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Moderate Hiking Trails near San Jose

There are 130 hikes near San Jose in our database that fit. They average 3.3 km and 169 m (554 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 14.7 km.

That is 71 percent of the 183 routes we map near San Jose. They are shorter than the local average, 3.3 km against 6.6 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 169 m (554 ft) against 257 m (843 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Moderate routes are the sweet spot for most regular walkers: enough climbing to feel like a proper day out, never enough to turn into an ordeal. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Computer science researcher Neil Immerman of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst at the Open Source Quality retreat, in the Seaside View room of the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz, California.
Moderate

Coastal Rail Trail

California · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
1 hr 2 min
  • Coastal
Trees of Castle Rock (2)
Moderate

Summit Rock Loop Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
228 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Извержение / Outpouring
Moderate

Summit Meadows Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
99 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Always together / Natural Giants - Парочка
Moderate

Berry Creek Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
43 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
A view of Mount Diablo from Eagle Peak. Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. Danville, CA. For some strange reason, there's a garbage can in the middle of the trail. Even more bizarrely, it is decorated with the sticker "Squaw Valley, USA", a s
Moderate

Las Trampas Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
10.2 km
/ 6.3 mi
Elevation gain
431 m
Typical duration
2 hr 46 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
extirpated in 2005
Moderate

West Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
8.7 km
/ 5.4 mi
Elevation gain
599 m
Typical duration
2 hr 43 min
  • Mountain
Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) close, with face turned to camera. On grassy hillside pasture in winter, Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, California.
Moderate

Rocky Ridge Loop Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.9 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
434 m
Typical duration
2 hr 6 min
  • Mountain
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Fall Creek Unit, Ben Lomond, United States, October 2017
Moderate

Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
230 m
Typical duration
57 min
  • Mountain
Trees of Castle Rock (2)
Moderate

Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
200 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Mountain
The Wilder Ranch preserved farmhouse, California, USA
Moderate

Wilder Ridge Loop

California · United States

Distance
14.7 km
/ 9.1 mi
Elevation gain
344 m
Typical duration
3 hr 34 min
  • Mountain
Aptos Creek
Moderate

Oak Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
106 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Mountain
Извержение / Outpouring
Moderate

Red Mountain Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
97 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Mountain
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA, CA, USA
Moderate

Ridge Fire Road

California · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
61 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Mountain
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Fall Creek Unit, Ben Lomond, United States, October 2017
Moderate

Fall Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
307 m
Typical duration
1 hr 23 min
  • River
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
Moderate

Bridge Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
195 m
Typical duration
56 min
  • River
Trees of Castle Rock (7)
Moderate

Castle Rock Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
105 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Castle and ruins
Alpina B7
Moderate

Branciforte Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
41 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • River
Bridge over San Lorenzo River
Moderate

Eagle Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • River
Trees of Castle Rock (2)
Moderate

Loughry Woods Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
315 m
Typical duration
1 hr
  • Forest
Bridge over San Lorenzo River
Moderate

River Trail Pedestrian

California · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
85 m
Typical duration
40 min
  • River
Playground Equipment at Felton Covered Bridge Park
Moderate

Bennett Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
6 min
  • River
Aptos Creek
Moderate

Vienna Woods Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
105 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Forest
Aerial view of Bonny Doon Village Airport in en:Bonny Doon, California photographed on 2005-04-22 by DanDawson
Moderate

Big Ben Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
61 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Mountain
Interstate 580 in Castro Valley , California , with a BART train at the left.
Moderate

Whispering Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • River
Paul Masson Mountain Winery . Saratoga, California , USA .
Moderate

Saratoga to the Skyline

California · United States

Distance
12.4 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
274 m
Typical duration
2 hr 59 min
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 42.
Moderate

Hihn's Mill Road

California · United States

Distance
12.6 km
/ 7.8 mi
Elevation gain
284 m
Typical duration
3 hr 3 min
Always together / Natural Giants - Парочка
Moderate

Howard King Trail

California · United States

Distance
7.4 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
602 m
Typical duration
2 hr 27 min
Foothills Park.
Moderate

Los Trancos Trail

California · United States

Distance
11.1 km
/ 6.9 mi
Elevation gain
581 m
Typical duration
3 hr 11 min
Near Mountain View, California
Moderate

Stephen E. Abbors Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
591 m
Typical duration
2 hr 11 min
Trees of Castle Rock (2)
Moderate

Saratoga Gap Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.5 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
293 m
Typical duration
1 hr 47 min
A banana slug eating a small plant in Big Basin State Park, California, United States of America
Moderate

Sunset Trail

California · United States

Distance
7.4 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
432 m
Typical duration
2 hr 11 min
路遇 - panoramio
Moderate

Buckeye Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
156 m
Typical duration
47 min
extirpated in 2005
Moderate

Loma Prieta Grade

California · United States

Distance
8.9 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
567 m
Typical duration
2 hr 42 min
路遇 - panoramio
Moderate

Rincon Fire Road

California · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
370 m
Typical duration
1 hr 25 min
Trees of Castle Rock (2)
Moderate

Service Road Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
20 min
Извержение / Outpouring
Moderate

Travertine Springs Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.3 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
237 m
Typical duration
1 hr 2 min
8648
Moderate

Sweeney Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
8.2 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
553 m
Typical duration
2 hr 32 min
  • Mountain
Rhodophana nitellina
Moderate

Corral Road

California · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
36 min
Impossibe world. Where is top? / Где верх? (2)
Moderate

Achistaca Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
189 m
Typical duration
54 min
Aptos Creek
Moderate

Aptos Rancho Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
139 m
Typical duration
47 min
路遇 - panoramio
Moderate

Big Rock Hole Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
147 m
Typical duration
34 min
Par Lab is a parallel computing research group at the EECS department of the University of California, Berkeley. The 2011 Par Lab Summer Retreat was held at The Chaminade Resort in Santa Cruz, California from June 1 - 3, 2011. This is a pan
Moderate

Brookwood

California · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
108 m
Typical duration
30 min
路遇 - panoramio
Moderate

Diversion Dam Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
72 m
Typical duration
19 min
Coast Redwood Sequoia sempervirens forest, Capitola, Big Basin 122 Redwoods State Park
Moderate

Dool Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Typical duration
15 min
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 60.
Moderate

Enchanted Loop

California · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
114 m
Typical duration
53 min

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Coastal Rail TrailCalifornia4.7 km45 m1 hr 2 minModerateApril to October
Summit Rock Loop TrailCalifornia3.1 km228 m59 minModerateApril to October
Summit Meadows TrailCalifornia1.7 km99 m30 minModerateApril to October
Berry Creek Falls TrailCalifornia1.6 km43 m23 minModerateApril to October
Las Trampas Ridge TrailCalifornia10.2 km431 m2 hr 46 minModerateApril to October
Las Trampas to Mt. Diablo Regional TrailCalifornia8.6 km312 m2 hr 16 minModerateApril to October
West Ridge TrailCalifornia8.7 km599 m2 hr 43 minModerateApril to October
Rocky Ridge Loop TrailCalifornia6.9 km434 m2 hr 6 minModerateApril to October
Ridge TrailCalifornia2.9 km230 m57 minModerateApril to October
Ridge TrailCalifornia2.7 km200 m52 minModerateApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Coastal Rail Trail, Summit Rock Loop Trail, Summit Meadows Trail. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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