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    Preserve Trail

    4.0 (21 reviews)

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    The loop trail is pretty short, but they're lots of hills to climb!
    Daniel C.

    The Preserve Trail is a nice, hidden loop trail near a residential area of Pleasanton. There is a good-sized parking lot at the beginning of the trail, with a restroom and drinking fountain. Then it gets slightly confusing as there are two separate trails you can start from, both leading downhill. Its actually one big loop, though from limited signage its not clear where the best starting point is. Overall, its a pretty well-maintained trail and of moderate difficulty. They have lotsa hills, from the beginning, middle, and even in the end! There is a creek with flowing water that you'll have to hop across, along with some wet spots. We even found one place that was like a swamp and had to turn back. 3 stars - a good place for a short (45 to 90 min) hike that will still challenge you with all those hills. Plusses: * Cell signal * Large, clean parking lot * Well-maintained trails * Nice views of some very fancy homes atop the hill. Minuses: * Lack of signage along the trail. You won't get lost walking in a loop but the trail does fork a few times. * Some swampy parts, which resulted from the rainy season. You may need to do a U-turn as the ground becomes super-soft.

    one unisex flushed toilet, no sink.  drinking fountain didn't have water when we went 4/1/19.
    Ann L.

    Hiked here Mon 4/1/19 with V. to find Tehran Falls. The Preserve has 1 flushed toilet, no water so bring hand sanitizer and lots of drinking water. There's FREE parking for about 20 cars or so. Print out The Preserve & Moller Ranch Trail Map, it's only a tiny bit useful because most of the trails aren't marked. Check online for blog post on how to find the waterfall too. We saw some wild turkeys, that was cool. From what I remember on how to get to waterfall: We go down the trail, then Left, go over the bridge, then turn Left. Keep going, then we saw sign for Upper Moller Ranch, a little before that you see a nice bench with views of The Preserve- fancy houses. Then keep going up see a Water Tank. Keep going. At a split in trail that's wide, don't go up that ends up at a gate private property, go down a bit, but at the hair-pin turn, go Right on a little trail. That goes to the Waterfall. You will see a steep down on a cliff that's the way to the waterfall, but it's super steep. Go down on your butt is the way I did. I didn't go to the bottom cuz I was already tired and didn't want to have my friend wait forever for me. Plus the waterfall wasn't running that great even at 4/1/19, was dry for a while when I went, guess water from winter dried up already. Then we backtracked and did a loop at The Preserve. We did about 6 miles that day, but I think it can be done in 5 miles, just don't do the extra loop we did.

    Parking lot
    Angel L.

    It was a nice day so I got some really blue skies and nice sun in! It was easy to find the trail head once you park in the lot. The trail is well paved throughout. I ended up doing the loop trail which was pretty quick since it ended up only being about 2 miles. There were some parts that are hilly, some parts a bit wet from the rain (so be careful from the mud!), and some under shade... it did feel a little eerie because I was the only one around such huge hills and especially when I was under all the trees/shrubs. I would recommend coming with another person especially if you want to explore other parts. I liked the hike but it was mostly hills. I could see myself coming back with other people so that I can hike other parts of this trail too.

    Lots of beautiful trees on the West Side especially.
    Chris L.

    UPDATE: Well I went down to the creek IN several different locations but I didn't really find any evidence of mining equipment. I did find an old telephone pole and a big giant girder, but I don't know that those were related to mining. It's pretty tough to walk along the creek; there's lots of brush. This is a kid friendly Trail in Pleasanton California. There's a drinking fountain and well equipped restroom at the staging area off Laurel Creek Road. There's actually some fun history here that people probably don't know about. The creek nearby which is called Gold Creek, was actually the site of several gold mining events in the history of this area. There is apparently still some mining equipment near near the creek. I'm going to try to find that equipment today.

    The trail map and elevation from All Trails (hiking app)
    Melissa M.

