The Historic Trail
To see more photos from this hike go to: www.LCPhoto.SmugMug.com.
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Description and MapAnother trail I hiked a while ago so details are fuzzy. This trail is a route designed by a local By Scout troupe with the goal of seeing some of the more interesting and well preserved of the relics left from the quicksilver mining days. Each spot is marked with a numbered post that corresponds to an explanation in the brochure. There are a few spots that are a bit of a let down, many of the old mine shafts are just piles of rubble, but overall it's an interesting hike. There is a lot of hiking between some of the "exhibits" but the distance travelled is filled with great views of the Santa Clara Valley, dense Oak and Bayberry Groves and some excellent views of the Santa Cruz Mts and valleys.
If you like taking pictures, bring your gear. There are many great photo opps on this one. There are several picnic tables along the route so a picnic lunch is a nice way to break up the hike. I wouldn't suggest anything too elaborate because remember you gotta' carry it! Note: My route varied a bit from what was in the brochure. I did it backwards and took an alternate trail heading home (missing the last marker). I don't remember exactly why, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Consequently, until I hike this again, some of the data may be a bit off. The alternate trail I took runs somewhat parallel to the official route and started and ended at the same elevations so I reversed the elevation chart making it roughly the same. The map I show in here is the "correct" route shown in the brochure not the route I took. Historic Trail Brochure: www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/Ride%20Here/Documents/QUICKSILVER-BROCHURE-SM.pdf Alternate Route Turn Points and DescriptionsI would hesitate to suggest any alternate routes as this hike has a very specific purpose and any alterations would only serve to undermine that purpose. Although exploring around some of the featured spots on the trail is highly recommend and there are some spots where you could deviate to explore some nearby attractions not on the route. If you chose to do this I would recommend doubling back to the designated route to continue on after you finish your diversion.
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