In addition to its well-known public parks, Sunnyvale, CA, is home to numerous biking and hiking trails that highlight both urban landmarks and the lush natural California landscape beyond the city’s boundaries. Summer is the perfect time to pull out your bike or your hiking shoes and enjoy the wide network of trails that traverse your amazing California home.

San Francisco Bay Trail

The San Francisco Bay Trail is a hikeable and bikeable corridor planned and executed by the Association of Bay Area Governments. This trail was designed to act as a “ring around the Bay” by linking nine counties and 47 cities in the San Francisco area. The San Francisco Bay Trail connects landmarks that include the Golden Gate Bridge, Candlestick Point, and Sunnyvale’s Baylands. As the Bay Trail winds through Sunnyvale, it begins in the westernmost part of the city just past the edge of Lockheed Martin’s property. From there, the four-mile Sunnyvale portion of the Bay Trail takes hikers east, passing a number of retired landfill hills, Sunnyvale’s Water Pollution Control Plant, the Twin Creeks Sports Complex, and Baylands Park. As you reach the easternmost portion of the Bay Trail in Sunnyvale, you’ll pass the Guadalupe Slough, Calabazas Creek, and San Tomas Aquino Creek, until you arrive at the Great America Parkway and head on to the neighboring community of Alviso. In addition to connecting Sunnyvale to the surrounding areas, the Bay Trail also contains numerous offshoots and side trails along the way, many of which take you through natural landscapes that include saltwater ponds, marshes, and retired landfill and water treatment areas that now contain lush plant growth and numerous species of wildlife.

The Saratoga Gap and Ridge Trail Loop

The Saratoga Gap and Ridge Trail Loop is one of the Sunnyvale-area’s most popular nature trails. This moderate-intensity trail is located in nearby Los Gatos, CA, and features numerous activity options throughout the year. You can choose to hike or ride this 5.5-mile trail on horseback as you take in some of Castle Rock State Park’s most beautiful natural sights, including Castle Rock itself, Goat Rock, and a waterfall that is active year-round. The trail features a few areas that are slightly rocky with an uphill slope, but it is this aspect that attracts rather than discourages many hikers. The early portion of your hike will take you over a viewing platform where you can admire Castle Rock Falls. Next, the trail will lead you right up to some of the area’s most amazing vistas as you look across a natural canyon and beyond, with views often stretching all the way to the Pacific. Along the trail, you’ll also see some of California’s stately oak and redwood trees as they blanket the forest around you. Other highlights include views of Monterey Bay, nearby Varian Peak, and the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Loft House in Sunnyvale, CA, features spacious New York loft-style apartments in a location you’ll love. Our apartment community is just minutes away from some of the area’s best outdoor recreation, shopping, dining, and entertainment. At the end of a long day of exploration, you’ll look forward to coming home to your one- or two-bedroom luxury apartment. You can check out our neighborhood on the web, or stop by in person for a tour of what could be your next Sunnyvale home.