Hiking & Walking Groups in San Jose

Make friends in San Jose › Hiking & walking groups

By Greg deVries · Published [launch date] · Updated October 10, 2026 · Listings re-checked before every update; next full review January 2027

San Jose hiking groups organize mostly on Meetup and meet at South Bay trailheads such as Almaden Quicksilver. San Jose Mid-Week Hikers goes several weekday mornings, South Bay Hiking and Travel Meetup hikes on weekends, and Bay Area Active & Social runs hikes for people in their 20s to 40s. All are free to join.

Only 5 verified hiking rows and 0 dedicated walking groups. Most hiking groups are regional Meetup groups, so they carry a Regional badge. The report's "walking club san jose" autocomplete demand is real but unserved: priority to verify Villages Hiking Club and San José FrontRunners, Walkers and Wheelers. Consider noindex until 8+ listings.

Which hiking groups meet in and around San Jose?

San Jose hiking groups mostly organize on Meetup. Each hike is posted as its own event with the trailhead, distance and pace, and you RSVP to that hike. Many hikes use South Bay parks such as Almaden Quicksilver.

Bay Area Hiking And Anything Fun

FreeRegional group

A very large San Jose-based group for hikes, walks, rides and other outings around the Bay Area.

Accepting new members?: Yes (open Meetup group; join on page)
Beginner-friendly?: Yes
OK to go alone?: Yes (open RSVP events for individuals)
Next meeting: Sun Oct 11, 2026
Usual schedule: Several events weekly
Where: Regional (based in San Jose)
Varies (trailheads and venues around the Bay Area)
Cost: Free (you need a free Meetup account to RSVP)
How to join: Join the Meetup group, then RSVP. RSVP: Meetup RSVP

San Jose Mid-Week Hikers Group

FreeRegional groupRetirees and flexible schedulesweekdays

Organized weekday hikes for people with flexible schedules, retirees or anyone off midweek, usually 5 to 7 miles.

Accepting new members?: Yes (open Meetup group; join on page)
Beginner-friendly?: Yes (Distances and elevation listed for each hike)
OK to go alone?: Yes (open RSVP events for individuals)
Next meeting: Mon Oct 12, 2026 9:15 AM
Usual schedule: Several weekday hikes per week
Where: Regional (based in San Jose)
Trailheads across the South Bay and beyond, posted per hike
Cost: Free (you need a free Meetup account to RSVP)
How to join: Join the Meetup group, then RSVP. RSVP: Meetup RSVP

South Bay Hiking and Travel Meetup

FreeRegional groupweekends

A San Jose-centered hiking group that explores parks around the region, with mileage and climbing posted for every outing.

Accepting new members?: Yes (open Meetup group; join on page)
Beginner-friendly?: Yes
OK to go alone?: Yes (open RSVP events for individuals)
Next meeting: Sun Oct 18, 2026 1:30 PM
Usual schedule: Weekly weekend hikes plus trips
Where: Regional (based in San Jose)
Trailheads around the Bay Area and Central Coast, posted per hike
Cost: Free (you need a free Meetup account to RSVP)
How to join: Join the Meetup group, then RSVP. RSVP: Meetup RSVP

Santa Clara-San Jose Running Group

FreeNearby: Santa Claraweekends

Runners and walkers of every speed head down The Alameda toward downtown San Jose and back, then hang out over coffee.

Accepting new members?: Yes (open Meetup group; join on page)
Beginner-friendly?: Yes (All speeds; walkers welcome)
OK to go alone?: Yes (open RSVP events for individuals)
Next meeting: Sat Oct 17, 2026 9:00 AM
Usual schedule: Weekly, Saturday 9:00 AM
Where: The Alameda (near Santa Clara University)
Mission City Coffee Roasting Co, 2221 The Alameda, Santa Clara
Cost: Free (you need a free Meetup account to RSVP)
How to join: Join the Meetup group, then RSVP. RSVP: Meetup RSVP

Are there walking groups in San Jose?

