There are some great parks south of San Jose, heading toward Los Gatos, that are good for running.

Hellyer Park. Located at the 2.5 mile mark of the Coyote Creek Trail. A few of miles of trails, including a short loop around Cottonwood Lake. 

Alum Rock Park.  Located 8 miles northeast of San Jose, this 720-acre park in the foothills of the Diablo Range features trail running for all abilities. Hilly, mossy, and shady!  There are easier multi-use trails along Penitencia Creek, and some more rugged, hilly trails.  TRAIL MAP

Almaden Quicksilver Park. Located 17 miles south of San Jose, near Los Gatos. Incredible variety of trails, mining history, & Almaden Lake in this 4,500 acre park. Mix of paved & unpaved trails. This is mainly a trail running destination, and it’s hilly. TRAIL MAP

  • For a hilly, nearly 5-mile route, see this loop submitted by Great Runs user ***********@***il.com” data-hovercard-owner-id=”71″>Nicole Masjedizadeh. Access from the Mine Hill Trailhead in Pierce Ranch. The loop heads west on the Senador Mine Trail, then south on the Guadalupe Trail to the Dam, then east along the Guadalupe Creek for nearly 2 miles, looping back north along Mine Hill Rd., then concluding on the New Almeden Trail. (ROUTE MAP: 4.7 miles, 631 feet of elevation gain).  PRO TIP: Gorgeous wildflowers in early spring.

Vasona Lake County Park. This 152-acre park located @ the 4 mile mark of the Los Gatos Creek Trail features several miles of trails. A mix of easier, paved multi-use trails and some hillier interior trails. A nice section is ~1 mile around the Vasona Reservoir (but not a full lake loop). TRAIL MAP