I found a gem. There it was in plain sight, a new trail but far enough out of the way that I only recently stumbled upon it.
We are lucky to have so many trails near our doors that dazzle us time and again, but a new trail into new country moves to the head of the list.
The Ed Willson Trail is not just a different route through country that you have traveled before. This 3-mile loop reaches into the north end of Harvey Bear Ranch County Park, not previously serviced by a trail. Best of all, the trail takes you to a fabulous 360-degree view from the highest point in the park.
With George Everhart and his son, Blake, I drove to Coyote Lake County Park, paid my $6 day use fee, and continued to the end of the road at Coyote Lake Dam. From the car, we walked a short distance up a dark, wooded path that suddenly popped into a bright and spacious clearing. The sudden change prompted a “Wow!” reaction from each of us as our gaze swept back and forth across the open hillside.
We were at the junction of the Calaveras Trail and the Harvey Bear Trail. This used to be the most northern foot trail in the park, but the Ed Willson Trail would take us a mile north to the park’s northern boundary.
A short distance up the Harvey Bear Trail, we turned onto the Ed Willson Trail, still traversing the clearing we first entered. The setting in this hollow kept us spinning in circles. Above us, the winter rains had turned the oak-studded hillside into a wildly luminous shade of green. To the east, across the outlet to Coyote Lake, a series of chaparral-cloaked ridges rode high overhead. Just over the hill to the west was a busy Santa Clara Valley, but we could see none of it and felt miles away from any hubbub.
The trail took climbed gently into a mixed oak forest dotted with buckeyes and bay trees. An occasional opening, then back into the trees. Before long, we popped above the trees and were surprised to see how far above the dam we had climbed. Every step widened the view.
A big right-hand turn set us on the crest of the ridge and up toward the high point in the park. We now had our first view of the Santa Clara Valley – miles in every direction.
As George and Blake investigated a giant bay tree thicket, I continued to the top of the hill and encountered a bobcat, who seemed more occupied with his afternoon nap than any threat I might present. I approached slowly, surprised how close I was able to get. He would amble along, stop briefly, take care of a little personal hygiene, then slowly move on. He occasionally turned to measure my presence, but registered little concern. Finally, with me no more than 40 feet away, he reclined on a log in that Queen-of-Sheba way that only cats can do.
Unless you want to hoof it from the San Martin Avenue entrance (add 5 miles round trip), it will cost you $6 to get close access to this trail. But it is well worth it.
Whether you like nature to nestle you in a quiet hollow or you prefer to seek the high point and survey vast distances, the Ed Willson Trail has it.
