Now and Zin

Hike and wine taste at Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve

From colorful foliage to rainstorm-fed rivers and beautiful views, Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve showcases the best of autumn. For a relaxing walk beneath the trees, do the 4-mile (round-trip) Zinfandel Trail through the Cupertino foothills. The trail begins beside the historic Picchetti Winery, home to beautiful rustic barns, a scenic picnic area, and their famous flock of peacocks.

Signs for the Zinfandel Trail lead hikers to a seasonal pond. Watch your step, as newts, frogs, and banana slugs are common sights this close to the water.As the trail gently descends toward Stevens Creek, eagle-eyed hikers can catch sight of the Stevens Creek Quarry and Reservoir to the northeast, along with vineyards dotting the hills. But the real treat this time of year is the fiery foliage, from the bright red poison oak (look, but don’t touch!) to the yellow and orange maple leaves.

After a rainstorm, hikers can enjoy views of the creek while they relax at the Cooley Picnic Area. This lunchtime spot has picnic tables, toilets, and a water fountain and is easily accessible from Stevens Canyon Road for ADA access. On quiet mornings, be on the lookout for deer foraging at the edge of the forest.

To return to the winery, retrace your steps up the Zinfandel Trail. On the way back, hikers who want to continue the adventure can turn onto the Orchard Loop Trail, a half-mile stretch that arcs toward the reservoir before returning to the Zinfandel Trail.

And of course, the best way to end a day in the woods is with a picnic and a glass of wine, so be sure to put up your feet and enjoy the 125-year-old Picchetti Winery grounds after your hike.

To reach the trailhead, take the Foothill Expwy. exit from Hwy. 280 and travel 3.5 miles southwest on Foothill Blvd./Stevens Canyon Rd. Turn right on Montebello Rd. The Preserve is half a mile up Montebello Rd. on the left. No dogs on trails.

Story and photos by Poe Casavant

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View