Alum Rock Park — Attraction in San Jose

As a "Park" it's being given a 5, & as a nature's walk, it's a 4.5 *, and as a nature preserve it gets a 4.5. It's more like 3 to 4 parks next to each other. Overall, it's a relatively large area.

Multiple parking lots. Some lots are free parking. Some lots are paid daily parking. Signs tell you which lots are free parking.

Lots of barbeque cooking facilities, and park concrete tables & benches. Tables where kept clean from what I saw.

Both flat and hilly walking available. Mostly hilly and mountainous. At least one of their parks had a children's playground.

All locations had restroom facilities.

A Youth Center building exists in which people can explore local animal information with displayed preserved examples of local species. In addition, about half a dozen or more live animals are displayed. On occasion opportunity exists to gently pet the animals.

After the last parking lot is a trail that takes you across and past an old decorated rock bridge, and natural sping mineral water structures. Mineral water still flows there and mineral rocks continue to form outside as if you were in a cave.

Once a year there is a youth festival as well with booths of all Kinds relating to local public services, natural habitats, animals, local food makers, insects, amphibians, activities, face painting, etc.

The youth center building is wheelchair accessible from what I saw the non-hilly parts of the park where also wheelchair accessible & surprisingly hilly trails & ramps where wheelchair accessible if a person can handle the steep slopes.

I saw that people had volunteered to help the facility operations. So volunteering is available if you...

Alum Rock Park, in the Alum Rock district of San Jose, California, is California's oldest municipal park, established in 1872 but serving as public land since the pueblo was established in 1777. Located in a valley in the Diablo Range foothills on the east side of San Jose, the 720 acre (2.9 km2) park offers 13 miles (21 km) of trails, varying from fairly level along Penitencia Creek to sharp switchbacks climbing to the ridges to the South Rim Trail and the North Rim Trail. The narrow floor of the valley includes a visitor center, a small museum/animal rehab facility, picnic areas, playgrounds, lawns, sand volleyball pits, mineral springs, lush plant life, woodlands, creek play opportunities, and occasional group camping.Alum Rock Park, in the Alum Rock district of San Jose, California, is California's oldest municipal park, established in 1872 but serving as public land since the pueblo was established in 1777. Located in a valley in the Diablo Range foothills on the east side of San Jose, the 720 acre (2.9 km2) park offers 13 miles (21 km) of trails, varying from fairly level along Penitencia Creek to sharp switchbacks climbing to the ridges to the South Rim Trail and the North Rim Trail. The narrow floor of the valley includes a visitor center, a small museum/animal rehab facility, picnic areas, playgrounds, lawns, sand volleyball pits, mineral springs, lush plant life, woodlands, creek play opportunities, and occasional...

I have been going to Alum Rock Park for over 35 years. It is my sanctuary. I run into people that I see daily: the regulars. It is an absolute gem that San Jose has hidden in the East foothills. I was walking yesterday and I ran into a gentleman that was busy cleaning, Izaiz Barrera. I learned that he’s a supervisor for Conservation Corps. I asked him if they could clean up a place that becomes very dangerously slippery with the fallen leaves and morning dew. he walked with me so that I could show him exactly what I was talking about. He affirmed that they would take care of it. He was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and hard-working. It was an absolute joy to see someone work with diligence and dedication the park that I love and have had the privilege of enjoying whenever possible I have gone through a lot of medical adversities as well as the loss of my mother and Alum Rock has gotten me through it all. I would like to ask the city or whatever agency responsible to continue with the clean up. It was wonderful to see the cleanup going on however, the park needs continuous maintenance. In addition to my asking that the continuous clean up happens, What can I do to help actualize this effort? Finally, Thank you Conservation Corps for the young hard workers you provide, especially for the training and the fruit of their labor which we, San Jose residents get to enjoy. great use of our tax...