Los Gatos Area Advocacy Priorities
Help us bring more bike-friendly trails to the South Bay! We’re focusing on key trail access and development opportunities in the Los Gatos area. These priorities reflect feedback from riders, local advocates, and trail history. Details and Maps Below!
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Beatty Property Single-track & Trails Near Priest Rock
What:
- Complete the Beatty Property Trail Connections Project.
- Reopen historic single-track for a full loop from Priest Rock to Lexington Reservoir.
Why it matters:
- The area already has planned trails, delayed by an environmental study—now complete.
- This could reopen a rare single-track close to Los Gatos and connect to a high-quality loop.
- Ref: MROSD MAA – Portfolio 22
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St. Joseph’s Hill Back Side Trails
What:
- Accelerate trails behind St. Joseph’s Hill Open Space:
- Manzanita Trail to Limekiln Trail
- Jones Trail to Priest Rock
- Alma Bridge Rd to Manzanita Trail
- Los Gatos Creek to Jones Trail
Why it matters:
- St. Joe’s is overcrowded and lacks single-track. These connectors would reduce congestion and provide more bike-friendly routes.
- They’d improve access, safety, and flow across one of the busiest trail systems in the South Bay.
- Ref: MROSD MAA – Portfolio 20
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El Sereno Spooky Knoll Connector
What:
- Spooky Knoll Connector—construction has begun, but this could provide a shaded, narrow, multi-use trail through El Sereno, different from the usual steep fire roads.
- Ensure bike access in future trail alignments, especially leading to the upcoming Highway 17 overcrossing.
Why it matters:
- El Sereno is close to town but mostly steep PG&E roads. The Connector follows an old wagon route ideal for bike-friendly features like berms and flow.
- It could serve walkers, runners, equestrians, and riders alike, filling a need for fun loops near Los Gatos.
- Links: Spooky Knoll and Highway 17
- Ref: MROSD MAA – Portfolio 20
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Highway 17 Frontage Trail – Los Gatos Creek to Bear Creek Overpass
What:
- Connect the Los Gatos Creek Trail and Alma Bridge Road to the Bear Creek Overpass and the lower Bear Creek Redwoods area via a new multi-use frontage trail.
- Extend the trail south to link with the large parking area on the Santa Cruz Highway frontage road.
- Provides a continuous off-highway corridor for riders and pedestrians between key Los Gatos trail systems.
Why it matters:
- Keeps riders safely off Highway 17 while offering the most direct route between Montevina Road, Black Road, and Bear Creek Road connections to the Los Gatos Creek Trail and Midpen trail network.
- Improves regional connectivity for road, mountain, and gravel riders while also serving students commuting to Los Gatos High School.
- Creates a safer, multi-use alternative for both recreation and local transportation.
- Ref: Potential addition to the Santa Clara County Active Transportation Plan.
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El Sereno / Montevina to Sanborn Park / JNT
What:
- Create a trail connector between El Sereno and Sanborn Park.
- Utilize existing PG&E road to build a ridge-to-ridge dirt connection.
Why it matters:
- Getting from Los Gatos to Sanborn (and the very popular John Nicolas Trail) means a drive or a long route via narrow asphalt roads (e.g., up Bear Creek Rd). But this is ridge-to-ridge terrain—with the potential to complete a scenic and sustainable dirt connector along an existing PG&E road that feels like it belongs.
- This connector would serve hikers, bikers, and equestrians, while reducing Bear Creek Rd parking issues.
- Ref: MROSD MAA – Portfolio 19
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Highway 17 Overcrossing Connector – El Sereno to Lexington
What:
- Support completion of the Highway 17 Wildlife and Trail Crossings Project to include both trail alignments connecting El Sereno Open Space Preserve to Lexington Reservoir County Park.
- Construct two descent trails from the crossing:
- North crossing trail (#2 on map): the selected alignment, descending toward Alma Bridge Road and Los Gatos Creek Trail.
- South crossing trail (#1 on map): a secondary descent that would have served the alternate crossing location, maintaining direct connectivity to Lexington and nearby trailheads.
- Ensure these alignments are fully multi-use and integrated into the Bay Area Ridge Trail network.
Why it matters:
- This connection is the missing link between El Sereno, Lexington Reservoir, and the Los Gatos Creek Trail.
- Provides a safe and scenic route over Highway 17 for hikers, equestrians, and cyclists—eliminating the current divide between two major regional trail systems.
- Critical for completing the Bay Area Ridge Trail through the Santa Cruz Mountains and connecting to the Midpen and County trail networks.
- Strong public support and funding partnerships are already in place via Midpen’s official project.
- Ref: MROSD Highway 17 Wildlife & Trail Crossings Project, Caltrans, and Santa Clara County Parks coordination.
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Bear Creek Redwoods
What:
- Promote a Summit Road–to–Bear Creek Redwoods trail through Midpen land.
- Leverage underused terrain near the old stables area for a new multi-use trail.
Why it matters:
- Most Bear Creek trails are closed to bikes. This would provide legal, purpose-built trails for hikers and bikers.
- Relieve pressure from other preserves and provide sustainable flow options.
- Ref: MROSD MAA – Portfolio 21
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Kennedy Trail to Priest Rock Trail – Singletrack Bypass
What:
- Construct a new singletrack trail connecting Kennedy Trail directly to Priest Rock Trail, bypassing the steep and eroded fire road section.
- Trail would follow a sustainable contour alignment—approximately 4 feet wide—to maintain multi-use access while providing a more enjoyable grade for riders and hikers.
- This segment would replace the notoriously steep “Billy and Bob” (or “Three Witches”) section with a safer, shaded route more in character with modern trail standards.
Why it matters:
- The current Kennedy fire road is excessively steep and prone to erosion, discouraging many users and requiring ongoing maintenance.
- A new singletrack bypass would create a smoother, more sustainable link between two of the most popular climbing routes in the Lexington area.
- Improves access for mountain bikers, hikers, and runners while reducing long-term environmental impact from storm runoff and rutting.
- Also creates an interesting loop opportunity for those who still want to climb to the top via the existing steep route and descend the new singletrack.
- Ref: Potential Midpen or County Parks collaboration for sustainable trail reroute design.
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Sierra Azul – Rancho de Guadalupe / Kennedy to Hicks
What:
- Explore long-term trail connections between Kennedy Ridge and Rancho de Guadalupe.
- Use existing 4WD/wagon routes to create loop options with big elevation and views.
Why it matters:
- This area is in Midpen’s Vision Plan but still closed. It offers incredible potential if designed right.
- Ready the case for future trails using topo maps, old roadbeds, and boots-on-ground knowledge.
- Ref: MROSD MAA – Portfolio 24
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El Sombroso Trail Connection – Cathedral Oaks Area (Sierra Azul)
What:
- New trail from the Cathedral Oaks Area to Mt. Thayer and El Sombroso in the Sierra Azul region.
- This connection would extend south from the Kennedy Ridge area, linking to existing service roads and future loop trail alignments near Mt. Thayer.
- Complements proposed loop trails that would connect existing roads and singletrack corridors to form a complete, rideable circuit.
Why it matters:
- Provides a critical link to Mt. Thayer and El Sombroso—currently isolated by steep fire roads and limited trail access.
- Would establish a continuous dirt connection from the Cathedral Oaks area through to upper Sierra Azul and Midpen’s high-elevation trail system.
- Offers new opportunities for loop rides and long-distance trail continuity across multiple preserves.
- Listed as project (60) in Midpen’s Vision Plan and referenced with complementary “Loop Trails” project (59) for regional connectivity.
- Ref: Midpen Vision Plan – El Sombroso Trail Connection & Loop Trails (Projects 59 & 60)
Tell Us What You Think
Got a favorite trail idea? Share your thoughts to help us prioritize: