A new staging area outside Morgan Hill increases access to open
space preserve
Nature enthusiasts, hikers and horseback riders will find
themselves at home in the Rancho Can
&
amp;#771;ada del Oro Open Space Preserve now that the area has a
new staging area.
The staging area includes a paved parking lot, a vault toilet
and room for horse trailers, allowing for better access to the
preserve that is owned and operated by the Santa Clara County Open
Space Authority. The new paved area allows visitors to park their
vehicles close to the preserve’s trails. The preserve is opening
from sunrise to sunset. Hiking and horseback riding is permitted on
designated trails.
A new staging area outside Morgan Hill increases access to open space preserve
Nature enthusiasts, hikers and horseback riders will find themselves at home in the Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve now that the area has a new staging area.
The staging area includes a paved parking lot, a vault toilet and room for horse trailers, allowing for better access to the preserve that is owned and operated by the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority. The new paved area allows visitors to park their vehicles close to the preserve’s trails. The preserve is opening from sunrise to sunset. Hiking and horseback riding is permitted on designated trails.
“We are pleased to welcome the public to this new facility,” said OSA General Manager Patrick Congdon. “The staging area is a real milestone in the ongoing process of making improvements … that will allow people to see and enjoy this beautiful preserve.”
The preserve is adjacent to the southwest side of Calero County Park and offers two trails for hikers and equestrians. The Longwall Canyon Trail is 2.7 miles and Bald Peaks Trail is 1.1 miles. The space is home to oak woodlands, native grassland areas and offers views of the Diablo Mountain Range and Mt. Hamilton.
“I can’t wait to walk the trails on this section of the Rancho Cañada del Oro property,” said Audrey Rust, Peninsula Open Space Trust president. “When POST acquired the property, it was with the goal of bringing permanent protection to this slice of historic California landscape and to do it so that all of us could experience the beauty and serenity of our natural heritage.”
POST purchased the land for the preserve in 1999 for $6.2 million, as part of 2,400-acre acquisition. Part of the land was deeded to Santa Clara County to expand Calero County Park and the southern segment became the open space preserve run by the OSA.
Funding for the project came from the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, Santa Clara County Parks, the City of San Jose and the Open Space Authority. OSA provided $1.25 million toward the purchase, with an additional $800,000 given through its 20 percent funding program.
Each year, OSA earmarks 20 percent of the net proceeds of its capital funds for distribution to local cities within OSA boundaries to help with open space projects.
The Rancho Cañada del Oro preserve was the first project to receive funding through the 20 percent funding program. Since then, the Open Space Authority has contributed to seven more open-space projects in Santa Clara County through its 20 percent funding program. The sites include the Willow Glen Spur Line Trail, Santa Teresa County Historic Park and Edith Morley Park in Campbell, among others.
The OSA has preserved more than 11,000 acres of land and manages 375 acres of conservation easements.
The staging area will open to the public Dec. 3. For more information, call 224-7476 or visit www.openspaceauthority.org.
