Cottle and Lester Historic Ranch opens to the public for first time with dedication at Martial Cottle Park today
County Parks marks the end of the first phase of ranch construction and the completion of the park's Perimeter Trail, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
SAN JOSE — Santa Clara County Parks will hold a dedication event Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Martial Cottle Park to mark the completion of the first phase of construction at the Cottle and Lester Historic Ranch and the completion of the park's Perimeter Trail, according to the county parks calendar. For the first time, the historic ranch will be open and accessible to the public, the county said.
The listing invites visitors to "explore, learn, and enjoy" and says more details are to come. It does not list a program, speakers or which ranch buildings visitors can enter.
Edward Cottle established the ranch in 1856, and his descendants farmed it until 2014, keeping the land in agricultural production under one family for more than 150 years, according to the county's park page. The 287-acre park, a state and county park run by County Parks, now focuses on the area's farming history and on organic and urban farming.
If you go
The main entrance is at 5283 Snell Ave., San José. The park is open from 8 a.m. until sunset, and vehicle entry fees are collected all year, with hourly parking available, the county says. California State Parks passes are not valid there. Dogs on 6-foot leashes are allowed on the trails. The park office is at (408) 535-4060.
Also Saturday, Our City Forest holds a volunteer workday at the park's Urban Forestry Education Center from 9 a.m. to noon, the calendar shows.
Source: Santa Clara County Parks calendar; Martial Cottle Park page, Santa Clara County Parks