Javelina Loop Trail

Note: As of March 2020, the first part of this trail is no longer valid. It’s a completely new trail. Map reflects the changes. Get a good workout while nature watching in this hike on the southern rim of Silicon Valley Two small ponds and one large reservoir make this an intriguing route at Calero County Park south of San Jose, California. The Javelina Loop passes Calero's bat enclosure and pauses next to a pond at Fish Camp, where a deck looks out over a serene pond frequented by redwing blackbirds and other avians. Los Cerritos Pond near the trailhead is another welcome rest stop. You can slice two miles off this hike by skipping the loop along Los Cerritos Trail, which tracks the shores of Calero Reservoir before climbing up the hillside into the backcountry of the park. Calero has a big corral near the entrance to let you know you'll be sharing the trails with equestrians and their steeds, but the trails are plenty wide enough for hikers and horse people alike. Best times to go: springtime when the wildflowers are out, and clear winter days when the trails are just firm enough for hiking but too soft for the horses (rain typically closes the park to equestrians in winter).