Poster for Calero event
Calero Event Poster
(click on it to enlarge)

Table of contents
1 Schedule
2 Costs and Registration
3 Venue Facilities
4 What to Bring
5 Courses
6 Park Rules
7 Request for Volunteers
8 Driving Directions
9 Parking

Calero County Park

Date: (Sun.) Mar. 29, 2026
Location: San Jose, CA
Event Directors: , - 415.309.1853
Course Setter: John Richardson
Type: B; Standard 8-course event for beginners through advanced orienteers; beginners and non-members are welcome; free beginner instruction will be available

Related Event Information

Optional Online Registration (https://eventreg.orienteeringusa.org/eventregister/a40/register/start/calero2026) Course Setter’s Notes Volunteer Sign-ip (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Wjw3cGMTKUKtkb4J21woYw5zrNozlfqy--m0N2N8Uto/edit?usp=sharing) Attackpoint Event Page (https://attackpoint.org/eventdetail.jsp/event_60556) Last Year’s Event 2024 Calero Event

Please note that fees and time limits apply. Events are typically not canceled due to bad weather.
Note: The courses for the Calero event are ready and taped. Let us know if you will not be able to attend the event (March 29), and would be able to pre-run an advanced course.


This will be a standard Classic-distance event with eight courses for beginners through advanced orienteers. Everyone is welcome to attend this event, especially beginners. There will be free beginner instruction at the event to get you started. BAOC club membership is not required (but it does give a reduced entry fee on courses above "beginner").

The park's website is here (https://parks.sccgov.org/santa-clara-county-parks/calero-county-park).

Like last year, we get to visit this park early in the year, so we get to see if nature is starting to blossom. This scene provides an example of how the park might look:

2023 Calero Scene

Schedule

  9:00 AM – 11:59 AM: Registration is open
  9:30 AM – 10:30 AM: Beginner instruction is available (free)
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM: Starts are open for all the courses
                  2:00 PM: Everyone must have returned to the Finish

At registration, all juniors (i.e., under 21) must be accompanied by parents or legal guardians, or bring with them a waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian (the registration form is available here (PDF/12KB)).

Note that you can register and start on courses anytime during the open times above. Thus, for example, you do not need to be "punctual" at 9:00 (but you can if you want, but please don't show up earlier and expect to be served).

Beginner instruction is 15–20 minute, repeating sessions (clinics) that introduce the sport of orienteering, and provide enough instruction to be able to complete a beginner (White or Yellow) course.

Note: Beginners are given their White- or Yellow-course maps at registration. You should get your map before joining a beginner clinic.

Note that everyone must return to the Finish by 2:00 PM, and then promptly go to the download tent, even if they have not finished their course. Please do not leave without checking in! If there are unaccounted people after 2:00, we must initiate a search for them.

After you finish, stick around and socialize with other participants! Beginners should use this opportunity to ask any questions they have.

Costs and Registration

Optional online registration (and payment) is available before the event as described below.

The following fees apply at this event:

  $3 for each junior on Beginner (White) and Advanced Beginner (Yellow) courses
  $8 for each adult on Beginner and Advanced Beginner courses
  $5 for each junior on Intermediate (Orange) and Advanced (Silver–Blue) courses  
$15 for each adult member on Intermediate and Advanced courses
$20 for each adult non-member on Intermediate and Advanced courses
  $1 for a compass rental (optional)  
  $5 for an E-punch fingerstick rental (if you don't own one; each group will need one to complete their course)
$15 (and up) for one-year BAOC membership (optional)  
Notes:
  • At the event, we can accept payment by cash, check, or credit/debit card (but no electronic payments — e.g., PayPal, Venmo).
  • Individual entrants can register at the event or online before the event (see below).
  • Groups going on a course together must register at the event. (The online registration system can't deal with groups. 🙁)
  • Juniors are age 8 through 20 (under age 8 is free).
  • There is no charge for a second course (but you must end up paying for the more-expensive course​—​i.e., Intermediate or Advanced after Beginner).
  • Members of other orienteering clubs can pay the "member" fee. (We hope your club would do the same for our members. 🙂)

More information about event pricing is available in the club FAQ. All the prices are also shown on the standard entry form (PDF/12KB), which you can print and fill out in advance to save some time at the event. (You will need one entry form for each group of people going on a course together.)

Optional Online Registration

You can (but are not required to) register online here (https://eventreg.orienteeringusa.org/eventregister/register/start/calero2026) for this event. If you register online, you must pay via PayPal (with credit card, debit card, or PayPal account​—​you do not need to have a PayPal account).

Note: If you register online, you must complete the online waiver, and you must pay online before online registration closes.

Online registration for this event will close on Saturday, March 28th, at 6:00 PM.

Notes:
  • Online registration is not required​—​you can register at the event. Individuals might want to register in advance to simplify check-in at the event (and to help the Registration crew).
  • Online registration is available only to individuals, not to groups (i.e., sharing a single E-stick). (The online registration system can't deal with groups. 🙁)
  • Compass rental cannot be arranged during online registration, but you can register online and rent a compass at the event.
  • E-punch fingerstick rental can be arranged during online registration.
  • You can see who is registered here (https://eventreg.orienteeringusa.org/eventregister/a40/reglist/home/calero2026) (but keep in mind that others will register at the event).

