This week, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will vote on a plan that would connect two huge county parks in South San Jose. The supervisors are expected to approve the purchase of a 47-acre plot of land that would allow the county to build a trail that connects Calero County Park and Santa Teresa County Park, both of which are popular with hikers, bicyclists, and horseback riders. The price of the land is $8.5 million and most of it has been zoned for agricultural use.
Calero County Park | Photo Credit: parks.sccgov.org
Both parks were created in 1958 and represent a huge chunk of open space in the region. Calero features nearly 4,500 acres while Santa Teresa offers almost 1,700 acres. If the new trail that connects the two parks gets approved and built, it would boost the total amount of trails in the area to 30 miles. According to the Mercury News, “the proposed trail would stretch from Santa Teresa’s Stile Ranch trail down through Calero’s Lisa Killough trail, a relatively flat course that crosses over two creeks.”
Santa Teresa County Park | Photo Credit: sanjose.org
Officials with the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department believe that the purchase of the land would help ease overcrowding in the two parks while also adding more public safety. It would likely provide an area where recreationists could safely cross McKean Road. Many bike and horseback riders are forced to cross the road without a crosswalk where cars are often seen going well beyond the speed limit of 45 mph.
There could also be a new parking lot added in the area which would mean fewer complaints from residents about cars that are parked illegally on the roads around the parks. “While there are no concrete plans to build another parking lot within the 47-acre area, the option is on the table,” the Mercury News reports.
Conservation groups and environmental activists are excited about the idea of a new trail connection. “It’s a win. It’s an opportunity for land to be enhanced for its natural value,” Julie Hutcheson with Green Foothills told the Mercury News. The owner of the property where the trail would be installed has been working with the county for months to make the sale happen. He’s owned the piece of land since 1974.
