It was with a bit of trepidation that we began our 7.1 mile hike from the Stevens Creek County Park parking lot just off Stevens Canyon Road in Cupertino. Accuweather promised passing showers as we he headed out into a gentle April shower. We hiked south on the Stevens Creek/Tony Look trail through a verdant forest of bay, maple, buckeye, and oak, with beautiful views of the Stevens Creek Reservoir.
The forest was as green and wildflowery as it could be. We stopped to examine globe lilies, poison oak, pollywogs in a puddle, golden yarrow, mule ear sunflowers, a hillside of chia flowers, blue and red lupines, blue witch, iris, wild cucumber flowers and fruit, pitcher sage, yerba santa, Indian paintbrush, Chinese houses, larkspur, golden yarrow, Ithurial's spear, crimson columbine, chaparral clemitus, owl clover, vetch, and blue elderberry.
Showers turned to steady rain about the time we reached the group picnic area. Though the restrooms were locked, there was an overhang on each end of the building that afforded us some shelter until rain turned to drizzle. Then we took a vote. Despite my warning that continuing the planned loop would involve an uphill climb followed by hiking on a dirt road trail on an exposed ridge, the overwhelming consensus was to continue the loop. We ascended the ridge and then crossed over into Fremont Older Open Space Preserve. From there we followed the Vista Loop Trail, the Fern Trail, and the Coyote Ridge Trail back to the county park and the parking lot. Fortunately, heavy rain did not commence on this part of the hike, though the trails were quite muddy. Despite the wet and muddy conditions everyone seemed to have a very good time.
TO GET THERE... From Highway 280 take the Foothill Avenue exit and proceed west on Foothill, which turns into
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