El Toro (Spanish for "The Bull") is a prominent hill located along the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains in southwest Santa Clara County, California. The iconic landmark is partially owned by the city of Morgan Hill, and its silhouette is incorporated into the city logo.
History According to local legend, 19th-century American poet Bret Harte named the hill when he climbed it and discovered two bulls fighting near the summit (they subsequently chased him back down).
Hiking Although a portion of the hill is on public land, access to the summit is through privately owned surrounding lands.
Since 2008, the Morgan Hill Historical Society has sponsored annual spring hikes up to the summit.Hike Up El Toro, March 2010 However, due to increased contention over property rights, no public hikes to the summit have been permitted since 2011.Hiking to El Toro Cancelled Indefinitely, April 2012
In 2012, the Morgan Hill Parks and Recreation Commission re-initiated a study started a decade earlier to create a public trail to the summit. The results of the study and proposal for the trail are available on the Commission's website.Morgan Hill Parks and Recreation Commission on El Toro Trail, April 2012
In 2013, the Commission held the first of a series of public meetings on the proposal to create the trail and associated facilities nearby.Morgan Hill Public Meeting on El Toro Trail, March 2013
In 2015, an "Access Strategy" to determine the proposed trail access points was developed by the Commission and approved by the City Council.El Toro Trail Access Strategy, February 2015
In 2016, the Commission will hold a public meeting on the proposal to create a non-paved public trail on the eastern side of El Toro and to address concerns about safety, parking, litter, and impacts on wildlife.Morgan Hill Public Meeting on El Toro Trail, November 2016
See also List of summits of the San Francisco Bay Area
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