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Coyote Peak
Rainbows & Waterfalls 2000 |
Coyote Peak, the high
point of Santa
Teresa Park, provides the best view of the park and the southern
Silicon
Valley. There are several trails up to Coyote Peak. The most popular
way
up is to park at the Pueblo day use area, at 600 feet, then hike the
remaining
500 feet up the Hidden Springs Trail to the Coyote Peak Trail. The most
challenging way is from the valley floor entrance to the narrow winding
Ohlone Trail, the moderately steep Coyote Peak Trail, and the very
steep
Boundary Trail, with a total altitude gain of 900 feet. The peak can
also be reached by the longer, but more gradually ascending Rocky Ridge
Trail.
Near the top of the peak is a huge antenna tower with
maintenance buildings and
a water storage tank, both fenced off from public access. At the very
top
is a gravel path circling the summit, with benches for resting and
taking
in the incredible 360-degree view. Most of the park, the Blossom
Valley,
IBM's Almaden Research Center, the hills of Almaden Quicksilver County
Park, and parts of the Almaden Valley are easily seen nearby. If you
live,
work, or go to school in the area, there's a good chance you can see
your
house, job, or school from here. On very clear days, you can see Mt.
Tamalpais
in Marin and the skyscrapers of downtown San Franciso and Oakland.
Usually
you can see downtown San Jose, the Pruneyard Towers, the blimp hangars
at Moffett Field, and the Coyote Hills near Fremont. To the east,
dome-topped
Mount Hamilton towers above the wall of the Diablo Range. Even though
it's
3 times higher than Coyote Peak, it seems like you're looking straight
at it. You can also see other peaks to the north on the Diablo Range,
such
as Monument Peak and Mission Peak. Looking south, you look down the
narrow,
mostly undeveloped Coyote Valley, all the way to Morgan Hill.
Tree-lined
Coyote Creek, with its many percolation ponds, flows along the east
side
of the valley. The Coyote Creek Golf Club, along Coyote Creek, remains
green while the rest of the valley dries up in the summer. To the
west,.
Mt. Umhunhum, with its stovepipe hat, and Mt. Loma Prieta, bristling
with
antennas, dominate the steep, dark green ridge of the Sierra Azuls. The
hills just to the south across the park boundary line are the
undeveloped
lands belonging to IBM surrounding their Silicon Valley Lab on Bailey
Avenue.
The hills, which block the view of the lab, are leased out for
ranching,
and cattle can often be seen grazing on the slopes. Other lands in this
area are used for ranching, farming, or are reserved for future
development. The city of San Jose is planning the development of the
Coyote Valley just to the south of
Tulare Hill. The hills surrounding Calero Reservoir County Park, though
not the reservoir itself, are visible to the southwest. Green strips
along
the hills there belong to a new golf course across from the south end
of
Calero Reservoir.
Created 9/17/99, updated 7/5/05 by Ronald Horii |