San Jose - Parks & Nature
San Jose
Opening date finally released for Big Basin Redwoods two years after devastating wildfire
Bay Area wildlife lovers are teeming with excitement after hearing that fire-ravaged Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California’s oldest state park, will finally open back up to the public on July 22nd — and the reservations books opened today.
San Jose
Mountain View to move wild turkeys that have been causing trouble at Moffett Field's Ames Research Center
Officials in Mountain View are relocating a rafter of wild turkeys which have been roosting at the Ames Research Facility for several years. The birds were initially seen as harmless, but have been impeding cars and have even disrupted flights at the nearby Moffett Federal Field.
San Jose
Meta opens new public park near Menlo Park campus, called Meta Park
Amusingly named Meta Park, a 2.2-acre new bit of green space at the end of Chilco Street in Menlo Park debuted this past weekend to the public, featuring a sloped grass lawn and access to the 350-mile-long San Francisco Bay Trail.
San Jose
Hidden gem for hikers in the Santa Cruz Mountains gradually reopening after wildfires
Butano State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains, often known as the little sister to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, is getting ready to reopen its visitor center in January — the park actually reopened six months ago.
San Jose
Santa Clara Valley preserves 60 acres of farmland in Coyote Valley for sustainable agriculture
The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority has bought 60 acres of farmland in Coyote Valley that it will preserve for sustainable agriculture as part of an effort to create what it calls "a 21st century greenbelt near urban San Jose," the agency said this week.
San Jose
Optimism sprouting in Santa Cruz Mountains one year after a devastating wildfire
Flames scorched an estimated 97% of the oldest state park in California. After a slow start, and setbacks due to the coronavirus, new life appears to be emerging inside Big Basin even though it will be quite a while before visitors are allowed back in.
San Jose
Endless bummers: South Bay beaches rank among most polluted in state
A handful of Bay Area beaches have been given poor water-quality ratings in an annual study by a nonprofit. Five out of the top 10 "Beach Bummers" in California, or most polluted beaches, are in the Bay Area, with three in San Mateo County and one in Santa Cruz.
San Jose
What to do if you encounter coyotes while hiking around the Bay Area (and why you may be seeing them more)
It's hiking season, and in many areas around the Bay Area that can mean running into coyotes, especially if you're walking with dogs. Here's a rundown of what to do (and what not to do) if you encounter a coyote.
San Jose
New fees, capacity limits, and name change for newly public Palo Alto park
After decades of being strictly accessible to only people with a Palo Alto address, the 1,440-acre park is now open to the public. Since its opening in late December, the park’s popularity has soared among hikers and sightseers across the Bay Area.
San Jose
After more than 51 years, Palo Alto’s Foothills Park is finally open to the public
Foothills Park, the notoriously inaccessible green space in Palo Alto that's been off-limits to the public for decades, is now open for anyone to enjoy — marking an end to its decades-old status as a private park.