One of the unique backdrops to Los Gatos is the St. Joseph's Hill Open Space Preserve. From downtown Los Gatos, the 1,250-ft peak of St. Joseph Hill is about 2.5 miles away. That makes a round trip of about 5 miles (8K). Since this is NOT entirely an out-and-back route, you'll have to commit to completing the whole distance.

On the preserve, we'll be hiking on dirt and gravel so hiking shoes/boots are recommended. Don't forget water, sunscreen, hat, etc. Dress in layers if you're not sure about the weather.

After the hike, we'll walk back to downtown to have lunch. Restaruant TBD. See below for suggestions.

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Approx. 5 miles (8K)
Elevation: Hilly (downtown Los Gatos: 385 ft; St. Jo's peak: 1,250 ft)
Duration: Approx. 2.5 hours

Parking Options:

The parking lot where the Borders Bookstore is is for customer parking only, so let's not use that option. Street parking in downtown Los Gatos has a 2 hour limit so let's not use that option either.

Some of the public parking lots have a 3 hour limit so it okay if you are not planning to stay for lunch or willing to move your vehicle after the hike. Below is a list of four public lots that are without time limits. They are numbered in the order of distance to Borders (#1 being the closest):

1. Underground parking between Elm St. and Grays Ln (best option)

2. Lot on Park Avenue at W. Main St.

3. Lot on Montebello Way next to the Post Office

4. Lot at S. Santa Cruz Ave. just south of the Post Office

Lunch Options:

There are many restaurants in downtown Los Gatos, especially along S. Santa Cruz Ave. Here are three that came to mind but we can decide when we're there.

• Opa! (Greek) brunch 'till 2 pm website | reviews

• Andale (Mexican) website | reviews

• Gardino Fresco (Italian) reviews