Father's Day Hike at Sanborn

John Nicholas Trail is my favorite hike in the Sanborn Park. The main attraction is the Lake Ranch Reservoir, a peaceful lake located at the top of a mountain saddle separating two deep and wild canyons. This is a lesser known part of the Sanborn Park, I usually pass very few people on the trail.

The trail head is located at the end of the Sanborn Road. A steep, 0.6 mile long dirt road leads directly to the lake.


The lake is a surprise at the top of a mountain slope. It is an elongated water basin that connects to a steep canyon at each end, the Sanborn Creek watershed at the northern end and the Lyndon Canyon at the southern end.


In the 1870's this area was a ranch land, later sold to the San Jose Water Company. The company constructed dams on both sides of the lake. There are also other man made objects built around the lake.



Past the lake, a level road goes 1.4 mile to the parking lot at the Black Road. Going there and back is a nice and shady hike for the sunny day.


On the way back home, we drove past a Gofer Snake stretched on the pavement across the Sanborn Road. The snake did not want to move, Isia had to take it off the road by hand.