Sport

One of the delightful areas of Coyote Valley that caters to everyone is the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. This is an open space of 350 acres that runs along the foothills to the west of the valley. All you need to do is grab the children, pack up a lunch and a blanket, and find a nice spot where you can enjoy the fresh air, open space and warm weather. Let the kids play around you while you and your significant other relax and let the hustle and bustle of everyday life just melt away. Take a leisurely stroll around the area and enjoy the sounds of birds. Enough room for the kids to throw the Frisbee around or kick a ball.

For the more adventurous the Coyote Creek Parkway Trail is great for exploring on foot. The parkway wends its way along 15 miles of the creek and the north end of the trail is paved, making it perfect for those who want to travel the trail by bicycle, rollerblades or on foot. For those who want to enjoy the beautiful trail from horseback there is a trail the runs parallel to the paved trail for this very purpose.

Located at the southern end of Silicon Valley, the Coyote Creek Golf Course has two 18-hole courses to play. With a beautiful terrain of sprawling meadows and rolling hills the courses offer a great place to not only work on your golfing handicap but also to throw off the stresses of life as you enjoy the fresh air and tranquil surroundings. The two courses available include the Tournament Course which is a challenging golf course for the more experienced golfer serious about playing well on the intricate fairways and varied terrain. For the weekend, casual golfer the Coyote Creek’s Valley Course plays around picturesque lakes and waterfalls but unlike the Tournament course has more open space fairways designed for less experienced and beginner golfers.

The comprehensive facilities at Coyote Valley Sporting Clays provides opportunities for shooters of all levels and interests. Features at the facilities include not one but two sporting clay ranges as well as two skeet fields, all within the beautiful hills of the Santa Clara Valley. The Main course has 20 stations of varying difficulty, from beginner level all the way up to challenging. Most stations offer the choice of single or double targets, and when shooting alone you can choose to have the targets thrown automatically at 3 second intervals. Prices are based upon the number of clays that get launched and reservations are not required.

The Mountain course is elevated above the valley and provides magnificent views as well as a range of challenging targets. Groups of 3 to 6 are escorted by a trapper to launch targets on call. The course consists of 12 stations with 8 -10 targets per station, totaling 100 targets. Price is per 100 target round. Reservations are required.

The Skeet course consists of 8 shooting stations and is played on a flat, semicircular course that throws targets from both left and right. The facilities have two such skeet shooting courses that are great for beginners. For those who need instruction the Trap course is the place to be.

In addition to the above the facilities offer a 5 stand course, practice field and various levels of instruction as well as basic firearm instruction for those who have never handled a firearm before. Coyote Valley Sporting Clays also has a Pro Shop that stocks the full line of Browning shotguns as well as a number of other shotgun manufacturers such as Winchester, Remington and Ruger. You can also buy accessories, ammunition and apparel at the Pro Shop.

From a leisurely afternoon bicycle ride to a more serious long route Coyote Valley offers some of the most magnificent scenic cycling roads available in California. Maps and routes are available for those wanting to meander a mere 25 miles in an afternoon or day, and for those who want to see as much of the countryside as they can there is the 90 mile route that is sure to offer some challenges along the way. Stop along the way to enjoy a roadside picnic lunch and take some fantastic photographs of the beautiful views. For a shorter, less taxing but just as pretty ride check out the Coyote Creek paved trail for cyclists, hikers and rollerbladers.

The paved stretch of the Coyote Creek trail (north portion) is open to hikers and cyclists and does not allow horseback riding, but parallel to the paved trail runs a trail that is perfect for those who want to enjoy the scenery and fresh air from the comfort of a saddle. Riders can set out at a leisurely walk, soaking up the pretty views and enjoying the warm, moderate climate Coyote Valley is known for before taking a rest to enjoy a picnic lunch (bring your own). Once riders have finished eating they can choose to ride to the end of the trail and then turn back or head back from where they ate.