Bay Area Ridge Trail: Penitencia Creek

Dogs Unknown

This 3.7-mile linear parkway trail crosses San José neighborhoods and ends at the eastern edge of the Santa Clara Valley. Mostly paved, the trail follows Penitencia Creek, a tributary of Coyote Creek, which flows down from Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve and Alum Rock Park. In total, the parkway covers 134 acres and passes through two sizable parks—Penitencia Creek Gardens and Penitencia Creek Park. It makes an excellent hike or bike ride through urban San José.


This trail description is excerpted from the 2019 Guidebook. For details on all trails, trailheads and more buy the book from Wilderness Press.

Native steelhead are found in Penitencia Creek