Guadalupe River, Urban river in Santa Clara Valley, United States.
The Guadalupe River flows northward through San Jose, beginning in the Santa Cruz Mountains and reaching the San Francisco Bay. The waterway moves through the city, with parks and green spaces lining portions of its course.
A Spanish explorer named the river after the Virgin of Guadalupe in 1776 during his expedition through Santa Clara County. That naming has remained part of the river's identity for nearly 250 years.
The Muwekma Ohlone people called this waterway Thámien Rúmmey and it remains central to San Jose's environmental education and restoration efforts. Today you can see how the local community connects to this river through walking paths and community programs that celebrate its ecological importance.
A trail system runs alongside the river, connecting multiple parks and neighborhoods for visitors to explore. The paths work well for walking, cycling, and watching local wildlife throughout different seasons.
In 2005, workers discovered fossilized remains of a juvenile Columbian mammoth near the riverbed. This rare find from the Ice Age is now on display at the San Jose Children's Discovery Museum.
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