Today I lead my Foothill College class on a scenic and eventful 5.6-mile ramble through Almaden Quicksilver County Park, south of San Jose. The weather was as perfect as it gets, and we saw acorn woodpeckers, a striped skunk, a tarantula, deer, and several redtail hawks.
Our hike began at the Hacienda entrance on Almaden Road next to the town of New Almaden. We charged uphill on the Mine Hill Trail, then continued on the Randol Trail to the Day Tunnel Trail. From there we headed west on the Great Eastern Trail and then back on the Mine Hill Trail. After a short detour to the Powder House, where the miners used to keep their explosives we continued south on the Mine Hill Trail and on to lunch at the San Cristobal Mine. After exploring a short distance into the mine and watching a tarantula, we continued to the Castillero Trail to an overlook where we examined the Rotary Furnace where cinnabar was heated to release its mercury. After sampling some delicious bay nut brownies I made, we headed north to English Camp and then downhill on the English Camp and Deep Gulch Trail to where we started.
Cinnabar was mined from New Almaden from 1845 until 1972, when the price of mercury plummeted as substitutes were found for this toxic metal. It is the oldest mining area in California, and was the world's second largest producer of mercury. Despite 127 years of intensive mining, and the deforestation and environmental degradation that was the result, this area is remarkably natural. It is amazing how fast human structures fall apart and disappear after they have been abandoned.
After the hike, we stopped at the New Almaden mining museum at Casa Grande in the town of New Almaden. The museum was recently renovated and is worth a visit. It is open Friday through Sunday from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM.
TO GET THERE... There are four entrances to this park. To reach the Hacienda entrance from Highway 85, take Almaden Expressway south and turn right on Almaden Road through the community of New Almaden. Look for a big parking lot and entrance on the right side of the road.
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