Between San Jose And San Francisco Is California's Hilly Nature Preserve With Trails And Seasonal Waterfalls

California's Bay Area residents don't need to drive 180 miles to Yosemite National Park to get their nature fix. Fortunately, the region's hills and coastlines are peppered with smaller but beautiful wilderness areas, many within an hour's drive of San Francisco. Among these are a few dozen open space preserves. These lands are set aside to protect ecosystems like coastal prairies, redwood forests, oak woodlands, and bayland salt marshes, among others — and one certainly worth checking out is Coal Creek Preserve.

About an hour's drive south of San Francisco and a little less than an hour west of San Jose, the preserve is located in a hilly area on the eastern slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains. At around 500 acres, this preserve is smaller than others nearby. But it packs a lot of nature into its compact space: bright wildflowers in spring;  juicy blackberries in summer; oak and maple trees that turn fiery colors in autumn; and seasonal waterfalls in winter. Its hills are thick with wildlife too, including rattlesnakes (watch out), coyotes, deer, bobcats, mountain lions, raccoons, skunks, and golden eagles. 

A handful of hiking trails weave through the preserve. Most are on the shorter side but can be combined to achieve a longer route. Some trails, like the Alpine Road Regional Trail and the Coal Creek Double Loop, allow dogs, equestrians, and mountain bikers. The 2.4-mile Coal Creek Double Loop is a popular route with a 500-foot elevation gain leading to some lovely views of the surrounding Bay Area. Note that this trail and others in the preserve can get very muddy after rain, especially during the winter.  

Coal Creek Preserve certainly can't compete with California's "waterfall mecca" in the Shasta Cascade region, a few hundred miles to the north. But seasonal waterfalls are visible from some of the preserve's trails in the rainier winter season, and they're an easy day trip for folks in the Bay Area.

The best-known seasonal cascade in the preserve is on Crazy Pete's Road, which you can access via a 3-mile route combining several of the preserve's trails and gravel roads. This adventure takes around two hours and involves an elevation change of around 650 feet. In addition to the stream and waterfall, you should be able to see the San Francisco city skyline, Mount Tamalpais, and Mount Diablo at various high points during this hilly trek on a clear day. You'll also cross a scenic bridge near the falls, and it's advised that you wear sturdy boots in case the trail's muddy.

If you enjoyed your visit to Coal Creek, another nature escape in this same area is El Corte de Madera Creek, a scenic open space preserve with redwoods. This preserve is only a 13-minute drive from Coal Creek and sees you navigating evergreen and redwood forests. From El Corte de Madera, it's about a 50-minute drive to return to San Francisco.