Sierra Vista Surprise

Hike Sierra Vista Open Preserve

Urbanized landscape can sometimes blend beautifully with wide-open spaces. It’s all about perspective. And San Jose's Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve provides it! Get unobstructed views of the Santa Clara Valley and all the way across the bay on a 4.2-mile (round-trip) partial loop hike. The trail is steep and exposed, so don't do this hike in mid-afternoon heat. This is a reverse hike as well, with the first half as a descent. Take your time because the downhill section is where you get the best views. Combine the Kestrel and Sierra Vista trails before reaching the Boccardo Loop Trail. The entire first half brings beautiful views as you pass through grasslands and oak woodlands, taking in views of San Jose, Mount Hamilton, and—on clear days—San Francisco. The return trip uphill is a thigh-burner, but the views are definitely better than what you'll get on a Stairmaster.

BONUS SUNRISE HIKE: This Saturday (July 11), check out the preserve at sunrise. Meet at Sierra Vista in the parking lot and go on a guided sunrise hike along the brand new 1.2-mile Aquila Trail. Arrive at 6:00 a.m. if you want to take photos of the sunrise, and arrive by 6:45 a.m. if you just want to do the hike. An enthusiastic guide named Teri will be in the parking area.

From I-680, exit east on Berryessa Rd. Take a left on Piedmont Rd., then a right on Sierra Rd. and follow it to the top, where you'll find free parking. Trail map at the parking lot. Start on Kestrel Trail and in  a quarter mile you'll reach Sierra Vista Trail. Follow it for half a mile to the Boccardo Loop Trail. NOTE: There are no water sources or restrooms within the Preserve. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Camp at Goose Lake in the Lakes Basin

    Duck, Duck, Goose!

    Try to get a first-come, first-served campsite at one of the Lakes Basin’s lakeside campgrounds. We love Goose Lake Campground, where there are just 13 sites and no motorized boats.

    View
  2. This Is Paradise

    Granite mountain-scape, superb sunset views, crystal lakes, and shoreline campsites … the trip to Paradise Lake in Tahoe National Forest lives up to its idyllic name.

    View
  3. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

    View
  4. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

    View
  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

    View
  3. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

    View
  4. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View