn
left onto Hotel Trail. A fence on the left keeps you at a distance from some
of the cattle who graze at the park. Oaks and coyote brush punctuate the grassland.
Just a few steps past the junction, unmarked Loop Trail sets out to the right
at a gate. Continue straight on Hotel Trail. The wide multi-use trail climbs
just a bit, then reaches a gate at Mount Hamilton Road at about 0.44 mile. Carefully
cross the road, then turn left onto signed Yerba Buena Trail.
A broad, dirt fire road, open to cyclists,
equestrians, and hikers, Yerba Buena Trail dips downhill past a small parking
lot, then ends at a 
signed
junction at 0.57 mile. Bear right.
Eenjoy a sweet view of Grant Lake as you walk
past signed Lakeview Trail. Thick stands of coyote brush and shrubby oaks
line the trail. At 0.82 mile, just past a bridge, turn right at a signed junction
onto Halls Valley Trail.
After a short descent, the multi-use trail (which cyclists
are only permitted to use in the uphill direction) begins a climb. Oak and a few
eucalyptus give way to coyote brush. Canal Trail begins on the right side of the
trail at a signed junction at 1.0 mile. Continue on Halls Valley Trail.
You get some early views of hills to the north as you
ascend. At 1.10 miles, Los Huecos Trail begins on the right side of the trail
at a signed junction. Continue straight on Halls Valley Trail.
The ascent is easy at first, as you hike through oaks
(black, valley, and coast live), California bay, California coffeeberry, and coyote
brush. In the late summer and into winter, red honeysuckle berries dangle on their
vines, and poison oak makes itself known, with a bold display of red foliage.
The orbs of white common snowberries seem to float through the air in the dense
trailside foliage. Halls Valley Trail crosses a seasonal creek, climbs through
a short stretch of sagebrush and monkeyflower, then enters oak grassland. Views
back to the west reveal Grant Lake. The trail makes a sharp turn to the left,
and the grade picks up. Oaks (including a few blue) thin, providing great views.
In late summer, concentrated patches of deep red poison oak on the tawny hills
to the north resemble a freshly scraped knee. 
With
little shade, the sun can really bake you on a hot day through this stretch. Halls
Valley Trail sweeps along the hillside, then turns and makes a brief descent.
A few buckeyes accompany the oaks. After crossing a seasonal creek, the trail
takes one final steep and straight run to a signed junction at 3.1 miles. Turn
right onto Cañada de Pala Trail.
The exposed, nearly treeless ridge offers fantastic
views. North of this spot, Cañada de Pala Trail meanders on a pretty level
course, to Line Shack (I seem to remember from a hike 3 years ago that shack is
the operative word), then climbs to a junction with Pala Seca Trail and Antler
Point. However, today on this featured hike, we're headed south. The broad multi-use
fire road climbs through sporadically sprinkled oak grassland. In spring, fantastic
displays of wildflowers are common, with the peak occuring in late April and early
May, when blue-eyed grass, bluedicks, johnny jump-ups, checkerbloom, California
poppy, fiddlenecks, blue and white lupine, and popcorn flower sprawl through grass
along the trail. At 3.51 miles, Los Huecos Trail heads back downhill to the right
at a signed junction. Continue straight on Cañada de Pala Trail.
As the trail continues to gradually climb, look to the
left for a glimpse of Lick Observatory. You'll pass through a cattle gate (and
kiss the spring flower displays goodbye), then linger at the trail's highest point
(around 2700 feet), where there are great views down to Grant Lake and beyond.
When I hiked here on a hot September day, yellow tarweed flowers carpeted the
hills to the right; a wildflower surprise so close to autumnal equinox -- another
reminder to me that there is no bad time to hike in the bay area. After a few
short roller coaster runs, Yerba Buena Trail begins on the right, at 4.84 miles.
Turn right.
This multi-use 
fire
road is very popular with cyclists traveling downhill, so be alert for traffic.
