McClellan Ranch Preserve is a public preserve located in the Monta Vista neighborhood of

Cupertino Cupertino ( ) is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States, directly west of San Jose on the western edge of the Santa Clara Valley with portions extending into the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The population was 57,8 ...

that still retains its rural ranch look. It used to be a horse ranch owed by the McClellan family in the 1930s, and still preserves the original ranch house, a working milk barn and livestock barn, and a replica blacksmiths shop, along with a natural reserve in the middle of the park. A famous

birding Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, ...

hot spot, the ranch park also houses the headquarters of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and a nature museum and environmental education center. The preserve received its current name in 2012, when the City of Cupertino renamed what was then McClellan Ranch Park, in order to respect the land's original designation as a preserve. The McClellan Ranch maintains a sedate and scenic

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...

along the meandering Stevens Creek, which flows from the park to Blackberry Farm. The Master Gardeners program of the

Santa Clara County Santa Clara County, officially the County of Santa Clara, is the sixth-most populous county in the U.S. state of California, with a population of 1,936,259, as of the 2020 census. Santa Clara County and neighboring San Benito County together f ...

also conducts vegetable trials on the Community Farm situated on the ranch.

References

{{reflist Cupertino, California Municipal parks in California Parks in the San Francisco Bay Area Parks in Santa Clara County, California Nature centers in California