Walking groups are the thinnest part of this directory right now. Santa Clara-San Jose Running Group welcomes walkers on its Saturday run/walk near Santa Clara University (listed on our running clubs page), and several hiking groups post easy, shorter hikes. We're checking more walking clubs now.

Are there social bike rides in San Jose?

Yes. San José Bike Party is a free monthly themed night ride, and Mere Mortals Mountain Biking runs relaxed rides in South Bay parks.

San José Bike Party

Freeevenings

A huge, free monthly themed night ride through San Jose streets, with music and costumes, organized by volunteers.

Accepting new members?: Yes (open Meetup group; join on page)
Beginner-friendly?: Yes (Casual pace; lights required)
OK to go alone?: Yes (open RSVP events for individuals)
Next meeting: Fri Oct 16, 2026 7:30 PM
Usual schedule: Monthly themed night ride (usually third Friday, 7:30 PM) plus test rides and volunteer meetings
Where: Downtown / varies
Start points vary by month; Oct 16 ride starts near 361 W Santa Clara St, San Jose
Cost: Free
How to join: Show up at the posted start. RSVP: None needed

Mere Mortals Mountain Biking

FreeNearby: Los Altos (group base)Regional groupeveningsweekends

A relaxed-pace mountain bike group that welcomes riders of every skill level, including San Jose rides at Calero.

Accepting new members?: Yes (open Meetup group; join on page)
Beginner-friendly?: Yes (Relaxed pace; all levels)
OK to go alone?: Yes (open RSVP events for individuals)
Next meeting: Thu Oct 15, 2026 6:00 PM
Usual schedule: Weekly Thursday evening rides plus weekend rides
Where: South Bay (rides in San Jose parks such as Calero)
Trailheads vary; recent rides at Calero/Rancho San Vicente (San Jose) and the Baylands
Cost: Free (you need a free Meetup account to RSVP)
How to join: Join the Meetup group, then RSVP. RSVP: Meetup RSVP

Still to verify for hiking, walking and cycling (7): these are in the spreadsheet's Needs verification sheet and are not shown on the public page until someone confirms a dated upcoming event.

San Jose Bicycle Club (Cycling: road (club rides), San Jose)
Upshift Cycles Saturday shop ride (Cycling: shop ride, San Jose)
Velo Girls (Cycling: women, Woodside / regional)
Sierra Pathfinders Hiking Group (Hiking, Palo Alto / regional)
Villages Hiking Club (Hiking, San Jose (The Villages))
San José FrontRunners, Walkers and Wheelers (SJFRWW) (Running/walking: LGBTQ+, Downtown/Coleman)
South San Jose Running/Walking (Beginner welcome) (Running: beginner run/walk, South San Jose (Village Oaks))

Common questions

Are San Jose hiking groups free?

Yes. All 5 hiking groups on this page are free to join. You need a free Meetup account to RSVP to most hikes, and some parks charge for parking.

Are there weekday hiking groups in San Jose?

San Jose Mid-Week Hikers Group runs several weekday hikes each week, usually 5 to 7 miles, for retirees and people with flexible schedules.

Is there a hiking group for people in their 20s and 30s?

Bay Area Active & Social (20s, 30s & 40s) runs hikes and outings across the Bay Area, including San Jose hikes such as Almaden Quicksilver.

How hard are group hikes?

It depends on the hike. Most hiking groups post distance, elevation gain and pace on each event page. Start with a hike under 5 miles and tell the organizer you're new.

Can I bring my dog on a group hike?

Check the event and the park. Some groups allow dogs on certain hikes, and park rules vary. Ask the organizer before you bring one.

About this page. Written and maintained by Greg deVries, founder of SanJoseClubs.com. [GREG: add a one-to-two sentence bio here, for example how long you have lived in San Jose and which groups you have shown up to yourself. AEO checklist item: visible author credentials.] Listings are checked against each group's own public page (Meetup, Strava, Instagram, library calendars, or the club website). A group is listed as verified only if we saw an upcoming event or dated activity within about the last 90 days. Spot something out of date? Tell us.