General Information

• Hours: 8 a.m. to 1 hour after sunset
• Acreage: 65
• Council District: 10
• Contact Information
  • San José Park Ranger Office: 408-794-6200
  • Permits & Reservations: 408-794-7275

Picnic Areas

This location both reservable and non-reservable picnic areas. Non-reservable picnic areas are occupied at a first-come, first-serve basis.

Reservation permit holders must arrive at the reservation site on the date reserved prior to 10:00 a.m. and remain at the site with a copy of the approved picnic application. The site will be opened to the public for general use at 10:00 a.m. if the reservation holder is not present. An adult representative from the group must be present at all times.

Visit the picnic areas' individual pages to view its amenities and fees:

• Lakeview
• Peppertree
• Tamien
• Cinnabar I
• Cinnabar II
• Cinnabar I & II
• Southpoint
• Quicksilver
• Arroyo

Park Map

Parking fees

Effective April 1, 2021, City of San José Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) will resume paid parking at regional parks and destinations.

All city payment machines will display multilingual signage reminding customers to wear a mask and maintain a safe distance from others while paying. Employees will follow safe cash handling procedures as well as routine machine cleaning.

Parking fees are $6 per day, and subject to change as normal operations resume. Discount cards and hangtags issued from April 2019 through March 2020 will be honored to receive a full year of value.

Parking fees are collected daily. Each automated machine accepts exact cash (change is not dispensed) and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card). Parking space is not guaranteed and re-entry may not be allowed when space is unavailable. Annual passes honored at Alum Rock Park, Lake Cunningham, Almaden Lake, Kelley Park and Happy Hollow Park & Zoo.

The park has two parking lots. The east side parking lot is located off Winfield Boulevard, just south of Coleman Road. The east lot allows access to Quicksilver, Southpoint and Arroyo picnic areas and the Los Alamitos Creek Trail. The west side parking lot located off Almaden Expressway.

• West side
  • 221 regular
  • 5 handicapped
  • 2 loading zones
  • 2 staff
  • 4 motorcycle
•  East side
  • 109 regular
  • 4 handicapped
  • 2 loading zones

For more information on parking, contact Parks at 408-794-6504.

Amenities

• Sports/Activities:
  • Basketball
  • Bocce Ball
  • Horseshoes
  • Almaden Lake Trail
  • Picnicking
  • Volleyball
• Park Structures
  • Concession Stand
    • Open on a seasonal basis and offers beverages, light foods and refreshments.
  • Amphitheater
    • This ideal wedding location provides comfortable grass and cement seating for guests and is handicapped accessible. For more wedding information, visit our PRNS Wedding Webpage.
• Youth Playground:
  • Two playgrounds ages 2-5
  • Playground ages 5-12
• Restrooms: Yes
• Dog-friendly: Leash required
• Telephones: Yes
  • A public telephone is located on each side of the park; at the snack bar building on the west and at the east restroom. There is a trail call box to allow access to emergency services located by the bocce ball courts along the parking lot on the east side.
• Fishing: License required
  • Fishing conditions vary from week to week. Contact the park off at 408-277-5130 for latest information.
• Boating and Swimming: Not permitted
  • Due to risk of invasive mussel infestation, personal boating and other watercrafts are not allowed at Almaden Lake Park.
  • The water feature is currently turned off due to the drought until further notice.
• Nearby Facilities:
  • Almaden Community Center
  • Camden Community Center
  • Los Almaitos Creek Trail
  • Guadalupe Creek Trail
  • Guadalupe Oak Grove Park

Rules and Regulations

• Photo permits are required for all commercial photo shoots. This includes professional wedding photographers.
• Vehicle Access: Vehicles ARE NOT permitted on service roads or paths. All picnic areas are within a short walking distance from the parking lots. Illegally parked vehicles or vehicles operated on paths and service roads are subject to citation. 
• General Rules:
  1. Amplified sound (including drums, loud speakers/radios/instruments) is prohibited.
  2. Beer and wine are allowed in the designated picnic areas only.
  3. Fish may be caught and released, but should not be eaten. This lake contains fish and sediment that may be contaminated with mercury, which may be harmful if ingested by humans. Fishing licenses must be displayed at all times.
  4. No damaging or collecting flowers, plants, trees, or other vegetation.
  5. Weapons, guns, including air guns, paintball guns, or any dangerous instruments are not allowed in this park.
  6. Skating is allowed only on paved sidewalks and pathways. Skateboarding, roller skating, or inline skating on park structures, furniture or hard courts is prohibited.
  7. Littering/unauthorized dumping or dumping of residential garbage is not allowed.
  8. It is unlawful to damage, deface, vandalize or otherwise alter City park property.
  9. Air jumper with City-approved vendor is permitted only at  Quicksilver and Arroyo picnic areas upon approval by Parks Division office.
  10. Party/Costume characters are not allowed to collect money on City property.
  11. Smoking is not allowed in City of San José Parks.
  12. All San José Municipal Codes and State laws apply.