    There are two different trails you can take from this trailhead, and I did the 1.3 mile loop. The trail head is easy to find, and it has ample parking, a bathroom, a water fountain, and a trash can. The loop can be a little tricky to follow but I used the All Trails app while out and it helped me to make sure I didn't get lost. The loop has some moderate inclines, but overall I'd rate it easy. It's so beautiful, with expansive views of the area and the gorgeous gold rolling hills. The path isn't wide enough to walk side by side with your hiking buddies and pretty even for the most part. Dogs are allowed (woo!) and it seemed like except for the few rule breakers most people pick up after their pups. It's open from 8am to 6 from April through the end of September, and is limited to daylight hours otherwise. It does get close to homes so it's important to stay on the trail. It's a great easy hike with beautiful views. I'm for sure going to take visiting friends on it to give a quick workout and look at the area.

    Sunny morning with plenty of green
    Bill H.

    Nice convenient trail. There is a parking lot at the trail head with spots for about 20 - 25 cars a bathroom and water fountain. The lot has a gate on it that can be locked but I have never seen it locked. The trail sign has posted hours of daylight hours and 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM April 1 to September 30. The trail is on private land but open to the public. There is additional parking at Laurel creek park for 5 - 10 cars. The full loop is ~1.3 miles with an elevation gain of ~350 feet that crosses Gold Creek twice. At the upper crossing I have only encountered a moist trail, and at the lower crossing there is a bridge. For the most part the trail is single track with a few wider sections. The trail is fully exposed to the sun with a few small shade areas near the creek There is an additional spur of about 1/2 mile across an unused road at the north end that connects to Blessing road. There is no parking available at Blessing Road There are connections to the Moller ranch trail. I have seen lots of turkeys and snake skins, but have not actually seen a snake.

    Jennifer M.

    Easy trail for beginners or when you just want a quick "hike". Like other Yelpers mentioned, it is a loop, which is nice and you don't have to worry about getting lost! Bring some cold water, a hat, and wear some sunscreen as it gets really hot, as there are sections of the trail with no shade.

    Uphill trail
    Lj B.

    This trail has absolutely gorgeous views, especially if you are lucky enough to be there during a sunrise or sunset! It's a bit of a hard trail, definitely was more of a hike than a walk. If you want a challenging but fun hiking trail that puts you into nature this is a nice spot, though maybe a little short.

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    It's full of ticks! My dog had 2! It's damp and dark with little sunlight. Smelt like a sewer had burst into the creek! Yuck!

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    Castleridge Trailhead

    Castleridge Trailhead

    4.8(16 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    Ok this is the "first time" that I write a review on a hiking trail. I just couldn't resist doing…read moreso.. why? It's one of the, if not THE best trail I have ever hiked. My hiking criterias are simple :). They have to give me a good intense workout & with lots of shades, in the woods if possible. It's hard to find a trail with such combination and I found it here. It's also so blissfully quiet, fresh air with smells of the oak trees. First time on this trail and boy was I in for a good surprise! It's a "really" steep, challenging, inclined uphill hike all the way (starting from base to the top) with significant elevation gain every step of the way. Also unpaved with lots of pebbles/rocks along the way. So be sure to have a good sturdy pair of hiking boots/shoes with you. It's a good 4mile roundtrip (two mile each way which takes roughly 1hour to get to the top and another 1hour coming down). The maximum elevation was 1450feet. It's fairly narrow trail and you will find many folks doing mountain biking here .. on the same trail.,So you need to keep an eye out as you hike up and down. I was truly impressed with the cyclists who did the whole roundtrip up the hill as I found myself starting to pant just a 1/4 mile into the hike.. and this is me, someone who does high intensity workout 6days a week with most days double dipped (cardio+strength). Love that it has lots of shades as we walked through the woods with huge fallen trees and eroded land. On our way down we even saw sheeps and stopped to feed them some grasses & hear the bleat, meh and baa sound from their baby sheeps. This is now my top of the list favorite place to hike. Initially I was planning to hit the gym in the evening to do my usual strength and cycling classes.. but I ended up skipping it after that long strenuous hike.

    I've hiked this trailhead a few times in the past and forgot how hard the initial section is. It…read morewill wake up your glutes! It's a two mile hike (four miles round trip) all up hill to the top of the Pleasanton Ridge. The trailhead is a shared trail so be prepared and cautious of people on e-mountain bikes. The scenery is beautiful especially when you make it to the top. Parking can be difficult because there is no parking lot. Only street parking. Bathrooms are available at the entrance.

    Photos
    Castleridge Trailhead - I made it to the top!

    I made it to the top!

