Hiking with Kids Open
Los Gatos Creek Trail, St. Elizabeth Dr Entrance
4.2(94)4.2 out of 5 stars, 94 reviews San Jose, CA
About Los Gatos Creek Trail, St. Elizabeth Dr Entrance
The Los Gatos Creek Trail at St. Elizabeth Dr Entrance offers a mostly paved, flat, and easy walk with a secluded natural feel, providing opportunities for wildlife viewing and creek access. However, visitors should be aware of significant concerns including homeless encampments, trash, unpleasant odors, and reported poor air quality in various sections.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families looking for an easy, flat walk in a natural setting.Parents with strollers seeking an accessible outdoor path.Dog owners who enjoy trails with creek access.Those seeking a quick escape into nature without leaving the city far behind.**All ages:** The flat, paved trail makes it suitable for general family walks.
Why families love it
- Feels secluded for much of the trail, offering an escape from urban areas.
- Well-paved and fairly flat trail, suitable for easy strolls and strollers.
- Offers a variety of sun and shade, especially when walking right from the entrance.
- Excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing, including birds, turtles, butterflies, and ducks around the creek.
- Provides access to the creek, with some hidden spots to climb down (though potentially considered trespassing).
- The natural, secluded ambiance providing an escape from urban surroundings.
Insider tips
- For bird watching and a mix of sun and shade, turn right once you enter the trail gate and head towards Leigh Avenue.
- Be prepared for and mindful of the presence of homeless encampments and associated litter/odors in some sections.
- The trail is suitable for strollers due to its flat and paved surface.
- It's a popular spot for dog owners to take their pets down to the creek.
Good to know before you go
- If sensitive to the presence of homeless encampments.
- If you have low tolerance for significant amounts of trash, litter, or strong unpleasant odors.
- If seeking an environment with consistently good air quality.
- If expecting a highly pristine, manicured, or strictly managed park experience.
- Numerous homeless encampments are present along the trail.
- Crowds
- Portions of the trail reportedly feel 'secluded for much of the trail', suggesting that it may not be overwhelmingly crowded in all areas.
- Value
- Free to access; no explicit costs or fees mentioned in reviews.
- Accessibility
- The trail is described as 'well paved and fairly flat' which suggests it is suitable for strollers and likely wheelchairs, though no specific ADA compliance or special accommodations are explicitly mentioned.
- Safety
- No specific safety features (e.g., emergency stations, security patrols) are mentioned in the reviews.
What parents say
"The Los Gatos Creek Trail is brilliant. It's a great escape without actually escaping anywhere. It feels secluded for much of the trail. I take my dog down to the creek everyday. It really is the highlight of this area. There stores and strip malls everywhere in every city, but finding a nice trail like this is a gem."
6 years ago
"it’s a nice trail but a lot of homeless encampments. no problem with the homeless folks i met but the area is really trashed and some spots smell like straight up urine. you can find hidden spots to climb down and get to the water although i think it’s considered trespassing. but given the state of the park i don’t think it’s a big deal to go off roading for an hour or so. probably wouldn’t come back but i had fun in the clean spots."
a year ago
"These are some of the birds you can find on this part of the trial. I recommend turning right once you enter the trial gate and heading towards Leigh Avenue."
11 months ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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