Our downtown San Jose location at 188 West St James boasts an 83 Walk Score + 90 Bike Score, making it a “Biker’s Paradise”. Pair that with an average of 257 sunny days per year in San Jose and it’s almost always a great day to take a hike or hop on your bike! The city we call home offers a wide variety of ways to spend your sunny San Jose days in the fresh-air stretching your legs. Visit one of San Jose’s 200+ parks or hike along 60 miles of developed scenic trails in one of the nation’s largest urban trail networks. As you start your day, let us add the first stop on your afternoon agenda, only minutes away:
Explore the city along a 9-mile trail linking downtown to the San Francisco Bay. Running along the banks of the Guadalupe River through the heart of downtown San Jose, the Guadalupe River Trail is a pedestrian and bicycle path in the city of San Jose. The Guadalupe River has played an important role in the development of California’s oldest city over the past 230 years. In fact, trails have been an integral part of the city since its earliest days.
The Guadalupe River Trail is a core trail system within San Jose’s trail network running north-south through much of the city. The trail system is currently developed as two disconnected trail systems. The northern and central portions travel from the San Francisco Bay, through Silicon Valley and into Downtown San Jose (linking Gold Street in Alviso to Virginia Street in southern downtown) – making this a great opportunity to discover and learn about San Jose and Silicon Valley. A southern portion of the trail system extends from Chynoweth Avenue to Coleman Road and leads directly to the Lake Almaden and Los Alamitos Creek trail systems
Portions of the trail run along both banks of the Guadalupe River, with signs informing trail users where they must cross. The trail’s two open segments will be linked in the future, according to plans. For now, trail users may experience the two sections separately. Find your map here.
“Easy trail to ride no matter where you start nor the age of your riders.” – Emily L.
Guadalupe River Park & Gardens.
Take in the fresh air, nature and sunshine at Guadalupe River Park and Gardens by foot or bike. The downtown portion of the trail system is within the 250-acre Guadalupe River Park with many points of interest. This three-mile ribbon of park land that runs along the banks of the Guadalupe River in the heart of downtown San Jose from Highway 880 at the north, to Highway 280 at the south. Ride, walk, run or skate 2.6 miles of trails.
Enjoy the public art. There are numerous examples of public art throughout the Guadalupe River Park and Gardens. These include Tony Ridder’s Shoes, and the Parade of Animals in Discovery Meadow, the Veteran’s Memorial and a tribute to the Ohlone/Muwekma people along the Park Avenue Bridge, Remembering Agriculture, in recognition of the agricultural history of the Santa Clara Valley on the south side of Santa Clara Street (at the river), and the Five Skater’s art piece in Arena Green.
Stop and smell the roses. The Heritage Rose Garden is a unique collection of 3,600 antique and modern roses. See the fruit trees that put this valley on the map in the Historic Orchard. Explore the latest in drought tolerant landscaping in the Courtyard Garden. Or cultivate your own plot in the Guadalupe Community Garden. Or take a rest at one of the seven Sister City seating areas to simply watch the river flow.
“Such a wonderful place, I love the scenery and the view. I love coming here and relaxing. Walking by the trails helps me to calm down and keep me in good mood. I do recommend to visit this place for everyone who wants to find peace in nature!” – Nelia P.
Additional trails include Coyote Creek and Los Gatos Creek, extending a long distance and provide an opportunity for recreational fun. Edge trails like Albertson Parkway and Upper Silver Creek provide access to nature and open space for recreation, and trails like the Silver Creek Valley system offer challenging inclines and valley-wide views. The 188 West St James location is the perfect place to enjoy the outdoors. With on-site bike maintenance and convenient bicycle storage at home, cyclists will love the easy access to downtown San Jose’s core trails, which extend a long distance and provide an opportunity for both recreation and commuting.
photo credit: @sanjosetrails
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