Almaden Quicksilver County Park
Hike Data:
Length: 7.82 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet
Elevation Loss: 1,000 feet
Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Difficulty: 1.5/5
Rating: 2/5
Other Information: There is no fee. Pit toilets and maps are available at the trailhead.
Date Last Hiked: Sunday, May 26, 2002
Links:
Introduction:
There used to be heavy mining in these hills, as men searched for Mercury (known as "quicksilver").
The park encompasses a number of old mines, and the old townsite. Some buildings are still
standing. Sadly, you cannot see any mines, as they've all been closed up. I was pretty
disappointed by this, but you can at least see where the mines used to be, and they are usually
marked by nice signs explaining the history of the mine.
The park is one of the more isolated parks in the South Bay, and is relatively quiet. In the few
times I've been there, I've been surprised how few people I see. The historical sites are
interesting, and you will get nice views of the Santa Clara valley and the surrounding
mountains.
The loop described here is mainly fire roads, but there are a few short sections of
singletrack. The climbs, while sometimes long, are very well graded and generally not too
difficult. In fact, the main reason for the 1.5 difficulty rating is just that there is one
section that is flat and long and gets kind of old, so it can be difficult to contain your
boredom with that section...more on that in the story...
Be careful of the official park map, as it is a bit "off" in my opinion. Some of the landmarks
are on the opposite side of the road from what the map shows...
Getting There:
From Highway 85, take the Almaden Expressway exit and head South 4.5 miles to Old Almaden Road.
Turn right onto Old Almaden Road and continue 3 miles. The Hacienda parking area is a dirt
pulloff on the right side of the road.
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