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Penitencia Creek Trail Sycamore Boardwalk, 7/17/21 by Ronald Horii
On 7/17/21, after attending a BioBlitz at Alum Rock Park (https://tinyurl.com/j3vrzryb), I went for a walk in nearby Penitencia Creek Park and the Penitencia Creek Trail. The trail is almost 4 miles long. It runs from the Berryessa BART Station to a block away from Alum Rock Park, which covers 720 acres and has 13 miles the trails. The trail goes through Penitencia Creek Gardens County Park, Penitencia Creek County Park, and San Jose's Penitencia Creek Park. It also goes past percolation ponds owned by Valley Water (formerly the Santa Clara Valley Water District). The newest section of the trail runs for 0.4 miles from Noble Avenue to Dorel Drive. This part of the Penitencia Creek Trail east of Noble Drive is called Reach 1. Here's the planning document:
https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/20649/636687674426370000
This was a particularly tricky section. A variety of alternative trail alignments were studied. The one chosen followed Penitencia Creek Road, between the road and the creek. There wasn't a lot of room, so the trail is squeezed into the space. In order to preserve heritage native sycamore trees, part of the trail is built on elevated boardwalks to protect the roots of those trees. Here are pictures of that section of trail, showing the trees along it.
Links:
Penitencia Creek Trail information, plans, and maps:
https://www.sanjoseca.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/3003/2058?npage=2
Penitencia Creek Trail Map:
https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/20645/636687674420400000
The Penitencia Creek Trail is part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Here's a description and map: https://ridgetrail.org/penitencia-creek/
Penitencia Creek County Park:
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Pages/PenitenciaCreek.aspx
My Penitencia Creek pictures: http://www.rhorii.com/#PenitenciaCreek
Alum Rock Park information and maps: https://www.sanjoseca.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/2088/2028
On 7/17/21, after attending a BioBlitz at Alum Rock Park (https://tinyurl.com/j3vrzryb), I went for a walk in nearby Penitencia Creek Park and the Penitencia Creek Trail. The trail is almost 4 miles long. It runs from the Berryessa BART Station to a block away from Alum Rock Park, which covers 720 acres and has 13 miles the trails. The trail goes through Penitencia Creek Gardens County Park, Penitencia Creek County Park, and San Jose's Penitencia Creek Park. It also goes past percolation ponds owned by Valley Water (formerly the Santa Clara Valley Water District). The newest section of the trail runs for 0.4 miles from Noble Avenue to Dorel Drive. This part of the Penitencia Creek Trail east of Noble Drive is called Reach 1. Here's the planning document:
https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/20649/636687674426370000
This was a particularly tricky section. A variety of alternative trail alignments were studied. The one chosen followed Penitencia Creek Road, between the road and the creek. There wasn't a lot of room, so the trail is squeezed into the space. In order to preserve heritage native sycamore trees, part of the trail is built on elevated boardwalks to protect the roots of those trees. Here are pictures of that section of trail, showing the trees along it.
Links:
Penitencia Creek Trail information, plans, and maps:
https://www.sanjoseca.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/3003/2058?npage=2
Penitencia Creek Trail Map:
https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/20645/636687674420400000
The Penitencia Creek Trail is part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Here's a description and map: https://ridgetrail.org/penitencia-creek/
Penitencia Creek County Park:
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Pages/PenitenciaCreek.aspx
My Penitencia Creek pictures: http://www.rhorii.com/#PenitenciaCreek
Alum Rock Park information and maps: https://www.sanjoseca.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/2088/2028
