CLOSED Hike 8 Urban Agriculture

Thursday May 1, 2025 from 09:20 AM to 01:30 PM

We start the day with a visit to the Martial Cottle visitor center, then take a leisurely, flat walk around this agriculture park and learn about its place in history. Next, we visit Our City Forest to learn about their latest urban forestry projects. We end the afternoon with 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: : 1.5
Location: Meeting location is Saratoga CA 95070 or San Jose CA 95136
Additional Benefits: Transportation and picnic lunch are included


Hike 9 Smell the Roses

Saturday May 10, 2025 from 09:45 AM to 01:30 PM

This year is the Heritage Rose Garden’s 30-year anniversary. The garden is the largest public collection of roses in the Western hemisphere with over 3,000 varieties. Today, we have a special tour by a rose garden expert. We take a leisurely walk to the rose garden and learn about the history of the garden, and learn about the diversity of roses while admiring and smelling the roses at their peak bloom. After our visit to the garden, we enjoy a social picnic lunch.This special program is hosted in partnership with Valley Water. Images by Anne Ferguson.

Level of Difficulty: : Easy
Number of Miles: : 1.5
Location: Meeting location is Cupertino CA 95014
Additional Benefits: Transportation and picnic lunch are included


Hike 10 San Jose's Vistas

Wednesday May 14, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve is 1600 acres of grassland, oak woodlands and oak savannas. The area protects watersheds by absorbing water so it can flow into Penitencia Creek that is in the valley. We are visiting at a time when there will be wildflowers, expansive views of the valley and Santa Cruz Mountain range. Our expert guide will teach us about the diverse landscape and protected wildlife species that make this preserve their home. This is a 3.5-mile, one-way, 1700-foot down-hill walk (9% grade) from the highest point of the preserve down to Alum Rock Park where we will have our picnic lunch. This special walk is made possible by Open Space Authority. Photos by Anne Ferguson.

Number of Miles: : 3.5
Location: Meeting location is Cupertino CA 95014
Additional Benefits: Transportation and picnic lunch are included


Day Trip 5 Angel Island Day Trip

Thursday May 15, 2025 from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM

On this day trip, we take a ferry boat ride to Angel island, the Ellis Island of the West, to explore the nature, history and panoramic views on foot. The island is famous for having the best views of the Bay Area. On our leisurely four-mile walking tour, we visit the Immigration Station Hospital, Fort McDowell, Quarry Beach and the visitor center. We learn about the Huimen tribe, Spanish explorers, World War I and II military history, as well as Chinese and other immigrants that passed through during the 1883 Chinese Exclusion Act. For more details and to register, please use this link www.bayareaolderadults.org/BAO-May2025-day-trip

Level of Difficulty: : Easy
Number of Miles: : 4.0
Location: Bus pickup in Cupertino CA 95014
Additional Benefits: Fee includes transportation, lunch, activities, gratuities and two tour leaders.


Hike 11 Wings & Bling

Wednesday May 21, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Today we have multiple experts guide us on a leisurely walk to find and learn about Spring birds and flowers at Ulistac Nature Area. As we walk through the native plant habitats, we will see blue, red, purple, yellow and flowers such as blue-eyed grass, ceanothus, California fuchsia, California wild rose, island marrow, Catalina cherry, flannel bush and more! We will sample the different flower aromas as well. As we walk along the Guadalupe River that attracts a variety of migratory and native birds, we may see a green heron, warbling vireo, Swainson’s thrush, Great-tailed grackle, cliff swallow, yellow-breasted chat and ash-throated flycatchers with our borrowed or own binoculars. This special walk is made possible by Open Space Authority. Images by Basar CC BY 3.0 (green heron), Diego Delso CC BY-SA 3.0 (flannel bush) and Curtis Clark CC BY-SA 2.5 (island marrow).

Level of Difficulty: : Easy
Number of Miles: : 2.0
Location: Meeting location is Cupertino CA 95014
Additional Benefits: Transportation and lunch are provided. Binoculars can be borrowed.