Hike the Rainbow

Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

From the main parking lot, head up Oak Cove Trail. The surrounding fields are awash with yellow and gold—brimming with buttercups, wild mustard, and fiddlenecks.

At Los Cerritos pond, catch your breath at the picnic table overlooking the water. Red-winged blackbirds are a common sighting among the cattails and snowy-white cress flowers.

Turn left onto Peña Trail, where blues and violets brighten up the hillside: from lupine to blue dicks to baby blue eyes. At the next intersection, bear right onto the Serpentine Loop. This hilly stretch winds through the forest and past the park’s bat house. Here, exotic shooting star flowers mix with bright fuchsia vetch and golden violets.

Follow the Serpentine Loop until the Cottle Trail intersection, then turn left. Navigate small stream crossings, and keep an eye out for wild mint and pale yellow irises.

A break in the trees opens up to views of Silicon Valley and Calero Reservoir far in the distance. This section of trail is an explosion of color, with bright orange California poppies mingling with pink malva and scarlet pimpernel. Purple puffs of owl’s clover grow alongside morning glories and bluewitch nightshade. This is the view your camera’s been waiting for!

Turn left onto Bald Peaks Trail, which leads up to the high point of the hike. At 1,531 feet, the views of the surrounding mountains, including massive Loma Prieta, are simply breathtaking. To return to the parking lot, turn left onto Cañada Del Oro Trail, left on Figueroa, then right on Vallecito Trail. Turn right on Peña to retrace the route back.

The main entrance to Calero County Park is located at 23205 McKean Rd. in San Jose. Calero County Park is open from 8 a.m. to sunset. Map. Bike-friendly. Dog-friendly.

Story and photos by Heather Werner, @heath.er.wer.ner