For those who need a little more than that, Los Gatos has its own sanctuary in the Los Gatos Creek Trail.

The Los Gatos Creek Trail extends about nine miles, stretching through Vasona Park, San Jose and Campbell. The creek trail has been in existence for more than 30 years. Facing development, a group of nature lovers stepped in, including Don Hebard of Campbell.

The Los Gatos Streamside Park Committee was formed in the late 1970s by Ron Diridon, Hebard says.

"It was his brainchild to get that organization started," says Hebard, who attended Los Gatos High School in the 1930s.

Diridon was elected to the county Board of Supervisors in 1974 and immediately set to work on the trail issue. He appointed Hebard to head the committee since the two had served together on the Campbell Planning Commission. The committee included members from San Jose, Los Gatos, Campbell and the Santa Clara Valley Water District, as well as a few representatives from the local neighborhoods, Hebard says.

"We were faced with development between Bascom and Leigh avenues, which is now a housing development," Hebard recalls. "There were concerns about how this development was going to impact the creek--so it was time to look at development. This became the immediate issue. In a very short time we made our goal to have the creek open to the public, to give the public access and to protect it for that purpose."

Hebard says the committee set about cleaning up the creek, and planning the building of a trail.

"Before, it was all mattresses and old tires, pretty much a dumping ground. It was looked at as an obstacle to growth, and it was sort of in the way," he says. "It was our objective to see what it offered in every way. So we started in on getting a trail through so the public would see what they had and take care of it, once they saw the possibilities."

Hebard says Campbell kicked off the efforts with a trail that was visible from Highway 17. When locals started using it, there was a domino effect.

"People driving by saw people exercising and riding bikes and strolling and so forth. Then Los Gatos came on board. That's how it grew," he remembers.

Hebard says the trail was built piece by piece over 25 years, and eventually garnered monetary support from the state as many agencies worked together.

"Los Gatos, Campbell, San Jose, the water district, Caltrans and the sanitary and school districts all did an awful lot," Hebard says. "It was a really nice inter-agency cooperation from the very beginning. It was, 'This is a good idea; we're turning something ugly into something really nice for the entire community.' "

And thus, a trail was born.

Today, the Los Gatos Creek Trail is incredibly popular, drawing people not only from Los Gatos, but from all over the Bay Area.

The trail is a favorite spot for nature lovers, hikers, cyclists and joggers. Many find it a peaceful place to go for a run or bike ride, or simply to walk. Living in such a highly developed, technological valley, residents find the trail offers a rare opportunity to reconnect with nature, a place that is constantly accessible and free.

On Memorial Day, locals came out in large numbers to take advantage of the clear, sunny weather and enjoy the trail.

For some, it was their first time.

"I like it, it's very pretty," Los Gatos resident Christina Ajlouny said. She came with her children, her friend Lyndsey Byrd and Byrd's children.

Byrd, who is from San Jose, says she was first introduced to the creek trail by a friend about a year ago.

"I come down here frequently. [I like it because] it's green and shady," she said.

Byrd's children are big fans of the trail as well.

"They like to collect things. It's an adventure for them, and it's a little bit different every time," she said, as she watched her kids wade into a small pond nearby to collect rocks, shells and other natural items.

Tom McCleary, another Los Gatos resident, also brought his family and Scout, their dog, to the same spot on Memorial Day. They ran into the Aljounys and the Byrds, and all of the children began playing together.

"It's like a watering hole, or the beach. You run into another family and your children play together," he said.

McCleary said the spot is usually popular with dog owners, as he threw a tennis ball into the water and his dog splashed around, chasing after it.

"She's been swimming here for about 10 years," he said of Scout. "We like to run on this trail a lot, too."

"We love to come out here and keep cool," Byrd agreed.

The Los Gatos Creek Trail also offers many educational opportunities. Bonnie LeMat, education director of the Youth Science Institute, which has locations in Los Gatos, Saratoga and San Jose, says the creek and trail serve as the classroom for many of their science classes.

"We have school programs and summer camps, and we actually have thousands of children that go down the trail each year," says LeMat. "During the summer we have a bike hike class; it's one of our most popular summer classes. Every week for about six weeks they ride up and down the Los Gatos Creek Trail, and they learn about the species of plants and animals, the history of the area. And they learn trail etiquette."

LeMat says using the trail in their programs fits in perfectly with YSI's main goal--making science fun.

"The children are experiencing the outdoors; it's beautiful along the creek and the watershed," she says. "There's a lot of wildlife; it's a natural flyway for birds. They can learn such a diversity of things here. They can learn how the Native Americans once used the creek. They can even learn water chemistry. Also, they can learn to appreciate diversity, that we all share this creek. Most of all, they just have fun, and we really like children to enjoy science."

The Los Gatos Creek Trail is teeming with many different forms of nature. According to John Bourgeois, a member of the Los Gatos Parks and Public Works Department, the creek trail is host to a wide variety of wildlife.

"Many species--birds in particular--use it as a movement corridor to get from natural habitats like Vasona into the hills," he says.

For that reason, Bourgeois says, the town needs to make sure the creek and trail are well taken care of.

"I am a biologist by training, as my day job, so I look at the trail from a habitat perspective. In my mind I love the creek and creek trail, but there's a lot of non-native, invasive plant species like English ivy. These things overgrow and invade the habitat," he explains. "[Cleaning that up], that's an expensive undertaking and a lot of work."

Jim Sugai is one local man who has donated his time over several decades to keeping the creek trail and its plant life in good shape.

"There are many sections where I would develop and landscape the trails with native plants," he recalls. "I am pretty active with the native plant society, so that's very connected with the trails."

Part of the motivation for doing so, he says, comes from his own love of using the trail.

"I use trails all over the county, to walk. And I love looking at the native plants," he says. Sugai says he is pleased with how many locals lend a helping hand these days with maintaining the trail and its beauty.

"The town does very well at maintaining it," he says. "We always get a good response whenever we have volunteer day, and there are many others who help maintain it regularly on their own, like I do."

Recently, Bourgeois says the local Lions Club suggested trail maintenance and cleanup as a project for Community Unity, a program started by Los Gatos Mayor Mike Wasserman, which gathers different volunteer groups in the town to join resources for causes in the community. Bourgeois says the volunteer group has come out on many Saturday afternoons recently to help clean up the trail by hand, under the supervision of a parks commissioner. Wasserman himself has come out, Bourgeois adds.

Bourgeois says he feels the trail is in good hands. "Los Gatos does a very good job in general of protecting its natural species."

John Curtis, director of the Los Gatos Parks and Public Works Department, agrees.

"We have a lot of volunteers to help us with [maintaining the trail]," he says. "One of the largest groups that is involved on a bi-monthly basis is the American Association of University Women. They come out and do clean-up on the trail for us. They have a portion of the trail from Main Street to the bridge at Blossom Hill. The Scouts also give us a lot of help. And, of course, we have an autumn cleanup and a spring cleanup, and we do a lot of weeding and trash cleanup."

Curtis says his department has also installed many signs along the trail with the police dispatch number on it so people on the trail can call if help is needed.

"Since we figure most people have cell phones, they can call if there is an issue to deal with," he says.

Bourgeois says safety is an important issue, and reminds people to be aware and courteous when using the trail.

All in all, most agree that the trail is in good shape, thanks to all of the people who care about it.

"I would like to encourage more folks to join the trail cleanup effort," says Bourgeois.

For those who need a break from the hustle and bustle of high-tech daily life, try taking a stroll along the Los Gatos Creek Trail--and get back to nature.

Registration for Youth Science Institute summer classes and programs is going on now. For more information, visit www.ysi-ca.org.