Dog Friendly Paved Trails for Rainy Days in South Bay

Well, here we are, again, with our next set of back-to-back atmospheric rivers in 2023. Apparently we’ve already seen at least 11 of them this winter season! I’ve lived in the Bay Area my entire life and have never experienced this much chilly, damp weather. While my natural instinct is to stay indoors and burrito inside a fuzzy blanket with a cup of hot tea until the sun comes out and the ground is dry, that wouldn’t be fair to Kona – she gets pretty restless after a few hours of being cooped up inside. 

Thanks to Kona and her need to be walked no matter the weather, I’ve recently come to enjoy the brisk air and the deep meditative state my mind gets lulled into during rainy days and post-rain walks. With the aftermath of recent storms resulting in trail closures due to damage and mudslides, we are so grateful to live in the South Bay where there is also an extensive network of paved trails. However, do not assume that all paved trails are dog-friendly – fan favorites like Stanford Dish hiking trail and San Jose Municipal Rose Garden do not allow dogs.

In no particular order, here are our favorite paved trails to walk (or run!) your dog on a rainy day or after the rain while the ground is still wet. These are all easy effort walks on flat, paved trails with minimal incline. Note that all of these trails require dogs to be on leash at all times. As paved trails can still be affected by flooding and other hazards, make sure to visit official city or county websites for the latest information on trail conditions before heading out.

1. Los Gatos Creek Trail – Los Gatos, Campbell & San Jose

• Distance: Up to 15.6 miles one-way
  1. Los Gatos Creek County Park Loop – 3.5 miles (1.25 hours)
  2. Vasona Reservoir Out & Back – 2.1 miles (45 min)
  3. Downtown Los Gatos Loop – 2.7 miles (1 hour)
• Parking: 
  1. Los Gatos Creek County Park
  2. Vasona Lake County Park
  3. Downtown Los Gatos
• Hours: 8am – Sunset
• Cost: Free if you park on the street in Downtown Los Gatos or residentially along the creek; $6 day-use per vehicle at any of the County Parks
• Shade Level: Medium; certain segments of the trail are fairly shaded
• The Los Gatos Creek multiple-use trail begins at Lexington Reservoir and follows the Los Gatos Creek for nearly 16 miles through Downtown Los Gatos, Vasona Lake County Park, Los Gatos Creek County Park, Downtown Campbell and San Jose, where it connects with the Guadalupe River and eventually flows into the San Francisco Bay. This trail is flat and mostly paved – other than some segments near Oka Ponds and Lexington Reservoir where it turns into wide gravel paths. These segments are exposed to the sun so puddles and mud rarely remain after the rain. Not only can you easily customize the length of your route with all the access points along the trail, but you can also customize your experience based on your mood. We like Los Gatos Creek Park for the dog park, nature and birdwatching; Vasona Lake for people-watching (especially on weekends when the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad train is running); Downtown Los Gatos for the shops (most are dog-friendly!) and Sunday morning Farmers Market. Dogs are not allowed in the Farmers Market, so we highly recommend visiting with a buddy to take turns watching your Kona at the nearby Town Park Plaza and drooling over the fresh produce and prepared foods.

2. Almaden Lake Regional Park & Los Alamitos Creek Trail – San Jose

• Distance: Up to 9 miles one-way
  1. Almaden Lake Loop – 1.4 miles (30 min)
  2. Pfeiffer Park to Almaden Lake Out & Back – 3 miles (1 hour) + can extend with Lake Loop above
  3. Pfeiffer Park to McKean Rd Out & Back – 4.6 miles (1.5 hours)
• Parking: 
  1. Almaden Lake Park Street Parking on Winfield Blvd
  2. Winfield Blvd Parking Lot inside Almaden Lake Park ($6)
  3. Almaden Expy Parking Lot inside Almaden Lake Park ($6)
  4. Los Alamitos Creek Trail Parking – if full, park across the street on Mt. Forest Dr
• Hours: 8am – Sunset
• Cost: Free, unless you park inside Almaden Lake Park ($6 day-use per vehicle)
• Shade Level: Minimal, very exposed
• The Los Alamitos Creek Trail runs through San Jose’s Almaden Valley with a scenic backdrop of the Santa Teresa Foothills. In the 1970s, the Santa Clara Water District widened the creek bed and installed levees to alleviate flooding in Almaden Valley after heavy storms. Our favorite route is the out-and-back Creek Trail from Pfeiffer Park to Almaden Lake Park with a quick loop around the lake – totaling 4.5 miles roundtrip. We always come across lots of dogs and joggers along the Creek Trail – luckily it is wide. The 65-acre Almaden Lake Park offers an amphitheater, picnic sites, playgrounds, sporting facilities and fishing. The Lake Almaden Trail around the lake not only connects to Los Alamitos Creek Trail to the south, but also Guadalupe River Trail to the north for another 1.7 miles one-way. Note, the park will likely be temporarily closed after long bouts of rain due to rising water levels – the City of San Jose website generally is not updated to reflect these closures. When we found the gates to the park unexpectedly closed after the January storms, we just U-turned back to Los Alamitos Creek Trail, which had remained open.

