Recently visited the park for the first time and loved it! Not sure what happened when I used my…read moremap, but it brought me to Ziele Creek entrance, which is 5 miles away from the main entrance. Luckily, there was an East Bay Regional employee nearby working and I was able to get directions from him as I had no service In the area. When I finally made it to the main entrance, I saw the lot, which had plenty of parking. There is a restroom by what looks like visitor center which also appeared to possibly be remodeled as it was fenced up. There are so many trails to take; you get wonderful views of East Bay! The trails are steep, but it's a great workout!

April 26, 2026 - Back for the annual amazing and beautiful display of irises and other native…read moreplants. Come before the season ends! Thurs to Sun 10-4pm. Porta potty available. Garden has various areas to sit and chat. Great to stop by before or after hike at Dry Creek Regional Park.

Absolutely amazing spot for a gentle hike along the shore. We were there on a Sunday morning and…read morethe parking was easy. Beautiful views of San Francisco along with the rest of the Bay. They had a herd of goats grazing right next to the parking lot. Spent a few minutes watching them, which was an added bonus. It was surprisingly warm with the gravel path, so bring some water.

Beautiful view of the shore, and not a cumbersome walk at all. I love this place when there are…read morefewer people. It's nice to just sit down or go on a quick stroll to ease your mind. Easily accessible, but parking can be hard to find sometimes on busier days.

Five stars because it costs no yen…read more As far as Japanese gardens go, this one is my least favorite because it is rectangular, with a visible metal fence perimeter, with ugly trash and graffiti visible from across the creek and no opportunities to feed the koi fish. Three things, though, that make it special is that they have memorial plaques, stray cats, and blowtorched wood for an aged and weather-resistant finish. From 1913-1962, the site was a practice site for farming and raising livestock for Hayward Union High. It became a garden by the late 1970s, and when dedicated in 1980, focusing on botany (with plants donated by local Japanese-American nurseries) rather than religion. Every first Saturday at 1pm there's a free lecture/tour. It's not especially beautiful or big (3.5 acres) or exciting (the few people I saw there were on their phones), but it's a peaceful, clean area. I think informational displays could help people enjoy it more. Or phone chargers. Information like, many of the wooden connections (including the main entry gate) have notches instead of notches to fit together like puzzle pieces. This more authentic approach prevents rust. Or, the garden uses the Shakkei technique: when you can stand at the highest point, the surrounding trees are meant to look like distant mountains, with specific plants blended with the Japanese maples and native Oaks to make the garden feel ten timers larger than its actual 3.5 acres. Or, the hand-selected granite boulders from the Sierra Nevadas are buried one-third into the ground so it looks like they are growing, which is why I don't manicure myself often. .

I did not know this place existed until my partner found this and brought his family here…read more It's a nice, serene and scenic short walk with plenty of nice photo spots and benches to sit and take in the greenery. I loved seeing all the koi, bansai and various plants they had in the area. It is well worth a visit to come check it out!

Héctor was such a kind employee with excellent customer service. The location is clean, lifeguards…read morealways on duty and attentive, and the vibes are relaxed. I love this place!

This is just for the outside area. I haven't been to the swimming area in ages…read more Most of the time (especially not during summer) you can enter for free, park, walk around, enjoy some nature in the city and relax. There are also a few pokemon gyms located in the area if that is your thing, lol. Great place to have an impromptu picnic with a little privacy from the outside world.

The High Ridge Loop Trail is part of the Garin/Drycreek East Bay Regional Parks. This trail might…read morebe considered one of the more strenuous hikes, but also one with great views. You can access this trail from the main entrance "down below," or via the Whipsnake trail. Trail was in good shape today. I was able to traverse it with my mountain bike without any trouble. Not much cover, so can be really hot!

Martin Canyon Creek Trail (mcct) is a trail on the west side of Dublin off Silvergate Road. It…read morefollows the creek under oaks, laurels and buckeye trees. Birds fly through the canopy. Occasionally coyote can be seen by the creek. The incline is moderately steep. There is a trash can at the start and dog poop collection bags available. Be sure to pick up after your dog and to throw the poop in the trash can. The trail is popular but usually not too busy.

