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    Castleridge Trailhead

    4.8 (16 reviews)

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    Michelle Z.

    It's supposed to be easier the second time right? Well...it's not. Going up that initial hill is still soooo hard! Even though I'm a pretty active person, I still felt like I was out of shape. This trail starts off on the very, very steep hill. I felt like 25% of my energy got sucked away just from climbing this hill. But it does get better as you keep going! Beautiful views (I took photos this time!) and plenty of shade on the trail. Took me about 45 minutes to get all the way to the top! Just be careful when there's muddy areas; take your time walking around it. I almost slipped a couple of times and got my shoes all muddy. The entire hike took an hour and 40 minutes for me and I felt so accomplished afterwards! Legs are not too sore this time since I stretched. Bring water and make sure you put on sunscreen!

    Pranamee S.

    This is a Beautiful Hike in a Beautiful Neighborhood!! It's. steep one FYI, I think I missed that memo and tried to do it with a toddler and a pregnant me but it's definitely beautiful and worth. few miles up if you can. Most people park on the street near the entrance and that's what we did but realized later there is a parking straight up so keep driving ahead if you don't find parking spots next to the Gate!! Small streams, some sheep, some birds, bugs, wildflowers, it's beautiful.

    Amelia A.

    Love this Pleasanton gem of a trail, especially when it's green and lush. Dog-friendly, great views, and a little butt-burner with the steep climb up. Go early to grab one of the street parking spots. A mix of sun and shade. Hiking through the ferns makes me so happy! Being up on the ridge is not my fav on a hot summer day, imho. Other than that, I highly recommend!

    Start of trail
    Miranda T.

    Out-of-State visited here and I definitely recommend this trail. I did not come to CA prepared to hike but no worries because you don't need much for this one. Workout gear and some simple tennis shoes and I was ready. Starting off is a little steep so I was feeling it in my legs within 5 minutes. From there it's more hills but tends to flatten out on a few areas. More hills then flat areas. Beginning is missy but gets better. Awesome views. Plenty of photo ops along the way. Quiet and serene. 10 out of 10 for the modest hiker looking for a little exercise.

    Priscilia W.

    Decided to take advantage of a sunny day after so much rain and cloudy days. Got here around 3ish on a weekday afternoon and there were lots of empty parking spots. I have also visited during the weekend afternoon with plenty of parking. You can either park in the lot (Castle Ridge Trail Parking Lot) or along the street (Old Foothill Rd but note it's only one way street). Both are free. There is a water fountain in the Lot and bathrooms at the start of the trailhead. One of my favorite trails close to the east bay-not too crowded, lots of greenery, plenty of shade, and a great view of the city! There is plenty of shade which makes it a great hike in the summer whereas in the winter, it'll probably be best to come earlier in the day (if you want a warmer/sunnier hike) as the sun disappears over the hill pretty early. This is an out and back trail and takes about an hour to reach the top.

    Perfect beautiful sunny Cali day for getting in touch with Mother Nature & some exercise + Vita D!
    Jeanie B.

    It's all about the Green Ya know what I mean? Go get off your arses & take part of the scene! _________________________________________________ Yet another portion of the glorious Pleasanton Ridgeline trails with lush forests of green cascading across the mountainside with several connecting trails. Beautiful terrain with sunny areas as well as plenty of forestry greenery as you make your ascent. Moderate to challenging trail, my tracker on my app showed I killed a 1,037ft. elevation gain. BURN , BABY... BURN!! Oh, don't mind me, just cheering on my glutes. Butterflies and wildflowers were abundant as well as lizards bun bathing alsong the trail with the peaceful sound of songbirds happily going about their bird business. Wonderful location to bring the binoculars for bird watching as well as a professional camera as many colorful species were present. As with this area, one should definitely be alert as it is notorious for rattlers, mountain lions as well as coyotes & I'm not talking about the ones who smuggle folks across the borders. Stick to the middle of the trail & spare yourself a potential surprise with one of those guys & you also might wanna skip out on an unpleasant case of itchy witchy poison oak! I managed to make it without seeing any of these aforementioned critters, but loads of lizard wizards, birds, a couple small gopher snakes, dragonflies & even a very expressive herd of fluffy, grazing sheep! Pro-Hiking Tip - I ended up hitting the trailhead at 11:30am and took my sweet time pausing for the many photo opps and just taking a moment to absorb all the beauty - I didn't get bit not once by a mosquito, so hit it early and avoid anything remotely near dusk if you have that "sweet blood" like I do. There. Just saved your life. You're welcome!! What I especially enjoyed was - shhhh - *whispering* There weren't many - peoooople. That's right folks, a frolic in nature with all her beauty sans a too-peopley kinda scene. I'm fucking IN!! Honestly, the few folks I encountered here were actually very welcoming & friendly. A few paused to wish me a happy sunday or commented on the abundance of butterflies that were to be seen. You can always spot the "regulars" of the trails with those infamous muscled hiking calves, walking sticks or poles, backpacks, a sunburned glow and a cheesy ear to ear grin - just cuz, well... cuz they flippin' feel energized & are truly GRATEFUL to be a part of such a tranquil scene. I'm definitely one of those. I think the world needs more folks who believe some of the best adventures in life can be found along a trail of dirt. Gorgeous scenery! Highly recommend! Get in touch with your inner hippie peace-mc'lovin badass exploring self today!

