Los Gatos
Click the buttons below to explore recommended routes for this park
Description: Sierra Azul is a sprawling preserve with six relatively long trails covering 23 miles. Most trails are fire roads, but all trails involve significant sustained climbs and many trails are very steep and rocky, so difficulty levels are high. Some trails also have significant sun exposure. Two loops are possible within the park, but most rides are out and back, or require riding on city streets to complete a loop. Most riders think of this park as two riding areas: The Kennedy/Lime Kiln area, and the Mt Umunhum area, and preserve maps designate the two areas separately. The seldom used Woods Trail connects the two areas. Our easiest recommended ride, the 1000 Footer, is in the Mt Umunhum area. Our Medium Ride is in the Kennedy/Lime Kiln area. The Big ride utilizes the Woods Trail to ride through both areas starting in the Mt Umunhum side. A fourth ride, which is more of a bottom to top climb of Mt Umunhum incorporating trails from Sierra Azul and neighboring Almaden Quicksilver County Park can be found under a separate entry called “Mt Umunhum Challenge”. Restroom at Kennedy Road entrance, at Lexington Reservoir and at all three parking lots on Mt Umunhum Rd.
In the wet season: Trails are open, but become very sticky immediately after a rain.
Directions: There are five trail heads to Sierra Azul. The 1000 footer begins halfway up Mt Umunhum Rd., which is accessed from Hicks Rd. in Southern San Jose. This is generally considered the second parking lot on Mt Umunhum Rd, as there is also parking at the bottom of the road where it intersects Hicks Rd, and there is a lot at the top of Mt. Umunhum. The lot is limited and fills on summer weekends. A link to the parking location for the 1000 Footer in Google Maps is here. The lower parking lot, or first lot, at the intersection of Mt. Umunhum Rd. and Hicks Rd. is where the Big Ride starts. This lot is very small and fills early daily, but a much larger lot is across Hicks Rd. at the Wood Rd. entrance to Almaden Quicksilver County Park. A link to the parking location in Google Maps for the Big Ride is here. The Medium Ride starts on the north side of the park at the Kennedy Trail, which starts on Kennedy Rd. in Los Gatos. Street parking is usually available. A link to the parking location for the Medium Ride is here. There are also two trail heads very close to each other on Alma Bridge Rd, which is accessed from State Route 17 south of Los Gatos.