Best hikes east of Silicon Valley

Overview: The hills east of San Jose, California, are rugged, steep and wilder than you might suspect, considering the nearby sprawl visible from the peaks overlooking Silicon Valley.

Be ready for a workout and wear your sturdy shoes on these attached hikes. The locales, at a glance:

Coyote Hills Regional Park: Easiest hikes of the bunch in this park hugging the southeast shoreline of San Francisco Bay.

Mission Peak Regional Preserve: No easy way to reach the peak of Fremont's most visible summit. The views (and the United Nations of folks on the trails) make it worth the effort.

Ed Levin County Park: More steep hiking, minus the crowds you'll find at Mission Peak.

Alum Rock Park: Great trails in this park managed by the city of San Jose.

Joseph D. Grant County Park: Get a taste of 19th century ranch life in the park's rolling terrain.

Tips: Best time to go: springtime when the hills turn green and the wildflowers decorate the hillsides.

Bring lots of sunscreen -- these hikes have little or no shade.

The high ridges can be very windy, making for bone-chilling hikes in the wintertime.