Stevens Creek Trail

Location

Stevens Creek Trail runs North-South almost parallel to Highway 85, in Mountain View and Cupertino. There are numerous trailheads, but none come with a specific parking lot. Development of the trail to extend farther South is in the works, so see Friends of Stevens Creek Trail website (below) to read about expansions. Here are some favorite trailheads:

Sleeper Trailhead: Take the El Camino Real Exit towards Mountain View from Hwy 85, and turn left onto Grant Road at the first light. Follow Grant past the shopping center and Fire Station, turning left at Sleeper, just after the large Cuesta intersection (there is a park at Cuesta). Follow Sleeper until it ends at Franklin Avenue. Park along the street.
Yuba Trailhead: Take the El Camino Exit towards Mountain View from Hwy 85, and almost immediately turn right onto Yuba Drive (by the BMW dealership). At the end of the street, park and find the trailhead. This used to be the South-most part of the trail, but now you can head South from here, beneath El Camino Real to Cupertino and Los Altos. This trail also heads North.
Landel's Park and School Trailhead: Take the El Camino Exit towards Mountain View from Hwy 85. Turn right onto Calderon and folow it until the stop light at Dana. Turn right on Dana and drive for about a block. Park in the school lot (to the right) on weekends or after school (restricted hours are posted). Otherwise, park on the street. The rec area for the school is also a public park - trailhead is at its North corner. Alternatively, there is a trailhead across from the school, on the other side of Dana Street.
Creekside Park (Easy Street) Trailhead: From Central Expressway, take Easy Street exit. On Easy Street, drive Northeast; the park is on the left. Park on the street or in the tiny park lot. This is the best trailhead to start at if you want to avoid the bumpy skybridge, but travel the farthest you can; travel Northeast on the trail.
Whisman Park and School Trailhead: Take Hwy 101 or 85 to Shoreline Blvd, and head West on Shoreline. Turn South onto Middlefield. From Middlefield Road, turn onto Northeast onto Easy Street. The park is on the left. Park on the street or in one of the lots. This is the best trailhead for avoiding the narrowest part of the trail, where "undersirables" may hide in the bushes; travel Northeast on the trail.
Crittenden Lane Trailhead: Take Hwy 101 or Hwy 85 to Shoreline Blvd, and head East on Shoreline. Turn right onto Crittenden Lane. The trailhead is at the end of the street. Park along the street or in a business park (observe parking limitations posted). This is almost the Northeastern limit of the trail, where it meets Shoreline Park trails.

Attractions:

This trail goes for miles, starting in Cupertino (several segments still in construction) and continuing until the Bay Trail, which stretches from Shoreline Park (see www.strollerhikes.com/Hikes/Shoreline/Shoreline.html). Shoreline connects to Byxbee Park to Palo Alto Baylands, so with all trails linked up, you can make a long trek!
These trails are all paved and generally two-laned, so they are great for wheeled transport including rollerblades.
Benches occur frequently, as well as parks off the trail (at corresponding trailheads).
The trail runs along Stevens Creek and Moffett Airfield (home of NASA), adding to the interest of the hike.
There are two resting spots with water fountains and trash cans near the end of Stevens Creek Trail (as it nears Shoreline Park's trails), which make for convenient diaper change and break locations, before turning around.
Bikes allowed - the trail South of Moffett Blvd. is a great place to learn to ride a bike.
Dogs allowed on leash.

Limitations:

"Undesirable" people sometimes hang out in the bushes bordering the less used, narrower portions of the trail, South of Moffett Blvd. Do not hike without a dog or another adult here.
The skybridge that crosses Central Expressway is bumpy and long; avoid it in small-wheeled strollers or if your child is sensitive to bumps.
Stay on the trails to avoid ticks and poison oak!

Season:

Year round, sunrise to sunset

Fees:

None.

Maps & More Information:

Maps are posted at trailheads, though the trail is very clear.
Information at City of Mountain View's Website: http://www.ci.mtnview.ca.us/city_hall/comm_services/shoreline_regional_wildlife_area/trails_at_shoreline/stevens_creek_trail.asp
Trail Map at City of Mountain View Website: http://www.ci.mtnview.ca.us/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=2954
Friends of Stevens Creek Trail Website: http://www.stevenscreektrail.org/index.shtml
Tour and Information Website: http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/baytrail/vtour/map3/access/Btmtnvw/Btmtvw1.htm

Handicapped Access:

The trail is wide, flat, and entirely paved, so it seems suitable for handicapped access.

Recommended routes:

Whisman Park to Shoreline Park:
This route avoids the area of the trail where "undesirable" people may hide in the bushes, in favor of the more populated and open parts of it.

From the Whisman Park trailhead, head East. There are water and benches at the La Avenida Avenue and Crittenden Lane intersections. Continue until the Salt Evaporation Ponds at Shoreline Park, then return the way you came. About 4.5 miles.

"Old" Full Trail (Yuba to Shoreline Park):
This route allows you to appreciate the full length of the trail and some of the challenges that must have come with building it. Do not travel this route at dusk or dawn and bring an adult or canine friend! Along the way, you'll notice very narrow spots, a short span along the very noisy highway (kind of fun, actually), and the very nice, long, and bumpy skybridge that goes over Evelyn Avenue and Central Expressway.

Begin at the Yuba trailhead, and head North. There are nice little bridges/turns at each trailhead if you'd like to take a break and take advantage of some of the many parks along the way. Continue until the trail opens up significantly and you arrive at the Salt Evaporation Ponds of Shoreline Park. There are water and benches at the Crittenden Lane and La Avenida Avenue intersections as you near the end of the trail. Return the way you came. About 8.5 miles.
2009 Trail Additions
From the Yuba Trailhead, head South, towards the hills (away from the Bay). You'll quickly pass beneath El Camino Real. The path runs parallel to Highway 85 for much of its start, then ends at Sleeper and Franklin Avenues in Mountain View. This length is about 1 mile.
From McClellan Ranch Park in Cupertino, begin the trail clearly marked behind the white fence at the parking lot. Head towards the farm and follow signs to Blackberry Farm. This length is 0.7 miles.