Upper Stevens Creek County Park is a protected Open Space Preserve in the SF Bay Area in California.
Getting Started
A difficult hike starting at the Upper Stevens Creek County Park continuing to Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, climbing up to Black Mountain Peak before returning to the start point.
When to Go
Once we are out of the Upper Stevens Creek wooded trails, the Monte Bello OSP trails are completely exposed and steep, so the best times of the year to hike this route is in the Spring and Fall seasons, although winter is OK as well, except on rainy days.
Permits
All Mid Peninsula Open Space Preserves require the organizer to obtain a permit for any size group if the hike was advertised on any electronic media. A permit for a group of 19 or fewer people does not require insurance but rather a general release of liability from the hike organizer to the MidPen organization. Groups of 20 or more people require the organizer to purchase liability insurance - a true nuisance. Rangers usually say that for groups of less than 20 people no permit is required.