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Print Friendly MapThe Stevens Creek Trail is open in two disconnected segments in Mountain View and Cupertino, two of Silicon Valley's growing communities. As its name suggests, both segments closely follow Stevens Creek, which originates in the Santa Cruz Mountains and empties into the San Francisco Bay.
The Stevens Creek Trail runs through the heart of Silicon Valley on two disconnected sections in Mountain View and Cupertino. The trail offers access to, and views of, the tech world’s premier campuses while providing a welcome off-street, multiuse corridor for the densely populated communities. Parks on both ends of the trail (Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Area Preserve in the north and McClellan Ranch Preserve and Blackberry Farm in the south) are popular destinations for recreation and learning about local wildlife along the creek.
The trail and the creek are named after Captain Elijah Stevens, a blacksmith and leader of the first wagon train of settlers to cross the Sierra Nevada during the westward expansion of the 1840s. Regarded as one of the better--preserved creeks in the Bay Area, the creek has retained much of its natural channel, flowing from the Santa Cruz Mountains and through Stevens Canyon before eventually emptying into the southern end of the San Francisco Bay. Sections of trail pass through forested foothills, lowland creeks, and marshy protected wetlands.
At its northern end, the 5-mile Mountain View segment picks up near a junction with the San Francisco Bay Trail, a developing network of 500 miles of trails encircling the bay. Coursing southward from the 750-acre Shoreline Park, the trail runs through tidal marshlands juxtaposed against the uniquely modern architecture of the tech-giant campuses. After you leave the park, grade-separated crossings of busy roads allow for uninterrupted travel to the trail’s endpoint in a residential sector of Mountain View at Heatherstone Way and Dale Avenue. Multiple bike repair stations can be found along this section. The cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale have planned to extend the trail about 2 miles from here.
In Cupertino, a 1.3-mile stretch of the Stevens Creek Trail links two popular community parks. The first, Blackberry Farm, offers ample picnic space, swimming pools, a playground, and many other amenities and runs alongside a public golf course. The McClellan Ranch Preserve, a charming horse ranch contains a nature museum; a community garden; and a petting zoo with friendly alpacas, goats, and other farm animals. The ranch offers ample parking, as well as restrooms and water. Multiple restrooms and water fountains are located along the trail as indicated on the map.
Across McClellan Road, the trail passes alongside the Deep Cliff Golf Course, ending at Linda Vista Park, where you’ll find restrooms, picnic areas, playgrounds, and other recreational activities. The Linda Vista Park section of trail, loosely paved and with steep elevation changes, is not recommended for wheelchair users.
There are several access points throughout the length of the Stevens Creek Trail, but the primary entrance is at its junction with the San Francisco Bay Trail in Mountain View's Shoreline Park (3070 N Shoreline Blvd), where parking is also available.
In Cupertino, park at the Linda Vista Park (Linda Vista Dr), McClellan Ranch Preserve (22221 McClellan Rd), Blackberry Farm (21979 San Fernando Ave), or Blackberry Farm Golf Course (22100 Stevens Creek Blvd).
Visit the TrailLink map for all locations, transit options, and detailed directions.
In July, 2021, trail was extended south 1/3 mile to Linda Vista Park in Cupertino.
This is an easy trail and is very pleasant.
Lots of trees, nice trail for biking and running
This is a good trail, however unfortunately on the south end there is a short segment that is disconnected from the rest of the trail which starts again 5 miles to the north.
It is around 1.25 miles stretch. Good for kids and for small stroll.. if looking for long distance, forget about this.
Nice nice
Having just gotten back into biking in the last two months, this is my go to trail when I don't have time to drive more than 15 minutes (I won't ride on the streets because it's so dangerous these days). This trail is convenient to where I live in the valley. I just park at Cuestra Park and ride a couple blocks down Sleeper to the trail entrance there. There are three bridges that require some climbing that most cyclists wouldn't find difficult but I still struggle some while getting my strength back. The trail is beautiful. I recommend going earlier to avoid the pedestrians and families with kids on bikes that are hard to pass.
I'm to the point now where I get to the end of the trail and get on the SF Bay Trail and ride up to the Palo Alto airport so I end up with about 25 miles round trip. You do run into some headwinds on the way but it's pretty easy on the return trip. I've done this trail about 5-6 times so far and love it!
Do an easy round trip starting at the end of Sleeper Drive for a nice hour's trip...about ten miles. Much is through a wooded area in an urban freeway-dense area which is pretty impressive. A little foot traffic around lunch time in the northern portion on weekdays.
This one is a really nice trail, If you come at it from the south, it will be a little noisy as you start riding parallel to HWY 85. Then it opens up and leads you directly into Shoreline Park.
Worth the trip.
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