Rancho San Vicente
Managed by: Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department
Location: South Santa Clara County, 12 miles southwest of downtown San Jose at the southern tip of Almaden Valley.
Hours: Closed to the public; special docent-led tours available.
Fees: None
Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Things to See and Do: Once slated for a housing development replete with golf course, 966-acre Rancho San Vicente was purchased by POST from private developers in 2009 and transferred to the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department that same year. Rancho San Vicente is a key link between Almaden Quicksilver and Calero county parks, with the potential to connect more than 31,000 acres of surrounding open space and parkland. The property is not officially open to the public, but this spring and summer you can see stunning wildflowers and rare serpentine soils on special docent-led tours offered by Santa Clara County Parks. The tours are free. For more information and reservations, call (408) 355-2240.
Keep Your Eyes Open For: Fields of poppies, silver puffs, popcorn flowers and birdseye gilia, rare Bay Checkerspot butterflies, panoramic views.