Fremont Older Open Space Preserve

A great place for hiking, nice view at the hunters point. Only Cons is the limited parking place. So give a 4 star rating.

Parking: problematic. Only room for about 15 cars or so. We lucked out.
Hike: we did the Hunter’s Point trail which was an easy .8 mile hike to the top where there’s a bench to sit on and enjoy the view. We brought binoculars and could spot Moffett field, Shoreline amphitheater and Apple’s new campus being built in Cupertino. This was our first ever hike and was a good beginner level for ourselves and our 7 year old. The path was dirt and had flat areas and inclined areas. Lots of beautiful greenery and views to admire and even a few mansions. There were other trails that veered off from the Hunter’s Point path which I think we’ll try next time.

Love the trails here! Most are stroller friendly with breathtaking views. Definitely recommend!

Hiked this on a Sunday, freaking cold out, but took off anyway with shorts on. 4 hours, 11 miles after, I was exhausted. Went all the way to SC reservoir. Great hike, trails for everyone. Would go back.

Nice preserve with several long hiking options. It was very cold and windy there today, but it is more because of the weather, and not the preserve itself. You have to walk up and down hill a lot. We spotted four (!) coyotes on the hayfield trail. It was quite amazing, although scary for me. My husband was very brave and scared them away. I also saw a rabbit and lots of birds. We hiked all the way to the Stevens Creek Reservoir (which is part of a different park) and back. Hunters’ point has a great view of the valley.

Hiked here with my dog (leashed only). The parking was very limited even though I went at a weird time on a weekday. As far as I could tell, aside from the lot right in front of the trail heads, there wasn’t any convenient parking nearby. Sun and shade is about ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ depending on which trails you choose to take and there are quite a few loops you can do to extend the hike. I ended up going to Hunters Point for a decent view of the valley and then taking the Seven Springs Loop back to the parking lot, took about 1hr45 but that’s because I walked quite slowly and my dog kept stopping to smell things. It was a windy day and got quite cold in the shade so I would bring a jacket and hat. Saw quite a few cyclists and large groups when I went but most of the hike was quiet. The trails are well maintained so I wasn’t overly concerned about ticks or poison oak. There are also many visible signs along the trails so you don’t have to worry about getting lost. There can be a bit of a climb on the Seven Springs trail whether you’re hiking or biking so expect a workout.

Fremont Older is one of my go– to hiking locations because 1. it’s relatively close to my place and 2. has many trails to choose from– all of varying difficulties.
Ever just want to get out of the house and just. do something? To clear your mind maybe? Hunter’s Point is where I go for moments like these. This particular trail is pretty easy, relatively short, and ends with a refreshing view overlooking the south bay. The bench at the look out point is at a perfect height where your feet can just. dangle. LOl I don’t know why but I just really like hiking up there, enjoying the view while swinging my feet for some great blood circulation… LOL.
Other than that, the view is amazing. you can see the bay, San Jose, Apple headquarters in Cupertino, .your house… hahaha seriously you can see it all! It can really help you clear your mind and give you a new perspective.
Side note– there isn’t much shade, so bring a hat! It can get pretty hot out there too.

Not the prettiest open space preserve in the general area, but it will do when I need a good workout on the bike.
PROS:
— One of the few mountain biking spots within a half-​hour drive
— Several trails/​loops to keep you from becoming bored
CONS:
— Parking. If you’re a hiker this can be a big problem. If you’re a cyclist and the lot is full you can head back down Prospect, park on the side of the road when it widens, and add ~4 miles round trip to your ride
— No water fountains or plumbing at the trailhead
It can get very hot, and depending on which route you take shade can be sparse. So bring plenty of water, nutrition, and sunscreen.

Fremont older is a good place to go in the evenings or in the morning for a quick pick me up.
There are some really short trials to hunters point as well as some other long trails that take you to the top of where Stevens creek trail meets Fremont older.
They allow dogs which is awesome but watch out they will ticket you if your pup is not on a leash.
Great place, they have coyotes and deer for some wild life. Once I saw a nice fat diamond back snake, she was busy and not interested in me but still a bit spooked! Great views at the top with a mix of trees and open space!
Parking is a b — try to park on the backside, you know or you don’t know.