I have hiked or run on this trail many, many times. It is one of my favorite places to go,…read moreespecially on a hot summer day. However, I must admit this is where I fractured my foot; other than that. Hardly any bones have been broken. One neat feature about this trail is that it connects up to Dublin regional park, which is part of east Bay. regional parks.

One of my favorite place for sunset stroll with my dog. The trail is pretty flat and takes around…read more10 min one way with lovely view of the valley. Along the trail, there are some picnic tables/ benches and a disc golf field. If you wanted to watch sunset at a summit without strenuous hiking, this is the place to go. Parking is easy around the neighborhood.

"Green Rolling Hills with Lots of Cows--Most Friendly but one Looked at me with Menacing Eyes."…read more I parked at the summit, and took the trail north. It's about 3 miles if you go all the way to the driving range at Bridges Golf Course. At that point the trail peters out. It looks like they are constructing a new trailhead there. The trail is open, so don't count on any shade in the summer. It's pretty much green hills, with a compacted dirt trail. Fortunately, it's not rutted. I found the hike mildly interesting, but honestly, nothing special. Near the golf course practice center, I saw a lot of range balls on the ground. I was tempted to take them, but I threw most of them back onto the range. I'm pretty sure I did not hit anyone, but a few times I heard some klunks, followed by shouts. I wasn't sure what that meant. They might have been mad that I still had 2 golf balls in my jacket. I did not notice I had borrowed some golf balls until I was pretty far away. These trails are good for beginner hikers, since there aren't any wild animals around. I'm pretty sure there aren't any rattlesnakes or mountain lions. But if there are, I did not see them. And even if I did see any, I had some golf balls I could throw at them. The only wild animals are herds of cows. And there are lots of them! At one point I had to go way around a huge herd. I'm not really afraid of cows, but one kept looking at me with menacing eyes and did not budge from the trail. I was afraid of that one. Could it be a boy cow? I was afraid to get close to find out, so I honestly don't know if it was a boy or girl cow. But he or she looked mean. The whole time I went around the cows I kept saying pleasant things like, "Hi Susie," or "Hi Betsy, how are you?" I'm pretty sure they knew I was a friendly man. I was surprised they knew English. So over all, a pleasant hike. Nothing really special, but plenty of parking makes this a convenient location. The incline is really not too steep, so most hikers will find this an easy hike. For yelpers who are geocachers, there are plenty of geocaches on this trail. I put out about 8 new ones, so there will be lots to find. Keep in mind that there really aren't any facilities such as restrooms or drinking faucets. On the other hand, it's really not a very long hike. Just watch out for that cow with the mean looking eyes.

I'm trying to check out more paved, longer bike paths managed by East Bay Regional Parks in 2026…read more On a bright, warm, January day, I rode the Alameda Creek trail from the Niles Staging area out to the end of the trail at the bay. There's a large free lot off Old Canyon Road with a not so great porta potty but pretty straightforward access to the trail. It's all paved and fairly wide but has sections that have seem better days with some rough sections, bumps and potholes. Still, it's a mostly pleasant ride as you're riding along the creek the entire way. The first section has some nice views of the winter green hills and even the Niles hillside sign in the distance. For some sections you'll be parallel to a busy road as well as some housing developments but once you get closer to Coyote Hills regional park, the scenery vastly improves. You actually intersect with the Bayview trail at Coyote Hills, so can take a detour around the park if you want more miles. However, I just followed the creek trail until it ends with some picnic benches at the bay. Overall, a fun trail that's mostly flat with a few short inclines each time you go under one of the roadside overpasses. I liked that you didn't have to wait at any busy intersections since the trail is continuous and easy to follow. I got to see some deer, herons, egrets, lots of geese and other shorebirds closer to the bay. The trail wasn't too crowded on a Saturday. Overall, I'm glad I checked it out and may come back again.

Great bike ride for ebike. Started near Mission / Niles to end of the paved roads near Coyote…read moreCreek. Some parts in Union City needs repairs.