    Castleridge Trailhead
    Castleridge Trailhead

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    Summit View Trails

    Summit View Trails

    4.3(15 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    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.

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    Summit View Trails
    Summit View Trails - Quick hike to the summit. Perfect for a brief meditation before starting busy day. San Ramon I love you.

    Quick hike to the summit. Perfect for a brief meditation before starting busy day. San Ramon I love you.

    Summit View Trails

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    Dublin Hills Regional Park - Lichen Love

    Dublin Hills Regional Park

    4.3(39 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    Beautiful hike in the Spring, and a bit hot and dusty in the Summer…read more Be aware, there are many ticks here in the Spring. I went hiking with my friends here in April, and both their dogs had tons of ticks crawling around in their fur. If you are hiking without dogs, tuck your pants or leggings into your socks and avoid the taller grass if you can. You can also spray tick repellent on your shoes and socks before starting. That usually does the trick. Very fun and laidback hike otherwise. We've been visiting this trail for years now, and always have a nice time. Great views, and rolling hills. Can't ask for much else, locally.

    "Hot Dusty Trails, but Lots of Free Maps"…read more I love the East Bay Regional Park system, but this is probably my least favorite park. The main trails are just dirt tracks wide open to the elements. You can imagine how it is on a summer day out here. If you enjoy dusty, desert-like environments with no water, and dying of thirst, you'll love this park. I try to come here once a year. Honestly, that's enough. Besides the main staging area, there are a few tricky entrances to the park. In the California Highlands condo complex, there are a few trails that eventually lead into this park. Keep in mind that those entrances are not open to bikes. I found out the hard way. There is an interesting side trail called Donlon Point. I believe it's the highest point in the park. There's a good view up there, plus lots of cow material. There is drinking water and a modern restroom at the staging area. Additionally, there are plenty of free maps at the gate. That's one great thing about the East Bay Park system. They are not stingy about giving out free maps. The day that I visited, the parking lot was nearly empty. You will not have trouble finding a parking spot. On the other hand, there's probably a good reason for that. As a local alternative, I recommend Las Trampas. The trails there are more interesting. Check out the Camille trailhead in Alamo.

    Photos
    Dublin Hills Regional Park - Shine Bright like a Poppy!

    Shine Bright like a Poppy!

    Dublin Hills Regional Park - Gorgeous views from the trail

    Gorgeous views from the trail

    Dublin Hills Regional Park - View.

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    Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area

    Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area

    3.3(151 reviews)
    5.2 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.

    Photos
    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

    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area - Flowers

    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area

    4.5(360 reviews)
    13.3 mi

    Came on a Saturday in February around 10:45am and there was no parking fee that day. Most of the…read morelots were pretty full, but we were able to find parking in the overflow area. We did the Canyon View to Little Yosemite trail and I recommend downloading the map ahead of time as there was no service in the park. Trail was well maintained and the views of the green hills were very pretty! Came across some very friendly cows as well. Just be aware if you are going during the summer that there are no trees so limited shade. We did the trail clockwise, which starts off with a somewhat sharp incline and finishes with a gradual decline. I would recommend this direction so that you tackle the difficult portion first and then recover at the end with the descent. We also did part of the McCorkle trail, which was pretty tiring, so we decided to skip Little Yosemite using Cerro Este Road - appreciated how there are shortcuts available. Canyon View trail was not too busy, and we ran into more people (+ dogs/kids) on the Camp Ohlone Road heading toward Little Yosemite. Overall, it was a great, moderate hike and I would definitely come back to see Little Yosemite next time!

    A group of 5 of us decided to do Rose Peak Trail from Sunol. This is a brutal 17.8, 9.5-10 hour…read morehike and up to 20 miles depending if you start from the visitor center. Started late at 9 am with few breaks and got to 3k elevation and still didn't reach the peak at 1:30 pm. A lot of hills and valleys with climbing/walking for 4.5 hours straight. Going back wasn't as easy since there's still some hills to pass. All in all, we did 18 miles for 8.5 hours of hiking. At least know what to expect for next year. The trail markers are numbered decently with not all marked. Bring a map and plenty of water! 2.5-5 liters is recommended by people who finished. Start right at 8 am. Saw 3 tarantulas and there are rattlers/mountain lions from the signs. Definitely one of the hardest hikes in the bay! Not much to see on the trail or views.

