Find the top rated birding trails in Turlock, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Excellent place to start this route is at Michael Faklis Park, which is a well kept and attractive public park with bathroom facilities and plenty of parking. From the park, I headed west on a wide and very well maintained paved bike path, arriving within a few miles at Paradise Marina. If you're up for an extra couple of miles, when the path ends at the marina, continue on the road that runs past the marina: auto traffic is very light, it's along water, with smooth pavement. It eventually dead ends after a couple of miles. Heading back east, you'll retrace your ride to Faklis Park, but continue onward along the path with houses on one side, waterfront on the other. The path does cross a couple of busy streets, with a stoplight at one, and one of those flashing light crosswalks (cars don't HAVE to stop, but usually do when the lights are flashing.
On the day that I rode, there were no homeless encampments, but it was clear that a recent cleanup had been done, with rows of cleaned up shopping carts neatly stacked, and minimal trash along the trail.
This path is flat, family safe (caution at the street crossings, of course). While it is along a body of water and does have some natural beauty, you won't be awed by nature. It's simply a safe, good ride along a very well maintained path, away from auto traffic, and IMHO, definitely worth a visit if you're staying in or passing through Stockton. My sole reason for rating it four stars instead of five is that I'm stingy with five star ratings, which I reserve for paths with all of the above qualities but also boast exceptional natural beauty.
Update: This trail now extends all the way to the intersection of Yosemite Blvd and Lake Rd. The importance of this is that it directly connects with the Lake Road dedicated bike path that takes you all the way to UC Merced and Lake Yosemite on a paved (asphalt) and safe route.
The Rascal Creek (most locals have dropped the "Black" in the title) Bike Path is most definitely worth a ride. A good starting point is Rahilly Park. Heading west(ish), the trail winds along a riparian route, much of which is a well preserved greenbelt. Street crossings (two) are low traffic, while underpasses bypass all the busy intersections (G, M, and R Sts). There are playgrounds (e.g. after R St.) and a disc golf course along the way. The path is well maintained, foot traffic is generally light, and the environment is family safe. Some caution when descending into the underpasses is warranted, especially under G St., as it can occasionally be partially obstructed by loitering humans and/or trash.
Heading the opposite direction from Rahilly Park, the path is bounded by some very pleasant gardening. When you reach McKee turn left, cross at the crosswalk just beyond the very visible fire station, and you'll be back on a bike path that now leads to the Yosemite Blvd/Lake Rd intersection. Though this is the end of the Rascal Creek path, if you do cross the intersection, you'll be able to take a pleasant ride with a mild grade on a paved bike path out to UC Merced, and a bit further on, to Lake Yosemite (great place for a picnic, which also has bathrooms). This would add approx. five miles (round trip) to your ride. Goat heads abound on the bike path at Lake Yosemite, and I recommend using the roadway in the park instead. Enjoy!
My husband and I ride this trail 2 or 3 times per week year round. We park at the visitor center in Morgan Hill and ride up to Hellyer Lake and back. It’s beautiful year round and full of courteous bikers and walkers. We have recumbent trikes and are in our late 60s. We feel safe on the entire round trip. We have spotted deer and wild turkeys and bunnies and turtles and right now (March 2025) the wild flowers are putting on a show! Highly recommend this beautiful trail!
I did this ride on Sunday afternoon, September 8, 2924, in 102 degrees. No joke. Must explain why it wasn’t very busy. I started at Anderson Lake County Park in Morgan Hill and went to Tully Road, just past the golf course south of downtown San Jose, and then turned around and returned to the park—40 miles, 1,190 feet elevation gain. Well maintained, all paved, relatively flat, and interesting trail with SO many squirrels and chipmunks dashing across the trail. Probably just playing with the bikers. Saw a flock of young turkeys on the trail. A hawk zipped close by me and tried to grab a rodent (missed). Lots of waterfowl in the ponds along the way. Vegetation became greener the further north I went from Morgan Hill, and more water in Coyote Creek. Saw coyote scat on the trail but no animals (too hot for them). There are several homeless campsites near the golf course, and even a rooster and cats and dogs. Overall, a great trail to see the arid landscape of the Santa Clara Valley (I live in the Pacific Northwest). Will plan to do it again in the springtime when it’s greener and not so hot, when I visit relatives again.
Great ride for young children on their own. Keep an eye out for homeless, garbage, and the smell. Beyond that, it's a great ride. Though needs a little greenery.
Trail is nice and well maintained but in the broad daylight, kind of shady with a considerable presence of homeless people by the Tully trailhead. Even carrying pepper spray, as a smaller young woman I felt kind of unsafe and was approached. The northern part of the trail (passes by a bunch of Amazon warehouses) does not have this issue but the stretch is much shorter. Would not come back here alone, or maybe at all. It’s a shame,because the trail itself is great, mostly flat, and scenic. Too Bad s
Great family trail! Stopped and had lunch at O’Brien store very close to the trail.
I've mostly ridden the section between Hellyer Park and the Coyote Creek visitor center / Malaguerra Ave (great free parking). A superb ride with far less traffic than the Los Gatos trail. A couple of weeks ago I parked at the Tully Rd lot and took it south. I was a little creeped out about leaving my truck there and the number of homeless encampments from Tully south about a mile. I won't do that again. Another good parking place is the free dirt lot "Coyote Creek Trail Parking at Metcalf" on google maps.
Riders and walkers be on ALERT!!!! Encountered two rattlesnakes on the trail but love all 44 miles of the trail. Great trail to disconnect from the urban concrete streets of San Jose. Oh yeah, nature at its BEST!!
Nice trail thru town...perfect for all ages...
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