3. Stevens Creek Trail – Mountain View

• Distance: Up to 9 miles out & back (Route)
• Parking: Multiple entrances along Stevens Creek Trail with street parking
  1. La Avenida Entrance – 2.5 miles (50 min)
  2. Central Ave Entrance or Creekside Park – 5 miles (1.75 hours)
  3. Yuba Dr Entrance – 7 miles (2.25 hours)
  4. Sleeper Park or Dale Ave Entrance – 9 miles (3 hours)
• Hours: 6am – Sunset
• Cost: Free
• Shade Level: Low; very exposed up north towards Shoreline, but partially shaded down south in the residential and park areas
• The Stevens Creek Trail consists of two disconnected segments: a 4.5-mile northern segment in Mountain View and a 1.5-mile southern segment in Cupertino (see #4 below). As you head up north from any of the Mountain View access points mentioned above, your surroundings will change from residential neighborhoods, highway pedestrian bridges and community parks to tidal marshlands, salt ponds and natural riparian habitats. Dogs are only allowed to walk out-and-back on Stevens Creek Trail – the Bay Trail, Stevens Creek Nature Study Area and Shoreline Park are all up north and off limits to dogs. The restricted areas are clearly marked with “no pets allowed” signs. As such, the steel bridge near Shoreline is the northernmost point you can go with your dog. There are plenty of dog waste stations along the trail. We visited the morning after the last storm and enjoyed gorgeous views of snow-capped mountains to the east towards Shoreline. Ground squirrels are a common sight along this portion of the trail, so hold on tight if your dog is as obsessed with squirrels as Kona is. There are also lots of bikers and runners, so keep to the right of the trail to let them easily pass on the left. For updated information on trail closures due to flooding, visit the City of Mountain View website.

4. McClellan Ranch Preserve & Blackberry Farm – Cupertino

• Distance: Up to 3 miles out & back
  1. McClellan Ranch to Stevens Creek Blvd – 1.8 miles (35 min)
  2. Stevens Creek Trail + Linda Vista Park – 3 miles (1 hour)
• Parking: 
  1. McClellan Ranch Parking Lot – If full, there’s a small overflow parking lot farther down McClellan Rd 
  2. Blackberry Farm Parking Lot
  3. Blackberry Farm Golf Course Parking Lot
  4. Linda Vista Park Parking Lot
• Hours: 8am – Sunset
• Cost: Free
• Shade Level: Medium; trail past Blackberry Farm towards Stevens Creek Blvd is partially shaded
• McClellan Ranch Preserve and Blackberry Farm are part of a 60-acre open space and recreational area owned by the City of Cupertino. Both are connected by the Stevens Creek Trail. At the southern end is McClellan Ranch, which features a community garden and preserved horse ranch used by non-profit environmental and educational groups like Grassroots Ecology and Rolling Hills 4-H Club. It’s fun passing by the barn and watching the 4-H kids caring and training the pygmy goats, alpacas, llamas, and chickens – Kona always excitedly greets the goats from behind the fence. Blackberry Farm offers picnic sites, playgrounds, swimming pools, and sporting facilities. Farther north towards Stevens Creek Blvd is our favorite part of the trail where you’re suddenly surrounded by tall orange trees and the sweet aroma of citrus wafting in the air. Dogs are only allowed on the paved trail and cannot enter the nature preserve, garden, picnic sites or pool area. Waste bags and trash cans are available along the trail. If you want to get more steps in, the Stevens Creek Trail Linda Vista Extension is a 0.3-mile paved trail between McClellan Ranch and Linda Vista Park, which is a small park with additional paved and dirt trails that weave around a large grass area.

5. Hellyer County Park & Coyote Creek Trail – San Jose & Morgan Hill

• Distance: Up to 15 miles one-way (Route)
  1. Hellyer County Park Loop – 2.5 miles (50 min)
  2. Hellyer County Park to Silver Creek Valley Out & Back – 6 miles (1.75 hours)
  3. Morgan Hill Ogier Ponds Out & Back – 4.4 miles (1.25 hours)
• Parking: 
  1. Hellyer County Park –
     • Street Parking on Sylvandale Ave or Hellyer Ave / Palisade Dr
     • Parking Lot ($6)
  2. Other San Jose –
     • Silver Creek Staging Area Parking Lot
     • Street Parking on Eden Park Pl
     • Metcalf Park Parking Lot
  3. Morgan Hill –
     • Barnhart Ave Entrance
     • Street Parking on Eagle View Dr
• Hours: 8am – Sunset
• Cost: Free, unless you park inside Hellyer County Park ($6 day-use per vehicle)
• Shade Level: Low; partial shade scattered between Hellyer County Park and Silver Creek Staging Area, but very exposed south of that
• The Coyote Creek Trail is the longest trail system in South Bay with three disconnected segments totaling nearly 20 miles. Here, we focus on the main southern segment, which spans 18 miles from Tully Road (San Jose) down to Anderson Lake County Park (Morgan Hill). We recommend not going any farther north than Hellyer County Park since more homeless encampments appear along that part of the trail. The 178-acre Hellyer County Park not only offers typical park amenities (picnic areas, playgrounds, restrooms, etc.), but also a dog park and the only existing Olympic-size bicycle velodrome track in Northern CA. Fishing is also permitted year-round at Cottonwood Lake and during fishing season in the Coyote Creek. From here, the paved creek trail extends south through Coyote Creek Parkway for 15+ miles. This is a popular trail for runners and cyclists, so keep to the right of the trail whenever you can. Check the Santa Clara County Parks website for trail status before you visit – certain segments of Coyote Creek Trail easily flood and thus inevitably close after heavy rains and storms.

