Whether it's the constant "ding" from another text message, the low roar of commuter traffic, the podcast in your earbuds, or the banging of construction, modern life here in Silicon Valley is loud and distracting, 24/7. Join Interpretive Specialist Katie Renz and Docent Naturalists Bobbie Riedel and Nancy Weintraub for an out-and-back, moderately-paced hike on the North Ridge and Chris MacIntosh trails to alleviate this ubiquitous acoustic excess. You'll learn a bit about "noise pollution" and efforts to remedy it, and quietly discuss what we hear. But mostly you'll hike with others in silence in a safe environment—listening to the chatter of birds, the whisper of breeze, the creak of tall trees. (Note: There are several steeper sections, totaling an elevation gain of approximately 750 feet; hiking poles are recommended if you use them.)
Meet at the North Ridge Parking Area on Skyline Boulevard. This entrance is next to the now closed Kings Mountain Country Store. The parking lot is 4.5 miles south of Highway 92, and 8.1 miles north of Highway 84.