Ed Levin Park – A Family Friendly Park With Activities For Everyone

Ed Levin Park is the largest park in Milpitas with a multitude of unique activities to enjoy. This county park is nestled in a small valley at the foothills of the Diablo mountain range. It’s a unique park that has your typical park amenities but also of fishing, hang gliding, horseback riding, and a lengthy trail system. It’s also pet friendly and even has a dedicated dog park where they can roam around freely without a leash.

Visiting Ed Levin Park –  What to Expect

• Visiting Hours: 8 AM to Sunset
• Parking – $6 fee per vehicle
• Picnicing and BBQ facilities
• Dog friendly with a dedicated dog park
• Lake with a fishing area (Valid fishing license required for those 16 years and older)
• Hang Gliding / paragliding / horse-back riding
• Hiking trails that allow dogs on leashes 
• Views of rolling grass meadows

Getting To Ed Levin Park

Driving

To get to Ed Levin Park, head East on Calaveras Road and make a left on Downing Road. Alternatively, you can also drive east on Old Calaveras and make a left on Downing Road. The roads leading to the park is narrow with a windy 2 lane road.

Sometimes there are pedestrians walking on the Old Calaveras Road to the park which is something to look out for since the roads are narrow and windy. Once you reach the entrance of the park, you will see a booth where you will be greeted by a ranger. The ranger will typically take your parking fee which costs $6 per vehicle.

Parking at Ed Levin Park

There are plenty of parking spots available with multiple parking lots located within the park itself. A parking lot is located next to each activity offered by the park. There is a dedicated parking lot for the dog park, fishing area, and a one for general parking. This makes it especially convenient if you have a lot of gear for fishing, BBQ-ing or other activities. 

Getting to Ed Levin Park by Uber & Lyft

We recommend against taking an Uber or Lyft to Ed Levin Park. While getting to the park would not be an issue, leaving could get difficult. There can be spotty or no cell signal at the base of the park, so it may be difficult to coordinate an Uber or Lyft. Alternatively, you can walk down Old Calaveras Road for 1.5 miles to get back into Milpitas before calling rideshare.

Activities at Ed Levin Park

Picnic and BBQ

There are multiple locations to BBQ with multiple picnic tables surrounding each grill. To use the BBQ area, a reservation may be required. You can make a reservation at the Santa Clara County park website. Picnicing is also a popular activity on the shaded grassy meadows.

Fishing In Sandy Wool Lake

Sandy Wool Lake is the first thing you see when you arrive at the park. Situated along the lake are various fishing stations. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife “plant” fish in the lake throughout the season. If you are 16 years and older, you will need a permit to fish. The type of fish available to catch will depend on the season and can include catfish or rainbow trout.  You can check here at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website to see what is available and when the plants are.

Hiking Trails at Ed Levin Park

We came here mainly for the hiking trails. Within Ed Levin Park, there are approximately 20 miles of trails. There is something for everyone, from family-friendly paved and flat trails to an 8-mile loop to Monument Peak with a 2000 feet elevation gain. The best part is that the hiking trails are dog friendly. You are welcome to bring your dogs on the trail as long as they are on a leash. You can double-check at the beginning of each trail to ensure dogs are allowed. However, there is no shade during the entirety most hikes so be sure to have water for you

Trail System and Conditions

With close to 20 miles of trails that connect to each other in the park, you can create your own custom trail loop based on difficulty and length. The Agua Caliente Trail and Ridge Trail that run through Ed Levin Park is a part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail System. The Bay Area Ridge Trail is a system of trails that circles the San Francisco Bay with over 300 miles of trails. Most of the trails are wide open and are not shaded. The temperature can get up to the high 80’s Fahrenheit during the summer so be sure to bring water and wear sunscreen on your hike. The trails itself are wide and comprised of packed dirt which can be muddy during the winter months.

Monument Peak Loop

For a more challenging hike, the 10 mile Monument Peak Loop is a popular alternative to the crowded Mission Peak. The Monument Peak Trail has a 2000 feet elevation gain. Similar to Mission Peak, when you reach the summit, you can enjoy views of the entire Bay Area. This loop is compromised of the Agua Caliente Trail, Monument Peak Trail, and the Caldera Creek Trail. If that is not enough, the trail connects to Mission Peak if you want to tack on more mileage to your hike.

Hiking Tips

Mountain lions, snakes, and ticks are all things to be aware of as they are natural habitat to the surrounding areas. There are signs that remind you of the risks at the trailheads. It is a good idea to check yourself and your dogs for ticks before leaving the park.

The only bathrooms available are at the base of the park so be sure to use the restroom before beginning your hike.

Biking

Biking the hiking trails is a popular activity as well at the park. Be sure to check the signs of the trails as some paths may not allow bikes through.

Dog Park

Ed Levin has a dedicated dog park where you can let your dogs off-leash. There are benches and trees for shade near the entrance to the park.

Parking is limited at the dedicated dog park parking spots, but the main parking lot is less than a 3 min. walk away.

General Tips

We love coming during the sunset hours to catch the sunset. It does get cool during the evening hours. Also depending on your carrier, there may be no cell signal at the valley of the park. The hills are green during the winter early spring but are dry and yellow during the summer. If you’re looking for a park that has flat trails by the water, Quarry Lakes Park is only 20 min. away.