TrailStompers.com: San Francisco Bay Area Trail Running

Calero Reservoir and County Park is located south of San Jose off McKean Road.  When you include the adjoining Rancho Canada del Oro Open Space Preserve, the park offers over 20 miles of challenging trails.  Most of the trails near the reservoir are fire roads, although there are some very nice singletrack sections in the southern section of Calero and the Rancho Canada del Oro area.  Like its neighbor Almaden Quicksilver, the trails at Calero are steep in sections, and can be scorching and dusty in the summer.  Run in the morning and wear your hat and sunscreen!  (Note: my favorite time to run at Calero is during the winter!).  The runs on this page start from the main parking area off McKean Road just south of the intersection with Bailey Ave.

The Dirt:

• For the official Calero County Park web site and trail map click here.
• For the official Rancho Canada del Oro web site and trail map click here.
  
• For driving directions via Google Maps, click here.

Extras:

• Note that there is NO drinking water available in the park.
  

This run is a nice introduction to the park.  It is entirely on fire roads.  One interesting oddity along the way is the "bat box", which is like a giant bat-condo built on stilts along the Javelina Loop Trail.  The run starts at the main trailhead off of McKean Road.

Note: An asterisk (*) denotes a trail junction that may be confusing or easy to miss!

• 0.0 mi: From the parking lot, cross the paved road and start up the access trail.
  
• 0.2 mi: Turn right onto the Los Cerritos Trail.
  
• 0.6 mi: Turn left onto the Pena Trail and climb steeply.
  
• 0.8 mi: Pass the Vallecito Trail on your left.  Stay right to continue on the Pena Trail.
  
• 1.0 mi: Pass the Los Cerritos Trail on your right.  Stay left to continue on the Pena Trail.
  
• 1.4 mi: *Pena Trail ends.  Turn right onto the Javelina Loop Trail toward the Bat Box.  (Note: both the trail straight ahead and the one to the right will be designated as the "Javelina Loop Trail".  To do the loop counter-clockwise, be sure to turn right.)
  
• 2.0 mi: Pass the "Bat Box" on your right!
  
• 2.5 mi: Intersection with Cottle Trail.  Turn left and start climbing to continue on the Javelina Loop Trail.
  
• 3.3 mi: Pass the tiny Fish Camp Lake.
  
• 4.0 mi: Back at the Javelina Trail/Pena Trail junction.  Turn right onto the Figueroa Trail and begin a gradual creekside descent.
  
• 4.7 mi: Pass the Vallecito Trail on your left.  Stay on the Figueroa Trail (keep following the creek).
  
• 4.8 mi: Pass the Canada del Oro Trail on your right.  Stay on the Figueroa Trail (keep following the creek).  The trail will eventually parallel the road.
  
• 6.0 mi: Turn right on the access trail to head back to the car.
  
• 6.2 mi: Back at the car!

This run is the grand tour of both Calero Park and Rancho Canada del Oro OSP.  It is about 50% singletrack and 50% fire road.  One interesting oddity along the way is the "bat box", which is like a giant bat-condo built on stilts along the Javelina Loop Trail.  In addition, there is a great view from the top of Bald Peak (~1800 feet).  The run starts at the main trailhead off of McKean Road.

Note: An asterisk (*) denotes a trail junction that may be confusing or easy to miss!

• 0.0 mi: From the parking lot, cross the paved road and start up the access trail.
  
• 0.2 mi: Turn right onto the Los Cerritos Trail.
  
• 0.6 mi: Turn left onto the Pena Trail and climb steeply.
  
• 0.8 mi: Pass the Vallecito Trail on your left.  Stay right to continue on the Pena Trail.
  
• 1.0 mi: Pass the Los Cerritos Trail on your right.  Stay left to continue on the Pena Trail.
  
• 1.4 mi: *Pena Trail ends.  Turn right onto the Javelina Loop Trail toward the Bat Box.  (Note: both the trail straight ahead and the one to the right will be designated as the "Javelina Loop Trail".  To do the loop counter-clockwise, be sure to turn right.)
  
• 2.0 mi: Pass the "Bat Box" on your right!
  
• 2.5 mi: Turn right onto the Cottle Trail and keep descending.
  
• 2.7 mi: Pass the Cherry Cove Trail on your right.  Stay left to continue on the Cottle Trail and start gradually climbing next to Cherry Canyon Creek.
  
• 3.7 mi: Left turn at the gate to head up toward the Cottle Rest Site.  You will enter a grassy area with a horse trough.
  
• 3.8 mi: Continue past the Cottle Rest Site and get on the Chisnantuck Peak Trail.  This is a narrow singletrack with many switchbacks.
  
• 4.8 mi: Trail ends.  Turn right onto the Bald Peaks Trail (fire road) and continue climbing.  You will soon enter the Rancho Canada del Oro OSP.
  
• 5.0 mi: Intersection with the Catamount Trail on your left.  Stay right to continue on the Bald Peaks Trail.
  
• 5.7 mi: High point of the run!  You will see the grassy peak to the right side of the trail.  Run up the short trail and enjoy the view from the top!  Then continue on the Bald Peaks Trail which will now start descending.
  
• 6.0 mi: Just past the horse trough, continue onto the Longwall Canyon Trail.  This has some great switchback downhills!
  
• 8.0 mi: Intersection with Mayfair Ranch Trail on your right.  Stay left to continue on the Longwall Canyon Trail.
  
• 8.5 mi: Intersection with the Catamount Trail on your left.  Continue on the Longwall Canyon Trail.
  
• 8.7 mi: Intersection with the Serpentine Loop Trail.  Keep going straight ahead onto the Serpentine Loop Trail (don't turn left!).
  
• 9.3 mi: Veer left to stay on the Serpentine Loop Trail.  You will soon parallel Casa Loma Road, and then start climbing up some switchbacks.
  
• 10.7 mi: Turn right onto the Canada del Oro Cut-Off Trail.  You're almost at the high point!
  
• 10.9 mi: Turn right onto the Canada del Oro Trail and start descending.
  
• 11.7 mi: Trail ends on the Figueroa Trail.  Veer right onto the Figueroa Trail to continue gradually descending next to the creek.  The trail will eventually parallel the road.
  
• 12.9 mi: Turn right on the access trail to head back to the car.
  
• 13.1 mi: Back at the car!