Gradual hike with cool history and great views at the top! For those not interested in the hike, a drive to the summit is also possible.
The trail was gradual the whole way and suitable for folks who are looking for something on the easy side (and a lot of switchbacks). The area was pretty crowded, but we were able to get parking in the small bald mountain parking lot after ~10 minutes of waiting at 11am. It felt like we passed ~1 group a minute for most of the day, but everyone was wearing masks. The area was heavily trafficked. It total the hike took us about 4 hours.
The views at the top were fantastic! You could see San Jose in one direction, SF in another, and the ocean and hills of Monterey on the other side. When we arrived, the old radar station was being staffed by a park ranger who would answer any questions about the history. The cement tower used to be topped with an old radar dish that was part of a network of dishes in CA. Another person at the top who had lived in San Jose for decades said that she used to be able to tell which way the dish was pointing based on the amount of fuzz on her TV. Wild!
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