Quest for Quicksilver

Hiking in Almaden Quicksilver County Park

The new gold rush meets the old gold rush at Almaden Quicksilver County Park, named for the once-booming industry of mining mercury, which was essential for extracting gold. Today, the park’s riches come in the form of stunning scenery, found by hiking and biking the numerous trails winding through oak and buckeye trees and accompanied by the soothing sounds of Guadalupe Creek. Views of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range, along with Silicon Valley (where unicorns are the new gold rush!), are all highlights. Enjoy the scenery and explore Almaden’s mining history (it was home to nearly 2,000 miners and their families, with remnants of ruins and structural remains still standing) on a 5-mile loop hike on the park’s western side.

Take the Senador Mine Trail upwards to its namesake historic remnant before connecting to Guadalupe Trail for a long section of flat, mostly shaded trail, with Guadalupe Creek burbling nearby. This southern side of the loop is highlighted by views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Guadalupe Reservoir is the halfway point of the hike. Climb briefly uphill alongside it before going left at the (marked) Mine Hill Trail. This section of the loop sees views of Silicon Valley, bordered by the Diablo Range, as you gently descend through a mixture of sun and shade following Mine Hill Trail back to the starting point. Good rush of Quicksilver!

From Almaden Expwy. south of Hwy. 85, take Camden Ave. west. Turn left onto McAbee Rd. and continue to the end of it, where you’ll see gates and a paved path toward the park entrance and cars parked along the street. Parking is free. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View