The best walks and hikes in Coal Creek Open Space Preserve

This beautiful small lake is a picturesque, quiet, tranquil spot with blue-eyed grass surrounding the shoreline in early spring. It is a great spot to bring a picnic basket, sit and enjoy the peaceful setting while listening to the birds in the trees.

Ipiwa Trail is a fantastic single-track dirt path that winds in and out of oak forest and meadows, emerging along the ridge and offering excellent views of the Santa Cruz mountains and the Pacific Ocean in the distance. There are lots of wildflowers along the route, even in late summer.

This small fenced-in viewpoint boasts sweeping views of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the surrounding area. It commemorates Gene Sheehan, who designed, built, and trained others to create this overlook and other trails throughout the open space. It is an excellent spot to capture photos of one of the best views in the preserve.

The shores of this lovely pond are full of moisture-loving plants such as willow, dock, and cattails. If you spend time here, you can expect to see lots of wildlife that inhabit the area, including blue herons, egrets, ring-necked ducks, mallards, and western pond turtles. A nature center overlooks the pond with exhibits, touchable wildlife, picnic tables, restrooms and drinking water open year-round.

This lovely trail runs below the Ridge Trail and takes you on a pleasant trek through the woods before emerging along the hillsides with fantastic views of Mindego Hill and the mountains to the west. The trail crosses a ravine, which can be full of water after heavy rain. There are many sightings of turkey and deer along this path, allowing plenty of opportunities to catch a photo of the wildlife inhabiting the area.

This spot has a lovely wooden platform with a bench where you can take a break and enjoy the panoramic views of the Silicon Valley side of Mindego Hill, which is below you. The classic windmill is up the hill to your left.

This trail offers a fantastic combination of sweeping vista views, grassy hillsides, and gorgeous oak trees covered in moss. The path connects to the Mindego Trail and Charquin Trail for a nice 3.5-mile loop if you wish. There are regular deer sightings along this route and many different bird species to look for. The wildflowers are in full bloom in the spring, adding to an already pleasurable hike through the preserve.

This beautiful trail takes you along the rolling green hills of the preserve, with views of Mount Diablo, Black Mountain, East Bay peaks, Mindego Hill, and the San Gregorio Watershed. The path connects to several trails, offering various options for a long or shorter hike. In the spring, wildflowers add color to the scenery with lupine, bright orange poppies and purple owl clover, making it a gorgeous escape from the city.