The Five Wounds Trail runs from Coyote Creek near I-280 to the iconic Church of Five Wounds on East Santa Clara Street and north across Julian to Highway 101 and Lower Silver Creek, connecting the Coyote Creek and Lower Silver Creek Trails and providing a crucial link in the citywide trail system. Part of the trail from I-280 to East William Street is already completed.
The 1.5 mile stretch of trail that runs from East William Street to the church on East Santa Clara Street and continues to Highway 101 and Lower Silver Creek-- the “upper Five Wounds Trail” is an abandoned railroad right-of-way currently owned by the Valley Transit Authority.
Friends of the Five Wounds Trail (FFWT) is a group of residents of the Five Wounds/Brookwood Terrace neighborhoods and allies, including Save Our Trails, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition and the San Jose Parks Foundation. The goals of the task force include zoning the railroad right-of-way as parkland/open space, preservation and acquisition of the trail lands and ultimately, development of an urban trail that links San Jose’s creekside trails. We’re working with the city, county and VTA to achieve this and meanwhile, we’re caring for the trail with regular clean-ups and planned adoptions of portions of the trail.
2024
The City of San José and VTA reached an agreement for VTA to grant the City a no-cost easement for the railroad right-of-way from E William Street to Lower Silver Creek. The actual transfer of property will occur in phases as VTA no longer needs the right-of-way for BART construction staging. The Council delegated the authority to acquire trail property by separate parcel agreements to the City Manager. This is currently in progress for the trail segment between E William Street and Whitton Avenue.
The City will move forward with a formal Master Plan for the entire length of the trail when VTA releases the land between Whitton Avenue and E Santa Clara Street. The Park Dept has created a Feasibility Plan for the trail.
Western Pacific Trestle at Senter and Story Roads
The trestle bridge at Five Wounds Trail is located north of the intersection of Story Road and Senter Road where it crosses Coyote Creek in San Jose, CA. It is the planned southern terminus of the Five Wounds Trail, where it will intersect with Coyote Creek Trail and the Three Creeks Trail. The Five Wounds Trail will go under Interstate 280, through Coyote Meadows, and over the trestle. The trestle was built between 1921 and 1922 as part of the San Jose branch of Western Pacific Railway Company lines intended for freight service.
The City of San Jose initiated a structural study of the trestle. The City closed the Coyote Creek Trail between Selma Olinder Dog Park and Story Road as a precautionary measure and based on findings from a draft structural report of the former railroad trestle that crosses over Coyote Creek Trail. After reviewing final versions of the structural report, the City has determined that the trestle does not qualify for emergency demolition and the trail could be re-opened. City will be monitoring the trestle for further degradation.
Friends of Five Wounds Trail
For further information or to join the Friends of Five Wounds Trail email list, contact via our Contact Us page and specify the topic as Mailing List or send an email to info@fivewoundstrailsj.org.
◦Joan Rivas-Cosby (our chair)
◦Ralph Portillo (our vice chair)
◦Terry Christensen