Nature lovers who enjoy hiking with a dose of history should head to the redwood trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of Los Gatos.
They’ll find Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, a 1,432-acre site with a lake, old growth redwoods trees, hiking trails and a flat ridgeline containing fascinating ruins and reconstructed structures, including a bat house.
Run by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, the preserve is located close to Highway 17 between Santa Cruz and San Jose. Only a 10-minute drive from Los Gatos, it’s a world away for visitors who park in a large lot at 19350 Bear Creek Road and take an easy walk on a modern sidewalk to the former site of a millionaire’s mansion and a Catholic college.
Interpretative panels and rebuilt buildings tell the story of this tree-covered land. Once home to the Ohlone tribe, the area was harvested for timber starting in the 1850s.
Most of the redwoods are second growth trees. Upper Lake, which has a trail around it, was built as a lumber mill pond.
In 1887, the land became a playground for the rich. James L. Flood, who built San Francisco’s Flood Building at Market and Powell streets, was among those who owned the Los Gatos estate, which boasted a grand library, gardens, a swimming pool and a lily pond.
From 1934 to 1969, the Bear Creek property housed Alma College, a Jesuit theological seminary. Today, there is a partially rebuilt shrine to the Virgin Mary, known as the Marian Shrine, on the site.
Midpen acquired the property in 1999 after many of the buildings had been destroyed or damaged. The district rebuilt some of the brick structures; however, most are remnant foundations of former Gilded Age luxury estates.
“It’s really cool to take the journey through time and learn about the different uses that were there,” said Ryan McCauley, a public affairs specialist for the district.
The preserve opened in 2019, part of a long-term project to restore its native landscape while maintaining elements of the cultural landscape. The restoration work was made possible following the 2014 passage of Measure AA, a 30-year, $300 million bond to fund open space projects.
Restoration work also made room for bats living in the buildings. A former carport from 1909 was turned into a bat roost in 2021; visitors can see bat boxes outside, and informational panels explain how the building provides a warm, secure haven for the animals, which benefit the local ecosystem by eating mosquitoes and other agricultural pests.
Daytime visitors won’t typically see the bats, which are nocturnal. While McCauley acknowledges that there is a “cultural fear” of bats, he was not aware of visitors having problems with them.
The district offers ranger and docent-led hikes throughout the year (there are six between April 19 and May 6, 2025). The Upper Pete Siemens Trail, a 500-foot climb, leads to two majestic old growth redwood trees. Other easier trails cover terrain facing Lexington Reservoir and nearby Highway 17.
Though four miles of new hiking trails opened in October 2024, a good part of the preserve remains closed to the public and will not likely open for at least five years.
Plans are to add 10 miles of hiking trails.
Equestrians also use the trails. Many begin their journey from stables on the property. The district is working with local horse owners to prepare a nonprofit to take over operation of the stables, according to McCauley, who advises visitors to expect crowds on Saturdays and Sundays: “On weekends, we do fill up parking areas pretty regularly between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.”
Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is open a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset. Parking is at 19350 Bear Creek Road, Los Gatos. For more information, visit openspace.org/preserves/bear-creek-redwoods#parking.
The post Bear Creek preserve: Majestic redwoods, fascinating history near Los Gatos appeared first on Local News Matters.