Venue Facilities

The Assembly Area (registration, E-punch download, and toilets) will be at the McKean Entrance picnic area (i.e., our standard location). The driving directions are below.

Picnic tables, piped water, and portable toilets are available, so please feel free to bring along a picnic lunch to enjoy after you finish your course.

Note: The park will not let us serve food or water at the event. So, bring any snacks you will want to eat after your run. You can either bring your own water or fill your water bottle from the taps.

What to Bring

For Beginner courses (White and Yellow), comfortable outdoors attire and shoes are fine.

For Intermediate (Orange) and Advanced (Silver through Blue) courses, leg cover or gaiters are recommended, as well as shoes with some extra grip on the sole.

A compass is not absolutely necessary, but can be helpful, and thus is recommended. We have compasses available for a $1 rental fee.

We time the courses with the SPORTident system, so each entry/team needs to have a SPORTident E-punch fingerstick. If you don't have your own, you will need to rent one at registration for $5. (Use of the "E-punch" system is easy. You can learn how at the event, or read about it here.)

Courses

Here are the course details. Be sure to read the Course Setter's Notes for more information. 

    Course    Length       Climb     Controls  Map Scale  Navigation
    White     1.9 km    100 m  5.3%      9      1:7,500   Beginner  
    Yellow    2.7 km    105 m  3.9%     10      1:7,500   Adv. Beginner
    Orange    3.4 km    185 m  5.4%      9      1:7,500   Intermediate  
    Silver    2.4 km     75 m  3.1%      7      1:7,500   Advanced  
    Brown     3.0 km    100 m  3.3%      9      1:7,500   Advanced
    Green     4.6 km    230 m  5.0%     16      1:7,500   Advanced
    Red       5.8 km    295 m  5.1%     15     1:10,000   Advanced
    Blue      7.0 km    365 m  5.2%     20     1:10,000   Advanced

Notes:
  • There is a 1 km walk (50 m climb) to the Start, which is shared for all the courses. It should take around 20 minutes to get there at a walking pace. (There is a short walk from the Finish back to the Assembly Area.)
  • Please follow the marked route when walking to the Start. If you are aware of the "shortcut" that was used for previous events, please do not take it. Ignoring this guidance could jeopardize our ability to continue using the park.
  • Maps for the Beginner courses (White and Yellow) are given out at registration, and can be looked at before starting the course.
  • Maps for the Intermediate course (Orange) and Advanced courses (Silver through Blue) are provided at the Start, and must not be looked at before starting the course.
  • Beginners should be aware that the course lengths shown are the cumulative straight-line distances between controls. The climb numbers represent the amount of ascending that would be done on the "optimum route" (in the Course Setter's opinion), without regard for any descending. Because you won't travel in straight lines, and might not follow the optimum routes, your actual distance and climb will be somewhat more than what is shown above, and will depend on your route choices (and any errors you make).
  • Horses always have the right of way. If you encounter a horse, you must stop running and respond to the rider's direction.

The Start for the courses will be similar to last year — we will walk along the bottom access road and up a marked route to get to the Start. Participants must stay away from the buildings while walking along the road, and must stay on the trail.

Park Rules

Did we mention that horses always have the right of way? If you encounter equestrians while running on a multi-use trail or road, please walk until you are clear of the horses. A startled horse could throw and injure the rider. Also be careful not to jump onto a trail when horses are nearby.

Request for Volunteers

As usual, we will need volunteers to help run the event. Please consider volunteering to help in one of the ways listed below. All volunteers at the event will be able to complete a course.

Please sign up on this form (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Wjw3cGMTKUKtkb4J21woYw5zrNozlfqy--m0N2N8Uto/edit?usp=sharing), or contact , the Event Director. Don't delay, or you could miss your favorite task.

Driving Directions

The event Assembly Area is at the usual McKean Entrance picnic area in Calero County Park (i.e., not at the boat ramp). Because everyone uses GPS for driving directions these days, we will only have one orange/white orienteering directional sign at the junction of McKean Road and the park entrance, about a half mile SE of the Bailey Road junction and about 1.3 miles SE of the Calero Reservoir Boat Launch. For GPS navigation, the address is 23205 McKean Road, San Jose. (The approximate coordinates are 37.1749,-121.7611.)

From the Peninsula: Take Highway 101 or I-280 south to Highway 85, then take Highway 85 south to Almaden Expressway. Head south 5 miles to the end of the road. Turn right onto Harry, and then immediately left onto McKean. The main park entrance is 5 miles south on McKean. Go about 1.3 miles past the boat ramp, and turn in at the entrance (on your right) marked "Calero County Park; Park Office; Equestrian Center; All Trailheads".

From the East Bay: Take I-680 or I-880 south to Highway 101 in San Jose, then take Highway 101 south beyond Highway 85, and exit at Bailey Ave. After 3.2 miles west, Bailey ends at McKean. Turn left and go south 0.7 miles to the park entrance on your right.

Photo gallery image (click to enlarge)

Parking

There's a large parking lot next to registration.

Please do not park in the back of the lot​—​i.e., the part farthest from the road. Horse trailers park there, and we need to give them plenty of room to maneuver.