When the first real storms of the season come through, Bay Area hikers head to Uvas Canyon. The Santa Clara County park sits on the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains west of Morgan Hill. It has a cluster of small waterfalls packed into a short loop along Swanson Creek.

The hikes

  • Waterfall Loop Nature Trail (about 1 mile, easy): It follows Swanson Creek past named falls including Granuja Falls and Black Rock Falls. Numbered posts match a self-guided interpretive pamphlet you can pick up at the trailhead. Bay Nature suggests turning around at Myrtle Flats, which is named after the invasive vinca vine, if you're doing the short version. Basin Falls and Upper Falls are a short walk beyond.
  • The full loop (about 4.5 to 5.2 miles, moderate): Continue past Myrtle Flats onto the steeper Contour Trail, then the Alec Canyon Trail to the Manzanita Point lookout and a spur to Triple Falls. Bay Nature puts the loop at 4.5 miles. Modern Hiker's six-waterfall version, which adds a side trip to Lower Falls, is 5.2 miles with about 1,400 feet of gain and takes about three hours.

When to go

Wikipedia says the streams are fed by rain and springs. Some flow year-round, but the falls look best right after rain. Modern Hiker recommends late winter and early spring, when storms have swelled the creeks. Bay Nature says rain brings out banana slugs and California newts on the trails. In winter, look for clusters of ladybugs near the bridge at Black Rock Falls. Woodpeckers, quail, vultures and wild turkeys are common.

Know before you go

  • Reservations: According to Bay Nature, the park requires a parking reservation and a $6 vehicle fee seven days a week. Check Santa Clara County Parks for current trail closures before you drive out.
  • Getting there: 8515 Croy Road, Morgan Hill. Croy Road is a dead-end, two-lane road that narrows to one lane through the small private community of Sveadal just before the entrance.
  • Dogs: Allowed on leash. Wikipedia notes that Uvas is one of the few parks in the area that allows dogs in its campground.
  • Size: 1,147 acres with about 7 miles of trails, plus picnic areas and campsites.

History

The canyon was once tribal territory of the Mutsun Ohlone. Uva is Spanish for grape, and the creek and canyon were named for the wild grapes that once grew here. The county bought the first 425 acres in 1961 from Lois (Wallace-McPhee) Allen, added 256 more that year and opened the park for camping in 1962. Heavy rains in 2017 damaged much of the trail network and Croy Road, and the park has since reopened after repairs.