Foothill Park

«After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.” – Nelson Mandela
Foothill Park (FP) is a rather unusual park located at the base of the Santa Teresa Foothills. It’s essentially a trail (actually SCVWD access road) that follows the Coyote-​Alamitos Canal (CAC) – which protects against hill runoff, and conveys water between Coyote Creek and Los Alamitos Creek. FP might be known more for what it doesn’t have, than what it *does* have. What it does have are great views of Santa Teresa/​Blossom Valley, and a fun adventure if you have young kids; if those two things intrigue you, then read on.
The official beginning of the park begins at the south end of Cahalan Ave at Foothill Dr. There you’ll have to hike up a decomposed granite trail for ±150′ elevation gain on a series of switchbacks until you get to the top. Then you will be faced with a perilous decision: left or right?
Left (Southeast): This is the less interesting direction; it just essentially follows the CAC as it parallels Colleen Dr until you reach the end of the line at Snell Ave.
Right (Northwest): This the more compelling of the two options, as it provides an interesting shortcut to Almaden Lake Park. It starts out much the same way as the left side, following the CAC and paralleling Foothill Dr until you reach the official «end» of the trail about one mile in. However, if you’re feeling adventurous, near the end is an unofficial, well-​used dirt bike trail, that will take you up another small foothill (with even better views!) and towards Almaden Lake. I believe the master plan is to eventually have the trail officially take you there, but until funding is available it’s nice to know it’s still a viable option.
Parking– Plenty of street parking is available on Cahalan Ave and Foothill Dr.
Amenities– No restrooms, no playground, no nothing – this is a no frills park that’s just dirt, trails, trees and rocks. Although, there was one lone picnic table and garbage can halfway up the hill, but that’s about it.
Ordinarily, I don’t give parks with such few amenities anything above 2-​stars, but there’s something about FP that’s alluring to me. It’s peculiar, and peculiar is welcome in my book. Plus, it’s a great place to take your kids hiking, and that’s always a good thing. Now grab your hiking stick, some granola and come check it out!