What Can I Do At Ulistac?
Facilities
Ulistac is dedicated as a Natural Area, not a park. This means that we have no facilities, such as restrooms, drinking water, benches, picnic areas, play parks or sports areas. All of these listed facilities can be found directly across the street in Lick Mill Park.
All irrigation at Ulistac uses recycled water from the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant. Please do not drink any of the irrigation water at Ulistac.
Activities
Although we do not have any of the facilities of a traditional City Park, there are a lot of things you can do at Ulistac:
Volunteering - We are always looking for volunteers at Ulistac! Please see our volunteer pages for more information.
Walking - There is almost a mile of flat, crushed granite trails to enjoy at Ulistac, and access to the Guadalupe River trail for those who want a longer walk. There is a good mix of sun and shade, and we have placed some large cut logs next to the trails so that there is a place to rest for those who want it.
Running - Do laps of the trails to increase your mileage, or run through Ulistac on your way to the river trail.
Birding - There have been over 180 different species of birds spotted at Ulistac! It is a very popular place to visit, for both birds and birders, during the spring and fall migration. We have been named on eBird as a 'birding hotspot' and a list of birds spotted at Ulistac can be found on their website.
Enjoying Nature - Listen to the birdsong, or the wind in the trees. Smell the sages, or the earth after rain. Look for insects and animals. Enjoy witnessing the different stages of the Monarch Butterfly. There is plenty of nature to be had at Ulistac!
Educating - People young and old can learn at Ulistac! There are interpretive boards placed around the site, and our volunteers are friendly and happy to try to answer your questions. We are happy for groups to visit, either on an organized tour with one of our leaders, or on your own.
Scavenger Hunt - We have created a scavenger hunt for children to complete while at Ulistac. Print out the pdf and take it with you! The Ulistac Checklist Activity can be found under the ‘Learn’ tab, or by clicking here.
Cycling - A good place for little ones to learn to ride their bikes! If you are cycling at Ulistac, please keep your speed down and be aware of people walking. Stopping distances on the granite trails is much greater than on pavement.
Art - Bring your camera to take photographs, set up your easel to paint or draw, or just get inspiration for later projects! We would love to see any of your Ulistac related art work, email us a picture or post it on our Facebook page and please let us know whether you are happy for us to share your picture.
Dog Walking - We love to see dogs enjoying Ulistac with their humans! It is City park rules that all dogs MUST be kept on a 6ft leash at all times within Ulistac. We have ground dwelling birds and animals at Ulistac who also appreciate your dogs being kept on a leash. Please be aware that there is foxtail grass at Ulistac, and this can cause a problem for dogs.