Awesome little find! I was on a time crunch so only got to explore the Stevens creek loop. I logged the whole thing as 2.9 miles. It took me an hour 12 minutes but I also stopped and took a ton of pictures and a couple potty/​water breaks for the pooch. Parking lot was pretty full at 10:30 Friday morning but the trail was not busy. Passed a handful of friendly bikers and even less hikers. Porta potty in the parking lot was fairly clean as those things go. Trails were well marked and they had trail maps in the parking lot. If I was feeling brave I’d take my son out with the BOB. Can’t wait to explore the other 12 miles of trail back there!

Great place to get away from the city life! Not too far from the city but when you get there, it feels like you are in a whole another state!

Easy to hike. There are also quite a few trails to try!
You may have to dodge some horse poo from time to time. There are horses and bicycles that go through regularly.
There is a mix of shade and sun. I would say the majority of the trails are in the sun.
There definitely aren’t too many people on the trails, so it’s a nice quite place.
Hunter’s Point and Maisie’s Peak have some pretty awesome views.
Rainbow Knoll I went to see today, and it also has a good view, but you have to double back after you go there.
It is hard to park, but an alternative is on Regnart.

I liked it, we hiked with our son to hunters point and we carried his umbrella stroller. the route is good for sturdy strollers and not for umbrella. I want to discover more loop trails on the way.

This is a GREAT place to come and get your walk/​hike on! I have been here three times now and have really enjoyed myself each time. We have taken a variety of trails and it doesn’t feel overly crowded at all. This is a great place to take your dog for a weekend walk. Please note, dogs must be on leashes and bring your own poop bags. Don’t be that jerk who lets their dog poop on the ground without picking it up, or even worse, leaving the poop baggie there. Note, there are not trash bins so you will need to take it out of the open space with you!
The trails are well groomed and anyone, even children and the elderly, can be seen walking around.
You like mountain biking? Sweet, take your bike out for a spin.
You like a hike with a view? Great, you can see the entire valley from a variety of places.
Pros: Family friendly, dog friendly, beautiful, clean, that view!!!
Cons: Parking can be hit or miss but really that is the only downside.

Sorry guys– I’m giving a one star review because all the times I’ve tried to come here I’ve never actually gotten to hike since there is NO PARKING.
The parking lot is very small for about 10 – 15 cars (some parked illegally) and there is no street parking within a mile of there. So you either get lucky and get a spot or you can try and find some kind of obscure parking a mile away to come here.
I tried coming again yesterday later in the day and left after circling around for ½ an hour– it was a waste of time and gas driving to and from there without even getting out of the car.

The perfect place to run/​jog when it’s not 90+ degrees outside.
This trail offers plenty of routes to go on, flat and hilly sections, and an amazing view of the nearby properties and city. However, the reason why I gave it ⁴⁄₅ stars is for the fact that the parking lot only fits 15 – 20 cars, which makes it a pain to travel to if you don’t get there early enough. Also, this is not the place you want to go to when it’s extremely hot outside, as there’s no shade on 90% of this trail.

I enjoy coming here to hike with my dog on weekend mornings. There is plenty of wildlife to enjoy. I have seen deer, bunnies, a coyote and a bobcat. Sadly, since seeing the bobcat, I haven’t seen any bunnies…
It gets pretty busy on the trails the later you head up there, and on Sunday mornings you could find yourself sharing a narrow trail with a group of horseback riders. If your dog is freaked out by the sight and proximity of large animals, you may want to keep to the wider trails.
There is no bathroom, water or garbage service, so come prepared with all you need and know that you have to carry out dog waste.
There is minimal parking on the Regnart Road trail head, but there is access to the trails from Prospect Road also.

