Harvey Bear Ranch Hike on the Savannah Trail

December 22, 2011

This plaque by the Clampers (see the link on the left) and the old farm house are at the Harvey Bear Ranch Staging Area.


On the way towards the hill trails, this is a view looking towards the paved Martin Murphy Trail. This is a 2-mile wheelchair-accessible trail.


Oak tree up on the hill above the Willow Springs Trail.


Equestrians are coming down the Willow Springs Trail. The Harvey Bear Trail branches off to the left.


This is a view looking back down the Willow Springs Trail towards the trailhead.


Looking downhill from farther up the Willow Springs Trail.


Hikers on the Willow Springs Trail.


View from the Townsprings Trail, looking towards the big open field in the center of the Martin Murphy Trail loop.


As seen from the end of the Townsprings Trail, the Willow Springs Trail climbs up the hill, where it joins the Coyote Ridge Trail at the summit of the hill. The Coyote Ridge Trail is part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail and runs north to south along the spine of the park.


As seen from the willow Springs Trail, the ridge reaches 1374 feet on Mummy Mountain, seen in the distance on the right. The Mummy Mountain Trail runs over the top of the ridge.


Here, the Rancho San Ysidro branches off to the right from the Willow Springs Trail.


This is a view looking west down the Rancho San Ysidro Trail. In the distance, the Savannah Trail winds its way nearly level along the hills to the left.


In the distance, the Willow Springs Trail runs along the hill on the right, as seen from near the junction of the Rancho San Ysidro Trail and Savannah Trail.


From the start of the Savannah Trail, this is a view looking back up the Rancho San Ysidro Trail and the Willow Springs Trail.


From a low saddle on the Savannah Trail, the Rancho San Ysidro Trail can be seen winding along the hillside, then dropping down into a valley, where it climbs up to join the Savannah Trail. This trail will be taken on the return trip.


As seen from the Savannah Trail, the trees and hills frame El Toro Mountain in Morgan Hill.


As the Savannah Trail comes around a bend, the broad flat fields around Harvey Bear Ranch buildings can be seen.


A telephoto view shows El Toro Mountain on the left, Coyote Peak in Santa Teresa Park on the right, the Harvey Bear Ranch buildings in the center.


Zoom-in view of the Harvey Bear Ranch buildings.


Zoom-in view of El Toro Mountain, with Mt. Umunhum in the Sierra Azul Range to the left of it. El Toro Mountain is mostly private property, though the Santa Clara County Open Space District recently purchased some land on it.


Looking south across the fields of Gilroy to San Benito County to Fremont Peak.


Looking south, in the distance is Coyote Ridge, above Anderson Reservoir. At the bottom is the paved Martin Murphy Trail.


This is the San Martin Airport.


This bench below an ancient oak tree is a welcome rest spot along the mostly shadeless Savannah Trail.


This private ranch is just outside the park boundaries.


Below the hill is the Savannah Trail as it runs along the valley floor and crosses over New Creek on a wooden bridge. It then begins to ascend the hill on the other side.


Looking up the canyon of New Creek.


Looking down the lower part of the New Creek.


The trail crosses over the wooden bridge over New Creek.


The trail ascends the hill after New Creek.


The Savannah Trail ascends the hill above the north fork of Church Creek.


Looking up the canyon of the north fork of Church Creek, the Rancho San Ysidro Trail and new Gaviota Trail cut across the hills in the distance.


The Savannah Trail ends at the Rancho San Ysidro Trail, which runs back north along the hillside. This is the return trip.


This is the road not taken: the Rancho San Ysidro Trail heading south towards the junction of the Gaviota Trail, which leads off to the right. The Rancho San Ysidro Trail heads uphill to the left to join the Coyote Ridge Trail.


This is a view of the Gaviota Trail from the Rancho San Ysidro Trail-Savannah Trail junction. The Gaviota Trail runs along the hillside and ends at the north end of Mummy Mountain, which can be seen to the left of center.


The Rancho San Ysidro Trail runs through a broad flat valley cut through by the south fork of New Creek.


This tree is at the confluence of the north and south forks of New Creek.


The Rancho San Ysidro Trail runs up along the north fork of New Creek. It crosses the creek, then heads up the valley on the left to the start of the Savannah Trail.


Before sunset, this is a final view along the hills from the Rancho San Ysidro Trail near the Savannah Trail junction.

I hurried back to the trailhead and made it out as the ranger was about to close up the parking lot.

Page created by Ron Horii, 12/24/2011