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Rainbows & Waterfalls 2000   Introduction   Location   Coyote Peak   Wildlife   Trails 1   Trails 2   Future Hopes

Though smaller than Almaden Quicksilver, Santa Teresa Park is more developed for recreational use. Near its entrance is the public Santa Teresa Golf Club. The golf club has an 18-hole golf course, putting green, chipping green, driving range, and a banquet facility on a hill.    The archery field, targets on the valley floor and in the hills At the southern end of the golf course is a field archery range that extends into the hills. The range is operated by the Black Mountain Bowmen, but is open to the public except during club tournaments.  In the center of the park, in the Pueblo day use area, are parking lots, family and group picnic sites, restrooms, open fields for sports, and a horse corral.  Former group picnic site, "playground rocks," and Rocky Ridge The old (former) group picnic site is under a huge oak tree, with a pile of rugged boulders behind it that kids love to play around in. (Be careful. Falling from here can be painful. I speak from experience. There's also poison oak and snakes in the rocks.) Nearby are a covered group picnic area and volleyball courts.  At the top of one of the hills is what used to house the off-limits Muriel Wright correctional facility, run by the County Department of Corrections. It housed teenage girls and younger boys. Now, it is the home of the County Parks Volunteer Program. Visitors are welcome. It's also used as a training facility and office for the sheriff's department. At the lower levels of the park are the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch, the Buck Norred Ranch, and Santa Teresa Springs. These are described in more detail in the trails section. The Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch and Santa Teresa Springs have been developed into an interpretive complex. At the Buck Norred Ranch site was the Santa Clara County Parks Mounted Ranger Unit, but now houses the County Parks Special Projects Unit. Note: in 2000, a $4 parking fee was imposed on the parking lots in the Pueblo day use area. Two self-service ticket dispensers were installed. A year-round "Venture Pass" sticker may be purchased for $50, which allows unlimited access to all the county parks. See the location section for information about free entrances to the park and free parking. (The parking fee has now been raised to $6/day or  $90/year. Here is the fee list.) Created 9/17/99, updated 10/22/14 by Ronald Horii