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    Review Highlights - Castleridge Trailhead

    What I like about it is that there is decent incline, free parking, bathrooms, and beautiful views of the area.

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    Don Biddle Community Park

    Don Biddle Community Park

    4.5(32 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    I found this park on TikTok and I'm so happy I did! While the main park was a little crowded, there…read morewere so many other areas of the park you could explore, that really didn't matter. There's a larger park - with a zip line, a little obstacle play structure + slide, swings, and many more activities. There's also a smaller park on the other side that's suitable for younger children. You can also find shaded areas to sit and eat down at. A large grass field to run around or fly a kite. And a trail that goes around the park - perfect for walking, biking, or roller blading. I mentioned earlier that the main park was crowded, but the green area is very quiet and peaceful. I'm considering having one of my kid's birthday party's here. I truly enjoyed it. And I got to try out Mister Softee for the first time - which was parked out front for the day.

    A very huge park with really clean bathrooms that has soap and dyson air dryers…read more They have a pickleball court and basketball court on one side with a small playground where parking is, and a bigger playground on the other side of the park. There was also an area where there were hammocks, a monument area, and even a community garden. There were also multiple bridges all spread throughout the park. The playground is a great place to bring kids, I loved the amenities they had, such as a jungle playground, zip line, and a giant slide for kids ages 5-12. This is a great place to bring your kids to play, and awesome place to walk your dog. There is a huge field of grass in the center of it all. We also saw cyclists.

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    Don Biddle Community Park
    Don Biddle Community Park
    Don Biddle Community Park

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    Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area

    Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area

    3.3(151 reviews)
    3.9 mi

    We went fishing at shadow cliffs and caught large mouth bass & Trout! For Bass we through senko's…read moreand wacky worms! For the rainbow trout we use power bait & spoons! It's very much a time of year fishing spot so read the reports! We have how to fishing videos on our youtube: fishing with austin ca$h

    We came here early in the AM to fish for a few hours, and it was largely unsuccessful aside from a…read morecouple small fries. They stock trout, catfish, bluegill, and black bass, and have convenient monofilament and fluorocarbon recycling bins. Parking fee is $5 (and plenty of it), as well as fishing, and additional fees if you bring boats here. There is no reception in various areas. It looks like it's a poppin' place for hiking, picnics, and other recreational activities. There is swimming allowed in the main lake only, though it's not the cleanest lake I've seen. The entire park area is quite expansive, that you'll have to drive around to visit everything efficiently. I suppose you can hike, but the road is a bit gravelly, rocky, uneven, and dirty with random poop. If you're walking to some of the fishing docks, you'll have to be careful about trekking up and down the hills with your gear. It could have been the day, but this was one of my least favorite fishing spot around the bay. The fishing docks were whatever, the fish weren't biting, the cleanliness wasn't there, and the trails were annoying. It started hailing/heavy raining randomly on our spot, even though it was going to be a warm afternoon. Also, an otter stole one of our catches. Still, the topography was interesting so I'd be open to coming here again to see if I'm being unappreciative.

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    Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area - Park/fishing side of park

    Park/fishing side of park

    Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area
    Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area - Trail along water

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    Trail along water

    Castleridge Trailhead - hiking - Updated May 2026

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