A great variety of scenic running options are available in this small coastal city located 30 miles southwest of San Jose and 40 miles north of the Monterey/Carmel area. While the downtown boardwalk area is remarkably festive (think ferris wheels and funnel cakes), local runners agree the best places to run in Santa Cruz are the bike path along West Cliff Drive and the seaside trails of the Wilder Ranch State Park. We also love the Santa Cruz Riverwalk, the fantastic and varied paths on the campus of UC Santa Cruz, great beach running on Seacliff State Beach, and the fire road and trails through a redwood forest in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.
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More San Jose, CA Routes BelowCurrent Weather & Forecast
San Jose, US
4:38 pm,
Jun 11, 2026
clear sky
36°C
L: 33°
H: 38°
Daily ForecastHourly Forecast
Tomorrow
2:00 pm
33° / 38°°C
1 mm
100%
16 mph
86 %
1014 mb
0 mm/h
Saturday
2:00 pm
16° / 25°°C
0.2 mm
20%
12 mph
91 %
1013 mb
0 mm/h
Sunday
2:00 pm
10° / 21°°C
0 mm
0%
14 mph
88 %
1016 mb
0 mm/h
Monday
2:00 pm
11° / 20°°C
0 mm
0%
13 mph
82 %
1016 mb
0 mm/h
Tuesday
2:00 pm
11° / 24°°C
0 mm
0%
11 mph
88 %
1014 mb
0 mm/h
Today
5:00 pm
19° / 21°°C
1 mm
100%
16 mph
79 %
1006 mb
0 mm/h
Today
8:00 pm
14° / 18°°C
0 mm
0%
6 mph
82 %
1007 mb
0 mm/h
Today
11:00 pm
13° / 15°°C
0 mm
0%
9 mph
86 %
1009 mb
0 mm/h
Tomorrow
2:00 am
13° / 13°°C
0 mm
0%
7 mph
86 %
1012 mb
0 mm/h
Tomorrow
5:00 am
16° / 16°°C
0 mm
0%
6 mph
86 %
1014 mb
0 mm/h
Tomorrow
8:00 am
21° / 21°°C
0 mm
0%
12 mph
70 %
1014 mb
0 mm/h
Tomorrow
11:00 am
20° / 20°°C
0 mm
0%
14 mph
61 %
1014 mb
0 mm/h
Other Routes in San Jose, CA
On the eastern shore between Palo Alto and San Jose, this remarkable series of trails and parks incorporates a series of undisturbed tidal marshland (Sloughs) called the Baylands. See our detailed description of the three major sections.
A 9-mile bike path that runs along the Guadelupe River from the heart of downtown San Jose, through Silicon Valley, to San Francisco Bay.
A nearly 10-mile paved bicycle and running path that starts 3 miles south of San Jose, meandering through several parks and into the hills of Los Gatos. There are options to run on either side of the creek in parts.
Just south of downtown San Jose, the Coyote Creek Trail is runs for 18.5 miles along Coyote Creek, through open space, wetlands, and some woodland. Just off the trail, the new Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve offers 5 miles of trail running.
Descriptions and maps of several terrific parks for running just outside San Jose: Hellyer Park, Alum Rock Park, Almaden Quicksliver Park, and Vasona Lake County Park. Each has mix of easier & more rugged trails for running.
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