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Mount Hamilton Road – Piedmont Ponds loop from McKee

Mount Hamilton Road – Piedmont Ponds loop from McKee

Hard

3.3

(3)

riders

Mount Hamilton Road – Piedmont Ponds loop from McKee

05:38

97.8km

2,250m

Road cycling

Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: April 24, 2026

Tips

Cycling is not permitted along parts of this route

After 3.72 km for 129 m

After 33.6 km for 230 m

After 33.9 km for 212 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

3.78 km

Miguelita Creek Pedestrian Bridge

Highlight • Bridge

This pedestrian bridge was completed in 2002 and offers pedestrians and cyclists away to travel away from traffic.

Tip by

16.6 km

Mount Hamilton Road

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

Mount Hamilton Road is a road biker's delight - if you like climbs. Getting to JD Grant Park from the San Jose sea level is already a 1500 feet climb, though mostly mild. From Grant Park there's even less car traffic while the pitch is just getting steeper, with a little fun dip through Smith Creek valley, climbing to over 4000 feet at the Mount Hamilton observatories. In winter there can even be snow on the summit roadside.

Tip by

33.8 km

Donald Shane telescope - Tycho Brahe Peak

Highlight • Monument

The Donald Shane telescope is a 3 m reflector to the north-east of the Lick Observatory.

Tip by

34.8 km

Mount Hamilton - Lick Observatory

Highlight • Monument

A wide range of space observatories on the highest mountain in the area, including the largest glass lens historic observatory from the 1880s, and several generations of subsequent observatory systems.
Very informative free tours. If visiting in winter bring warm clothes, as the elevation results in dramatically lower temperatures than in Silicon Valley just below, as indicated by the snow we encountered.

Tip by

35.0 km

Lick Observatory

Nature Reserve

51.7 km

JD Grant Park

Highlight • Forest

The Joseph D. Grant County Park is the largest country park in the Santa Clara area of California. Joseph was the wealthy son of a merchant who bought this land after the Mexican land grant. The Santa Clara County purchased the land in 1975 and created the park.

Tip by

67.8 km

Piedmont Ponds

Highlight • Lake

The Piedmont Ponds on the Penitencia Creek Trail are a collection of small ponds in San José just off this popular multi-use path. This is a nice spot to begin to slow down on your ride to look out for birds and other wildlife by and in the water.

Tip by

74.9 km

View of San Jose from Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve

Highlight • Viewpoint

The top of either Sierra Road or Felton Road, either way, good effort, it's a long climb to get here! The views over the Sierra Vista Open Space Park and Boccardo Peak are worth the effort.

Tip by

78.1 km

Felter Road

Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway

An awesome road with great views and lots of visibility, which allows you to ride very fast if you fancy it. It's a good climb as well, beautiful and not very busy. Often linked with the steeper Sierra Road for a loop from San Jose.

Tip by

97.8 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

78.4 km

18.6 km

834 m

114 m

Surfaces

97.7 km

200 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (1,260 m)

Lowest point (40 m)

Weather

Today

Friday 10 July

27°C

13°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 18.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Mount Hamilton Road – Piedmont Ponds loop from McKee

Miguelita Creek Pedestrian Bridge

Mount Hamilton Road

Donald Shane telescope - Tycho Brahe Peak

Mount Hamilton - Lick Observatory

JD Grant Park

Piedmont Ponds

View of San Jose from Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve

Felter Road

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