6. San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail – Santa Clara

• Distance: Up to 11 miles out & back (Route)
  1. Tasman Dr to Bay Trail – 2 miles (40 min)
  2. Agnew Rd to Bay Trail – 4 miles (1.25 hours)
  3. Eddie Souza Park to Homestead Rd – 3.4 miles (1.25 hours)
• Parking: 
  1. City of Santa Clara Parking Garage at 2525 Tasman Dr – Free, unless there’s a 49ers football home game
  2. Street Parking on Agnew Rd
  3. Street Parking on Octavius Dr or Santa Clara Square 
  4. Eddie Souza Park & Community Garden Parking Lot
  5. Central Park – 8 min walk from the Benton St Entrance of the trail
• Hours: 6am – Sunset
• Cost: Free
• Shade Level: Minimal, very exposed
• This paved trail runs through Santa Clara, along not only the San Tomas Aquino Creek but also some of the city’s most notable attractions like Santa Clara Square Marketplace, California’s Great America amusement park, Levi’s Stadium (home of the San Francisco 49ers), and Santa Clara Convention Center. Over the years, the trail has been extended from the Bay Trail up north down to Homestead Rd, with future plans to extend farther south. Remember that dogs are not allowed on Bay Trail or inside Baylands Park. If you’re like us and prefer a peaceful walk not interrupted by the sounds of cars speeding down San Tomas Expy, we recommend starting from the entrances at Tasman, Agnew or Octavius. Note, the portion of the trail from Agnew Rd to Tasman Dr is closed on event days at Levi’s Stadium. While this isn’t the most picturesque walk in South Bay, we like changing it up and come here to admire the city landscape. It’s particularly amusing to be able to slowly walk under exceptionally busy roads like Central Expy and Hwys 237 & 101 while everybody above rushes around. It’s also fun to watch the geese and mallards wading in the creek along the northern section of the trail. Afterwards, we highly recommend stopping by the dog-friendly Bare Bottle Brewing in Santa Clara Square for great beers – we like their fruited sour ales and beer slushies.

7. Martial Cottle Park – San Jose

• Distance: 2.4 mile loop (Route) – 45 min
• Parking: Street Parking on Chynoweth Ave
• Hours: 8am – Sunset
• Cost: Free
• Shade Level: None, completely exposed
• Located in South San Jose, Martial Cottle Park celebrates the agricultural heritage of Santa Clara Valley before it became the Silicon Valley of today. While this 287-acre park offers the typical picnic areas, green space and trails, more importantly it remains a working farm that specializes in sustainable organic farming practices – continuing the legacy built by the Cottle-Lester family since 1856. The family withstood pressures of urban development and transferred their land to the State and County in 2014 to establish a public park that educates the community about the Valley’s agricultural history. Outside a partnership with Jacobs Farm for commercial agricultural production, other environmental and educational organizations like University of California Cooperative Extension and Our City Forest also operate parcels at the park and offer public tours and workshops. Bordering the farmland is a paved perimeter trail, which also cuts through the center of the park where the Visitor Center, Discovery Farm play yard and restrooms are. While several Valley Oaks provide shade in this part of the park, the perimeter trail is completely exposed with no shade. Not only is there plenty of free parking available, but we also like how this park and trail are not crowded.

8. Cornelis Bol Park – Palo Alto

• Distance: 2.6 mile loop (Route) – 50 min
• Parking: Street Parking on Laguna Ave 
• Hours: Sunrise – Sunset
• Cost: Free
• Shade Level: Medium; certain segments of the trail are fairly shaded
• The Bol Park Path is a multi-use trail that is popular with cyclists. It first passes by the 13.8-acre Bol Park, where you’ll be greeted by cute donkeys in the Barron Park pasture. Perry and Jenny are neighborhood celebrities! Note that there are no restrooms available at Bol Park. The trail runs alongside Matadero Creek and continues around Gunn High School at the southern end. While a portion of the loop unconventionally goes through the school’s parking lot to connect back to the Bol Park Path, it’s a trail worth visiting.