    Photos
    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area - Hill side scenery

    Hill side scenery

    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area
    Sunol Regional Wilderness Area

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    Callippe Preserve Trail - Tree.

    Callippe Preserve Trail

    4.5(6 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    The trail is decent. Most of it will be on a dirt path that is right next to the paved road for…read moregolf carts so you won't really get the feeling that you are away from civilization. There is a short portion of the trail that takes you through a neat area that is completely away from the golf course. There was a stream and small pools of water that were a nice sight after some rain. The trail is relatively easy and we did a loop that takes us 70% on a dirt path and 30% up the paved road that we drove up to get to the parking lot. Directions: You will drive up a single paved road that has houses to your right and left. If you entered the address found on this Yelp page, you will need to keep driving to the end of the road. At some point, you will reach a parking lot that is designated for the clubhouse. We parked in the parking lot. If you are standing in the middle of this parking lot facing the entrance of the clubhouse, you will want to go towards your 7 o'clock to a paved path that looks like it's for golf carts. Once you are down, make a left towards the hills away from the golf course. There will be a trail you can take on the left and another on the right if you keep walking. We took the one on the right that took us clockwise around the golf course.

    The entrance to the trail is a bit hidden. I don't think I…read morewould've been able to find it if it wasn't for a couple of people in hiking gear that I followed, I probably wouldn't have found it. Okay, so here is the clearest directions I can give to the entrance. Head towards the clubhouse or venue where it looks like people can hold receptions. Go down the concrete driveway & keep going straight until you see a little sign that says "Callippe Trail" & it states a bunch of rules for the trail. I took the trail to the right, I didn't see the trail on the left until I was walking back. The trail has certain spots where you are hiking right by the holes so you have to be extra quiet if that's the case. There are shady parts of the trails so it isn't too bad. The trail is enough for a one person single file line, so if you're going to hike with someone, they will be either behind you or in front of you. The trail ends at the entrance of a neighborhood, it's weird. I was so confused. I just turned around & went back to where I was parked. I guess you're walking on the sidewalk half the time? I don't know, still confused. I'll be back, just to see what the other trail has to offer :)

    Photos
    Callippe Preserve Trail - Golf Course View.

    Golf Course View.

    Callippe Preserve Trail - Tree.

    Tree.

    Callippe Preserve Trail - View.

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    View.

    Del Valle Regional Park

    Del Valle Regional Park

    3.7(477 reviews)
    15.2 mi

    TikTok started showing me Del Valle Regional Park videos which made me wonder if the universe was…read moretrying to tell me I need to go on a hike... well, I did. And it was beautiful so who really won? I don't recall which trail we did, but the views were nice. There's not much shade along the trail we took so I'd say wear a hat if you can and stay hydrated. Once in a while, we saw a random cow walking along which was cool. This place is popular - we saw a lot of families and bicyclists when we were here.

    What a beautiful way to begin the Lunar New Year…read more Yesterday, we hiked 4.2 miles at Del Valle Regional Park, and it felt like the perfect start to my new year goals. The trail was absolutely beautiful, even with a light drizzle along the way. Rain or shine, we still show up and that's something I'm really proud of. I'm so happy to say that my stamina is getting stronger with every hike. Each time we head out, I can feel the progress. The hills feel a little less intimidating, the miles go by a little easier, and my confidence grows a little more. When we reached the top and looked out over Lake Del Valle, the view was breathtaking, calm, peaceful, and completely worth the climb. Moments like that remind me why I keep pushing forward. Growth doesn't happen overnight, but step by step, mile by mile, I'm getting better. And thank you, Hubby, for always motivating me and believing in me. Having someone by my side who encourages me to keep going makes all the difference. Here's to starting the Lunar New Year strong and continuing to chase every goal ahead of us.

    Photos
    Del Valle Regional Park - LAKE DEL VALLE REGIONAL PARK TROUT!

    LAKE DEL VALLE REGIONAL PARK TROUT!

    Del Valle Regional Park - Rainbow trout fishing lake del valle.

    Rainbow trout fishing lake del valle.

    Del Valle Regional Park - Rainbow trout fishing lake del valle.

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    Rainbow trout fishing lake del valle.

    Preserve Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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