One word: beautiful!
My boyfriend and I decided to do this hike tonight around 7 PM, so we could be there for the sunset. It wasn’t crowded, so parking wasn’t an issue.
Being an AZ native, hiking in greenery vs. the desert is a treat! I considered this to be more of a leisurely stroll than a hike, but enjoyed it regardless. The scenery is so beautiful and I loved seeing deer, bunnies, and birds so blissfully happy in their environments. Literally 360 degrees of gorgeousness. You can see downtown San Jose, the water of the south bay, and even a cute vineyard on the rolling hills.
I can’t wait to come back to do the ~6 mi. trail during the day. After reading reviews about how crowded it can get, I would suggest to come during the week right before the sun sets because it wasn’t crowded at all.

Fremont Older is one of my favorite places to hike. Instead of the typical redwoods you see so often in Northern California, these trails guide you through gorgeous rolling hills. The hiking is easy going and nice, not strenuous at all. In addition to hiking, this is a great place for biking and horseback riding. And feel free to bring your dog :)
It’s easy to get there, but the parking lot is small. It’s never been a problem for me, but just keep that in mind.
Another tip is to visit Fremont Older in the summer and in the winter for two totally different experiences. In the summer, the hills are a beautiful golden color and in the winter they are green with lots of little orange flowers.
See more pictures here:

Been eating too many yumburgers lately? Don’t worry, Fremont Older Open Space Preserve has you covered. The inclines here are only moderately steep, but there are so many of them that a good workout is practically guaranteed.
Parking:
The small parking lot on Prospect Road accommodates around 20 cars. It fills up in the early morning but starts clearing out from 10am onward. The last quarter mile of road leading up to the parking lot is very narrow. It’s possible for two cars to squeeze by each other carefully.
You can pick up a free map at the trailhead, which is probably a good idea since this map is more accurate than Google Maps (refer to comments below about specific Google Map inaccuracies). According to the map, the only restroom in the park is in this parking lot. I didn’t see it, but it’s probably a porta-​potty behind a tree somewhere.
5 miles to the reservoir and back:
You might as well hike to the Stevens Creek Reservoir since it’s only 2.5 miles to get there. From the Prospect Road parking lot, take the Cora Older Trail, turn right onto the Seven Springs Loop Trail, left towards the Hayfield Trail, and then left onto the Hayfield Trail. Stay on the Hayfield Trail until you turn right onto Coyote Ridge Trail. At the fork where the Coyote Ridge Trail splits into two, keep left. Turn left onto the Tony Look Trail (Google mistakenly calls this the Loop Trail), follow it a short distance and tada! Reservoir. The reservoir is actually in the adjacent Stevens Creek County Park.
You’re allowed to bike most of this route but unfortunately bikes are not allowed on the Tony Look Trail. If biking, you can follow the Coyote Ridge Trail to its end, which will bring you to the north end of Stevens Creek County Park and some parking lots.
7 mile roundtrip to the reservoir and back:
Once you’re at the reservoir, instead of going back the same way you came, you can follow the Tony Look Trail south and circle around the park. This will add 2 miles and more moderate inclines to your hike. The Tony Look Trail will run through Stevens Creek County Park until it ends at Stevens Canyon Road. There, you’ll find a marker (
) indicating the start of the Lookout Trail (Google mistakenly still thinks this is the Tony Look Trail).
Following the Lookout Trail will take you past the Madrone Group Area (
) where there is a water fountain. Continue up the Lookout Trail, up a set of switchbacks which brings you back into Fremont Older. Continue past the intersection with the Wedding Trail, then turn right onto Vista Look Trail, and left onto Coyote Ridge Trail. You’ll pass by a short trail leading up to Maisie’s Peak (
), the highest point in the park with a decent view of Silicon Valley. Have a look, then continue on Coyote Ridge Trail till you make a right onto the Hayfield Trail. From here, the rest of the way back is the way you originally came.
Verdict:
A scenic place to hike with moderate inclines to give you a good leg workout. Minus one star for the less than ideal restroom and the limited parking.