Sunol Grand Loop
Sunol Regional Wilderness
"The mental pleasure in walking, as such, is in the sense of power over all our moving machinery." - Oliver Wendell Holmes
Directions: From the
Peninsula, take the Dumbarton Bridge to Fremont. Drive north on Highway 680 to
Calaveras Road. Turn right on Calaveras to Geary Road and continue to the park.
Grade: Strenuous. 1,700-foot
elevation gain.
Distance: Six miles round
trip.
Time: Three hours.
Special Conditions: There is a $4 day-use fee plus $1 for dogs. Dogs may be off leash in wilderness areas but must be leashed (6-foot maximum) in picnic and posted areas. Toilet facilities and drinking water at trailhead. Park is managed by the East Bay Regional Park District, 510-635-0135 or www.ebparks.org
Good dog Mack would have loved this park. Miles of trails, off-leash privileges, and wide-open spaces make this the ideal dog run. Too bad we didn’t find this jewel before Mack went home to San Diego.
Grandsons Sam (age 14) and Joey (age 9) and I took this hike last weekend, and we enjoyed every mile of it. As we walked along, I thought to myself that if there were one East Bay park that I would like to transfer to the Peninsula, this one would be it.
The Sunol Regional Wilderness Area includes 6,858 acres of open space sure to satisfy anyone wanting to spend time in the great outdoors. Overnight family camping is available for up to 10 consecutive nights. Picnic sites are available along Alameda Creek. The Sunol backpack camping area is located within three miles of headquarters, and the High Valley Group Camp is only a mile walk away.
And don’t forget the trails—low and level along Alameda Creek to the steep and dry heights of Maguire Peaks. They provide the best way to see and truly experience this wilderness area. And now is the best time of the year—the park offers green grass, brilliant wildflowers, and fresh tree foliage. The summer heat can be brutal, so try to schedule this hike before June or wait until next fall or winter.
During this six-mile hike, you will enjoy fine views as you walk along the hillsides or climb the steep ranch roads. Throughout the past century, this area was used almost exclusively as ranchland, and cattle continue to graze through the area. Usually they will scatter on your approach, but occasionally they will stand their ground, look you squarely in the eye, and refuse to yield the right-of-way to “your” trail. At times like that, it is best to excuse yourself and walk around them. Another word of caution is to watch for ticks during the spring. Typically, you pick up ticks from the long grass, so cover up or check yourself periodically, and be sure to shower soon after returning home.
This hike begins at the bridge crossing Alameda Creek, next to two chemical toilets and across the road from the horse stable. Park where you can—there is plenty of space near the stable. Cross the bridge, and turn right on Canyon View Trail. The trail runs close to the creek for a short distance before it turns uphill as a single-track trail.
As you hike along the creek, you will notice two trails that are part of the Indian Joe Creek Trail on your left. Bypass both, and stay the course for Canyon View Trail.
Head uphill and away from the creek, as the trail leads up the grassy hillside. Views soon open up in all directions and are especially grand to the south and east. This time of year (April), the wildflowers are abundant as are the birds. And in some places you are dangerously close to poison oak, so look sharp. The canyon ahead holds Alameda Creek, and you can follow the canyon and watershed to the east. After climbing about 400 feet, you will find that the next mile is quite level as it meanders over the hillside. Toward the end of this segment, you will walk between two fence-rows and on to watering troughs, and quite likely, a small heard of cattle at rest.
Along the way, you will have passed by McCorkle Trail and have arrived at Cerro Este Road. At this junction, you will turn left, but you may want to turn right first and walk briefly to Alameda Creek and the area known as Little Yosemite. The creek is narrow here, and deep pools form as the water rushes over and around large boulders. You may dip your feet, but no swimming is allowed.
From this point, return to Cerro Ester Road, and prepare for a steep hike up Cerro Este Road to Cerro Este Overlook, one mile and 1,000 feet up. The trail is a ranch road still used by vehicles on occasion. After the first quarter mile, the trail advances up the shade-less hillside. There is a nice bench just this side of the McCorkle Trail junction with good views of the canyon below and Calaveras Reservoir to the south.
The overlook is in a grassy meadow, marked by a stone monument with directional signs. Turn left on Cave Rocks Road (another ranch road); continue one-half mile to Eagle View Trail, and turn right. This single-track trail winds up and alongside Indian Joe Creek. It is a nice shady respite from the exposed hillsides, but watch out for poison oak when the trail narrows. You will cross over the creek and hike along a chaparral-covered hillside on your way to Vista Grande Road. Turn left, and begin to enjoy expansive views of San Ramon Valley with Mount Diablo in the distance. This is another broad ranch road located along a ridgeline. When you start hiking downhill, it’s downhill all the way to headquarters. At the High Valley Road junction, turn left and walk through the High Valley Group Camp at the old barn. You’ve looked at this barn from high above, and now you can study this classic structure up close.
Turn right on Hayfield Road, and hike down the open hillside .81 mile to Alameda Creek. Then turn right a few hundred feet, and cross over the bridge to the parking area.
An alternate route down from High Valley Group Camp is to hike behind the barn in Cave Rocks Road for a half-mile to Indian Joe Creek Trail. Turn right, and watch for the cave rocks about a quarter-mile down the trail. Continue down along Indian Joe Creek to Alameda Creek.
Remember, spring is your best time at Sunol. But every season has its own reward.
Your comments and
hiking suggestions are always welcome.
Email tom@tomdavids.com and check out the Weekly Walker Web site at www.weeklywalker.com.