Despite the presence of humans and cows, Yerba Buena seems to be popular with
the local wildlife too -- you may see coyote, bobcat, deer, and pig prints in
the dirt. Bass Lake is briefly visible to the left. Yerba Buena Trail drops steeply
alongside a canyon, then climbs a bit through oaks before descending to an unsigned
junction and Mount Hamilton Road at 6.23 miles. Unsigned Loop Trail departs to
the right. (I had intended to cross the road here and visit Bass Lake, but the
gates on both sides of the road were chained shut, and the trail to Bass Lake
was not the wide trail I expected. In fact, I couldn't tell if the thin path running
parallel to the road was a deer trail or a trail, or which direction led to Bass
lake. So I recrossed the road and continued on Yerba Buena Trail. If you have
enough energy left to explore, Take Bass Lake Trail to Hotel Trail, turn right,
and return to a previously encountered junction with the path to the trailhead.)
Continue downhill on Yerba Buena Trail.
The trail gently descends along Mount Hamilton Road,
through oak grassland. On the other side of a cattle gate the trail shrinks a
bit. Lakeview Trail sets out on the right side of the trail at a signed junction
at 6.90 miles. Continue on Yerba Buena Trail. After one last rise and fall,
the trail meets a previously encountered junction at 7.03 miles. Turn left,
cross the road, and retrace your steps back to the trailhead. On my hike in
September, on the way back to the trailhead I saw three wild pigs (inside the
fence), taking a siesta in the shade on the right side of the trail (but nary
a single tarantula).
Total distance: 7.47 miles
Last hiked: Monday, May 12, 2003
Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page
Grant
is the largest park in the Santa Clara County Park district. The park's somewhat
remote location shelters a great variety of wildlife and plants. In late summer
and early autumn, Grant is overrun with mating tarantulas, and all year long you
might see wild pigs, whose ranks are spreading like crazy in the area. Spring
wildflowers are legendary, but Grant is lovely in winter (mistletoe dripping from
oaks and long clear views) and autumn (maple leaves and tarantulas on the ground,
and poison oak's lovely foliage show). Cow grazing and heavy bicycle use create
muddy trails in the rainy months, when it sometimes snows on the top of Mount
Hamilton. Visiting in the summer, it's hard to imagine it ever getting cold enough
to snow; when it's hot in the bay area, it's sweltering at Grant. Bring plenty
of water, wear a hat, and pace yourself. The miles really add up here, and many
trails have long, sustained climbs. Unlike most Santa Clara parks, the major,
fire road width trails are clearly signed here, but the minor paths are not, and
they can be difficult to find. With 22 family campsites available, Grant makes
a fine mini-retreat destination for a weekend of camping and hiking (although
the campground is closed in the winter months).
network of fire roads and paths make many loops possible. If you wish to avoid
the climb to the ridge, you can park at Twin Gates (elevation about 2400 feet)
and hike along Cañada de Pala Trail from there. Hotel Trail climbs slowly
from the trailhead, and is a popular uphill route for cyclists. The easiest hike
of all at Grant starts at the small parking lot on the north side of Mount Hamilton
Road, just past the main park entrance. The wide, almost level trail skirts the
eastern shore of pretty Grant Lake. An out-and-back stroll on the trail is under
1 mile, and some picnic tables provide a nice setting for an outing with young
kids or elderly folks. 
signed
junction at 0.57 mile. Bear right.
With
little shade, the sun can really bake you on a hot day through this stretch. Halls
Valley Trail sweeps along the hillside, then turns and makes a brief descent.
A few buckeyes accompany the oaks. After crossing a seasonal creek, the trail
takes one final steep and straight run to a signed junction at 3.1 miles. Turn
right onto Cañada de Pala Trail.
fire
road is very popular with cyclists traveling downhill, so be alert for traffic.
Despite the presence of humans and cows, Yerba Buena seems to be popular with
the local wildlife too -- you may see coyote, bobcat, deer, and pig prints in
the dirt. Bass Lake is briefly visible to the left. Yerba Buena Trail drops steeply
alongside a canyon, then climbs a bit through oaks before descending to an unsigned
junction and Mount Hamilton Road at 6.23 miles. Unsigned Loop Trail departs to
the right. (I had intended to cross the road here and visit Bass Lake, but the
gates on both sides of the road were chained shut, and the trail to Bass Lake
was not the wide trail I expected. In fact, I couldn't tell if the thin path running
parallel to the road was a deer trail or a trail, or which direction led to Bass
lake. So I recrossed the road and continued on Yerba Buena Trail. If you have
enough energy left to explore, Take Bass Lake Trail to Hotel Trail, turn right,
and return to a previously encountered junction with the path to the trailhead.)
Continue downhill on Yerba Buena Trail. 