PARK TOURS

Explore Santa Clara County's open spaces and enjoy lakes, mineral springs, migrating birds, wildflowers and more while learning about Silicon Valley's rich culture, history and wildlife.

If you missed any of BAO's virtual park tours, you can watch them by clicking this link BAO Videos

BAO members receive a discount on the events. BAO Premium Members ($50 annual fee) receive up to 50% discount and Basic Members (free) receive up to a 25% discount on BAO events. If you are not already a BAO member, and want to join to receive discounts, please Click Here before registering for the events.

**REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED** and space is limited, so please sign up as soon as possible using the registration button below. Detailed information, such as directions, will be sent one week before the event date.

Hike 1 Fires and Fungi at Coal Creek

Wednesday February 12, 2025 from 08:30 AM to 02:30 PM

Join us for a FREE winter hike at Coal Creek, a 500 acre preserve where on a clear day, you can see views of the Bay Area. On this one-way trek that has a gradual 700 foot decline and then 600 foot incline, we will walk by hilly grassland and forest which provide a mixture of shade and sun. There will be panoramic views of the Bay for the first third of the walk, and we will cross a bridge to see Crazy Pete’s waterfall. Along the way, we learn about fires – the causes, costs to society, and prevention methods – and search for fungi. Next we enjoy a picnic lunch. This special program is hosted in partnership with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Image from Midpen.

Level of Difficulty: : Moderate
Number of Miles: : 2.5
Location: Meeting location is Saratoga CA 95070
Additional Benefits: Transportation and picnic lunch are included

Hike 2 Anderson Lake Climate Resilience

Wednesday February 26, 2025 from 09:30 AM to 01:30 PM

Today we head to Anderson Lake County Park for a leisurely walk along Coyote Creek and a walnut tree grove. Ninety seven percent of the lakes 91,300-acre-foot volume has been drained. As we travel along the trail, we learn the latest about the Anderson dam seismic retrofit project. Afterwards, we enjoy a social picnic lunch. This special program is hosted in partnership with Valley Water. Image by Anne Ferguson.

Level of Difficulty: : Easy
Number of Miles: : 2.0
Location: Meeting location is San Jose CA 95120 or Morgan Hill CA 95037
Additional Benefits: Transportation and picnic lunch are included

Hike 3 Bear Creek Redwoods History

Wednesday March 12, 2025 from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM

Today we will explore the newly opened section of Bear Creek Redwoods on 3.5 miles of trails with a 300-foot descent and two 200 foot ascents. As we view the renovated brick structures of the first Jesuit school of theology in the American West (paid for Measure AA passed by voters and paid for by taxpayers), we will learn about the history of this area dating back to 1850. Before heading back, we stop for a picnic lunch. This special program is hosted in partnership with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Image by Anne Ferguson.

Level of Difficulty: : Moderate
Number of Miles: : 3.5
Location: Meeting location is Saratoga CA 95070
Additional Benefits: Transportation and picnic lunch are included

Hike 4 Spring Wildflower Walk

Wednesday March 26, 2025 from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM

Sierra Azul Preserve protects more than 19,000 acres of the Santa Cruz mountains. We will begin our hike at 1400 feet and hike out on rolling up and down small hills (shorter two-mile walk option) and a gradual short uphill (longer four-mile walk option) enabling us to see views of Mt Umunhum, Guadalupe Reservoir, Mission Peak and downtown San Jose. Everyone will receive their own wildflower guide and learn helpful flower identification tips. As we travel, we will search for and identify Spring serpentine wildflowers and add them to our checklist. We end the afternoon with a picnic lunch. This special program is hosted in partnership with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Images by Anne Ferguson.

Level of Difficulty: : Easy-to-moderate
Number of Miles: : 2.0
Location: Meeting location is Saratoga CA 95070
Additional Benefits: Transportation and picnic lunch are included

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH