facilities at Headquarters

The Monument	Distance (round trip)	Elevation Gain (round trip)	map (177K)
	1.2 miles	360 feet
Description:  This hike takes you to the top of Pine Ridge and to the monument Sada Coe put in place over 40 years ago as a memorial to her father, the park's namesake.  If you spend some time up on the ridge top, it could become one of your favorite places.  From vantage points near the monument, you can gaze across the rugged ridges and canyons of the park, and on clear days you can see peaks and domes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  The hilltop, graced with stately Ponderosa Pines, is much like the western slopes of the Sierras. Route:  Start at Manzanita Point Road, hike up the paved road a few hundred feet, and turn left on Monument Trail, which zigzags up fairly steeply, following the contours of the hill.  When you come to a trail junction, you've made it to the top.  If you turn right at the trail junction, you can follow a short path to Hobbs Road and visit the monument close by.  If you go straight, you'll also reach Hobbs Road, a few hundred feet north of the monument.  If you turn left, you can take a short (half mile or so) side trip to Eric's bench, where you can sit back and look out over the Santa Clara Valley to the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Monterey Bay beyond.  Your best bet is to take the time to walk all the short trails on the ridge top. Options:  You can extend this hike a bit by making it a loop, going up to the monument on Hobbs road and returning on Monument Trail (or vice versa).  The road has some very steep, gravelly areas, which you might slip and fall on going downhill.  If you're going to take the loop, we often recommend that you go up the road (which may involve lots of huffing and puffing) and return on the trail, a counterclockwise trip.  However, if you wear good hiking shoes that aren't likely to slip on a steep dirt road, you might prefer a clockwise trip up the trail and back on the road.  The Hobbs Road junction is along Manzanita Point Road, about a half mile beyond the Monument Trail junction. Side Trip:  You'll find a wonderful new, virtually flat loop trail on top of the ridge at Eric's bench (which you reach by going left at the trail junction).  The loop trail has spectacular views into the park and out across the Santa Clara Valley, and it winds through a lovely Ponderosa Pine forest.  We recommend hiking the new trail in a counterclockwise direction.  If you do, you'll travel through the forest first and then through oak savannah grasslands where you'll find a convenient picnic table about three-quarters of the way around the loop, sitting in the shade of two pine trees.  If you add this side trip to your hike to the monument, your total distance will be about two miles.

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Loop Hike to Sada's Pine	Distance (round trip)	Elevation Gain (round trip)	map (177K)
	1.6 miles	284 feet
Description:  This short hike takes you to a huge, graceful Ponderosa Pine named after Sada Coe.  On Corral Trail, you'll follow the southwestern contours of Pine Ridge, ducking into several shady side canyons and curving out into sunny grassland slopes.  In the springtime, the wildflowers along Corral Trail are splendid.  The exposed rock along the road back to park headquarters provides dramatic evidence of the incredible geological forces that created the Coast Ranges of California. Route:  Starting at the trailhead close to the stop sign, follow Corral Trail to the Springs Trail junction.  Go straight at the junction (rather than turning left or right) and continue on Corral Trail to Manzanita Point Road.  Turn right on the road and follow it a short distance to the large, flat-topped pine tree a bit beyond the dilapidated remains of an old ranch corral.  If you'd like to go a little farther, continue along the road until you come to a short spur road that turns off to the left.  Ridge View campsite is a short way up the spur road.  If the site is unoccupied, you might want to have lunch at the picnic table and enjoy fine views of the ridges to the west. Options:  Manzanita Point Road has more ups and downs than Corral Trail does.  If you'd like a more leisurely return trip, you might want to go out on the road and return on the trail. Extras:  Before you start out, you might want to ask someone in the Visitor Center for a copy of the free handout Corral Trail Nature Guide.

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Springs Trail / Forest Trail Loop	Distance (round trip)	Elevation Gain (round trip)	map (177K)
	3.7 miles	320 feet
Description:  This pleasant dayhike includes two of the most popular trails in the park.  Springs Trail has lots of open areas with beautiful wildflowers in the spring, waves of golden grass in the fall, and breathtaking views all year.  Along the trail, you'll pass several springs that once provided water for homesteaders and their cattle.  Forest Trail meanders through sheltered woodlands with dappled sun and occasional openings that give you great views of Middle Ridge and Blue Ridge.  At each end of the Forest Trail, you'll find a box with self-guided nature trail pamphlets. Counterclockwise Route:  Starting at the trailhead close to the stop sign, follow Corral Trail until you come to the first trail junction.  Take the right fork and follow Springs Trail to its eastern end.  Cross the two roads (Manzanita Point Road and Poverty Flat Road) and continue on Forest Trail until you reach its western end, at "Grand Junction."  At that point, you can head back on the road or take the short spur trail across the road, turn right at the lower trail junction, and follow the Corral Trail back to park headquarters. Options:  You can hike this loop in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.  If temperature is a consideration, plan to be on the Springs Trail when the sun's warmth would be welcome and on the Forest Trail when shade would be best. Side Trips: 1. Lion Spring.  The Lion Spring trailhead is about a quarter mile from the western end of Springs Trail.  This short side trip takes you to a cozy, shady backpack campsite.  If the site is unoccupied, you may want to stay there a while.  You can take the short trail down to the spring and back and maybe have lunch at the picnic table or on the huge rock outcrop nearby.  (Watch out for poison oak on top of the rocks.)  The walk to Lion Spring and back adds about two-thirds of a mile to your hike. 2. Bass Pond.  Bass pond is along Manzanita Point Road, about a half mile from the eastern ends of Springs and Forest trails.  The small pond shrinks considerably during drought years, but it always has a fair population of small bass and bluegill and it's a popular fishing spot for kids.  Watch for the pond on the south side of the road.  The side trip to Bass Pond and back adds almost a mile to your hike. 3. Manzanita Point.  The road ends at Manzanita Point group campsite 10, about a mile from the eastern ends of Springs and Forest trails.  Along the road, you'll pass by the other nine group sites, and you might want to look them over if you're interested in putting a group campout together some time.  You'll probably find most of the sites vacant, and you're welcome to use the picnic tables to have lunch or just relax.  Several of the campsites have great views, especially site 10.  The trip to campsite 10 and back adds about two miles to your hike.

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Frog Lake Loop	Distance (round trip)	Elevation Gain (round trip)	map (177K)
	4.5 miles	640 feet
Description:  This pleasant jaunt gives you a chance to visit the monument, spend time at Frog Lake, and hike one of our loveliest, and newest trails, the Flat Frog Trail.  You might want to linger a while on the monument hilltop before you head down the road to Frog Lake.  At the trail junction on the hilltop, you can turn left and take a short side trip to Eric's bench or turn right and follow the short trail to the monument Sada put in place to honor her father.  If you bring lunch, you may want to search out the picnic table on the hilltop (it's at the end of a short spur trail to the north of Sada's monument), or you might want to wait and have lunch at Frog Lake.  During the spring, the wildflowers along Flat Frog Trail are often spectacular in their abundance and variety, so you may want to bring a wildflower guide (book or friend) with you. Route:  Start at the Manzanita Point Road, hike uphill a few hundred feet, and turn left on Monument Trail.  When you come to a trail junction, go straight and follow the trail till it ends at Hobbs Road.  Turn left and follow the road.  After about a mile of downhill hiking (with several pretty steep sections), you'll reach the Little Fork of Coyote Creek.  Cross the creek, turn right on the trail, and follow it to Frog Lake.  On your return trip, take the trail back to the Little Fork, cross the creek, and take Flat Frog Trail.  About two miles later, you'll arrive at "Grand Junction."  Cross the road, follow the short spur trail to the lower trail junction, turn right, and take Corral Trail back to park headquarters. Options:  You could make this a counterclockwise hike by going to Frog Lake on the Flat Frog Trail and returning on Hobbs Road.  However, unless you're in the mood for a tough workout with lots of steep uphill climbing, you'll be much better off going clockwise.

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Middle Ridge ( Monument Trail and Fish Trail )	Distance (round trip)	Elevation Gain (round trip)	map (177K)
	6.4 miles	1,600 feet
Description:  On this moderately strenuous hike, you'll get a chance to visit the monument, Frog Lake, and the Little Fork of Coyote Creek (twice), and you'll get to walk a fine stretch of trail on the top of Middle Ridge.  Along the Middle Ridge Trail, you'll be shaded by huge Manzanita shrubs that have grown to treelike proportions.  In early spring, under their boughs, you'll find crimson blankets of Indian Warriors, plants whose roots attach to Manzanita roots and steal some of their nutrients.  According to legend, patches of Indian Warriors grow in places where brave warriors were slain in battle.  Another highlight of this hike is the Little Fork crossing on Fish Trail.  It's a cool, cozy, friendly place that will tempt you to linger.  You might as well give in and stay a while.  If the day is warm, you may want to take off your shoes and refresh your feet in the cool water.  The hike back up to the top of Pine Ridge has some short steep sections, but the elevation gain is fairly spread out, and you'll probably have plenty of energy to enjoy the views as you hike back to park headquarters. Route:  Start at the Manzanita Point Road, hike uphill a few hundred feet, and turn left on Monument Trail.  When you come to a trail junction, go straight and follow the trail till it ends at Hobbs Road.  Turn left and follow the road.  After about a mile of downhill hiking (with several pretty steep sections), you'll reach the Little Fork of Coyote Creek.  Cross the creek, turn right on the trail, and follow it to Frog Lake.  Continue on the trail up to the trail junction on top of Middle Ridge.  Turn right and follow the Middle Ridge Trail (for about a mile and a half) until you get to the next trail junction.  Turn right on Fish Trail and follow it down to the Little Fork and back up to the top of Pine Ridge.  Cross the road, take the short spur trail to a trail junction, turn right, and follow Corral Trail back to park headquarters. Options: 1. Counterclockwise Trip.  If you prefer steep uphill hiking to downhill hiking, and you're in the mood for a strenuous workout, you can make this a counterclockwise trip, hiking to the top of Middle Ridge on Fish Trail and returning to headquarters on Hobbs Road.  Be forewarned that you'll encounter two very steep uphill stretches, first the section of Fish Trail between the Little Fork and the top of Middle Ridge and then the steep road from Frog Lake up to the Monument. 2. Flat Frog and Fish Trails.  You can lengthen this trip (from 6.4 to 7.8 miles) and reduce the elevation gain (from 1,600 to 1,260 feet) by substituting Flat Frog Trail for Hobbs Road.  If you decide on this option, your next decision is whether to take the clockwise route (Flat Frog / Middle Ridge / Fish Trail) or the counterclockwise route (Fish Trail / Middle Ridge / Flat Frog).  Both routes have their fans and both have strenuous uphill stretches.  The clockwise route has less grueling uphill treks, but some of its elevation gain is towards the end of the hike.  The counterclockwise route has some heart-pounding climbs, but after you arrive at the Frog Lake Trail junction on Middle Ridge (at about the halfway point), the rest of the trip is almost all downhill or level.  We recommend that you do the trip both ways as often as you can.  Either way you chose, you'll begin and end your hike on Corral Trail.

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China Hole ( Madrone Soda Springs Trail and China Hole Trail )	Distance (round trip)	Elevation Gain (round trip)	map (121K)
	10 miles	1,400 feet
Description:  This moderately strenuous hike takes you to the site of an old mineral springs resort and to the park's most popular swimming hole, a mile farther along.  Madrone Soda Springs Resort was a small health spa that thrived during the horse and buggy era.  There's not much left of the resort.  The buildings and the dance pavillion were dismantled during World War II, and the wood was hauled to the Central Valley and used to build houses during a time when wood was hard to come by.  Still remaining are a few concrete steps, fragments of foundation, and a stone cooler built into a hillside.  China Hole is a favorite destination for hikers during late spring and early summer.  The natural pool is often 20 feet wide and 7 to 8 feet deep.  It has a small, sandy beach and lots of big flat boulders for picnicking, sunning, and snoozing. Route:  Starting at the trailhead close to the stop sign, follow Corral Trail to the Springs Trail junction.  Take the right fork and follow Springs Trail to its end at Manzanita Point Road.  Go right on the road and keep going till you reach the Madrone Soda Springs trailhead (across from Manzanita Point group campsite 7).  Go right on the Madrone Soda Springs Trail, and watch your step as you hike down the trail.  It's steep and slippery in places.  When you reach the creekbed, you've reached the site of the old resort.  You might want to stay a while, look around, and picture the resort in its heyday.  Continue along Madrone Soda Springs Creek on Mile Trail, which crosses the creekbed 12 times (something to consider during winter and early spring when the creek might be flowing.)  You'll want to be on the lookout for Poison Oak, which flourishes along Mile Trail in all seasons.  When you get to China Hole Trail, you can either head back up or go on about a hundred feet to China Hole, a fine place to picnic and watch birds.  On your return trip, take China Hole Trail back up to Manzanita Point and then follow Manzanita Point Road to the junction with Forest Trail and Springs Trail.  At that point, you can continue on the road or take one of the trails back to the visitor center. Extras:  Before you start out or after you return, you might want to ask someone in the Visitor Center to show you the binder with photographs taken at the Madrone Soda Springs resort during its heyday.

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China Hole and Middle Ridge ( Madrone Soda Springs, Middle Ridge, and Fish trails )	Distance (round trip)	Elevation Gain (round trip)	map (121K)
	10.2 miles	1,850 feet
Description:  This strenuous hike takes you to the site of the historic Madrone Soda Springs resort and to China Hole, the park's most popular swimming hole.  Beyond China Hole, you'll travel about a half mile along the rocky course of the Middle Fork of Coyote Creek, which is impassable after heavy winter storms, rock-hoppable most of the year, and mostly dry (with isolated pools) in the summer.  During spring, you may get your feet wet puddle jumping.  At Poverty Flat, you'll follow a road that passes several shady backpack campsites.  You'll leave the road at the west end of Poverty Flat and start the strenous trek up the nose of Middle Ridge, traveling through shady woodlands most of the way up.  When you reach the top, you'll emerge from the forest at the edge of a lovely, sloping meadow with fine views of Pine Ridge (a natural place to rest for a while).  As you continue your hike along the crest of Middle Ridge, you'll wander through rolling grasslands with some moderately steep uphill and downhill sections and rewarding views in all directions.  Fish Trail takes you down Middle Ridge and crosses the Little Fork of Coyote Creek in the canyon between the two ridges.  You may want to linger a while at the crossing.  It's a cool, cozy, friendly place where you can relax to the soothing sounds of trickling water that flows through the canyon during most of the year.  If the day is warm, you may want to take off your shoes and refresh your feet in the cool water.  The hike back up to the top of Pine Ridge has some short steep sections, but the elevation gain is fairly spread out, and you'll probably have plenty of energy to enjoy the views as you hike back to park headquarters. Route:  Starting at the trailhead close to the stop sign, follow Corral Trail to the Springs Trail junction.  Take the right fork and follow Springs Trail to its end at Manzanita Point Road.  Go right on the road and keep going till you reach the Madrone Soda Springs trailhead (across from Manzanita Point group campsite 7).  Go right on the Madrone Soda Springs Trail, and watch your step as you hike down the trail.  It's steep and slippery in places.  When you reach the creekbed, you've reached the site of the old resort.  You might want to stay a while, look around, and picture the resort in its heyday.  Continue along Madrone Soda Springs Creek on Mile Trail, which crosses the creekbed 12 times (something to consider during winter and early spring when the creek might be flowing.)  Be on the lookout for Poison Oak, which flourishes along Mile Trail in all seasons.  You'll pass junctions with China Hole Trail and arrive at China Hole, a natural place to stop for a while (especially if it's a warm day and you're in the mood for a swim).  Continue along the creek (avoiding the often dead-end paths that climb up the hillside) until you see a dirt road on the other side of the creek.  Cross the creek, turn left on the road, follow it through Poverty Flat, cross the creek again and continue on the road until you reach Middle Ridge Trail on your right.  Follow the trail, which crosses the creek, goes past Poverty Flat campsite 1, crosses the creek again, and heads steeply up the nose of Middle Ridge.  After you reach the ridgetop, follow the trail along its crest until you reach Fish Trail, which will take you to the bottom of Middle Ridge and back up to the top of Pine Ridge and "grand junction."  Cross the road and take Coral Trail back to park headquarters. Options:  You can lengthen your trip by returning to Pine Ridge on Flat Frog Trail (rather than Fish Trail).  If you do, you'll get to see more of the giant Manzanitas on Middle Ridge and you'll get to visit Frog Lake.  If you choose this loop, you'll travel 13.6 miles and gain 2,070 feet in elevation. Extras:  Before you start out or after you return, you might want to ask someone in the Visitor Center to show you the binder with photographs taken at the Madrone Soda Springs resort during its heyday.

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